We are developing the social individualist meta-context for the future. From the very serious to the extremely frivolous... lets see what is on the mind of the Samizdata people.
Samizdata, derived from Samizdat /n. - a system of clandestine publication of banned literature in the USSR [Russ.,= self-publishing house]
|
Canadian fury at its most magnificent Ezra Levant is not someone I had heard of before but I already take my hat off to the man. He has been summoned before a kangaroo court in Alberta to answer for daring to publish the Mohammed Cartoons in 2006.
His opening remarks to the absurdly named ‘Alberta Human Rights Commission’ are, quite simply, pure uncompromising brilliance. Read the whole article yourself as no mere snippet can do them justice.
Update: go to the root Ezra Levant site and watch the videos. Oh. My. God. The man is simply magnificent. Watch and learn. It is a master class in confronting the enemies of liberty. Head on.
I invite people to do what I just did… if you feel Ezra Levant speaks for you too, go to his site and drop your mouse on the button ‘Donate to fight the HRC’ to help defray his legal costs. Put your money where Ezra’s mouth is.
|
Who Are We? The Samizdata people are a bunch of sinister and heavily armed globalist illuminati who seek to infect the entire world with the values of personal liberty and several property. Amongst our many crimes is a sense of humour and the intermittent use of British spelling.
We are also a varied group made up of social individualists, classical liberals, whigs, libertarians, extropians, futurists, ‘Porcupines’, Karl Popper fetishists, recovering neo-conservatives, crazed Ayn Rand worshipers, over-caffeinated Virginia Postrel devotees, witty Frédéric Bastiat wannabes, cypherpunks, minarchists, kritarchists and wild-eyed anarcho-capitalists from Britain, North America, Australia and Europe.
|
It’s somewhat surprising that the “Alberta Human Rights Commission” (sic) didn’t muzzle Ezra Levant after he uttered his first few sentences. Any person willing to continue the proceedings against Mr. Levant after that devastating statement is completely bereft of shame and any sense of Western democratic principles.
And calling that commission a ‘kangaroo court’ is insulting to kangaroos…
There are number of us in Canada who are backing Mr. Levant throughout this inquisition, both morally and financially (should the later be required). This case, along with that brought against Mr. Steyn & MacLeans magazine, are fundamental test cases for human rights in Canada. If the inquisitors do not back off, then these matters will probably go to the supreme court; there’s enough push behind them, and the global exposure will help put pressure on the House of Commons.
No, don’t read this article.
Read the whole site. His answer, in a later segment of tape, as to what his motivation was in publishing the toons was sheer brilliance.
To paraphrase – “I now state I posted them in order to cause all the offence the complainant whines about feeling, as is my absolute and unquestionable right in a free state. And who the hell do you think you are, as a representative of that state, to question me about this?”
And before anyone complains, no, I am not quoting. I am paraphrasing.
Ezra posted his actual appearance on YouTube, in 3 parts.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ezra+levant&search=Search
I met Ezra in mid-November 2004 on the National Review cruise (and boy, that was a very fun place to be in the wake of the 2004 election). We sat at the same dinner table one evening and he showed me some copies of this Canadian, conservative magazine he had just started up. We talked about bloggers and columnists we both enjoyed, and I was damn impressed with him; here’s this guy about my age (early thirties, then) who had founded this national magazine in an effort to bring more conservative-libertarian thought to a country in desperate need of it. And he had gotten a fantastic line-up of writers, including Mark Steyn and Damien Penny. I was amazed by his commitment, ambition, and bravery.
I’m sorry he’s having these ridiculous and costly problems with his government, but I’m not at all surprised to see him facing them with wit and courage.
Heh. Shame I hadn’t met him when I was a bit younger and single; it’s damn hard to find a Jewish man who’s also politically conservative. Mom would’ve loved him! Of course, I suppose I would’ve had to move to Canada then, so never mind. 😉
All “hate” crimes legislation becomes thought policing. The will of a bureaucracy fabricate new powers, new authorities and new areas of examination, regulation and control is unlimited.
In the US we have seen the EPA give a grant to an environmental organization so that the agency would be sued. The resulting court decision would expand the agencies powers (and budget) without any elected representative being consulted.
Canada has lost its will to defend itself against all those who use their laws to handicap and hamstring opposition to terror. This ball of confusion has been used by groups large and small to manufacture or expand civil rights beyond the scope of any legislator and their constituents would agree.
It is up to the judges to resist such silliness. Unfortunately, we see a generation of learned people who have studied all sides of situations for so long they have lost their own sense of law and history…
Revolutions are made is such as this…
I’ve only watched the opening statement so far, but it’s a brilliant takedown of the sheer idiocy of the HRC. Recording and publicizing this nonsense is the most effective way of showing how stupid it all is. I sincerely hope that every single person called before these people does the same.
I am confused by one thing, though. Do all of these Human Rights Commissions “courts” actually have the power of arrest in Canada? Or police to enforce the rules of their inquisitions? I assume they must. If not, why not just ignore them? Or bring a lawyer along despite their rules. Nothing drives beauracrats more insane than having the petty rules that frame their existence disregarded and mocked.
This is a preliminary hearing only. It’s decision will be do we hold a full inquisition or do we dismiss? I strongly suspect that it will dismiss, however I would like to see it go for the Full Monty and allow the complete ridicule of the Human Rights Commission to unfold in Canada.
A poster noted that in the US, the EPA paid a group to sue it.
Here in Canada, the Liberal government paid an anti-gun lobbyist to lobby the government for stronger gun control laws.
The nerve and gall of the nanny-statists never ceases to amaze me.
Bucept in Canada, where they never happen. It is a revolution-free zone.
Laura,
I for one, am not. He picked his battle (at least he appears to have) and seems very well equipped to fight it. The usual suspects appear to have picked a very hard target. I just watched all the videos he has up on his web site and found myself smiling with relief.
I hope this goes all the way because the good guys need some high profile wins right now. A little bit of marching in the street wouldn’t hurt either, but I don’t know if Canadians can overcome their empassioned apathy.
It appears more of us should be like Ezra.
I wish him well.
And while we’re at it, let’s all try to make sure HRC isn’t elected US president either!
The female ‘officer’ is such an obvious example of a type of person it’s almost funny… the type found in human resources departments and local government throughout the world, that all use the same technique:
they invite you to speak, you speak assuming that your words are actually being taken in and processed, and when you are done speaking they merely continue where they left off, and you are left wondering if you actually said anything or if you just imagined you did.
The technique is designed to demoralise and frustrate and in the end it’s easier just to skip the talking and litigate.
Sad.
Heh. Well spotted.
It is important to note that no one person ever actually “tried” by these “courts” has ever been found innocent.
Canadians…why do you tolerate this?
Mighty impressive. I just left a donation at his site. The idea of having to answer to this type of “court” is appalling.
Are these HRCs a practice run for Sharia courts?
I just left a bit of money for him as well. Damn inspiring, actually, listening to him eviscerate that lumpy little bureaucrat. Not that she even understood the beating she was taking, which is sadly the way of these things.
The problem is that in the Representative Democracies, the representation is De Jure and not De Facto- it is a legal fiction. They feel free to do what they want because most people aren’t paying attention. There should be an institutional mechanism where a jury could impound and return to the treasury the appropriations for, or abolish such such agencies as the HRC or any gov’t agency it sees as oppressive. We see, especially in Europe or Canada how little respect the political class has for its nominal masters.
The video of his appearance should be made compulsive viewing in any social studies program.
This is what defending liberty means at the street level.
I was inspired by his statements, and may he kick commision arse.
Welcome to Western democracy: corrupt, self-serving bureaucrats appointed by even more corrupt, self-serving and self-regarding politicians, elected by a morally bankrupt, apathetic, self-serving population who wouldn’t know what freedom was if they were beaten around the face with it.
Let’s tear it all down…
DK
That video of him reading his statement made me happy in my pants.
That is all.
Oh . . . no . . . no, wait . . . okay, I stand corrected. I just watched “What was your intent?”. NOW I am happy in my pants.
Heterosexual I may be, but I’m still in love with this man and want to have his babies.
Any person willing to continue the proceedings against Mr. Levant after that devastating statement is completely bereft of shame and any sense of Western democratic principles.
FU*K Western democratic principles. We are talking about a free society here.
We have had freedom of opinion for many more centuries than we have had ‘democracy’. That is the issue.
Relevant to this story and well said.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhN6CG1zCRc
Spend the time to watch, it’s worth the price of admission 🙂
Entertaining video, Glen.
It might be handy to ask this Imam what his view would is on Abu Talib’s decision when faced with this same issue.
Thanks for the link,Glen. Condell is very interesting, but it isn’t religion which is the problem, it is Islam., specifically. Actually more to the point ,it is the spineless assholes we have as our politicians,who pander to Islam ,that are the problem.
Laura 2:25 am comment….
There are a LOT more of us politically conservative jewish men than you think…but we mostly work in the trades and thus aren’t as acceptable marriage material to most jewish women (we don’t make enough)…
But as a “moderate” conservative I applaud Mr. Levant’s efforts…just wish I could do so financially.
Willful irrationality is “the” problem, so all religions qualify as part of it. Islam happens to be the worst banana in the bunch at the moment is all.
Yes, but someone has to elect them. Being spineless assholes, if someone told them the majority wanted Islam cracked down on, that’s what they’d do. I suspect the press and universities are more to blame.
Joshua,
No, it is specifically Islam. Mid a while back commented on the idea of the possibility that Islam might have a “reformation” and therefore become all cuddly like Christianity, say. His take was that it currently is having a reformation, the only kind that is possible within Islam and the result is Salafism. Islam is going back to it’s roots and they are intrinsically horrible. It is not the “worst bannana in the bunch at the moment”. It is that in essence.
I also take issue with your irrationality point. Lots of complete tinfoil-hatters don’t blow people up, behead all and sundry, systematically subjugate women, and have entire states bent on utterly nihilistic, chaos, destruction and enslavement.
This seems to be a perfect argument for term limits for bureaucrats. Ten years, max, and you’re out. After that, you have to learn an actual skill or trade and get a job that really produces something. Ultimately, it could become a source of shame to be a bureaucrat, because it would show others that you don’t have the talent or skill to do anything else at the moment.
Anyone with me here?
And yes, Ezra’s speech was brilliant.
This seems to be a perfect argument for term limits for bureaucrats. Ten years, max, and you’re out. … Anyone with me here?
Good concept, Kev!
I have no probem with the guy on the roads department who spends 30 years driving a grader; remembers the big storm of 1982 and where the roads got bad then; has some ideas about what he will do differently when the next big storm hits. We need those guys, and they should be paid the full market rate.
Its his boss who ought to be moved on. Maybe put all senior bureaucrats on 3 year contracts, with no pension rights. Have a jury-like body of taxpayers decide at the end of the contract whether to renew it for another 3 years — requiring 2/3 vote for continuation. We might have to pay more for the senior bureaucrats, but it would eventually eliminate the petty empire builders.
Unfortunately, not going to happen until there is blood in the gutters.
I have no particular objection to putting it that way. But what about this means that the other bananas aren’t also bad?
That’s true – and this is the basis for saying that Islam is the “worst” banana in the bunch. But again, there are plenty of silly things you can do that aren’t on this list.
I gave him $50. Seems cheap considering he’s on the barricades defending us against Islam. Yeah, that’s right Islam – not Islamofacism.
Spend the morning reading the account in his blog, comment threads and watching the videos; sent a small contribution.
This story rings so sadly familiar to anyone with Soviet Union background; anyone who had to answer to allegation/hearing/investigations in various party committees, subcommittees and quasi – committees.
Starting in elementary school (“what were your intentions when you tossed the Red Pioneer Tie in the garbage can in Phis. Ed class?”) and going all through college (“Why did you refuse to participate in Meeting to support Luis Corvalan?”) and to workplace (too stupid and illogical to list).
Never thought I’ll hear anything remotely close to this shameful experience happening in the Free West once I emigrated.
Oh, and Laura: I totally agree with the “where’re the right-thinking Jewish men?” part.
Rich Vail: I too work in the trades. There is a vacuum, I repeat, vacuum of libertarian (not “progressive”) Jewish men.
Shirlene T. McGovern
[deleted by editor… it would be… unfortunate… if that turned out to be the address of the wrong person]
Joshua,
Regarding bananas – most religions contain crazy beliefs, but the point about freedom of speech/thought is that anybody is entitled to believe and to try to persuade others to believe whatever they like, even crazy stuff. The critical distinction being made here is about religions that impose their beliefs on other people by force. If religions are a bunch of bananas in varying states of decay, then Islam is the exotic giant spider that has been hiding amongst the fruit since it was imported. The bananas can only hurt you if you voluntarily choose to eat them. You might be fooled by their surface appearance, but it is still your choice and responsibility what to do about them. The spider on the other hand intends to leap out and run up your shorts leg to sink its venom-dripping fangs into your delicate parts, and then lay its eggs in your paralysed body.
The Christians/etc. are bananas, and as such their only real offence is in providing the cover in which the Islamists can hide. We may disagree with other religions and argue with them and fight to keep them out of science classrooms, but they are not an actual problem as such. A religion that seeks to subjugate the world and will execute anyone who leaves it, is.
First I wish every success to Mr Levant and what follows is NOT an attack upon him – it is a consideration of the background principles.
Once it has been accepted that discrimination in “housing and employment” are matters for the use of force, via government, why should speech not also be included?
Indeed even the means, a government “Human Rights Commission” (an administrative body, rather than a court with a jury) have been accepted.
It would be more consistant to say “this body should not exist”, rather than “this body should exist, but should not attack my way of doing business, spreading ideas, attacking other business enterprises that are not in the aread of publishing opinions is a different matter”.
The J.S. Mill distinction (“On Liberty” 1859) between freedom of speech and mere economic freedom will not work.
Even nations that have something like the First Amendment will soon see the growth of “Hate Speech” arguments and other such – if the idea that nondiscrimination is a “Human Right” is accepted.
For “abusing what we hold most sacred is even worse than denying us a job or a house”.
Lastly appealing to the Universal Declaration on Human Rights may be an error. For, fine sounding though it is is, there are words in it that the statists could use.
This is no accident, and was it simply the doing of the Soviet representatives at the time of drafting. For example, the British representatives were Harold Laski and E.H. Carr – two fanatical enemies of liberty.
The real villain of the HRC attacks on both Ezra Levant and Mark Steyn is Mohammed el Masry president of the Canadian equivalent of CAIR. El Masry’s hate speech against Canadian Jews is frequent and loathesome. However, his disgusting anti-semitism seems to have gone too far in these cases and one hopes el Masry will soon be whining and licking his wounds.
I disagree Millie. Mohammed el Masry would be an irrelevant fucktard Islamo-fascist raving from the edges of sanity and society but for the fact the Canadian state provides him with the tools to actually have some effect.
It is the people who make that possible who are the true villains and the serious enemies of liberty.
You’re right, of course, but I think UN ramblings are accepted as “law” in Canada, which is the reason he’s citing it.
My understanding of it is that that’s exactly what he’s saying. He several times implies that the HRC is not a real court, for example. The bit that your refering to is just to illustrate to the court that even the people who founded it (and presumably, therefore, agree with its mission and right to do … whatever it is that it does) disagree that it should be used as a board of censors.
Pa Annoyed –
Right, and very entertaining expansion of my analogy!
This was the substance of my calling them “bananas,” right. I will concede that there is a difference in kind in the danger posed by Islam and other religions at the moment (as I’ve indicated several times here before, however, I do not think this rules out a moderation of Islam in the future, and we certainly have no guarantee that Christians won’t start going violent again in the future as they have in the past). But we should recognize that one of the major reasons our leaders have to mouth canards like “Islam is a religion of peace” and remind us endlessly about all these moderate Muslims we’ve never seen is because they themselves believe in goofy superstitions that they don’t want questioned.
Perry, I agree with you. The fact that Mohammed el Masry and his ilk can do this with impunity and without cost is disgusting and indeed is the fault of the government legislation which makes such travesties of justice possible. I was referring to him as the villain in these two specific cases.
Am I missing something here, or could any non-Muslim legitimately bring charges against almost any Mosque in Canada on more or less the same basis.
Hate speech is the politically correct term for blasphemy, no?
Billll, I was thinking the same thing. If Soharwardy is as anti-Semitic (and likely anti-gay, misogynistic, etc.) as Ezra suggests, it should be a piece of cake to find something “hateful” or some such nonsense. Of course I disagree with the mission of the HRC, and do not want to condone its existence, but using it to persecute fundamentalists could show that it is not a one-sided weapon, and could cost the commission some of its political support.
That assumes, of course, that it actually is not a one-sided weapon. That is a big assumption.
I think you are forgetting that this is not the first case of this type. A couple of years ago a printer in either Alberta or Saskatchewan turned down a contract from a gay group that wanted him to print some materials for them on the grounds that he did not agree with what they believed. They reported him to the HRC and he was forced to do the work for nothing and pay them $4500 for hurting their feelings. If he would not agree to do that they would pull his license to operate a business.
This is just the next step in the process and they are going after the big guns who have the words and the friends to fight back. When you attack someone like Ezra or Mark Steyn, they will hand you your a@@ on a stick and they also have the resources to publicize what happened. I hope the result is that the HRC is greatly cut back or disbanded. I also just hope that our LLL dems in the USA take note and realize that what happened to their brothers in Canada would happen to them here if they tried the same thing and I am sure that this is the direction that they are headed. I don’t think it is just a coincidence that the HRC in Canada has the same initials as the Red Witch in the USA.
Let’s hope he’s not the last Canadian who feels this way.
Sanity Inspector: No, there are plenty of us up here in the Great White North who are cheering on Ezra — especially here in Alberta. Some of us have even donated to the cause, and I for one am grateful to all of you who have chosen to do so as well.
However, statist bureaucrats are the same the world over, and so we have our share of that sort even here. The sad thing is that these people probably believe in all honesty that they are doing the right thing — the banality of evil, as Arendt put it.
These so-called “human rights” commissions aren’t part of the Canadian justice system at all. They’re rogue moonbat extremist activist bodies which have morphed via leftist interference into the fascist, politically correct kangaroo “courts” they are today. Originally they were mandated to merely act as sort of an arbitrator/mediator for folks who thought they’d been wronged in stuff like housing and employment, etc. Today they’re acting like the kids in “Lord of the Flies”, as y’all can see very well. It’s like the Ninth Circuit Court, but without any legitimacy whatsoever under the law and the constitution. It’s run by mostly brain-dead moonbat activists like the dummy woman in the video.
There’s also no provision in the Canadian Constitution Act, Bill of Rights, nor Charter of Rights and Freedoms for such a commission as we see them acting today.
These commissions have operated for too long under the radar (and still are) of the MSM and the Canadian People. But this is going to change, and start changing… a couple of days ago. The MSM is mostly silent, but I doubt they can ignore this for too long.
Just like the ACLU and the Ninth Circuit Court and other leftist bodies and “judges” and so on in America, these commissions actually violate Canadians’ rights at the pathetic, petulant behest of extremists representing, mostly, GLBTs and Islamoimperialists. There’s no trial. Evidence is irrelevant. Facts are irrelevant. Constitutional rights are irrelevant. All that matters to these left-wing fascists of the commissions is that a special, favored-by-the-Far-Left group member has claimed that someone “hurt his feelings” or something… and then the accused is summarily found guilty and ordered to pay thousands of dollars to the complainant. Holy shee-it, that sounds like a bloody jizya (the tax Muslims make dhimmis pay)!!!!
I can assure you, as a member of the party that governs my country today, we Conservatives don’t want these commissions taking away our right to freedom of expression and other rights. We want them abolished. We have made it clear to the Prime Minister and our MPs. Many, many, many people, including Americans, are donating money to Ezra’s legal fund.
This is a critical crossroads in Canadian and human liberty history.
And, don’t forget, the same liberal fascist forces that affect Canada affect America as well. And the entire Free World.
Therefore Ezra Levant is essentially making the first stand, taking a leadership role…
We must follow Ezra. We must also fight tyranny and evil as he is.
Sic semper tyrannis!
These so-called “human rights” commissions aren’t part of the Canadian justice system at all. They’re rogue moonbat extremist activist bodies which have morphed via leftist interference into the fascist, politically correct kangaroo “courts” they are today. Originally they were mandated to merely act as sort of an arbitrator/mediator for folks who thought they’d been wronged in stuff like housing and employment, etc. Today they’re acting like the kids in “Lord of the Flies”, as y’all can see very well. It’s like the Ninth Circuit Court, but without any legitimacy whatsoever under the law and the constitution. It’s run by mostly brain-dead moonbat activists like the dummy woman in the video.
There’s also no provision in the Canadian Constitution Act, Bill of Rights, nor Charter of Rights and Freedoms for such a commission as we see them acting today.
These commissions have operated for too long under the radar (and still are) of the MSM and the Canadian People. But this is going to change, and start changing… a couple of days ago. The MSM is mostly silent, but I doubt they can ignore this for too long.
Just like the ACLU and the Ninth Circuit Court and other leftist bodies and “judges” and so on in America, these commissions actually violate Canadians’ rights at the pathetic, petulant behest of extremists representing, mostly, GLBTs and Islamoimperialists. There’s no trial. Evidence is irrelevant. Facts are irrelevant. Constitutional rights are irrelevant. All that matters to these left-wing fascists of the commissions is that a special, favored-by-the-Far-Left group member has claimed that someone “hurt his feelings” or something… and then the accused is summarily found guilty and ordered to pay thousands of dollars to the complainant. Holy shee-it, that sounds like a bloody jizya (the tax Muslims make dhimmis pay)!!!!
I can assure you, as a member of the party that governs my country today, we Conservatives don’t want these commissions taking away our right to freedom of expression and other rights. We want them abolished. We have made it clear to the Prime Minister and our MPs. Many, many, many people, including Americans, are donating money to Ezra’s legal fund.
This is a critical crossroads in Canadian and human liberty history.
And, don’t forget, the same liberal fascist forces that affect Canada affect America as well. And the entire Free World.
Therefore Ezra Levant is essentially making the first stand, taking a leadership role…
We must follow Ezra. We must also fight tyranny and evil as he is.
Sic semper tyrannis!
These so-called “human rights” commissions aren’t part of the Canadian justice system at all. They’re rogue moonbat extremist activist bodies which have morphed via leftist interference into the fascist, politically correct kangaroo “courts” they are today. Originally they were mandated to merely act as sort of an arbitrator/mediator for folks who thought they’d been wronged in stuff like housing and employment, etc. Today they’re acting like the kids in “Lord of the Flies”, as y’all can see very well. It’s like the Ninth Circuit Court, but without any legitimacy whatsoever under the law and the constitution. It’s run by mostly brain-dead moonbat activists like the dummy woman in the video.
There’s also no provision in the Canadian Constitution Act, Bill of Rights, nor Charter of Rights and Freedoms for such a commission as we see them acting today.
These commissions have operated for too long under the radar (and still are) of the MSM and the Canadian People. But this is going to change, and start changing… a couple of days ago. The MSM is mostly silent, but I doubt they can ignore this for too long.
Just like the ACLU and the Ninth Circuit Court and other leftist bodies and “judges” and so on in America, these commissions actually violate Canadians’ rights at the pathetic, petulant behest of extremists representing, mostly, GLBTs and Islamoimperialists. There’s no trial. Evidence is irrelevant. Facts are irrelevant. Constitutional rights are irrelevant. All that matters to these left-wing fascists of the commissions is that a special, favored-by-the-Far-Left group member has claimed that someone “hurt his feelings” or something… and then the accused is summarily found guilty and ordered to pay thousands of dollars to the complainant. Holy shee-it, that sounds like a bloody jizya (the tax Muslims make dhimmis pay)!!!!
I can assure you, as a member of the party that governs my country today, we Conservatives don’t want these commissions taking away our right to freedom of expression and other rights. We want them abolished. We have made it clear to the Prime Minister and our MPs. Many, many, many people, including Americans, are donating money to Ezra’s legal fund.
This is a critical crossroads in Canadian and human liberty history.
And, don’t forget, the same liberal fascist forces that affect Canada affect America as well. And the entire Free World.
Therefore Ezra Levant is essentially making the first stand, taking a leadership role…
We must follow Ezra. We must also fight tyranny and evil as he is.
Sic semper tyrannis!
[‘concerned’ posts an address]
Er, that address is in Vancouver, BC. The case is being run by the Alberta HRC.
You sure about it? Could be a BIG mistake.
There is only one way to describe this: Ezra Levant is a mensch.
Sounds like this is a “Hank Reardon” moment. Do they really have force of law? If not, it seems like the best thing to do is to just tell the HRC to go f*ck themselves and walk away. IF they pursue you then challenge the very concept in court – a real court not this farce that passes for one.
I grew up in Canada and it saddens me to see the abuses of Human Rights that have occured there.
They have the power to impose fines and compel apoligies apparently.
The funny thing is, if this law was enforced in the US, you could charge about every person at an anti-war rally with a hate crime. You can’t take two steps through one of those zoos without some idiot with a sign comparing the president to hitler etc… the same logic as used in this case makes it pretty compelling that such a statement can insight violence. Killing a tyrant isnt morally wrong after all. The blockheads that think up these laws never seem to realize how easily they can be turned against their own side, particularly considering how many fringe bombthrowing nutbags they have.
Update: Apparently the same imam is already being persecuted/prosecuted by the HRC because of his mosque’s treatment of women:
http://ezralevant.com/2008/01/inside-syed-soharwardys-mosque.html
Justice is very quick these days.
What’s with the religion-hating? Surely, not all freedom-loving, rational and essentially small-govt types are hardcore atheists, right? I mean, If your bile rises up whenever some *Christofascists* spews his junk, imagine how I feel when atheists crap out their merde. Maybe we should punch each other’s lights out and then agree to keep our mouths shut, or at least civil. Me, I think it would be better to start off with that as the default. Besides, Joshua probably lives some thousand miles from me.
So, religions are irrational. Well, then atheism is irrational too, seeing as it happens to have the exact same belief structure and metaphysics as any other religion. ‘I don’t believe in Sasquatches’ is equivalent to ‘I believe in no Sasquatches’. Unless you’re agnostic, in which case you shouldn’t be throwing eggs at anybody else.
And riddle me this, laddies, what sustains the matter and energy that makes up this universe? Or even space and time? The Christian says Jesus holds everything together by His power. I don’t know what the other religions say, but they probably have an answer as well. Atheists? Would it be random ‘quantum fluctuations’? Yeesh. Gimme a break.
The most irrational thing I can think of is looking at the sheer order and complexity of the natural world and saying that it all came out from random undirected process governed by chance and probabilities in an infinitely innumerable multiverse – for which empirical evidence is somewhat lacking, but we’ll find it, don’t you worry. And at the same time, looking at the order and complexity of the Core 2 Quad and drooling over Intel’s engineering and design team.
Coming back to the point of the post, the Motoons are not very well drawn, but they do convey powerful messages, don’t they? That’s a very definition of success right there. I say more power to ol’ Ezra. I’ll clink some coins in his tip jar sometime this weekend.
Not at all. About half of Samizdata’s contributors are practising adherents of a religion. There is nothing incompatible being religious and supporting liberty.
Personally I am a Pastafarian… when I’m not being a shoulder shrugging agnostic.