Once again, the Liberals are wrangling within their own ranks and getting nowhere fast. I am trying not to allow it to upset me too much, nor to give me any false sense of satisfaction.
The latest turmoil is emanating from Boris Wrzesnewskyj’s comments regarding Hezbollah during his fateful trip to Lebanon this week. He has paid the ultimate political price for his gaffe and is now perhaps considering moving to Beirut.
What Borys has done is not all bad for Canada, nor is it entirely bad for the Liberal Party, unless you count the Jewish votes and dollars that are leaving en masse. Now, at least, the leadership contenders in the Grit Party have been forced, by Borys’ actions, to firmly declare where they stand on the Middle East issue. No more ambiguity, no more neutrality.
I must say, however, that I am surprised at the fervor of which the Liberals have dissected one of their own. It goes to show you something very important is happening to our culture and media. Our culture is growing in sophistication and our media is losing its iron clad grip on what we hear.
Only ten years ago, outrage over comments like Borys’ would have never been as loud as they are today. Sites like Conservative Joe and thousands of others are reaffirming the beliefs and principles of many people who, just scant years ago, were successfully portrayed as ‘extreme’ and ‘scary’. The reason that portrayal was possible was because those who were in opposition to the media moguls’ political agenda were silenced by simply not allowing them to have a voice. I can recall writing many letters to the editor, only to have no response; no voice. I can also recall giving a statement to a camera crew during a labour dispute only to have my words presented in a context which made me ill.
Now, millions of Canadians and hundreds of millions around the world open their web portals to news daily and are given a variety of views and commentary on every subject. Such power should not be abused nor unappreciated. It is reforming this nation and many others.
Jason Kenney, Calgary MP and parliamentary secretary to the Prime Minister, alluded earlier this week (like this site did) to a likeness between Hezbollah and the Nazi Party of 1930’s Germany. The similarities are glaring, if one would only look for them. (To be fair, that comparison is more applicable to Iran and its pro da effort.) Some (the Arab League) have criticized Kenney’s remarks, but for the most part, it has stood the test of public scrutiny. Although a recent CTV poll attempted to cast the government’s stance on Hezbollah as being contrary to public thought, the truth is much different. One poll suggests a slide for the Conservatives, while the other shows huge gains.
What all this does is confirm my long-standing belief that Canadians are not as stupid as some who run our media believe us to be. The web, as well as mounting pressure from some within the media industry, is causing the usurpation of hidden agendas on the left and is forcing a more responsible and balanced approach to the news, as should be the case. As well, there are now fewer ‘free passes’ being handed out to those of certain political affiliations.
You and I are witnessing something extraordinary here. It is the weakening of the media elite, an empire designed to remove the voice of all who oppose the mind think of those who control what we see and hear. We are now able to speak out and must ensure that we do not allow institutions like the CRTC to muzzle us ever again.
Speak out. Freedom depends on it.
