Eye-rolling Idiocy

[femkes_follies]

I'm not normally a political animal. I have my own opinions, but I'm not the sign-carrying protest type. However, every once in a while I encounter something so absolutely inane that it makes me want to bang my head against the wall for hours on end.

My husband is the political junkie. He has a list of blogs he reads regularly. And is particularly fond of Mark Steyn. So much so that Steyn's book, America Alone was one of his Christmas presents. I've picked it up and read it (mostly out of boredom, lack of other reading material, and unwillingness to go spend $8-10 on a paperback at Barnes and Noble). I found it thought provoking and interesting. He's got a definite bead on global demographics, politics, and the utter load of B/S that is "multiculturalism." Note: I have had a serious "thing" about this particular brand of ridiculousness since attending college when "Political Correctness" was REALLY getting goin. You've been warned. It's worth a read.

Now, what might just pique your interest is the fact that our Neighbors to the North dragged the author before their Human Rights Comission for "hate speech" for having written the book. (Set off by publication of an excerpt in a magazine, that was delcared "blatantly Islamophobic" by the Canadian Islamic Council.) This has sort of rattled my cage a bit. Granted that the American Snivel Liberties Union and a wide variety of "special interest" groups here will try regularly to muzzle anybody not on their band wagon. However, by and large, most people still believe in the Right to Free Speech. F'r instance - I find Code Pink, as an entity and as individuals to be annoying, inane, misguided, and vociferously against anything that might masquerade as thought, logic, or sense. The silly things they say make me want to vomit. BUT - I will vociferously defend their right to say them.

Apparently, the Government of Canaduh has decided that speech, publications, and the blogosphere should be regulated. Toward this end, they have their very own, very scary "McCarthy." I invite you to peruse the details:

"
Toothless Canada Borrows Crescent Fangs (Mark Steyn vs. Canada's PC Mafia)"

"Canada's Thought Police"

Mark Steyn's own website

One of the Canadian bloggers also being sued

Another of the blogger-defendants

More on the Lawsuit by Ezra Levant

The scary thing is that with or without legal support, this sort of thinking filters osmotically. You can find daily instances on this side of the border of people being silenced or ruckuses being raised in the name of "Multiculturalism." Utter clap-trap that it is.

If you've made it this far with me, I leave you with an article of Mark's, and just say Amen, brother.

Comments

[rectangularcat]

Don't think that we are all agreeing with the stance the commisions are taking. We looooooove inquiries and commissions in Canada and nothing much ever comes out of them. We have scandals involving sums of money you Americans consider change (i.e. Brian Mulroney's $300000 or the sponsorship scandal which took the Liberals out of power amounted to around $300 million).

Sometimes we take ourselves way too seriously and the current goverment is a minority government which doesn't do much.

Check out this post by Ezra for how far the outcry on this has gone so far:

http://ezralevant.com/2008/03/the-importance-of-rick-mercers.html

That rant on the Rick Mercer show was really awesome. Love that show.

[landverhuizer.livejournal.com]

Hehe, it is so true isn't it, many of us "severely normal" Canadians do tend to first (sometimes only) hear of things from him and for those very reasons...
mind ya, he can be awfully amusing!

[rectangularcat]

He's hilarious and has a good pulse on popular opinion.

I do miss that "Talking to Americans" segment he used to do on 22 minutes.

(Femke, if you haven't seen any, check this out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0AfOTLOONk
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talking_to_Americans )

[femkederoas.livejournal.com]

Oh, I do remember "This Show has 22 Minutes." *g* Watched it when I was in school. I mostly remember some gobbledygook about seal hunting, and another bit of ridiculousness about a "24-hour day."

I grew up in Michigan. Close enough to Detroit to get the occasional Windsor TV station. So I was never really that far out of the loop as far as Canada went. Sesame Street could be viewed in an English/Spanish OR an English/French version, depending on which channel you tuned into. (Actually, I need to get my passport renewed so I can still visit when THAT requirement comes online). We used to joke that the local airport was "international" because they had flights to Canada. *g* Which was not very far.

I just sometimes lose track of the fact that the other 4/5 or so of the continent don't share our "You'll pry this gun from my cold dead hands" spirit of pioneer obnoxiousness. The notion of talking something to death or legislating opinions baffles me utterly. Though liberals on this side of the border are fond of those notions, as well. *eye roll*

A common rant on this side of the line when complaining about Bush, the War, or anything political is "If so-and-so get's elected I'll move to Canada!!" And I always think to myself, "What makes you think they'd have you, you clueless wanker?" Really, feel free to use any emigrating Baby Boomer Morons as arctic colonists or polar bear food, or whatever. ;-) Especially the ones who can't even name the provinces, identify the national capital, or speak with any sense at all on the system of government. We don't want them either, but we don't wish them on you. Mars, maybe?

[rectangularcat]

Funny, I lived for 12 years in Sarnia growing up! So close.

Yeah I get annoyed by those wankers too. Mars is too nice. I hear Tibet is a nice place *evil grin*

[liz-burtt.livejournal.com]

AAAh the joys of politics, and political immigrants avoiding Bush. we had a lovely lady buy a house four doors down from me, moved in lock stock and barrel, from Kansas she was. Didn't like Bush, so to Canada she came. But in her zealousness, neglected to do the research, and didn't apply to immigrate, just moved in. She has moved back now, and the house has been resold. Apparently she didn't truly realize we are indeed a seperate country

[femkederoas.livejournal.com]

*snork* I've met the type. I do wonder how people can BE so stupid and have actually managed to survive. They push me to the verge of practicing social Darwinism.

I mean, I stress about having the right documents together just to get across the Blue Water Bridge! How on EARTH did she manage to buy a house and never clue in that she was herself an illegal alien, effectively?

[femkederoas.livejournal.com]

Thanks are in order, as my husband had never seen the show. From his perspective, this one needed a "norking through the nose" warning. *g*

[rectangularcat]

*sorry* *evil grin*

In retrospect, I loved the Mike Huckabee one about the National Igloo!

[mmcnealy.livejournal.com]

I love reading Mark Steyn, he really makes me think.

[femkederoas.livejournal.com]

It's such clear logic, stripped of most of the goofiness that both sides use to advance their pet causes.

I really do recommend his books. Though I read in small doses, as it's a little on the depressing side when you start realizing he's right!

What a Cats vs. Dogs passion play

[turdoken.livejournal.com]

*facepalm* I figure if you or your group feel the need to censure free speech then your argument is either pretty weak or its a scam. Either way, you fear exposure and are absolutely rabid to squash it! BTW, considering that Mohammed was balckballed from the Syrian monasteries for being too radical in his beliefs (they were considered the jibbering nutjobs of Christianity at the time), I tend to agree with what I've read of Mark Steyn's commentary and I just ordered his book from my local library!!!!!

OTOH, I love the Conservative and Liberal factions, whether they are north or south of the line! For groups that TOGETHOR alledgedly only number between 22-26% of the electorate, they have more in common in their fanaticism and tactics than not, and that entertains me in an ironic fashion! IMHO, the sad thing is that while both groups each have some very good points, the relevancy and actual utility of those same points to the other 74-78% of the electorate north or south of the line seems to be about 1/5 of what they themselves passionately believe it is!

So, I say "Rock On!" I'm waiting for Act 2,307 of this Cats vs. Dogs passion play!!!!!

Re: What a Cats vs. Dogs passion play

[femkederoas.livejournal.com]

I think you, in particular, will enjoy Mark.

Your piece is coming along, BTW. The arrival of spring is significantly improving the tendency of gold to stick to gesso. *yeah*