Tory Censorship not OK

You may remember Yours Truly being upset over censorship in Canada. Maybe once or twice, you know. Well, it seems the Tories are censoring people they don’t want Canadians to hear from. Dangerous people. Treasonous bastards who talk about things like (and I should issue a warning here that what follows is seditious and quite possibly Extremely Insulting) the withdrawal of forces from Iran, Aid to Palestinians under fire in the Gaza Strip, and his general opposition to the war in Afghanistan.

British Member of Parliament George Galloway has been denied entry in to Canada because our Immigration Minister, a strong supporter of the war in Afghanistan and a staunch right-winger, feels Galloway’s presence here would be “detrimental to national interest”. He was schedule to speak at an anti-war rally in Toronto.

Immigration officials cite a section of Canada’s Immigration Legislation for the reason Galloway is being denied entry.

What is the Harper government so frightened of? They allowed George Bush into the country so he could accept a paid speaking engagement, but because Galloway opposes the Afghan war, he’s a threat to national interest?

I don’t care *what* the guy is going to say. I don’t even know what *my* opinion is on the Afghan war most of the time, other than being stricken with a deep, deep sadness that people still think it’s okay to kill each other, regardless of whose God told them to do what. It’s profoundly enmiserating to think that we still don’t understand that we are all the same, and that hurting one another is *always* wrong. I suspect I will be ensaddened by that for the rest of my life, though.

But seriously. Here’s what gets me: Galloway isn’t a terrorist. He doesn’t kill people. He doesn’t blow up blocks of children with car bombs. He hasn’t raped your wife and/or children (and most likely won’t). He’s not claiming that his God tells him to destroy your house, your livelihood, and your family. For Christ’s sake, he does *really dangerous things* like participate in aid.

So you must ask yourself: what *are* the Tories afraid of? What is it that George Galloway, a Scottish MP in England, is going to say that Stephen Harper doesn’t want you to hear? What part of “the interests of our country” is he a threat to?

You think he might talk about what a bad thing the Afghani war is? Because I’m *fairly* certain there are a whole bunch of Canadians who also feel the same way. You think he might spread a message (a horrible, treasonous message) promoting peace? There are no Canadians working for peace.

But the deeper concern, the real concern is this: If the Immigration Minister under Stephen Harper is allowed to unilaterally deny entry into our country of people with whose opinions he does not agree, you’d better watch what you say when you’re vacationing in Jamaica. Or Mexico. And how long is it going to be before you have to really start watching what you say when you’re out for lunch? Or in your own house? Or on your own blog?

Normally, I wouldn’t give a rat’s fart what George Galloway says or doesn’t say. I don’t actually particularly care what his opinions are. What I DO care about is this fascist denial of free speech. What I DO care about is that this nimrod, Jason Kenney is trying to silence someone and is hiding behind legislation that doesn’t fit the situation to do so.

I should say, I don’t know Jason Kenney. I think he’s an arrogant, small-minded prick (he declined to renew a government programme that provided English/French language instruction to immigrants because the grant/programme was allocated to the Candadian Arab Federation, and as we all know, all those swarthy towel-heads are in league with one another to blow up 21 Sussex Drive in the name of Allah. EVERY SINGLE ARAB in Canada is a terrorist and wants to kill pink-skinned Christians and Jews. You know how I know this? Because when I was in daycare, I had a teacher who wore an Hajib, and all she *ever* talked about was killing Westerners in the name of Allah). He’s also advocating scrapping a government contract which assists new immigrants with employment in their new country. And you know, really, I support this, because if immigrants can’t find their own damned jobs and at the very least learn to SPEAKY THE LANGUAGE, they don’t deserve to live here.

I also don’t know George Galloway. I can say that after I read what the Toronto Star had to say about the whole thing, it was abundantly clear that I would invite Galloway to my house for tea, and would grunt in disgust if Kenney showed up.

Smarten up, Canada. The only thing you do when you censor speech and ideas is make people all the more interested in them. What could Galloway *possibly* do or say that ‘threatens the security of Canada’? Recommend that Canadian-owned companies buy back Tim Hortons from the Yanks? Advocate for funding education and employment programs for new Canadians? Tell a bunch of people who *already think like him and agree with him* that the war in Afghanistan is wrong?

You know what?

Whether I agree with Galloway’s position or not isn’t important (and I won’t get in to it here, because it’s not the main issue). I’m going to sign the petition to allow him in to the country. I’m also going to write a letter to Jason Kenney and tell him how ridiculous he is. I’m also going to write to my MP and I’m going to ask him why his party, the minority government of Canada, is in favour of censorship and why they didn’t run on this platform in the last election. I’d also like to suggest they do so in the next election, because that will make my decision on who to vote for (or who to vote ‘against’) much, MUCH more clear.