Behold George Galloway! Part Mick Jagger! Part Noam Chomsky!
In today's Toronto Star, boot-polishing, apologetics, conspiracy-theory, the lot: "It was fear of Galloway galvanizing anti-war sentiment in peace-oriented Canadians that prompted Ottawa to brand him a terrorist supporter. . .what exactly does this secretive management committee do, and how might it affect Canada's Muslim and Arab populations?"
A formidable late-entry in the contest called Oooh! He Cuts Such A Dashing Figure In His Uniform, Too, Don’t You Think?
Meanwhile, this just in: "So, how much DID the Zionists pay for him, anyways?" "You mean for this Glavin dude? Or how much did they pay for Galloway to be kept away from Canada? Also, does Minister Kenney accept payment in shekels?" Followed by: "Antisemitism is a pretty harsh accusation, one that's being thrown around a lot by the right wing lately. I certainly hope you can back that accusation up."
Thank you, Celebrity Big Brother followers.
Do please read that Toronto Star column. You will see that it articulates exactly the bourgeois-radical consensus that was already entrenched in the matter of the Galloway affair, and which I was so insolent as to merely point out, a full week ago: "To guide us in our deliberations, the usual pundits took pains to affirm the virtue of their own avant-garde tastes and prejudices by condescending to explain that Galloway is really just a flamboyant British philanthropist, and Ottawa was being mean to him because of his humanitarian work among the Palestinians, and well, you know, the Jews were being beastly about it." Now, McQuaig is actually inviting us deeper into conspiracy theory, into Five Dancing Israelis territory.
I rest my case.
A formidable late-entry in the contest called Oooh! He Cuts Such A Dashing Figure In His Uniform, Too, Don’t You Think?
Meanwhile, this just in: "So, how much DID the Zionists pay for him, anyways?" "You mean for this Glavin dude? Or how much did they pay for Galloway to be kept away from Canada? Also, does Minister Kenney accept payment in shekels?" Followed by: "Antisemitism is a pretty harsh accusation, one that's being thrown around a lot by the right wing lately. I certainly hope you can back that accusation up."
Thank you, Celebrity Big Brother followers.
Do please read that Toronto Star column. You will see that it articulates exactly the bourgeois-radical consensus that was already entrenched in the matter of the Galloway affair, and which I was so insolent as to merely point out, a full week ago: "To guide us in our deliberations, the usual pundits took pains to affirm the virtue of their own avant-garde tastes and prejudices by condescending to explain that Galloway is really just a flamboyant British philanthropist, and Ottawa was being mean to him because of his humanitarian work among the Palestinians, and well, you know, the Jews were being beastly about it." Now, McQuaig is actually inviting us deeper into conspiracy theory, into Five Dancing Israelis territory.
I rest my case.
posted by Terry Glavin at 9:20 AM
19 Comments:
You've got them on the run, Terry.
This bit from McQuaig's column jabbed me in the gut. "Galloway's views aren't odious. In fact, they're in sync with millions of Canadians."
This is just plain dishonest. It's a cheap sleight of hand trick.
Sure, plenty of Canadians do seem to be paying little attention our traditional values that entail helping far-away human beings achieve peace and freedom in their own lands when it comes to Afghanistan. And yes, we all saw the disgusting scenes on Canadian streets during Operation Cast Lead, where mobs of fanatics chanted slogans inconsistent with human dignity.
But how many Canadians, given the opportunity, would really hand over a bag of cash to a group on the exact same Canadian, American and EU lists as Al Queda? For that matter, how many would make it their project to raise those funds and material support for said terrorist entity, and hand them over in front of TV cameras?
Millions? I don't think so.
And God help us all if McQuaig's contention, false at this moment, turn out to be prophetic.
"With the mental toughness of Noam Chomsky and the showmanship of Mick Jagger, Galloway slices through the pro-war apologetics of political leaders like a knife through warm butter."
Not to say the oratory skills of Adolf Hitler, the salesmanship of Joseph Smith, and the strengh, the courage and the indefatigability of Saddam Hussein. Nothing like a good cliche that can cut through the hysterical hyperbole like an iceberg through a firestorm.
Glavin for Editor-in-Chief of Canada.
Or, er, EICC:)!
Great, Terry.
Mark
Ottawa
Smartypants.
Personally , Terry I think you're being a bit rough on Mick Jagger.
McQuaig is a bloody disgrace. That the Toronto Star published this dribble is beyond me
"Personally , Terry I think you're being a bit rough on Mick Jagger."
the rolling Stones were always overrated and fucking shit.
Give me The Small Faces anyday of whaddever week.
Bah; bloody Mods!
Well, that Linda McQaig column is about the most nauseating piece of supplication to a megalomaniac that I've ever read. She's obviously never heard Galloway (and his nutbar supporters) speak. I have. He's apalling.
Although I must admit he's got a fabulous tailor, a sweet Mercedes and plenty of babes hanging on his arms. Where does that kind of money come from? As he once, memorably, said, "I couldn't afford to live on the wages of three MPs."
Kurt and Jonathan have each brought up the necessary flip sides to the equation in the celebrity and meme infested waters we live in.
It doesn't matter how odious your views as long as your fabricated persona and stunts keep everyone's eyes on you and not the facts and realities of the given situation.
Galloway is the Paul Watson of the middle eastern equation (at least as far as your morning fish and chip wrapper is concerned).
Iceclass: Kurt is right, and I've never known Jonathon Narvey to be wrong about anything, but I will echo your earlier comment by saying:
Personally, I think you're being a bit rough on Paul Watson.
Yeah, I figured you'd say that Terry and one day I hope to hear a decent explanation as to why that anti-ecological hate monger gets such a free ride.
There will be no progress with guys like him around and both him and Galloway need to be outed for the manufactured shysters they undoubtedly both are.
Iceclass:
The explanation you seek:
http://www.vancouverreview.com/past_articles/cetacean.htm
Nice piece on the cetacean fetish, Terry. Ever see this film by Anne Troake? My Ancestors Were Rogues and Murderers http://www3.nfb.ca/webextension/ancestors/film.php
I have indeed, Bill, a fine film and she is a fine comrade. I spent some time with Annie on the Change Islands in Notre Dame Bay a couple of years ago and also up Signal Hill with her in St. John's.
...and hopefully at The Ship Inn, too ;-)
My art teacher in HS was David Blackwood & he taught me some of NF's real history. The film abt him is now on the NFB's viewable collection site.
Good piece Terry; really good piece. I'd already read it and reread it a few times whenever I felt the need for a breath of sanity.Ditto for your "enviro's case for the seal hunt". Your latter was only 2 years ago but how wrong you were on the abilities of the protest industry to move forward the EU ban.
Have you actually read the disgusting "exemption" the EU is proposing to "grant" to the Inuit hunters?
Crap like that is made possible by the demonization of bastards like Watson and his ilk so, no, I don't feel like I'm too hard on the guy. If there were any justice he'd be hung by his foreskin and doused in gasoline.If we really took seriously the ecological and social issues that confront us we'd strike the match and flame the shyster while singing songs and roasting marshmallows on his melting arse.
Personally I'd make Galloway stand and watch, knowing he's next.
Bill:Thanks for the reminder of Annie Troake's documentary. I'd never managed to see it but have now ordered it.
Not to thread crap any more than I already have, I'll return the favor by recommending the NFB documentary "Through these eyes"
http://www3.nfb.ca/collection/films/fiche/?id=51241#ff-film
Iceclass:
On the exemption -
http://tinyurl.com/d8pxpz
An amusing exchange with some otherwise sensible Yuropeens -
http://tinyurl.com/c9a6rp
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