Jack Jump Over The Candlestick
Flashy, flamboyant Jack Layton of Canada's New Democratic Party is now pragmatic and grim. He has seen the state of Parliament, of Canada's condition in the world, and he is not amused. He would do things otherwise. Jack Layton would do everything otherwise. The New Left is a contrarian party in any event, and Jack Layton, Canada's (relatively) new NDP leader is Mr. Contrary himself. Jack Layton was always nimble with the spoken word, and perhaps also with the truth, assessing the truth to be as he would have it. That too has become symptomatic of the New Left.Jack is quick to judgement, too. Anything that the Liberal government did, and now anything that the Conservative government in Canada does earns Jack's quick judgement. Jack judges any steps that either government took, or is now taking as irrelevant, harmful, reputation-costly, wrong-headed. He would do things differently. Differently being better in every respect. His values and aspirations for the country far surmount those of other political stripes.
There are those who believe Jack and the NDP. I was once one of them. I should qualify that: I was once - in fact, for the whole of my voting life as an adult a fervent NDP supporter. I began to have my doubts once Jack Layton was elected leader of the NDP although I must confess I did admire him when he was a city of Toronto councillor; a man of seemingly good judgement and quick action, balanced, fair and social-minded. And just incidentally an avid self-promoter.
I wrote him an email expressing my disappointment when he spoke before a gathering of the Tamil Tigers in the early days of his NDP leadership, and now an outlawed terrorist group in Canada. I took heart that Svend Robinson, a much more flamboyant self-promoter and self-styled "human rights activist" was forced to leave the party under a cloud of criminal hypocrisy, and thought the NDP would begin to straighten out its priorities and values.
Now Jack thinks Canada has no business in Afghanistan. The Taliban are so misunderstood by the West that Jack things the government of Canada should sit down and talk with them. Ask them what they want, is that it, Jack? Well, Jack, even an ignorant old woman like me can tell you what they want. They want primacy once again in that poor sad war-torn country, so they can subjugate women again to the point of public non-existence.
The Taliban, history-ignorant Jack, is such a mysogynistic religious entity that it cared not a whit that women who were widowed and responsible for the care of orphaned children were forbidden by their government to work, and thus these women and children, the dross of Afghan society were permitted to starve, instead. Afghani women under the Taliban were beaten in public if they insulted Islam to the point of appearing in public unescorted by men, or if they were insubstantially clothed, head-t0-foot, peering at the hot dusty Afghan landscape through burqas.
Music was forbidden, dancing and celebration, even on the traditional social occasions of weddings - strictly forbidden. Men were forced to wear full beards, and be appropriately clothed, representative of orthodox Islam. Schooling for female children - out of the question. Women were not permitted to work to earn their daily bread. Women, in fact, were used as pawns, had no lives they could call their own, and were disposed of at the whim of the mullahs. Taliban, anyone?
Yes, Jack, we hear you. The West, but Canada in particular has no business in Afghanistan fighting for the freedom of women and children from the kind of oppression that is beyond the comprehension of even yourself. But you've got a convenient memory; you recall what suits your purpose. And since your purpose is to publicly devalue any steps however meritorious this government takes, anyone becomes expendible. But you'll be more careful with the women of your caucus, will you not? You will support the human rights of Canadian women, right?
Jack, you're nimble, Jack, you're quick - Jack, you're a human-rights failure.
posted by Pieface @ Monday, September 04, 2006
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