This Fickle Freedom

I was a refugee claimant in 2006. I had asked Canada for protection partly because a lot of the material posted on my blog would be considered offensive by Muslims in Pakistan -- my birth-country. Furthermore, the Pakistani state would have persecuted me for my opinion of Muhammad.

I wanted the liberty to say, write and think whatever I wanted on the topic of Islam. I wanted the dignity of freedom.

One won't find that in Alberta, Canada in 2008. There, in an Orwellian court, a publisher was brought forth for the terrible act of printing cartoons. The fact that Ezra Levant even has to appear in the clownish court is a win for the Islamists: Saudi Arabia is, was, and for some time will remain, a sharia-infested hell but in a tiny corner of the liberal West, because of a Saudi goon, a publisher was grilled about his "intent" behind showcasing some drawings.

In a saner world Saudi Arabia would be furiously trying to emulate Canada, not the other way around.

The West is torn apart rhetorically everywhere but Islam is outside the bounds of criticism in Muslim-majority nations. Now, after this thuggery by a "human rights" commission, every author, journalist and publisher in the West will ask, "Is it worth my time, energy and money to utter something that might be considered offensive by a Muslim?"

Many will choose the dishonorable, easy route.

To some this incident might seem inconsequential. It isn't. This is another front in our war. I wouldn't call it the clash of civilizations since the other side doesn't have a civilization to speak of. It's Western Civilization vs. Barbarity cloaked in a religious garb. Every single freedom we hold dear, they wish to crush. They're already assaulting the most essential of all liberties: Free speech.

What will you do?

****

In what can seem like a lone battle, there is nothing more profoundly moving than to receive the support of freedom-loving peoples.

I'm truly heartened by the moral support that I have received on the blogosphere, in my own blog's comments, via e-mail and even on the Facebook support group. I promise I will continue to fight this battle to the end, even if that means appealling it all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada.

Go to the blog of Ezra Levant. There you can make a donation.

I donated $104.

Comments

[Josh Scholar]

Canadians are less confrontational than the British, even. They just want people to get along...

That can be a good thing. Canadians don't get angry easily. I can imagine Canadians avoiding all kinds of trouble, simply by having the sense to ignore the assholes.

Not to say that I'm not worried about this case. I am worried about the slow erosion of liberty, and I'm also worried about the opposite - what happens if Levant takes this case to the Supreme Court, and the Supreme Court caves to a fear of Islamic violence. What if they find against him?

[Josh Scholar]

By the way, I'm not saying that the court is likely to find against Levant, they're not... It just worries me to consider that there's a possibility.

[Josh Scholar]

Oops, the italics got messed up. [Fixed. -- Isaac S.]

[Josh Scholar]

And it's not that there's violence in Canada. I'm sure there's very little, but it's possible that Canadians will think that this means that Canadians are better at appeasement - that they can contain the threat by being nice.

That's what most less militant Muslims want from us infidels, isn't it? Americans aren't capable of avoiding offense, we're extreme people, and socially inept.

I don't know what Canadians can accomplish. There is something different about Canada - I usually attribute it to the fact that the population density is low.

I wonder if Canadians' social instinct to keep calm will infect Muslims who live there.

Or perhaps a generation of Canadians who grew up after me, watching American cable TV think like Americans anyway - and maybe my ideas are obsolete.

[Muslims Against Sharia]

Canada: Freedom of Speech succumbing to Kangaroo Courts of the Human Rights Commission

Proceedings against Ezra Levant are nothing short of ridiculous, but let's consider the implications for moderate Muslims. This "investigation" will further divide Muslims and non-Muslims in Canada. It will give credence to radicals' claims that the West is at war with Islam. It will antagonize non-Muslims and moderate Muslims will be pushed towards radicalization. Regardless of the outcome, once again Islamists skillfully manipulated Dhimmi justice system and came out as clear winners. Thank you, Human Right Commission!

Muslims Against Sharia are proud to be the first Muslim group to publicly support Ezra Levant and denounce HRC inquisition
http://muslimsagainstsharia.blogspot.com/2008/01/canada-freedom-of-speech-succumbing-to.html

Sign Free Dominion Against the HRCs Petition
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/a-free-dominion-against-the-hrcs.html

[Josh Scholar]

I think this is just in Alberta. It's the Alberta HRC. I don't know if other provinces have HRCs but this is a provincial body not a federal one.

[CIRD]

Every province has a HRC, and there is a federal one as well. Macleans publication of Mark Steyn's work has resulted in multiple complaints to various HRC's from a single group of people. The original intent of the HRC's was to adjudicate disputes between single individuals when they felt they were being descriminated against, however, as is the case with most original intents that appear good at first look, the law of unintended consequences usually pops up, resulting in a much wider net being cast.

[MikeT]

You can always go talk to the U.S. embassy and apply for citizenship. At least the United States is still nominally a constitutional republic.

[MikeT]

Btw, have you seen this? It's the motherload of potential damage to Islam.

[Josh Scholar]

[Comment deleted as requested. -- Isaac S.]

[Josh Scholar]

OOOPS I WAS WRONG!!!!

I posted that under a different computer and used a different name - so my search failed

MY COMMENT DID APPEAR!!!

Apologies to Ezra.

Isaac, you can delete the comment above!!!