Lack of Standards

Western Standard cruise director and free speech champion Ezra Levant continues to revel in all the attention he is getting from CBC, the network he loves to hate. (More here and here. Oh and some CTV promotion here.)

Needless to say, the blogosphere is also all over his publication this week of eight of the 12 Danish cartoons of the Prophet Muhhammed that led to deadly riots. Asks Ted over at Cerberus:

Ezra Levant and The Western Standard claim that every other Canadian media establishment are cowardly and supporting attacks on free speech because they won't publish the cartoons.

<SNIP>

If it is so important to freedom of expression and the freedom of Canadians to publish these cartoons, how come you only printed 8 out of 12 of the cartoons, Ezra? Did you feel the need for some self-censorship?

From D.B. Scott over at Canadian Magazines:

Since no one can truly know Levant's motives, they can only go by what he has said and written. And, at the risk of distorting by paraphrase, it would appear that he thinks this is a question of moral courage and that he has it, while the so-called "mainstream media (or MSM for short)" lacks it.

The gesture seems a week late and a dollar short. Anyone with a smidgen of initiative and a web connection saw these rather lame caricatures more than a week ago. But, as empty gestures go, we should defend his right to make it. And to condemn retailers who have refused to display the issue because of a spread inside. That's just wrong.

And  Skippy the Amazing Wonderdog:

Ezra Levant is, of course, free to publish them, subject only to Canada's hate speech laws -- laws with which we at Tedious Strategies happen to disagree, for reasons we won't deign to elucidate at this point in time.

Our good friends in the conservative blogging community have been beating the drum of free speech. Fair enough.

Odd, however, that they aren't criticizing Levant for undermining the mission of our troops, given that conservative bloggers are often fond of beating that drum, too.

Then again, maybe it's not odd at all.

Which leads us to, via My Blahg and Simon Pole, there's this, written by Master Corporal Russell Storring, just back from Afghanistan.

I had hoped that Canadians serving overseas would avoid most of the brunt of this cartoon controversy as mainstream Canadian media opted not to run the controversial cartoons. Everyday life can often be risky enough for our soldiers (at least in Afghanistan).

I followed the flow of comments about freedom of the press, freedom of speech, freedom of expression and how western countries shouldn't be afraid of protesting or rioting Muslims; that it's our inherent right to print those cartoons. But I couldn't help noting that this slew of "freedoms" come from people who take for granted what our fathers and grandfathers paid for in blood, and what our own soldiers pay for today.

Freedoms are something many people here in Canada and around the world take for granted; the minute someone perceives that those freedoms are being infringed upon, a whole movement begins that can quickly snowball out of control.

I am a soldier that believes deeply in freedom, and by virtue of service for my country I have and am willing to put my life on the line for what my country believes in. With freedom of anything comes the responsibility to make sound decisions and common-sense choices.

Deciding to not print those controversial cartoons has nothing to do with being cowed by fear of Islamic retribution; it has everything to do with respecting another person's beliefs and the common sense that Canadians have always been known for around the world.

Levant's print run of 40,000 -- his normal circulation is around 30,000 -- might have been too optimistic. In fact, it looks like it wasn't so good for business after all. Air Canada has yanked 7,000 copies from its planes and business class lounges. That's a high-end clientele that advertisers love.

Before everybody starts screaming censorship, consider that Air Canada is not government. That said, this situation is not unlike Wal-Mart pulling certain magazines and CDs off its shelves, acts that have made me rant and rave.

But wait!  There's a very big elephant in the room: Is Air Canada worried about safety and security issues? Is it worried about attracting Islamist terrorists to its cramped cabins? As a frequent flyer, I must say I damn well hope so!

But it is an airline with diverse clients. It would be bad p.r. to offend people gratuitously.

Obviously Mr. Levant did not think this through. Or did he? And if so, what was his real agenda?

My guess? It has nothing to do with freedom of expression and plenty to do with the continued viability of his magazine, one I am told he tried to sell to CanWest Global not too long ago.

UPPITY DATE: CENSORSHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!

Comments

[Diana-Marie]

Re CENSORSHIP!!!!!!!!!EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!
Pretty clear why these were not published; they MIGHT OFFEND SOMEONE ..........tsk tsk. Point taken?

[Mark Francis]

Bingo!

Of course, if I really wanted naked coed photos, I could just Google.

Wait, if I wanted to see offensive anti-Muslim cartoons, I could Google as well.

Antonia, did you catch Zorpheous' photoshop work using the cartoons as a base? Here's one I love:

http://tinyurl.com/bykeh

[Zorpheous]

Ya, that one says it the best, which is why it was the first one I did. The second one I like for the giggle factor.

Hey Zerby are you going to update us on the Ottawa Watcher and *He Who Must Not Be Named* (for fear of being sued) brew-ha-ha or are we just going to have be like a bunch of mushrooms. I hope you can get both sides to see reason. Mark and I talked about last night and it really seems be about a poorly place pro-noun and one poorly choosen adjective, and a whole lot of stubberness on both sides.

Long Live Darth Zerby

[Bill-Muskoka]

Mark,

Nice job. Now, recall the two headed alien in MIB II? Just a thought to play with. hehehehe I imagine there lurks some pair of characters who will be perfect for that one!

[Zorpheous]

Bill-Muskoka, mind if I steal that idea ~evil grin~