Stifling Mark Steyn, part III: Fight back
The lip-service free speech activists on the Left aren’t going to stand up for him, so it’s up to the rest of us (see here and here for background). Read Mark’s summary with links to the case documents at SteynOnline. Stanley Kurtz has been vigilant in raising awareness of the case (see here and here). Robert Spencer urges: “Stand by Steyn.” National Review publishes an editorial this morning on the continued efforts by jihadi-sympathizers and sharia thugs to stifle columnist/author Mark Steyn in the name of “human rights:”
Even if the human-rights commissions eventually rule for Steyn and Maclean’s, the proceedings will be costly, and will intimidate others who wish to express controversial views. To his great credit, one conservative Canadian cabinet minister, Jason Kenney, has spoken in defense of Steyn. Some of the Canadian press is coming to Steyn’s defense as well. We hope the chorus swells.
And we hope Americans raise their voices too. So far the U.S. media have paid little attention to the case, but it should matter to us. Steyn’s writings — even those in Canadian publications — have a large and influential American readership. We trust those readers prefer that Canada remain free.
The NYPost weighed in on Sunday:
Celebrated author Mark Steyn has been summoned to appear before two Canadian judicial panels on charges linked to his book “America Alone.”
The book, a No. 1 bestseller in Canada, argues that Western nations are succumbing to an Islamist imperialist threat. The fact that charges based on it are proceeding apace proves his point.
Steyn, who won the 2006 Eric Breindel Journalism Award (co-sponsored by The Post and its parent, News Corp), writes for dozens of publications on several continents. After the Canadian general-interest magazine Maclean’s reprinted a chapter from the book, five Muslim law-school students, acting through the auspices of the Canadian Islamic Congress, demanded that the magazine be punished for spreading “hatred and contempt” for Muslims.
The plaintiffs allege that Maclean’s advocated, among other things, the notion that Islamic culture is incompatible with Canada’s liberalized, Western civilization. They insist such a notion is untrue and, in effect, want opinions like that banned from publication.
Two separate panels, the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal and the Canadian Human Rights Commission, have agreed to hear the case. These bodies are empowered to hear and rule on cases of purported “hate speech.”
Of course, a ban on opinions – even disagreeable ones – is the very antithesis of the Western tradition of free speech and freedom of the press.
Indeed, this whole process of dragging Steyn and the magazine before two separate human-rights bodies for the “crime” of expressing an opinion is a good illustration of precisely what he was talking about.
If Maclean’s, Canada’s top-selling magazine, is found “guilty,” it could face financial or other penalties. And the affair could have a devastating impact on opinion journalism in Canada generally.
As it happens, Canadian human-rights commissions have already come down hard on those whose writings they dislike, like critics of gay rights.
Nor should Americans dismiss this campaign against Steyn and Maclean’s as merely another Canadian eccentricity. Speech cops in America, too, are forever attempting similar efforts – most visibly, on college campuses.
Support Mark: Do the job the ACLU won’t do.
***
I’ll repeat a suggestion I made before: Support his work–and stock up on last-minute Christmas gifts–by shopping at his bookstore.
Conservative Hipster has Support Steyn blog buttons.
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Canada has more important problems to deal with than Mark Steyn. I think murdering a young girl for not wearing a hijab should top the list. I wonder what the Canadian Islamic Congress has to say about that problem?
Obviously, their priorities are out of whack.
Freedom of speech only applies to flag-burning and pornography.
If you want to express a political opinion, you should have to get permission from a government commission, to make sure no politically privileged groups are offended.
Among the multitude of truths the Islamo-nuts find offensive are Steyn’s observations on the acquiescence of Europe (and Canada)to militant Islam. He points out the ratio of native European births to deaths as well as the ominous saturation of muslims, foreign and homegrown, into the demographic.
The Islamofascists are not just using terrorist tactics, but birth rates, recruitment, and taking advantage of the craven politically correct socialist welfare state. European countries are losing their national sovereignty and identity. They’ve lost their courage to stand against brutal assailants who would gladly subjugate them under Islam on the way to a world Caliphate.
21st Century Ottomans are on a campaign to infuse Islam into every culture on earth; by political and legal coersion when possible, and by force if necessary. Mr. Steyn’s book titled “America Alone” may not be so far fetched.
I support Mark Steyn,always, as he is one of the voices of the truth in journalism. Muslim fear is what this is all about—they fear the truth exposed about their wish: Ummah under sharia law.
I have no doubt that he will not be pushed around or dhimmitized. He is the
Oriana Fallaci of our generation.
God bless you, Mark. Stand firm with us behind you.
~LW
Yes. Absolutely but this bigger than Canada. These Muslim apologists who at every corner attempt to whitewash Islam are being met with resistance and they don’t like it. Robert Spencer, Ayana Hirsi Ali, etc… There is a long line of people who are spreading the truth about Islam.
So, instead of debunking Steyn’s writings they attempt to muffle him. Perhaps their attempts at convincing us that Islam is good isn’t going so as well as they hoped.
The light has been shown on the cockroaches….there is no turning back.
I think these sharia law thugs thought they could quietly go about their squelching of free speech…they were wrong.
It’s like CAIR here…they try and they try but the light was shown on them and now there is blowback…and we see who they really are.
Steyn you need not worry no one country that has been free and civilized will allow themselves to be taken back to the stone age without a fight….I guarantee it!!!
Thank you for stating is so well.
This is all about intimidation. And I am still waiting for these “moderate” Islamic voices to speak up. The commissions that were set up as a liberal, feel good, squishy idea is now being used against the people of Canada. Hopefully, it will be a wake up call.
Of course he doesn’t want the public to think that! He wants them to remain ignorant and blind, and unaware of the real TRUTH of Islam, that as a religion, it’s worse than the politics of Nazism, Marxism, and Socialism combined!
A teenager skipping school is a ‘teenager’ issue; a teenager arguing about wanting a cell phone is a ‘teenager’ issue; a parent murdering their child for a headgear violation is not a ‘teenager’ issue. What other religion endorses the murder of children due to the hat they wear?
Kudos to Mark Steyn. He’s a light in the gathering darkness.
Thanks Boomer, but I have to give “props” to MM. She has everything here on the blog.
When you read the quote I blocked above, it seems even more ridiculous that these people equate the murder of a child to talking back to your parents or staying out too late. Based on those beliefs there wouldn’t be too many teens left.
Considering the teens I see in public these days, there are times I have trouble finding that to be a BAD thing…
Let’s give Mark asylum from the People’s Republic of Canada. He could become an American citizen, and help get “Alms for Jihad” published here.
We can then catapult copies of both books into the Great White North, and drop leaflets from planes as well.
#12 I can definitely understand where you’re coming from
Mark has been one of my favorite columnists for several years now, along with our host, MM.
Can’t you imagine a similar scenario here with Michelle. After all she “hates” sick children and their parents, she “hates” immigrants just doing what we lazy Americans can’t/won’t do, she “hates” teachers and professors, she “hates” gay marriage advocates, not to mention her “hate” for the religious activists who only want to peacefully eliminate all resistance to Islam. If we don’t save her from her right wing mind, she might end up interning herself!
The ACLU should take on Michelle as a client, since she is a member of two groups oppressed by conservatives, and sue Michelle for oppressing Michelle. I don’t think you have to be aware of your oppression to warrant being saved from it, even if it’s your own mind oppressing you in spite of official victim status.
Oh, Canada!
The real threat is not Islamo-fascism, but political correctness and chamberpot immigration, in which the U.S. leads the world.
We may have a first amendment, but to Bush the Constitution is “just a piece of paper.” Using Gonzalez law stretch, thought crime legislation, Patriot Act, Military Commissions Act of 2006, wiretapping, and executive orders so vague they can be used to get anyone, who can say for certainty that some of us may not have already disappeared and admitted to non-PC thought crime under waterboarding?
I Predict that Canada will fold in the face of Muslim outrage. I predict Mark will be censured and his book removed from public sale. I predict that the magazine will have to pay a “fine” to some Islamic charity (which will send the money to the Mid East to buy bombs).
Hate speech laws: Some of us were calling our representatives in various govt. functions – asking that hate speech laws not be passed.
There were not enough of us.
We have learned from the win against the AMNESTY legislation that we must be numerous-and persistent.
How about a grass-roots effort to rid ourselves of the anti-free speech hate crimes laws?
#16, not quite sure about the “source” of your link. I read the article and I have a difficult time believing some of the “quotes” from “people” inside the meeting back then. Looking at some of the other aricles on the website were enlightening though, from a purely BDS point of view.
P.S. Mark’s book AMERICA ALONE is a must read for all who charish freedom.
You are insane…
People who think like you do are a part of the problem in this country…
I pray everyday that wire tapping, the Patriot Act, and other anti-terrorist legislation becomes even easier to authorize and use. I think waterboarding should be used by police to wring confessions from suspected REPEAT criminals, as well as be used liberally by the military to interrogate terrorists.
HehHeh, I used the word liberal to describe a conservative position.
I believe Mark has dual citizenship,Canadian and US.
If Mark is a U.S. citizen, I can’t imagine why he cares what Canada does. He can tell them to shove it and start shopping for their prayer rugs. He’s welcome in the U.S. as far as I’m concerned. He’s absolutely right about “America Alone” except we could probably add Austrailia, and for the time being, the UK.
MarshallRuss: The US does not recognize dual citizenship. When you become a US citizen you renounce all foreign allegiance.
“Support Maclean’s and Mark Steyn” button for web page ….
On December 19th, 2007 at 11:35 am, MTNEER said:
MarshallRuss: The US does not recognize dual citizenship. When you become a US citizen you renounce all foreign allegiance.
Not so, MTNEER. I have an associate in Canada. A dream he has had for many years is to be a US citizen but, he is not going to give up Canadian citizenship. Check your facts my friend.
Yes, I am a dual Canada-American citizen.
When you try to offend no one you end up offending everyone.
As a Canadian I am truly offended by this attack (make no mistake it is an attack) on free speech.
Another attack, smaller and perhaps unimportant to most is this little tidbit.
Choir removes the word Christmas from Christmas carol.
The Islamist are smart and use our own Western Democratic principles and freedoms against us.
Hank #27,
I’m glad you are. Canada is a wonderful country and a loyal ally. The Canadian people are wonderful and very proud people. We here are fortunate to have a neighbor like we do with such a large common border.
Largs,
You can add this one to this list of What not to say…
Savage vs. CAIR: The battle over free speech
Let’s support Michael Savage as well.
Sheesh, Michelle.
This is the danger of having Commissions punitive powers. in America we have many, and they are procreating everywhere. With innocuous names, the exercise extra-judicial authority. Often being both the investigator and the jury. They are uniformly populated by people who have a vested interest in the topic, again almost uniformly in favor of a politically correct draconian and punitive approach. The interesting thing is these Commissions have proliferated in recent years in spite of the fact they have no Constitutional basis whatsoever.
Sorry, but in a free society you have the right to hate people.
These people are truly idiots.
To clarify – by idiots, I mean the teachers re-writing “soon it will be Christmas Day” into “soon it will be festive day.”
I’ve tried reason and logic. It does not work. It’s time we call this what it is. The false religion of Islam is a plague to mankind because it has no logic, it has no reason, it has no love, it has no mercy, and it leaves no room for any other religion. To follow it you must abandon all virtues of love, kindness, freedom and humanity. The false prophet Mohammed and his false teachers of this murderous “religion” will not stop until everyone else is destroyed. If this is not true let those who follow it come forward in large numbers and and speak out for the rights of all and demand an end to the bloody killing this false religion promotes.
I find myself buying a lot of books this year.
It’s all good.
Add these if you don’t own them already:
“The Savage Nation”
“The Enemy Within”
“Liberalism is a Mental Disorder”
“The Political Zoo”
#36 — I wonder, would that be ‘Festive Day’, as in:
“Festivus for the Rest of Us”?
Joseph Goebbels would be so proud of the Muzzies. Except that I’m not sure that Hitler, on his worst day, was as evil as most of the Muzzie leadership in the world is on a normal day.
How are people so incredibly stupid? How are they such utter sheep? God’s speed to Mark Steyn in fighting this ridiculousness.
Interesting in that Mark Steyn has never made me feel “hatred and contempt” for Muzzies, but stupid ass lawsuits and whining like this sure as heck has engendered such feelings in me.
Once again for all the Muzzies who don’t get it yet: The root cause of islamophobia, and of hatred and contempt for muslims, are the words and actions of muslims.
I think so Marci. Even now they are re-writing “Oh Tannenbaum” into “O Tanning Salon, Oh Tanning Salon – how lovely are your CFLs…”
So let me get this straight: They think that Mark Steyn is wrong about “…the notion that Islamic culture is incompatible with Canada’s liberalized, Western civilization.” so they hold a tribunal – basically to decide whether they should burn Steyn’s “dangerous” book or not – which basically proves exactly what they are denying. Hmmm. Do they know what the word “irony” means? And don’t you find it extremely ironic that it is the left doing the book burning these days? “Farenheit 451″ was about the future of liberalism and the Democratic party. Who knew?
Hey, I have read that I can support Mark Steyn through facebook, but I don’t know how to do this. Anyone know?
I’m new to facebook, so…I’m quite lost. But I’d love to do whatever I can to get the word out.
I can’t sign the petition because I’m not Canadian. *sigh*