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Ranticles: “A Canadian Soldier responds to Ezra Levant”

By Canticle

Ezra Levant publishes a noisy rag out of Edmonton called the Western Standard. It may as well be called 'The Republican Party of Canada Broadsheet'. Recently, it republished the Mohammed cartoons that have been taking up way too much media space (which doesn't surprise me, the rag is such that it would do anything to raise it's profile). This is the same issue in which Ralph Klein's wife is insulted as being 'just another Indian' (she's Metis).

Here's what a Canadian soldier in Afghanistan had to say about Ezra's motives:

Mr. Levant, I am a Canadian soldier. I have friends serving in Afghanistan. I'm gonna keep this simple.

We're fighting an insurgency in Afganistan. Unlike a traditional war, the bad guys are hard to find and kill.

Canadian soldiers rely on sympathetic local folks to tell us all about the bad guys. Without the goodwill of the locals, life is bad. The locals happen to be Muslims. Are you with me so far? Good.

The Afghans who provide intelligence to us will probably hear about a Canadian magazine publishing the cartoons. They may get mad at us. They may stop telling us about the bad guys, or actually help them to target us. Still with me? Good.

Your "freedom of speech" spin is crap. You publish an obscure regional pamphlet. The controversy raises your profile, and (you hope) your income.

While you flog your alleged devotion to "Canadian Values", remember that this may blow up in your face. You've earned it.

In Afghanistan, far from your safe little office, other things may be blowing up in the faces of my comerades because of your idiotic stunt.

You have endangered them all.

And here's what Conservative Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor has said about the Western Standard's decision:

"...it puts the lives of Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan at increased risk"

And here's my take on the entire Mohammed cartoon controversy:

If I publish cartoons of Jews with big noses mocking the holocaust, I can cry free speech all I want, but I shouldn't be surprised at angry Jewish reaction (And let's not say Jews don't get violent, if anyone cares to recall, Orthodox Jews have rioted over less in New York, Israel and elsewhere.)

If I publish cartoons showing Catholics being fed communion wafers made from flour formed from the ground bones of small children, I can cry free speech all I want, but I shouldn't be surprised at angry Catholic reaction (And let's not say Catholics don't get violent, French Catholics firebombed a theater injuring 13 people when the Passion of the Christ was about to be released.)

So if I publish cartoons portraying Mohammed with a bomb for a turban with the shahadah written on it, I can cry free speech all I want, but I shouldn't be surprised at angry Muslim reaction.

I love how people forget about the violent reactions of other world religions when they are offended, and pretend as if it's only Muslims who riot and throw things. As I mentioned, Catholics rioted and threw things (injuring no less than 13 in one incident alone) over the Passion of the Christ. Jews have murdered Muslims at the Dome of the Rock over the offense they feel. As I recall, Oklahoma City experienced a colossal terrorist act over the offense felt by an American over Waco.

Ezra Levant is just another in a long line of individuals for whom free speech means sweet dick all beyond a means of self promotion.

Canticle on 2/16/2006.