The Single Most Bizarre Sentence Uttered In The Federal Election Campaign So Far
It's always possible that Leslie Hughes is being so audaciously cunning in her evasiveness that she will actually get away with it, in which case one would be almost tempted to admire her genius in the black art of political dishonesty.
It's either that, or this is, easily, far and away the most disgraceful example of tortured grammar and bent logic occurring within a single non-statement that has been uttered by a politician in the current election campaign to date: “I find any interpretation of my journalism as anti-Semitic personally offensive and I heartily apologize for that perception.”
But for Leslie Hughes to be exposed as a crackpot by her own so-called journalism requires absolutely no "interpretation" at all. It speaks for itself. Among the many sentences in just that one article that exhibit derangement, here's just one: "Israeli businesses, which had offices in the Towers, vacated the premises a week before the attacks, breaking their lease to do it." Now, read her "apology" again: I find any interpretation of my journalism as anti-Semitic personally offensive and I heartily apologize for that perception.
Notice that:
1. Hughes is in no way apologizing for anything she has written whatsoever. 2. It is the perfectly reasonable "interpretation" of what she has written - that it maybe betrays a kind of antisemitism - that Hughes has the gall to say she finds "personally offensive." 3. Hughes then adds insult to injury by presuming to apologize on behalf of anyone who might harbour this reasonable "perception", as though this would be something for which anyone should be expected to apologize in the first place.
If Stephane Dion does not dump this creepy individual, then he has abdicated any prerogative he might claim to utter so much as a single wisecrack about any of the NDP's less-than-suitable candidates, because he will have shown that he is every bit as shifty and spineless as NDP Jack Layton himself has been, coincidentally, on the very matter of 911-Truth nutcases. (UPDATE: Dion has ditched Hughes)
On at least three public occasions, rather than treat the Truthers as the deluded menace they are, Layton has slobbered on their slippers. He has grovelled before them and nurtured their delusions by assuring them the NDP is taking their literature seriously, and Layton has further professed to them his abiding friendship with Canada's high priest of 911-Truth Conspiracy, Barrie Zwicker.
Now Layton is browbeating Durham NDP candidate Andrew McKeever for making the hippies cry in his resort to clear and plain language in the matter of Yankee deserters, thus: "These American Traitors have no place in my Country. There are bona fide (and by that I mean REAL) refugees out there. Not American crybabies that are trying to turn this country into a hotel."
Maybe it's because I'm in Ottawa at the moment that I'm getting interested in the federal election campaign again. Who knows. In any case:
Vote McKeever in Durham. (Update: On second thought, don't bother.)
It's either that, or this is, easily, far and away the most disgraceful example of tortured grammar and bent logic occurring within a single non-statement that has been uttered by a politician in the current election campaign to date: “I find any interpretation of my journalism as anti-Semitic personally offensive and I heartily apologize for that perception.”
But for Leslie Hughes to be exposed as a crackpot by her own so-called journalism requires absolutely no "interpretation" at all. It speaks for itself. Among the many sentences in just that one article that exhibit derangement, here's just one: "Israeli businesses, which had offices in the Towers, vacated the premises a week before the attacks, breaking their lease to do it." Now, read her "apology" again: I find any interpretation of my journalism as anti-Semitic personally offensive and I heartily apologize for that perception.
Notice that:
1. Hughes is in no way apologizing for anything she has written whatsoever. 2. It is the perfectly reasonable "interpretation" of what she has written - that it maybe betrays a kind of antisemitism - that Hughes has the gall to say she finds "personally offensive." 3. Hughes then adds insult to injury by presuming to apologize on behalf of anyone who might harbour this reasonable "perception", as though this would be something for which anyone should be expected to apologize in the first place.
If Stephane Dion does not dump this creepy individual, then he has abdicated any prerogative he might claim to utter so much as a single wisecrack about any of the NDP's less-than-suitable candidates, because he will have shown that he is every bit as shifty and spineless as NDP Jack Layton himself has been, coincidentally, on the very matter of 911-Truth nutcases. (UPDATE: Dion has ditched Hughes)
On at least three public occasions, rather than treat the Truthers as the deluded menace they are, Layton has slobbered on their slippers. He has grovelled before them and nurtured their delusions by assuring them the NDP is taking their literature seriously, and Layton has further professed to them his abiding friendship with Canada's high priest of 911-Truth Conspiracy, Barrie Zwicker.
Now Layton is browbeating Durham NDP candidate Andrew McKeever for making the hippies cry in his resort to clear and plain language in the matter of Yankee deserters, thus: "These American Traitors have no place in my Country. There are bona fide (and by that I mean REAL) refugees out there. Not American crybabies that are trying to turn this country into a hotel."
Maybe it's because I'm in Ottawa at the moment that I'm getting interested in the federal election campaign again. Who knows. In any case:
Vote McKeever in Durham. (Update: On second thought, don't bother.)
posted by Terry Glavin at 8:45 PM
7 Comments:
I am too disillusioned to vote for anyone this time around in my riding at least. Wack jobs, nutbars, assholes, and so on... what's a hapless voter to do? And their leaders are useless as well.
I'm feeling a bit politically homeless myself these days. In times like these, the only thing to do is ignore the party leaders, focus on policies that matter to you, or ask yourself which local candidate deserves your vote, regardless of party affiliation.
If that doesn't work, we spit on our hands, raise the black flag and begin slitting throats.
Nailed her.... ;)
Oddly enough I actually believe, based on what the woman has done that she is not wittingly anti-Semitic - which is to say she doesn't hate Jews in particular.
Rather she is batshit crazy which drives her to hate Jews and Americans in general. Eliminating her in half a news cycle is a good thing.
And we need to go for a beer. Or seven.
Dion has now given her the chop: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canadavotes/story/2008/09/26/dion-seniors.html
Here's the exchange that McKeever got in trouble for, if anyone is interested.
I'm just appalled. I can't recall a campaign with so many candidates being exposed as utter nutjobs - the "vetting process" has failed all three parties, clearly, but the worst has happened. Politics has become the last refuge to which a scoundrel clings.
Maybe if we increase politicians' salaries and pensions, we'll attract a better calibre of folk.
(Kidding!)
Post a Comment
<< Home