I hate that fat little fark.

Hate him all you want, but he's right and the government(s) shouldn't be bending over backwards to prove how open and inclusive they are by pandering to religious nutbags.

Smitty - Just because Ezra is right on this particular freedom of speech issue doesn't negate the fact that he is a Bush loving reactionary asshole.

Dinki: Smitty - Just because Ezra is right on this particular freedom of speech issue doesn't negate the fact that he is a Bush loving reactionary asshole.

So? He's got a right to be a "Bush loving reactionary asshole". And we have the right to dismiss what he says.

But not this time.

Oh, and if it was a left wing paper being questioned about their publishing of an anti-Israeli piece, you can bet your ass Mr. Levant would be remarkably unconcerned about freedom of speech.

Great speech.

It's one of these (very very few) days where I'm kinda sad that most Farkers don't understand French Québecois.

I still have a mp3 of Dr. Zylberberg in front of the stalinistic CRTC about Freedom of Speech and their attempt to stiffle it. Very, very important speech about the loss of Free Speech and Freedom in Canada.

I had the honor to met this man, a University teacher, publisher of many books, who has fought for Human Rights all over the globe, was arrested, sent to jail, and tortured for Freedom. You can see it all over his body and hear it in his voice, since he now is in a wheelchair, was stabbed, insert torture methods, etc...

At one point he said, after being told that his 10 minutes to speak were up and that the commission would not hear him anymore (I paraphrase)

"Even under the Pinochet regime, when I sent to jail, when I was tortured horribly, when I was sent in front of a farce of a military tribunal, even then I was given more time to speak my piece. I find myself today in Canada and I have less time to express myself than I did under Pinochet. This is a disgrace"

He was right, it was a complete disgrace. Canada is sadly turning into a joke.

Before this nonsense began I had no intention of buying Mark Steyn's book, but now I'm going to. If the issue isn't favorably resolved soon, I might even read it.

Dinki 2008-01-13 01:06:31 AM
Oh, and if it was a left wing paper being questioned about their publishing of an anti-Israeli piece, you can bet your ass Mr. Levant would be remarkably unconcerned about freedom of speech.

If it was a left wing paper publishing an anti-Israeli piece, it would not be before the human rights council in the first place.

Roceodr: If it was a left wing paper publishing an anti-Israeli piece, it would not be before the human rights council in the first place.

QTF, This, Hear hear, etc...

I don't exactly understand the context of this hearing. How does a cartoon affect the Human Rights of another Canadian citizen?

yeah this is a tough one for libs. they're all for free speech until someone gets offended. err, make that, until one of their own gets offended.

PonceAlyosha: I don't exactly understand the context of this hearing. How does a cartoon affect the Human Rights of another Canadian citizen?

apparently, it is a human right in canada to never be offended.

I'm as Democratic as any, and this guy is absolutely correct. And after all that the Bush administration has done with the Patriot Act, Terrorist Surveillance Program, etc., don't try to argue that Republicans are the party of civil liberties.

Then again, I hate hate crimes, too, so meh.

PonceAlyosha: I don't exactly understand the context of this hearing. How does a cartoon affect the Human Rights of another Canadian citizen?

The Canadian HRC is a farking joke.

Didn't you watch the videos?

A guy who was called a loser by girls in his hair cutting class actually complained to the HRC that his rights were being violated and they actually gave him an session.

Seriously.

/waste of taxpayer money
//Hey, with taxes over 50%, you have to waste a whole lot to keep up, eh

014789: PonceAlyosha: I don't exactly understand the context of this hearing. How does a cartoon affect the Human Rights of another Canadian citizen?

apparently, it is a human right in canada to never be offended.
they get free igloos too!

Lee_Sharpe: Then again, I hate hate crimes, too, so meh.

It is a good thing to be intolerant of intolerance.

Awesome.


"A free society is one where it is safe to be unpopular." - Adlai Stevenson

"Experience should teach us to be most on our guard to protect liberty when the Government's purposes are beneficent. Men born to freedom are naturally alert to repel invasion of their liberty by evil minded rulers. The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal well meaning but without understanding." - Louis D Brandeis

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same." - Ronald Reagan

moriarty23: they get free igloos too!

Actually, that stopped 3 years ago, Parliament passed a law making it illegal since they were afraid it was contributing to Global Warming. So, now, the best you can get is a subsidized moose and a wooden shack

Tatsuma: moriarty23: they get free igloos too!

Actually, that stopped 3 years ago, Parliament passed a law making it illegal since they were afraid it was contributing to Global Warming. So, now, the best you can get is a subsidized moose and a wooden shack

I knew you were lying when you said Parliament did something about global warming.

Transa: I knew you were lying when you said Parliament did something about global warming.

Parliament does many things about Global Warming, they just don't do anything that, you know, actually helps

PonceAlyosha: I don't exactly understand the context of this hearing. How does a cartoon affect the Human Rights of another Canadian citizen?

From what I understand, being offended can now be twisted to have actual effects and therefore damages.

Tatsuma: Transa: I knew you were lying when you said Parliament did something about global warming.

Parliament does many things about Global Warming, they just don't do anything that, you know, actually helps

They could, you know, stop talking.

monty666: I hate that fat little fark.

He sounds pretty insufferable to hang around, and I probably don't agree with his politics at all, but he happens to be right. He should be free to publish whatever he wants, for whatever reasons he wants (short of explicit exhortations to acts of violence), without government interference.

The mere fact that a "Human Rights Commission" is questioning him for what he published and his intent for doing so is downright Orwellian.

LargeCanine: They could, you know, stop talking.

You do realize that people go into politics mostly because they like to hear the sound of their own voice, right?

Well, that, bribes, and delusions of self-importance.

014789: apparently, it is a human right in canada to never be offended.

Quirky 'Canada' has own government, laws.

Tatsuma: LargeCanine: They could, you know, stop talking.

You do realize that people go into politics mostly because they like to hear the sound of their own voice, right?

Well, that, bribes, and delusions of self-importance.

And the pensions. Don't forget the pensions.

PonceAlyosha: And the pensions. Don't forget the pensions.

Touché

Oops, my previous was wrong. Since LGF was farked (as usual) before I got to this story, I mistakenly thought that the story was referring to the HRC case against Maclean's magazine for publishing the work of Mark Steyn (more on that story here (new window)). In fact, it was about the Danish cartoons. Video mentioned by submitter is here (new window).

Quirky 'Canada' has own government, laws.

...and ignores the ones they used to call "fundamental."

I don't exactly understand the context of this hearing. How does a cartoon affect the Human Rights of another Canadian citizen?

Its not just Canadian citizens. According to the complaint it's a human rights violation to offend an over 800 year dead, non Canadian prophet as well.

Tatsuma: Great speech.

It's one of these (very very few) days where I'm kinda sad that most Farkers don't understand French Québecois.

I still have a mp3 of Dr. Zylberberg in front of the stalinistic CRTC about Freedom of Speech and their attempt to stiffle it. Very, very important speech about the loss of Free Speech and Freedom in Canada.

I had the honor to met this man, a University teacher, publisher of many books, who has fought for Human Rights all over the globe, was arrested, sent to jail, and tortured for Freedom. You can see it all over his body and hear it in his voice, since he now is in a wheelchair, was stabbed, insert torture methods, etc...

At one point he said, after being told that his 10 minutes to speak were up and that the commission would not hear him anymore (I paraphrase)

"Even under the Pinochet regime, when I sent to jail, when I was tortured horribly, when I was sent in front of a farce of a military tribunal, even then I was given more time to speak my piece. I find myself today in Canada and I have less time to express myself than I did under Pinochet. This is a disgrace"

He was right, it was a complete disgrace. Canada is sadly turning into a joke.

Because of the similarities between the Canadian Charter of Rights & Freedoms, and the American Constitution, most Americans and many Canadians assume that some of the Rights granted by both documents are equal.

However, the Canadian Right to freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression is not equal to the American Right to Free Speech. It never has been.

Canada is not "turning into a joke". The same thing you are lamenting the "loss" of is something we've never had.

Canada != America.

starsrift: Canada is not "turning into a joke". The same thing you are lamenting the "loss" of is something we've never had.

Canada has always been a joke?

Dinki: Oh, and if it was a left wing paper being questioned about their publishing of an anti-Israeli piece, you can bet your ass Mr. Levant would be remarkably unconcerned about freedom of speech.


FAIL. You don't get it at all. They have the freedom to write that anti-Israel piece. He can't take it, he can't give that away. Can he marginalize them or attack them? Sure. They can do it right back. That's the point. Hell, even he expects that people will go after him if they don't like it. He considers it fair and invites it (another good link of him at this session on the very subject is here Link (new window)
If you even consider whether or not you like his political beliefs as a function of whether this particular point is valid you are missing the fundamental question he is responding to.

starsrift: Canada != America.

Give it time.

starsrift: However, the Canadian Right to freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression is not equal to the American Right to Free Speech. It never has been.

Canada is not "turning into a joke". The same thing you are lamenting the "loss" of is something we've never had.

So you are saying that Canada has always been under a tyrannical policy?

starsrift: Canada is not "turning into a joke". The same thing you are lamenting the "loss" of is something we've never had.

Then, Canada has always been a joke

/Things ARE getting worse, mate.

LargeCanine
men of zeal well meaning but without understanding

Or, as we like to call them, Farkers. I'll skip the other obvious comparison.

starsrift: However, the Canadian Right to freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression is not equal to the American Right to Free Speech. It never has been.

Canada is not "turning into a joke". The same thing you are lamenting the "loss" of is something we've never had.

So you're saying that you do expect the Canadian Inquisition?

The political spectrum in Canada is more to the left than it is in the U.S. These days, Conservatives are moonbat leftists Liberals in the States, yet in Canada, those same Conservatives are called neocon bible-thumpers.

/Republicans think the Democrats are left-wing? They should check out the NDP!
//Stephen Harper would be a Democrat.

starsrift: Tatsuma: Great speech.

It's one of these (very very few) days where I'm kinda sad that most Farkers don't understand French Québecois.

I still have a mp3 of Dr. Zylberberg in front of the stalinistic CRTC about Freedom of Speech and their attempt to stiffle it. Very, very important speech about the loss of Free Speech and Freedom in Canada.

I had the honor to met this man, a University teacher, publisher of many books, who has fought for Human Rights all over the globe, was arrested, sent to jail, and tortured for Freedom. You can see it all over his body and hear it in his voice, since he now is in a wheelchair, was stabbed, insert torture methods, etc...

At one point he said, after being told that his 10 minutes to speak were up and that the commission would not hear him anymore (I paraphrase)

"Even under the Pinochet regime, when I sent to jail, when I was tortured horribly, when I was sent in front of a farce of a military tribunal, even then I was given more time to speak my piece. I find myself today in Canada and I have less time to express myself than I did under Pinochet. This is a disgrace"

He was right, it was a complete disgrace. Canada is sadly turning into a joke.

Because of the similarities between the Canadian Charter of Rights & Freedoms, and the American Constitution, most Americans and many Canadians assume that some of the Rights granted by both documents are equal.

However, the Canadian Right to freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression is not equal to the American Right to Free Speech. It never has been.

Canada is not "turning into a joke". The same thing you are lamenting the "loss" of is something we've never had.

Canada != America.

Section 1 and section 33...

BudTheSpud: The political spectrum in Canada is more to the left than it is in the U.S. These days, Conservatives are moonbat leftists Liberals in the States, yet in Canada, those same Conservatives are called neocon bible-thumpers.

/Republicans think the Democrats are left-wing? They should check out the NDP!
//Stephen Harper would be a Democrat.

Yeppers. There's no actual left in American, and no actual Right in Canada.

Even in Canada, Nader would have been considered to the Right of the NDP and maybe even the Liberals.

Wow. I have no idea what this man's other beliefs or opinions are, I've never even heard of him before, but what he did in those videos was 100% spot-on. Kudos to him.

The American left was effectively shut out of national politics when the Democratic Leadership Council, i.e. the Clintonites, took over the leadership of the Democratic party in the 1980s. The modern Democratic party still occasionally mouthes the populist shibboleths of the Old Left, but when it comes to making policy they are just as nakedly corporatist as the Republicans.

BudTheSpud: The political spectrum in Canada is more to the left than it is in the U.S. These days, Conservatives are moonbat leftists Liberals in the States, yet in Canada, those same Conservatives are called neocon bible-thumpers.

The political systems in most of the developed world are more to the left than that of the US. Except maybe Switzerland and Singapore.

In any event, Canada can do whatever it pleases, but I can't really say I approve of siccing the government on people for being offensive assholes.

SusanIvanova: The political systems in most of the developed world are more to the left than that of the US. Except maybe Switzerland and Singapore.

And Eastern Europe, which for all intents and purposes isn't a distinct unit from Western Europe any more.

Tatsuma: BudTheSpud: The political spectrum in Canada is more to the left than it is in the U.S. These days, Conservatives are moonbat leftists Liberals in the States, yet in Canada, those same Conservatives are called neocon bible-thumpers.

/Republicans think the Democrats are left-wing? They should check out the NDP!
//Stephen Harper would be a Democrat.

Yeppers. There's no actual left in American, and no actual Right in Canada.

Even in Canada, Nader would have been considered to the Right of the NDP and maybe even the Liberals.

Welcome to cultural relativism.

Given that this link goes to LGF, I forsee a bunch of foamy-mouthed posters typing stuff like:

"Wtf, Fark accepts links to hate-sites now???"

or

"Only mouth-breathing Republitards read LGF!!!"

This is not about the political leanings of the website, this is an issue which can be used against both left and right wing speech.

I'd never heard of this guy before watching these videos, and to be honest I don't give a damn if he is a neocon or whatever the people above me are calling him. Dude was spot on with his comments, and I'm sickened that Canada has taken such a hard turn towards politically correct fascism.

FORMER publisher. His neocon rag was so full of FAIL that it couldn't turn a profit in Alberta aka America light.

Dimensio: So you are saying that Canada has always been under a tyrannical policy?

This isn't a black and white issue. Non-equivalence of the rather excessive American free speech rights does not a tyranny make.

Personally, I feel that Canadian freedoms are generally more permissive and open than American ones, but again, those are based on the values of the society I was raised in. For example, I can punch a former Prime Minister in the face, and not get nailed by secret service bodyguards. I'll still be liable for assault and the like, of course.

To many others, something like barring photography from courtrooms may seem contrary to democracy, for instance. In Canada, we consider the same barring of it necessary for the functioning of democracy to protect the rights of the accused.