Damning With Faint Praise
The article below is from "The Corner" and is somewhat (I guess) a defence of Free Speech in America via Mark Steyn and a complaint against him by the Canadian Islamic Congress. I suggest you read it, Dear Reader, to better understand the lack of understanding a certain segment on the Right has for fair comment - which it seems to think means it should be able to say anything it wants to because that's what Free Speech in America is (vs the Nanny State that they think is Canada - even though our Prime Minister is way further Right of their President, in my opinion - and which we kind of are when it comes to matters of free speech).
By way of full disclosure, I'm a woman, so my "free speech" tolerance stops somwhere short of "yabbut, that's what we've always said" but extends past "as a woman, I take exception to that comment".
However, the article below seems to me to begin its argument from the viewpoint that Arab Muslims ARE a menace (it's just that the rest of us don't seem to get it - yet) and the fact that the complaint against Mark Steyn's writings (and these are writings, not just some nut on a street corner yelling stuff at passersby - although...) is coming from the Canadian Islamic Congress is just more proof of it.
What?Steyn'sNotFreeToTellTheTruthAboutMuslims?!
Now, personally, I think it's quite a stretch to assume Mark Steyn doesn't have the full backing of the entirety of the American Republican establishment and current administration and a very large portion of the mainstream media, as well as the entire Canadian Right, which includes the current government, CanWest/Global, etc, so - no little guy is he.
He's a big guy, I'd say.
So, on to the real question - does he have the right to say what he says - in print? Well, I would like to think that he does, but I also see no reason why he can't be challenged on what he says, too - and by anybody, really. It shouldn't have to be a big outfit like the Canadian Islamic Congress - it should be possible for little Amira Aboud to challenge his writings - if she feels threatened by what he is saying. If it can be proven that his writings are racist, well, okay. Personally, I think he's been well into racist territory for a long time.
But - so what?
Mark Steyn didn't start the War on Terror. And he isn't responsible for Guantanamo. And he didn't pass the Patriot Act or start up a Homeland Security Department or issue a Yellow Alert or initiate a No-Fly list - or any of that stuff that actually impacts on the lives of ordinary people and continually stigmatizes all Muslims for the crime of 9/11 - and, ironically, does more to restrict Freedom of Speech (if you're not on the side of the Powers That Be, which Mark Steyn is) than does any old Canadian Human Rights Commission.
So, really, when you come right down to it, even Mark Steyn would have to admit he's just a cheerleader for Bush Inc et al - who did do all of the above and who, in spite of their many protestations to the contrary, have led the world on a campaign of vengeance against Arab Muslims unlike anything before in our history.
Except maybe when Israel has done it.
And that's where I come down on this whole free speech thing. Like his female counterpart, Ann Coulter, Mark Steyn is just givin' 'em what they want. He's not self-publishing. He's got editors, publishers, the whole racket. And he's not in a position of actual power, he's not telling anyone to go out and attack Muslims - he may be advising in his columns, etc, that Bush Inc et al attack Muslim countries, but so do a whole raft of Rightwing Pundits - every day. Day in and day out. All over the mainstream media in both the United States and Canada.
And they can argue over and over and over as they do that they genuinely believe Muslims to be a menace - because based on the actions of the most powerful country in the free world - it is quite understandable that they would think that to be actually true - and that the rest of us should believe that to be true, too.
Otherwise, they truly believe, we are doomed to be taken over by Islamic Fundamentalists and have all our freedoms taken away from us.
Now, as to the Canadian Islamic Congress. Well. Personally, I only know what I've read about it - and most of it is very alarming stuff indeed. And all of it comes from Rightwing Pundits employed at various mainstream media newspapers. Oh, and this outfit, which I took the time to look up - just now:
So, although I could offer up the opinion that I don't like the Canadian Islamic Congress any more than I like Mark Steyn, that's about as relevant as this story I'm about to tell.
When I was in university, I had a Jewish boyfriend who lived out in a suburb of North Toronto. We spent a lot of time at his house because I lived in residence and although he lived at home, his room was in the basement (nudgenudgewinkwink). Anyway, his Dad was always saying racist things about Arabs (when he wasn't saying racist things about blacks) and going on about Jews being the superiour race, yaddayaddablahblah. Now, I had a Scottish uncle who had his views, too - but in his telling of it, Scots were the superiour race. Arabs and blacks didn't figure into his narrative so much but, Asians, Whoa Nelly - look out - which I would have done except the Asian population of Sault Ste. Marie was pretty low. Very close to zero, actually.
Anyway, one day I said, "Gee, 'Mordecai', your Dad's really racist" and he's like "Oh! Oh! For a JEW you mean?!"
I didn't really know what to say, because, well, I did kind of mean that - but I knew I probably shouldn't say it out loud because, well, this guy had a persecution complex you wouldn't believe and he could hold a grudge for like, two thousand years.
So I just said, "No, I mean for a guy who's never actually met an Arab".
Gawd. I can't believe I just put that in writing. I should know better by now, shouldn't I. Still, let's be clear. He was just one boyfriend of mine, who happened to be Jewish, and who had a father, who happened to be racist. And even though several of my boyfriends... no wait... ALL of my boyfriends had fathers who... oh dear... ALL happened to be racists...
Okay. Ignore all of the above. I've got to go rethink this one.
In the meantime, why doesn't somebody lay a complaint against the Canadian Islamic Congress? I'm sure there's something here about women or infidels or women infidels that is inciteful:
Although, would Mark Steyn or any Rightwing Pundits even recognize it if they found inciteful stuff against women infidels?
Personally, I doubt it. But I find most of what these people have to say to be outrageously sexist, not just racist. Nevertheless, even as a lefty feminist heathen of little to no power (and they hate me even more'n they hate any old Muslim Menace) - I'll defend their right to say it.
