Ezra Levant's Shakedown: A preliminary note

I will shortly review Shakedown as a book.

But first I want to say something on my own behalf, because Levant's book is, in some ways, about the life I have lived.

It is rare that any Canadian writes a book about what traditional Canadians have actually lived through. Writers rarely get CanLit prizes for that! So for no money and no price, just let me tell you what it was like.

It has been a long time since I have really felt proud of my country. Not since 1972, actually.

US draft dodgers, who got jobs at a publishing company beside my home (as I did) were jeering at me because I was pregnant (and married - not that that would have mattered to them).

They were Population Bombers, and would have been glad to help me to an abortion. It would further one of their key causes.

Even at 8.5 months pregnant - when I was phoning St. Michael's Hospital to book the usual prenatal tour - these unspeakable people were heckling in the background, urging me to ask for an abortion.

Let me be quite clear about this: I am not a victim. I blew them off. I am simply recording a fact. I want this fact recorded in the river of history. Those are the sorts of people we Canadians took in at that time - much to our disadvantage, I now think.

My one consolation in those days was one afternoon in September when I went out on my break to get a coffee and Danish at a local bakery.

Suddenly windows opened all over. People were shouting and laughing and singing the national anthem.

Why?

Against all odds, Canada had WON the hockey series against the Soviet Union. The one we couldn't win, according to the pundits. Our smackdown would prove that a free society couldn't hold a candle to the "discipline" of the USSR. So many pundits had told us so.

No? Not so certain? Well, here's the winning goal:



Enjoy. Or not. Or go to blazes.

Of course we never got credit for that, because Eastern Europe would have been terrified to admit that (in terms of population) tiny Canada had won, fair and square, according to the rules of hockey. Our victory was, as we would expect, decorously downplayed, even in Canada - which was - even then - overflowing with authoritarian traitors, many homegrown.

But we didn't care about them then. We knew we had won. Traditional Canadians knew - then and forever - that liberal democracy beats any kind of authoritarian system dead.

Dead in the water. Authoritarian corpse is belly upside, floating, rotting.

Well, even though I was heavily pregnant and carrying a cup of coffee and a danish, I ran, ran laughing, all the way back to the office and sank heavily into my chair.

I ignored the dodgers, and worked away the afternoon laughing.

After all, we were right. And there was hope. Hope for my kid.

However, for many years, like so many Canadians, I had to keep my head down. The Trudeaupians had other ideas for us. And they soon spelled them out. But it is fair to say that none of their ideas were so vile as the "human rights" Commissions of today. That is Trudeaupia in full, poisonous flower.

But what could we do about them? The legacy media has fronted them - up until recently.

The first time I ever really thought of putting my head up was when I listened to a YouTube video in which a man says, in a classical Canadian quack: "My name is Ezra Levant." Here:



I thought, wow! That guy is actually proud to be a Canadian. Like me. Yes, I admit, Canada has been nearly submerged by authoritarians fronting garbage, promoting victimhood and dependency on government.

And, when you hear him say his name, he isn't declaiming oratory. We don't do that here. To a foreigner, it might even sound dull - at first.

But, in the end, left with no other option, we Canadians do fight like hell. Every military strategist knows that.

And our social engineering tyranny is recent. When I look back on our pre-Trudeau history, it is worthy of great respect. My own ancestors and the many magnificent Aboriginal people who helped them would treat these Trudeaupians with the scorn they justly deserve.

As I will do too, more freely, from now on.

Legacy media have been nearly worthless on these subjects, so I can only ask foreigners: Please do not judge Canadians by what you see in legacy mainstream media.

Most Canadians are better represented by these guys (who saved a woman's life by brave, skillful action) than by some social worker whining for more welfare for crack addicts or some "human rights" officer demanding compensation for middle-aged strippers who are not of interest to patrons of sex clubs.

Honestly. If you don't believe me, I dare you to come to Toronto, go up the CN Tower, and walk out on the glass floor. Hint: Do it on your knees. You can do it on your knees.

Make whatever you want of that fact. As a traditional Christian I would say that that is one reason why the Lord gave you knees. You will be amazed what you can do on your knees that you cannot do on your feet.

Canadian science minister vs. the puff dino suits - a story with legs?

I see where Nature News published (2009 03 25) an item about Canadian science minister Gary Goodyear vs. the puff dino suits in downtown Toronto (young researchrs with nothing better to do (?), claiming that he doesn't believe in evolution - like it was some kind of religious experience he was supposed to have had but never did). You'd have to pay to read the story, and I certainly won't.

It was never a story in the first place but, as I point out here, activists and academics, hard up for work, have been trying to commercialize the ID controversy in Canada. It's not easy because the way the Canadian public divides on the issues makes commercialization difficult.

They should consider putting in an application to fry donuts at the local Tim Horton's instead. That'd be useful.

Find out why there is an intelligent design controversy. It's not what you think:

Cartoonist wanted: Texas science standards fight

From the evil Discos:

[Education warning: If you work for a typical school board, you should not be reading this blog! Do not read it at work!]

Big Win in Texas as State Now Leads Nation in Requiring Critical Analysis of Evolution in High School Science Classes

Robert Crowther

In a huge victory for those who favor teaching the scientific evidence for and against evolution, Texas today moved to the head of the class by requiring students to “critique” and examine “all sides of scientific evidence” and specifically requiring students to “analyze and evaluate” the evidence for major evolutionary concepts such as common ancestry, natural selection, and mutations.

“Texas has sent a clear message that evolution should be taught as a scientific theory open to critical scrutiny, not as a sacred dogma that can’t be questioned,” said Dr. John West, Senior Fellow at Discovery Institute. “Contrary to the claims of the evolution lobby, absolutely nothing the Board did promotes ‘creationism’ or religion in the classroom. Groups that assert otherwise are lying, plain and simple. Under the new standards, students will be expected to analyze and evaluate the scientific evidence for evolution, not religion. Period.”

The new requirements were contained in revised science standards approved today by the Texas State Board of Education. The science standards include language requiring students to “analyze, evaluate and critique scientific explanations…including examining all sides of scientific evidence… so as to encourage critical thinking by the student.” Equally important, the high school biology standards now require students to “analyze and evaluate” the scientific evidence for key parts of evolutionary theory, including common ancestry, natural selection, and mutations.

Discovery Institute has long endorsed the idea that evolution should be fully and completely presented to students, including its unresolved issues.

SOURCE

Okay, so the State of Texas will now be sued by Darwin pressure groups.

The only question I have is, how many dollars of US public funds will they be given to do that? How much will Texas taxpayers be on the hook for?

I think these Texans are fighting a noble battle, but may it be - in these times - a lost cause?

Many third and fourth-rate intellectuals - having seen the complete failure of their ideas in any setting where evidence matters - have sought to make them law, case law, or government policy. And they largely succeed. You'd have to be a Texas longhorn or a wolf of the northern forest to evade their reach.

And it is going to get far worse before it gets better.

Also, a friend writes to ask,

Does anyone know a cartoonist/artist?

We would like a drawing of E. Scott [= key Darwin lobbyist] getting the boot out of Texas. Possible caption "Don't Mess With Texas".

I have never seen her so angry.

I replied,

I will advertise on my blog, care of me.

It is high time these censorious nobodies started getting the boot.

We are eye deep with them here in Canada. (I will later be reviewing Ezra Levant's book, Shakedown. )

They think they have the right to interfere with anything, anywhere, when no one is actually in danger. It's just a question of some people thinking differently from them. Can't allow that, can we?

Do you think Obama will give them a big grant to pursue their activities? Under his stimulus program?

Well, if so, another fine instance of Americans' tax dollars at work.

Oh, you know what? We just have to get these people out of public life and back to the obscurity they so justly merit.

Find out why there is an intelligent design controversy. It is not what you probably think: