Victor (Guest Blogger) vs. Bruce & The Kneejerkers

The problem with tirades like Bruce Allan's recent rant is that they silence all legitimate questioning of unacceptable cultural practices. Instead of simply dismissing his "be like us or go home" rhetoric as foolish, commentators have been lining up protect multi culturalism from an imagined assault. Not surprisingly, of the 70 plus ethnic groups in Vancouver, one has been singularly vocal on this. They always are. Can anybody remember the last time Vancouver's Koreans issued a collective whine? Or the VietNamese community? Or the Malaysians? etc.etc.
The underlying theme in the media forelock tugging is that all differences must be accommodated in Canada, land of block voting.

This brings great comfort to the people in Canada who are slicing the labia from ten year old girls in the name of tradition.

It brings great comfort to people like the lovely Surrey couple whom put a hit on their daughter- in -law in India because she failed to meet tribal standards.

Or the guy in Kamloops who murdered his 15 year old daughter in an honour killing because she dated a white guy.

No doubt, those in our midst who still adhere to their cultural edicts calling for the stoning of gay people and adulterers, are praising the bovine inclusiveness doctrine being chanted by the media.

Yes, the Canadian mosaic is a source of pride to many. But if you look closely at the mosaic, there are some obscene, perverse and vile little drawings that have no place on the canvass. Leaving them there, without comment, on the grounds that no custom should ever be criticized, is foolish and dangerous.

Thanks a lot Bruce.

Sun Letter Nails Construction Addictions

Behind the scenes at construction sites

LetterPublished: Tuesday, September 25, 2007

I have worked in the construction industry for more than 30 years and I've seen a number of destructive changes that led to this current crisis of drug use on construction sites. The most destructive change has been the deunionization of the industry. In the 1970s, building trade unions, with support from employers, maintained some of the best drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs in the country. With de-unionization in the 1980s, employers abandoned these programs, leaving it up to individual workers to get themselves off drugs. Obviously, this hasn't worked.

It's time to return to a more stable construction industry. This requires improved labour laws, more employer and government support for drug/alcohol rehabilitation, and real opportunities for trades training -- as well as better working conditions for everyone in the building trades.

John Shaw

CENSORSHIP AT THE FOUR

Censorship is very much at the core of today's news, far and near.

Here are 4 stories:

ONE

The University of Victoria Student Society will not allow Canadian Forces to be present at a career fair. Or, unfair.

This speaks volumes about how far our armed forces have fallen in the public heart, how spoiled and out-of-touch are too many young people, and how ignorant these students are of the very central purpose of a "higher education."

An appalling decision. Based entirely on fear and ignorance.

TWO

The BC Teachers' Federation has pulled 40,000 copies of its own newsletter because it doesn't like one of the articles written by their own editor.

All articles are supposed to be vetted by the BCTF President. Now, the entire magazine will have to be first vetted by El Presidente.

Can you say, "Petty Dictatorship, Oligarchy, Totalitarianism, Boys and Girls?"

Remember that these enlightened soul claim to be teachers of your children.

BCTF might want to consider renaming itself as Teachers For Censorship. Their value statement could be, "Remember, kids, there's nothing you can create that we won't veto."

Can you say, "Anal, Dr. Freud?"

THREE

Mahmoud the Maniac made his speech at Columbia yesterday.

The President of Columbia University, Lee Bollinger, did two very interesting things.

One the one hand, he stood firm in his decision to allow Mushmouth the platform, saying, "the nation needs the intellectual and emotional courage to confront the mind of evil."

On the other, he introduced Muckraker thus, "Mr. President, you exhibit all the signs of a cruel and petty dictator. Today, I feel all the wight of the modern civilized world yearning to express the revulsion in what you stand for."

If I were in his position, I might not have allowed Madpants to speak in the first place, BUT...I salute Mr. Bollinger (pictured above) for both actions.

FOUR

The Sun editorial is right in defending free speech in the case of Bruce Allen and in noting that the subject of the integration of immigrants in Canadian society is a thorny one and necessary as part of our on-going national conversation.

But they have missed a huge point.

Mr. Allen should be dismissed, as should most of the so-called "management" team for bringing the level of discourse down to a bar brawl. Coarse, name-calling, race-baiting, simplistic in the extreme, without shading of any kind and unmindful of the truth that God and the devil are in the details.

Channel 6 in Victoria is now E! No longer a local station involved in its community, but a mindless dispenser of non-stop show biz bullshit and titillation.

This is where broadcasting has gone.

We are all the poorer for it.