Because they’re putzes?

A 'symposium' at Commentary’ has six prominent Jews taking a stab at answering the question posed in Norman Podhoretz’s new book "Why are Jews Liberals?":

Since 1928, the average Jewish vote for the Democrat in presidential elections has been an amazing 75%—far higher than that of any other ethno-religious group.

It all looks like an interesting read and may help answer the more general question: Why is anyone a liberal? The short answer, of course, is: Because they’re putzes! But it could be deeper than that.

[via BCF and CZ]

Segregating Canada - the first Africentric school

Enrollment is up at Canada’s only "Africentric" school (from 85 to 115):

... west African drummers were warming up for the opening assembly, where children sang O Canada as well as the Black National Anthem ...

"West African drummers"? "Black National Anthem"?

The Black National Anthem is of African-American origin and, along with expressions of hope and faith, recalls the harsh experience of black American slaves:

[...]
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us; ...
[...]
We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered,
Out from the gloomy past ...

...Stony the road we trod,
Bitter the chast'ning rod,
[...]
God of our weary years,
God of our silent tears,
[...]

That song may be relevant in American schools. It may even be a worthwhile element of Canadian school courses covering the history of American slavery. But it makes no sense at all to sing it in Canadian school opening ceremonies on an equal footing with the Canadian national anthem.

Also:

Today's opening assembly began with a traditional African "libation" ceremony, where children watched water poured in memory of their ancestors. They also learned to respond to statements with the Yoruba word "Ashe!" (Amen!)

I shudder to think what the school curriculum looks like.

How are these kids supposed to develop a cohesive Canadian identity? How much Canadian history will they get?

And what’s next, [your ethno/racial identity here]-centric schools? How about a whites-only school for those who feel their whiteness is under-appreciated?

If people of whatever ethnic origin want to study "their people’s" history and culture, fine. If it’s important enough to parents and/or their "community" they should provide it at home or in community sponsored courses and activities. It happens all the time in other ethnic communities. But setting up segregated schools pandering to specific ethnic identities will just further Balkanize the country.

Let’s face it, the segregated school concept is just nuts - it's asking for trouble.

Repudiating "the false god of money”

An Adbusters magazine article ‘Confessions of a Radical Economics Prof’, by Wellesley College tenured full-time economics professor, Julie Matthaei, discusses the content of her courses:

... My classes on radical economics presented the neo-Marxist view that large corporations dominated the economic landscape: oppressing workers, brainwashing consumers through advertising to keep them enslaved ...

... I teach them ... to repudiate the false god of money and the prevailing economic religion of the market.

And in 2007 the top 10 liberal arts colleges in Average Salary for Full Professor were?

1. Wellesley College $130,800
2. Pomona College $127,200
3. Amherst College $125,900
[...]

Repudiate that professor!

Victor Davis Hanson has some fitting words:

What is strange about all this chic-radicalism is how would-be revolutionaries that wish to dismantle America as we know it and/or emulate failed systems abroad, always do so from comfort, security, affluence, and freedom of choice unique to America and Europe, suggesting that radical politics and those who agitate for them are sort of a fashion statement, aimed to resonate among particular elite leftist audiences and to bring dividends from them, but not to be taken too seriously as guides in their own lives.

Keep up the pressure to repeal Section 13

With the recent CHRT ruling on the Lemire case what’s next for HRA Section 13? Mark Steyn thinks "nothing":

I expect nothing of the Government of Canada in particular, or of the political class in general, never mind the vast herd of statist suck-ups like ... Professor John Miller ...

... Because the Canadian establishment is divided between (a) Trudeaupian social engineers and (b) wimps, Section 13 and its provincial equivalents will stay on the books for the forseeable future.

And who cares anyway?

... I'm not waiting for the Supreme Court to strike down Section 13 or for the Government to repeal it. I've repealed it myself. I do not regard myself as within its jurisdiction. I've opted out.

... I don't feel "chilled", I feel liberated. After all, under BC pseudo-law, Ken and I are guilty. Yet we got away with it. On to the next hate crime!

Screw the HRCs, screw Section 13, screw the government - keep on truckin’! Deep down, I like the sentiment. But I’m not too sure to what extent they "got away with it" considering the time and money spent defending themselves. Who was it that said "the process is the punishment"? Mark says he doesn’t feel chilled, but how about Maclean’s and others?

I agree with him about the likelihood of official (in)action on amending the "Human Rights" Act. However, the war for free speech won’t be won until Section 13 is history.

The beginning of the end of political correctness?

Yesterday we had good news on the free speech front. Then, via Edward Michael George, came good news about a counter-revolution against political correctness. Newly elected Mayor of Doncaster, UK, Peter Davies, has begun some seriously un-PC cutting:

...First he cut his own salary from £73,000 to £30,000

... the "diversity" portfolio has been abolished from the council’s cabinet.... no more funding will be given to the town’s "Gay Pride" event... Black History Month, International Women’s Day and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender History Month are similarly destined to become history.

... 'Going on about diversity causes racial tension, it doesn't improve it,' he says... I want every citizen of Doncaster to be equal.'

... He has written to the Electoral Commission asking them to scrap two-thirds of Doncaster's 63 council seats in order to save the town £800,000 a year. 'If Pittsburgh can manage with nine councillors, why do we need 63?' he asks.

... Deeply sceptical of 'green claptrap', he must be the only mayor in Britain who wants more traffic in his town. He says it will boost business ... on climate change: 'I'm not green and I'm not conned by global warming.'

... wants to cut all 'non-jobs' in his 13,500 workforce - such as platinum-pensioned 'community cohesion officers' - and aims to shrivel future pay deals for council executives.

Much as he likes his chief executive, Paul Hart, he says his £175,000 salary is 'a joke' and that any successor can expect half.

... he is in the process of 'de-twinning' Doncaster from its five twin towns around the world. Twinning, he says, is all about free holidays for councillors and their staff.

Says Telegraph columnist Gerald Warner: "If it is good enough for Doncaster, it is good enough for Britain. Our effete, corrupt, politically correct politicians must be compelled to follow suit. "

And if it’s good enough for Britain, it’s good enough for Canada!

More power to Peter Davies - may a lot more like him and his voters rise up everywhere!

As EMG's post title says it: Viva la contrarevoluciòn!

Green on the outside, red on the inside

James Delingpole wrote an article on his much greater concern for the real threat of power cuts over hypothetical ‘climate change’. It drew lots of good comments including this particularly astute one from Amanda [Sep 1st, 2009 at 4:15 pm]:

I don’t think I could cut my carbon footprint — goofy phrase, really, and is already a substitute for thinking among the ecos — by 10% without ceasing to live like a human being. I don’t live that high or that well.

Delingpole is absolutely right. Willingly throwing away our standard of living will be just Part 19 in the saga of how the West was lost; the earth will continue to turn as we fall on our own swords. For politicians or anarchists or celebrities (nice company) to suggest that we go down that road is not just absurd, it’s obscene.

One further point: the public has been bamboozled into thinking that the debate is all about being kind to animals and plants and having good air to breathe. It isn’t. At the core of polemics about climate change is the ferocious drive to beat down capitalism, and, I think you’ll find, what we fondly call democracy, in favour of statism and top-down social control (i.e. Leftists know best; the rest must shut up and do as they say). In short, climate campaigners are, as the saying is, like watermelons: green on the outside, red on the inside. We need to confront this fact before we do anything.

[via EMG who has a great Gortoon, "The science settles"]

A big victory for free speech

Today a decision by a Canadian "Human Rights" Tribunal acquitted Marc Lemire of hate crimes concluding that the Human Rights Act, Section 13 (Hate Speech) contravenes the Charter's freedom of speech provisions.

Blazing Cat Fur has it all!

That's good news - a defeat for Richard Warman and his ilk and the first real 'hate speech' acquittal by the CHRC. But will a pronouncement from a "Human Rights" Tribunal carry enough weight to get the ball rolling on changing a law which was upheld in a prior Supreme Court ruling? Will it stiffen the Justice Minister's and the PM's backbones sufficiently to get them leading the way on changing the law? We'll see.