Quebecistan
Sadly, despite the fact that I am aware, as should most interested people be, that the Province of Quebec and Quebecers themselves have a long history of inbred intolerance for Jews, I am yet shocked and surprised at the fond extent of this proclivity. There remains a streak of anti-Semitism within Quebec that of late has been less detectable than that practised in the past when it was infinitely more overt in nature, but look again: it has raised its ugly head. That viral hatred against Jews has been resurrected, and with a vengeance.Where, during the past four decades to be seen to be intolerant was socially and politically incorrect, it still is in respect to most ethnic origins, but when it comes to Jews it's open season again. Seems it has become quite correct to be overtly hostile to Jews, to the State of Israel, to the pretext of anti-Zionism as a special dislike, not necessarily indicating general hatred of Jews; itself a ridiculous conceit, a barely-concealed hypocrisy of the left.
Like France and its perennially Jew-baiting, Jew-hating population, French Canadians seem to require very little incentive to haul out their prejudices. But look here, recent events in the Middle East, and the ever-growing immigrant population hailing from former French colonies in the Middle East both within France and the Province of Quebec, has given impetus and public appeal to anti-Semitism. The hatred which seems to be bred in the bones of many Middle-Easterners, and just moderately less so in those of French extraction has been once again brought to the fore.
This time the impetus has been, predictably, the current war situation within Lebanon, where Israel is pushing back against an implacable enemy, the proxy guerilla army of jihadists sponsored by Iran, supported by Syria. Expatriate Lebanese living in Quebec see their beloved homeland being ravaged, once again in a state of war. Cause and effect are of little consideration; outrage is swift, condemnation is damning, and the State of Israel is once again a pariah among nations. As such, fair game to be vilified, blamed for "crimes against humanity", as though Jews are not also human, and needful of protection from those who seek to destroy them.
Hezbollah is considered to be a terrorist organization by Canada. It is unlawful to support Hezbollah, since it has the designation of terrorist organization whose activities within the country will not be tolerated by law. But Lebanese increasingly, even those who might not once have celebrated the murderous activities of these death-deliverers are siding with Hezbollah, declaring them "protectors", giving them allegiance of a kind that marks such people as unthinking, robotic accessories to crimes they would otherwise consider unthinkable. For in supporting Hezbollah they are ipso facto supporting religious fanatics whose sole purpose is to destroy an internationally-accepted, legally-recognized entity, the State of Israel, along with its population.
Yet here we are, within Canada, in Montreal, in the Province of Quebec, openly expressing anti-Semitic sentiments, and clearly expressing support for Hezbollah. A rally, ostensibly organized for the purpose of expressing support for Lebanon, and just incidentally virulently condemning the State of Israel, saw Hezbollah flags and placards held aloft by marchers. As though that isn't sufficiently shocking, leading the parade of marchers were federal and provincial politicians: Bloc Quebecois head Gilles Duceppe, Liberal MP Denis Coderre, Parti Quebecois head Andre Boisclair, and Amir Khadir representing the new far-left provincial party, Solidarite Quebec.
National Post columnist Barbara Kay reported:
"In their speeches at the conclusion of the march, Messrs. Coderre and Duceppe did not condemn terrorism, did not mention Israel's right to defend itself, and spoke only of Lebanese civilian suffering. As a sop to the Quebec-Israel Committee which had taken out full-page ads calling on the march's leaders to condemn terrorism, however, they called for the disarming of Hezbollah as part of a negotiated ceasefore. For this, they were roundly booed by the crowd."Complacent? This Canadian? Not likely.
posted by Pieface @ Thursday, August 10, 2006
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