This and that for your Sunday reading. – The OECD issues a report on the importance of avoiding climate tipping points – and the reality that we’re on pace to far overshoot them. Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood notes that lobbying on behalf of fossil gas is the latest version of climate denialism
Continue readingTag: hate speech
Accidental Deliberations: Friday Afternoon Links
Assorted content to end your week. – Zak Vescera reports that the Moe government’s push toward privatizing COVID testing has turned into such a fiasco that even the for-profit operators are calling for somebody to apply regulations to protect the public. Ninan Abraham et al. call out a Globe and
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Advice for Jason Kenney: If you’re going to sup with the Devil, you need a longer spoon
Jason Kenney didn’t actually say there were very fine people at Saturday’s tiki-torch parade at the Alberta Legislature, but his half-hearted condemnation of the racist overtones of the tawdry “one-voice walk for freedom” surely came from the same place. It took Alberta’s United Conservative Party premier almost 48 hours to
Continue readingDead Wild Roses: On Free Speech.
Free speech, or the ability to speak one’s mind in public without physical/material consequences, is one of the hallmarks of democratic society. Now if everyone was nice, and peace ruled the world, I think the concept of free speech would be less problematic. I’d like to talk about three ideas
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week. – Ryan Meili points out the unduly limited view of climate policy arising out of political posturing over the federal carbon tax. Ed Finn writes about the importance of ensuring our only home remains inhabitable. Bruce Anderson and David Colleto examine the growing importance
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Anti-semitism, racism and other old white supremacist prejudices die hard
Anti-semitism, racism and other prejudices are on the rise in most established democracies. Still, silencing white supremacists on the Internet is counterproductive. It would only lead to more senseless acts violence similar to those perpetrated by Anders Breivik and Rhodesia-inspired Dylann Roof. The post Anti-semitism, racism and other old white
Continue readingDead Wild Roses: ‘TERF’ is Hate Speech
The last two paragraphs from Meghan Murphy writing on the Feminist Current. “The fact that the vast majority of those connecting the word “TERF” to threats of violence, death, and genocide are men is notable. The word has been offered up to those who identify as leftists, who have
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Facebook’s Secret Censorship Rules Protect White Men from Hate Speech But Not Black Children
Internal Facebook documents reviewed by ProPublica, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom, reveal that the social media behemoth’s censors often condone hate speech by white men but punish racialized minorities and activist groups for legitimate political expression. The post Facebook’s Secret Censorship Rules Protect White Men from Hate Speech But Not
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: As Canadians, This Should Profoundly Disgust All Of Us
All this over a motion, a mere House statement, that has no force in law. The Liberal MP who tabled an anti-Islamophobia motion says she has been inundated with hate mail and death threats. Mississauga, Ont. MP Iqra Khalid told the House of Commons Thursday she received more than 50,000
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: As Canadians, This Should Profoundly Disgust All Of Us
All this over a motion, a mere House statement, that has no force in law. The Liberal MP who tabled an anti-Islamophobia motion says she has been inundated with hate mail and death threats. Mississauga, Ont. MP Iqra Khalid told the House of Commons Thursday she received more than 50,000
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Facebook’s Community Standards
Some time ago, I wrote about my disappointing experience with Facebook after I complained about what was essentially hate speech by a FB group. The response I got was that the racist anti-Muslim group did not violate their community standards. Since then, it would appear that little has changed. Yesterday
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Trump should be barred from entering Canada for promoting hate propaganda, says petition
A petition spreading like wildfire online demands that U.S. President Donald Trump be barred from entering Canada because his policies and actions promote hate propaganda. The post Trump should be barred from entering Canada for promoting hate propaganda, says petition appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Free speech, and the cruel shackles of empathy and mutual respect
In Canada, we tend to value freedom of speech very highly, and it’s often said that the best way to counter objectionable speech is with more speech. That’s the first thought that crosses my mind in the case of U of T professor Jordan Peterson, who declares in a series
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Ezra Levant’s Pathetic Plea To Justin Trudeau
No media personality in this country has attacked Justin Trudeau as viciously as has Ezra Levant.He has called him a terrorist, he has attacked his family in the lowest possible way.During Trudeau's fight with Patrick Brazeau he got so carried away, he practically came in his pants wondering whether Justin
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Why Do So Many Cons Want To Kill Justin Trudeau?
A few weeks ago I was at a party in Edinburgh, and once they found out I was a Canadian, everyone I met wanted to ask me about Justin Trudeau.Had I ever met him? Was he as cool as he seemed? When will he legalize marijuana?(So they know when to visit …
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Why Do So Many Cons Want To Kill Justin Trudeau?
A few weeks ago I was at a party in Edinburgh, and once they found out I was a Canadian, everyone I met wanted to ask me about Justin Trudeau.
Had I ever met him? Was he as cool as he seemed? When will he legalize marijuana?(So they know when to visit Canada.)
And how they wished he was their Prime Minister.
And although I was forced to admit that I hadn’t voted for Justin. Which was embarrassing eh?
When I stumbled back to my hotel room, I was feeling pretty good about myself and my country.
Until I saw this story.
Read more »
The Canadian Progressive: Cape Breton Ready To Welcome Americans Nervous About Donald Trump Presidency
If front-running Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump captures the White House in November, Americans are welcome to escape to Cape Breton Island. A new website, “Cape Breton if Donald Trump Wins,” encourages Americans to seriously consider …
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Meet the Con Crazies Who are Threatening Our Leaders
For weeks I've been warning that the Con zombies out there are out of controlSpewing hatred in every direction, and even threatening the lives of Rachel Notley and Justin Trudeau.I've been monitoring those Con crazies for years, and I've ne…
Continue readingLeft Over: …Then They Came for Me…
Online comments on news stories: a problem for everyone Syrian refugee stories on news sites are prompting some backlash in the comments section of some websites By Bal Brach, CBC News Posted: Jan 10, 2016 8:00 AM PT Last Updated: Jan … Continue reading →
Politics and its Discontents: Exactly How Does Facebook Define Community Standards?
Living in a democratic society, of course, entails the promotion, encouragement and defense of a diversity of views. With that I obviously have no quarrel. But, as the saying goes, with that freedom comes responsibility. it is the second part of this equation that some people refuse to accept. When,
Continue reading