War is Peace, and we Have Always been at War With Eastasia

A quick aside for those of you who think I actually MEAN "East Asia". It's a truncated quotation from 1984. "Eastasia" is one of the 3 megalithic political blocs.

Go read Five Feet of Fury. Right now. I mean it, do not come back until you have checked that link. Scroll down until you can read "Today's Hate Crime".

I cannot even begin to describe the degree to which I am incensed. According to Canada's draconian counter-protest legislation, if you wish to stage a demonstration against another demonstration, you must allow yourself to be segregated into a tiny box and surrounded by police. This is not to protect you, it is to protect the larger protest from you. I have seen this lunacy before. During the latest round of Pro-Gaza, Pro-HAMAS protests, pro-Israel protesters were often dispersed by police for "disturbing the peace". Apparently, waving HAMAS flags and chanting "death to [insert group here, including Jewish children]" is just fine though. Now we see it again.

Only this time, it could be much worse. Canadian hate-crime legislation under the Criminal Code is already pretty damn sweeping. Luckily for these protesters, it really only kicks in once it has been proven that you committed a crime. It's a way of ratcheting up your sentence because you were thinking naughty thoughts. Some Mens are more Rea than others. However, if the Toronto Police have launched a hate crimes investigation, regardless of outcome, we can be sure of two things. 1: Canadian politicians, local and federal, are afraid of losing Tamil votes and so are already in appeasement mode. 2: Barbara Hall, of the Dreaded Ontario Human Rights Commission, is going to start talking again. I think we can all agree that a woman so pretentious that she believes she is better qualified than a judge to determine whether or not a woman wearing a veil while testifying violates a defendent's rights to face his accuser shouldn't really be given a microphone. I can tell you right now, she will recommend that the Tamil protesters lodge a complaint to the HRC, at which point these poor counter-protesters will be persecuted at her whim.

And for what? Stating something that was confirmed in an Act of Freakin' Parliament! "Protect Canada, Fight the Tamil Tigers". The Canadian Government has a stated position of forceful opposition to and non-negotiation with terrorist groups. The Tamil Tigers are a terrorist group. Therefore the Canadian Government will forcefully oppose and refuse to negotiate with the Tamil Tigers. Simple syllogism, right? I guess not.