Speak for yourself, Maude!

Brace yourself for a rant:

I just turned on CPAC this morning, expecting coverage of the Cancun meeting of North American leaders. Instead, regular programming was being interupted to go live to Maude Barlow and other "leaders of civil society organizations".

I can't stand these types, who name their highly-partisan orgs as if they somehow represent all Canadians. Maude heads the Council of Canadians (a very pro-socialist group, although they know better than to describe themselves so accurately). After threatening Harper, she handed the podium to Monica Lysack, of Child care advocacy something or another (pro- institutionalized government day care), some guy from EGALE Canada (pro-gay marriage), a guy from Friends of Canadian Broadcasting (the CBC defines Canadian culture and keeps American hegemony at bay) and some woman from the HealthCare Solidarity Coalition (Che himself would love that name!).

It's enough to make me scream! Canadian culture is not defined by socialism. When the Americans were embracing the New Deal, Quebec's premier was warning that it seemed communist to him. These people do not care for facts.

Ms. Barlow: most Canadians want free trade and benefit from it. Ms. Lycack: Quebec has "universal" daycare, it mostly benefits 9-5 middle-class professionals and the Liberal non-deal doesn't even provide half of the required funds. Hey, EGALE: Harper often argued to Reformers that if their against SSM, they need to be for equal civil unions.

Hey CBC friends: the CBC's ratings are abysmal, I resent being forced to subscribe to Newsworld and you only have to watch The Hour for about 30 seconds to realize what sort of fringe Canadian culture it represents. I'd rather watch Hannity and Colmes. If the CBC had to worry about ratings maybe they'd put out a (good) show hosted by Canadians at opposite ends of the political spectrum. Maybe they'd be upfront about their political opinions. Hey healthcare coalition: have you been to a Canadian hospital lately? Have you been on a waiting list for a family doctor? Ever hear about the Chaoilli decision on healthcare?

No, whenever these drones speak, it's in super-ultra-serious important press conference mode, with no questions. They aren't interested in answering factual questions about mainstream Canadian opinion, culture or concerns. If anyone has discovered this blog yet, I'd love to hear your suggestions about what these orgs should really be called.

"Keeping up Appearances"

via Cox and Forkum

Rahman has fled to Italy, but other Afghani Christians may not be so lucky. I hope the blogosphere keeps the pressure on the MSM to cover this story. We can't let Karzai relax in the knowledge that one awful PR situation has been handled away.

Heresy and apostasy

We've all heard Galileo's story at one time or another:

Galileo was required to recant his heliocentric ideas, which were condemned as "formally heretical";.He was ordered imprisoned; the sentence was later commuted to house arrest His offending Dialogue was banned; and in an action not announced at the trial, publication of any of his works was forbidden, including any he might write in the future.

It was while Galileo was under house arrest when he dedicated his time to one of his finest works, Two New Sciences. This book has received high praise from both Sir Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein. As a result of this work, Galileo is often called, the "father of modern physics".

On 31 October 1992, Pope John Paul II officially announced that the Church had mishandled the case.

It only took around 360 years.

Those responsible for prosecuting Abdul Rahman's crimes against religious law have bowed to Western pressure (a.k.a the big bad hegemony), rather than Afghani protestors, and released Rahman as one hell of a crazy Christian. But, many people want to take matters in their own hands.

I've said it before and no moral relativist will ever shame me out of saying it again: Western Civilazation is the best culture. Galileo represents the initial spark of scientific enlightment, free thought and and an end of organized religion's domination over our sources of knowledge. His enduring legacy is a triumph over medieval ideology.

The cultural ideals of individual rights, freedom and the equal rule of law, and democracy are far superior to the pervasive medieval ideology in Afghanistan (and many other corners of the geopolitical globe). This is not a racist, xenophobic, or bigoted statement, as I do not believe that any person is inferior or somehow lacking innate human rights by virtue of their ethnicity.

But, we all know what happened from the late 17th century until today in the West - the advances and innovations in music, science, art, sport, diverse peaceful co-existance, constitutional law, etc. Afghanistan will succeed if it can emerge from a medieval mentality and gradually embrace our cultural ideals, in the hopes of joining the West.

Drawing Muhammed the wrong way or announcing you're a born again Christian in 1412, 1690, 1950, or 2006 gets you continual threats of death, on religious grounds. Afghanistan has a very young population, in fifty years from now things could be very different. Perhaps Abdul Rahman will get an apology in 2366, like Galileo received in 1992?

Non-Muslim may be executed in Afghanistan

Will Abdul Rahman get as much Canadian media attention as Nasrat Ali?

An Afghan man who recently admitted he converted to Christianity faces the death penalty under the country's strict Islamic legal system. The trial is a critical test of Afghanistan's new constitution and democratic government.

Abdul Rahman, 40, was arrested last month, accused of converting to Christianity. Under Afghanistan's new constitution, minority religious rights are protected but Muslims are still subject to strict Islamic laws. And so, officially, Muslim-born Rahman is charged with rejecting Islam and not for practicing Christianity.

Email Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay to voice your concern. Harper needs to inform Karzai in no uncertain terms that we're not fighting radical Islamofascists to protect a system that seeks death sentences for those who leave the faith of Islam.