Which Calgary is Your Calgary?
I have always thought of Calgary as a moderate thinking city a little right of centre on the political spectrum but one that embraced Peter Lougheed and his so-called 'Red Tories", followed by the Klein era and again a time I considered in a similar vein. Perhaps I was deluded into ignoring the neo-conservative, social conservative, racist overtones that have surfaced with the likes of the standing ovation offered to Ann Coulter at the Red and White Club this past week.
Grant it, this was a manipulated event by the ever infamous Ezra Lavant, who spun the hell out of the University of Ottawa's refusal to allow the person that Fox News felt was too right wing for their tastes to speak at their University.
I want your opinions please;
Are we a City that is represented by the recent spate of speakers like George W. Bush, Karl Rove, Condoleezza Rice and now Ann Coulter?
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"Are we a City that is represented by the recent spate of speakers like George W. Bush, Karl Rove, Condoleezza Rice and now Ann Coulter?"
ReplyDeleteIt's not my vision of Calgary or Alberta and it's not a vision shared by many people I speak with daily. Perhaps I just choose my friends carefully. ;-)
I don't waste time dealing with ideologues and fanatics.
Curtis,
ReplyDeleteMy assessment agrees with yours, so who does go to these events?
I don’t think these hate-mongers truly represent us; I have more faith in Calgary than that. What I do hope is that they expose the crass underbelly of the Extreme Right and give ordinary citizens thought to where they place their “X” in the next election.
ReplyDeleteEzra came up looking very flimsy and his shame was evident during an interview the following day. If you think he got “points” at the Jewish Community Center for this, guess again. He is an embarrassment.
At a time when we should be encouraging open dialogue between all Canadians the Ezras of this world are “last century” in their isolationist views.
the oil patch wants to be "texans with benefits." The are the ones who invite these speakers but the average jane/joe in the the street doesn't really care about bush's or, palin's or coulter's message to the world
ReplyDeleteValerie,
ReplyDeleteWell stated and I am glad the Jewish community doesn't support the likes of Ezra Lavant, I know my Jewish friends do not.
Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteThat seems to be the consensus.
It's a city willing to allow diverse opinions even if those opinions are unpalatable. Folks of the "liberal" persuasion can't accept this though. It has to be their way or no way. If they don't agree with you they label you. That's why they'll never amount to anything in this province.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous,
ReplyDeleteWow, what a quantum leap from Libertarian to Cantankerous (sorry I labeled you).
There’s a good article in Mother Jones, April 2010… “Age of Treason”. These are the people that the Palin’s, Coulter’s, Beck’s,Ezra’s, etc. cater to and incite. The lunatic fringe. There is an “army” of fanatics ready to go to war against an elected President of the United States of America. They are the birthers, the patriots, the Oath Keepers. “A black president, a weak economy and high unemployment are fertile recruitment grounds for the right wing”. Couple that with the Jihadist’s similar view and “poof”…
ReplyDeleteWhich is why dialogue is vital to our survival. We can’t let these imbeciles silence the right to reason and inclusion.
Anonymous calls it “diverse opinions”…. Like, calling ‘FIRE’ in a theater is a diverse opinion.
Give your head a shake, Buck’O, you’re in Calgary now and many of us are beyond your infantile projections.
On the same night that Ann Coulter was here, Calgary also hosted something sweet and useful and socially responsible: http://calgary.twestival.com/
ReplyDeleteThat's the kind of thing that characterizes the city I know.
Doesn't sell papers, though, does it. . . .
I went to Ann Coulter. It seemed like half the room were there to either protest or just make sure nothing too out of line was said. Half the room either wanted to get riled up in a neo-con liberal-hate lecture playing to stereotypes and throwing in little racist bones to the pack, or were there to support Ezra and free speech (for some, possibly as a shield for xenophobia). The crowd in Calgary was no different than the type of crowd she would get in any liberal centre. Even kind of small considering she was all over CBC, CNN, etc leading up to the talk. Also- it was a free event, or $10 for some people. I just walked in and hadn't registered. I don't think the crowd is at all a reflection of Calgary being some home to American Neo-Cons, as much as we all seem to want to either reject or embrace this false image of ourselves.
ReplyDeleteAs for the speech- it was boring. Ann Coulter is a weak speaker who lacks conviction. Possibly due to having a new understanding of Canadian hate speech law, she seemed dry mouthed and afraid to cross any of the lines she typically plays with. It seemed like a bad stand up comedy routine by someone with a victim complex who is willing to say hateful things to get attention/sell books. She was pretty stale- using jokes about Clinton and cigars, etc. The weirdest part was when she tried to say something Jesus being the Alpha and Omega to get people into what she was saying. It seemed pretty clear that she is playing a character. I don't think it was something worth protesting, or going to- but I'm glad to be able to report back to people.
Zak,
ReplyDeleteI always hope and trust that the majority are smart enough and strong enough to resist the likes of Coulter and Lavant, it appears I am OK with these feelings.
Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteWow attacking from the shadows, how insecure,
Donn