Fascism can be jack boots - or case notes. And in Canada, more likely case notes

by Denyse O'Leary

My regular blog beats are the intelligent design controversy (The Post-Darwinist), the controversy over the reality of the mind (The Mindful Hack), and the rapidly growing controversy over whether there are many flopped universes out there, which - we are told - explains why our universe looks so well-designed. (Uh ... unless, of course, it looks designed because it, like, is designed? See Colliding Universes.)

However, I have recently joined the many writers and artists who are alarmed by the rapidly growing intrusion of the "human rights" commissions into media.

Both for writers and artists, and for people of faith, the stakes are very high. And quite honestly, it will be a lenthy, difficult fight to restore freedom of expression, including religious expression, to Canada.

Unfortunately, many Canadians believe that the Canadian Human Rights Commission's recent retreat from its case against historic Maclean's Magazine and famous commentator Mark Steyn is a victory. It is not.

Theirs is a tactical withdrawal only. As I said recently, the Commissions can simply go back to persecuting traditional Christians like Stephen Boissoin, people who do not have Macleans' boss Ted Rogers's money to keep fighting the case and to appeal to the Supreme Court. Nothing has changed, and once the Commissions' power is even greater, they will go after major media again.

In recent news, Guy Earle, a late nite comic at an edgy Vancouver club has been charged by the BC Human Rights Tribunal for "offending" some audience members who heckled him. (Here is my open letter to Earle.)

Now, I suspect that most people who read this blog would not be inclined to go to that club or to laugh at Earle's jokes. Perhaps you would be more likely to go to Boissoin's church.

But do you see what is happening? The "human rights" industry is rapidly gaining a chokehold on every aspect of Canada's life - both those aspects you approve and those you don't.

It is, as I have said, the "human" face of fascism.

Don't be fooled by the absence of jackboots and rigid salutes. When soldiers introduce fascism, it comes in battledress, with guns. When social workers introduce it, it comes in claims about hurt feelings, with crippling fines, imposed speech bans, and forced reeducation.

If you care about the country our young people are growing up in, write to your member of Parliament. Let him or her know that you are watching. And by all means, support those who are currently under assault in your community.

See also: My plenary address at Write Canada 2008.

Other recent posts:

At The Post-Darwinist:

Birds: What you thought you knew about their evolution is wrong, all wrong

Governor Bobby Jindal passes Louisiana bill to permit critical thinking about Darwin, and such (But is this a good idea?)

If order just somehow emerges from chaos, why aren't we all young and beautiful?


At The Mindful Hack:

Consciousness: Belated "sublimely ridiculous" award for 2006

When pop science TV wants to hear only one side ...

Psychology: Compassion is an emotion, not a virtue unless disciplined, prof says

Neuroscience: Making sense of uncontrollable itching

Evolutionary psychology: The selfish gene in the art world

Evolutionary psychology: Key concept of "memes" trashed as "one of the bigger crocks hatched in recent decades"

Does a recent discovery in honeybees "prove" that the "selfish gene" exists?

At Colliding Universes:

Universe arranged like nautilus shell on a large scale? (Well, would you prefer it had been arranged like a losing hand in poker?)

Serious push to find more exoplanets

Water inferred on Mars

Coffee Break: Scientist discovers two alternative universes

Well now, and what of Berlinski's Devils?