Posted on 07/17/2004 5:12:38 AM PDT by Clive
My brain hurts wondering how the pending arrival of the Arabic news network Al-Jazeera on our TV screens will fulfil one of the Broadcasting Act's primary objectives.
According to the legislation, our broadcasting system is meant to "safeguard, enrich and strengthen the cultural, political, social and economic fabric of Canada."
Now try to imagine Al-Jazeera, the Arab world's equivalent of CNN, finding a niche in peace-loving, moderate Canada, the world's most successful multicultural experiment.
Al-Jazeera claims to be a credible news network that simply presents a different slant on world affairs than western viewers are used to watching.
That's fine. As every first-year journalism student learns, there's no such thing as true objectivity. Given the wide cultural and ideological gulf between the Muslim world and the West, it's no surprise that Al-Jazeera has a different take on what's newsworthy.
But there's a huge difference between legitimate news coverage or commentary - what would be considered normal dissent - and vile hate-mongering.
A political debate over Israel's security wall is one thing, for example. Describing Jews as "apes and pigs" - as happens regularly in the Arab media - hardly strengthens Canada's social fabric.
I spent a couple of hours yesterday on the invaluable website of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) to get a taste of the kind of lunacy that's broadcast on Al-Jazeera.
Last year, the network aired a speech by Osama bin Laden, who called Jews "usurers and whoremongers."
One day in 2002, the topic for discussion was "Is Zionism worse than Nazism?"
As part of the discussion, the moderator read a letter sent in from a viewer: "The apes and pigs will not be deterred unless there is a real Holocaust."
During another TV debate, a Palestinian Muslim cleric declared there will be no peace with the Jews because they use the blood of Arabs in ritual foods - perpetuating the ancient blood libel.
An Egyptian-born Sunni Muslim cleric hosts a weekly show on Al-Jazeera called "Sharia and Life."
Many of Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradhawi's sermons revolve around tirades against Jews and the West, according to MEMRI, which translates Arabic news stories into English and other languages.
In May, on his weekly program, the cleric said "Judaism is the No. 1 propagator of violence."
I see. All those suicide-bomber maniacs dreaming of virgins in heaven as they blow up people all over the world are Jews disguised as Muslims.
For good measure, the mullah also supports wife-beating. "Some women enjoy the beating and, for them, only beating to cause them sorrow is suitable," he said one day on his program.
For Canadian sensibilities, of course, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) wants cable and satellite operators who distribute Al-Jazeera to purge "any abusive comment."
Understandably, the cable companies are balking at being thrust into a censorship role.
Since Canadian Arabs are already watching the network illegally, the CRTC should just allow Al-Jazeera in unrestricted.
Monitoring and exposing the lunatic fringe in the Arab media is preferable to censorship. Perhaps Canada's Muslims will be so embarrassed at Al-Jazeera's crazy collection of anti-Semites and conspiracy theorists that they will pressure the Arab world to reform.
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But there's a huge difference between legitimate news coverage or commentary - what would be considered normal dissent - and vile hate-mongering.
The trouble is that the DU type will place FR in the latter category; there is a huge difference but not everyone is sane enough to see it. And indeed the Canadian definition of "vile hate-mongering" seems to bear a passing resemblance to that of the DU type's. Not at all sure that FR could run as it does if it were based in Canada.
During the 1990's, especially when CRTC chairman was Keith Spicer, racist outbursts toward Canadian Serbs flourished in electronic media, in a manner not seen since Hitler's denigration of Jews in the 1930's. Not a single case filed with CRTC was solved and court cases drag for years to the present day.
Even "toroughbred" Canadians were insulted and dismissed as "Serb sympatizers" when attempted to confront the media lies with the facts. Canadian peacekeepers who risked their lives in the Balkans and knew the truth were treated no better. Similarity with "niggalover" or Joolover" is not incidental.
To be honest toward CRTC, printed media was even worse. Cartoons not seen since DER STURMER (e.g. depicting Serbs as dogs)were also allowed, perhaps to "enrich and strengthen the cultural, political, social and economic fabric of Canada."
For the life of me I had no idea why B'nai Brit supported racism against the Serbs, victims of Nazi genocide. ANd it backfired. Tolerance of racist outbust towards Serbs has opened the floodgate for open Anti-Semite activity. Nazis, Neo-Nazis and others learned the lesson.The hate speech and hate crime is accepted in Canada if cloaked into veil of multiculti language.
Thus,the hatred of Jews is cloaked into support for human rights of Palestinians or opposition to the Israeli state policies.
Same people, same ideas, different language.
With Al-Jazeera, it is at least clear where they stand. They say it openly. I am scared of CBC and CRTC.
Since the media can't bury the truth, they go after the one network reporting truth 24/7. It's all in plain sight for anyone to see now.
Although your post is somewhat ethnically partisan, I still must support your central claims - that hate-mongers have learned to use Canada's multi-culti scam as a cover for hate speech, and that the CBC and the CRTC are more dangerous to Canadians than is Al-Jazeera.
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