Hijacking Metaphors
Who could fault or suspect the motivations of groups insisting they abhor war and who mount public relations campaigns to demonstrate their commitment to bringing an end to war? And other groups who arrange for conferences to discuss world peace? Who could fail to support the selfless and altruistic motives of people going out of their way to sue for peace and to effect a public groundswell of support for an end to war?
Well, when the devil incarnate stands before the podium with a pacific smile in response to a swell of applause, when he explains that he is invested in peace and goodwill and does his utmost at all times to persuade all and sundry that violence and bloodshed reflects ill on humankind. That it is in the best interests of all concerned that they trust him, and leave it to him to find a way to achieve peace.
To trust and believe in him when he veers off on another tack and begins to fulminate about a single state which he accuses of exemplifying all the evil deeds committed between nations desperately harmful to the affairs of humankind. When he beatifically announces the convening of a conference to contest the allegations of horrendous crimes of genocide committed against the target nation.
This persuasively charming speaker just incidentally is the chief executive administrator of a country that presents on the world stage as a totalitarian state, a human-rights-abusing state, one that has committed itself to fanatically preying on its own nationals in the name of God, and in pursuing an agenda that includes amassing powerful atomic munitions to threaten neighbours.
He also sends his emissaries to other countries to spread his message of peace and goodwill, along with his anti-war commitments - and just incidentally to liberally sprinkle the pathology of hatred and racism where it may fester and grow as per plan. A conference that took place in Ottawa, staged by those calling themselves the Group of Four, deny accusations of anti-Semitism.
They are, they claim, committed brokers for a "just and sustainable peace" in the Middle East. And their invited guests just happened to include several Iranian academics, one of whom was Davood Ameri, of the Iran-based Islamic World Peace Forum, and Saeid Ameri, dean of the faculty of global studies at Tehran university. Whom The Simon Wiesenthal Centre identifies as a strident anti-Semite.
Their denunciation by Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party of Canada, has so upset these good men that they have withdrawn their candidacies for the next federal election, to represent ridings in the Ottawa Area for the Green Party. Now, among others, Qais Ghanem, a medical doctor who has denounced Canadian-U.S. "imperialism" in Afghanistan, is an ex-candidate for Green party nomination.
Similarly, the StopWar group which has invited the infamously self-loving former British Member of Parliament George Galloway on a speaking tour of Canada, is intent on delivering its message of peace and fellowship. George Orwell would have chuckled with rank delight at the use of StopWar and dialogues for peace by groups busy peddling their versions of the right side and the wrong side of conflicts.
Although York University's administration and its president Mamdouh Shoukri feel confident that George Galloway represents a balanced, humanitarian view of the Israel-Palestinian conflict irrespective of the fact that Mr. Galloway is an ardently approving supporter of the terror group Hamas whose charter calls for the destruction of Israel, and felt no compunction at hosting him, hosts elsewhere are experiencing doubts.
The Reverend Gary Peterson of St.Andrew's-Wesley United Church in Vancouver appears to have heeded his conscience, choosing now to distance himself and his church from the talk scheduled to be mounted by StopWar, featuring George Galloway, on the dread predations of oppressor Israel on the suffering Gazan Palestinians. And David Suzuki along with a Vancouver-area member of the legislature have separated their names from the engagement as well.
These peace-loving, war-hating groups have much in common, besides their hijacking of the terms of identification that belie their true agendas. For they are all in the business of promulgating hatred against one very identifiable and vulnerable group representing history's perennial scapegoat.
And helping to set up an obfuscating screen in support of the wagers of enmity, hatred and violence. They are, alas, idiot-enablers who, once their usefulness has become stale, will be counted among the victims.
P.S. Thank you for your letter regarding Mr. George Galloway’s speaking engagement that occurred on Tuesday, Nov. 16, at York University, and regarding the letter sent by the University to Rabbi Hoch.
In my capacity as Vice-President University Relations, I would like to assure you that York University continues to be committed to freedom of expression and to academic freedom, we embrace that role and value our leadership position in welcoming and educating all of Canada’s many communities. At the same time, the University's priority is the safety of all its community members and guests.
With regard to the personal statements made publicly (and widely distributed) in a letter by Rabbi Hoch impugning President Shoukri’s reputation with “his amazing tolerance for anti-Semitism and lack of vigilance regarding the feeling of safety for Jewish students on campus”, the University considers the statement both untrue and harmful to the reputation of the President and of York.
York expects all member of the University community –- students, faculty and staff — to adhere to the boundaries of respectful discourse, and will not tolerate any actions or forms of speech that are racist in nature. Any such comments or actions will be prosecuted to the full extent of the University’s powers. And, in fact, the York Federation of Students’ (YFS) sponsored event on Tuesday occurred without incident or anti-Semitic remarks of any kind.
Regards,
Jennifer M. Sloan
Vice-President University Relations
York University
Well, when the devil incarnate stands before the podium with a pacific smile in response to a swell of applause, when he explains that he is invested in peace and goodwill and does his utmost at all times to persuade all and sundry that violence and bloodshed reflects ill on humankind. That it is in the best interests of all concerned that they trust him, and leave it to him to find a way to achieve peace.
To trust and believe in him when he veers off on another tack and begins to fulminate about a single state which he accuses of exemplifying all the evil deeds committed between nations desperately harmful to the affairs of humankind. When he beatifically announces the convening of a conference to contest the allegations of horrendous crimes of genocide committed against the target nation.
This persuasively charming speaker just incidentally is the chief executive administrator of a country that presents on the world stage as a totalitarian state, a human-rights-abusing state, one that has committed itself to fanatically preying on its own nationals in the name of God, and in pursuing an agenda that includes amassing powerful atomic munitions to threaten neighbours.
He also sends his emissaries to other countries to spread his message of peace and goodwill, along with his anti-war commitments - and just incidentally to liberally sprinkle the pathology of hatred and racism where it may fester and grow as per plan. A conference that took place in Ottawa, staged by those calling themselves the Group of Four, deny accusations of anti-Semitism.
They are, they claim, committed brokers for a "just and sustainable peace" in the Middle East. And their invited guests just happened to include several Iranian academics, one of whom was Davood Ameri, of the Iran-based Islamic World Peace Forum, and Saeid Ameri, dean of the faculty of global studies at Tehran university. Whom The Simon Wiesenthal Centre identifies as a strident anti-Semite.
Their denunciation by Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party of Canada, has so upset these good men that they have withdrawn their candidacies for the next federal election, to represent ridings in the Ottawa Area for the Green Party. Now, among others, Qais Ghanem, a medical doctor who has denounced Canadian-U.S. "imperialism" in Afghanistan, is an ex-candidate for Green party nomination.
Similarly, the StopWar group which has invited the infamously self-loving former British Member of Parliament George Galloway on a speaking tour of Canada, is intent on delivering its message of peace and fellowship. George Orwell would have chuckled with rank delight at the use of StopWar and dialogues for peace by groups busy peddling their versions of the right side and the wrong side of conflicts.
Although York University's administration and its president Mamdouh Shoukri feel confident that George Galloway represents a balanced, humanitarian view of the Israel-Palestinian conflict irrespective of the fact that Mr. Galloway is an ardently approving supporter of the terror group Hamas whose charter calls for the destruction of Israel, and felt no compunction at hosting him, hosts elsewhere are experiencing doubts.
The Reverend Gary Peterson of St.Andrew's-Wesley United Church in Vancouver appears to have heeded his conscience, choosing now to distance himself and his church from the talk scheduled to be mounted by StopWar, featuring George Galloway, on the dread predations of oppressor Israel on the suffering Gazan Palestinians. And David Suzuki along with a Vancouver-area member of the legislature have separated their names from the engagement as well.
These peace-loving, war-hating groups have much in common, besides their hijacking of the terms of identification that belie their true agendas. For they are all in the business of promulgating hatred against one very identifiable and vulnerable group representing history's perennial scapegoat.
And helping to set up an obfuscating screen in support of the wagers of enmity, hatred and violence. They are, alas, idiot-enablers who, once their usefulness has become stale, will be counted among the victims.
P.S. Thank you for your letter regarding Mr. George Galloway’s speaking engagement that occurred on Tuesday, Nov. 16, at York University, and regarding the letter sent by the University to Rabbi Hoch.
In my capacity as Vice-President University Relations, I would like to assure you that York University continues to be committed to freedom of expression and to academic freedom, we embrace that role and value our leadership position in welcoming and educating all of Canada’s many communities. At the same time, the University's priority is the safety of all its community members and guests.
With regard to the personal statements made publicly (and widely distributed) in a letter by Rabbi Hoch impugning President Shoukri’s reputation with “his amazing tolerance for anti-Semitism and lack of vigilance regarding the feeling of safety for Jewish students on campus”, the University considers the statement both untrue and harmful to the reputation of the President and of York.
York expects all member of the University community –- students, faculty and staff — to adhere to the boundaries of respectful discourse, and will not tolerate any actions or forms of speech that are racist in nature. Any such comments or actions will be prosecuted to the full extent of the University’s powers. And, in fact, the York Federation of Students’ (YFS) sponsored event on Tuesday occurred without incident or anti-Semitic remarks of any kind.
Regards,
Jennifer M. Sloan
Vice-President University Relations
York University
Labels: Anti-Semitism, Canada, Human Relations, Middle East, Realities
posted by Pieface | 7:20 PM
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