Thursday, January 02, 2014

Ezra Levant and the Shame of the Canadian University Press



The Canadian University Press is the oldest student newswire service in the world, and the oldest national student organization in North America.

And when I was a cub reporter at the McGill Daily, I vaguely remember attending one of its conventions and meeting some great young progressives, and having a really good time. At least at their fabulous parties eh?

So you can imagine how I felt when I learned that one of the keynote speakers at this upcoming event will be Ezra Levant. 

Ezra Levant is a TV anchor, newspaper columnist, author and general trouble-maker. As Canada’s best-known Conservative pundit, Ezra Levant provokes debate wherever he appears. To the relief of his wife, Levant finally got a real job this spring, when he joined the new Sun TV all-news channel as the host of the always-controversial daily news program The Source.

And that the student organizers are trying make him sound like a real journalist, or half human, when he is actually a sleazy bigot, and an inhuman Con monster. 



Who would attack a gay family in its hour of grief. As he has always attacked gay people, or Muslims, or natives. Or even more disgustingly, if that's possible, as he recently attacked the brutally oppressed Roma. 

“These are gypsies, a culture synonymous with swindlers. The phrase gypsy and cheater have been so interchangeable historically that the word has entered the English language as a verb: he gypped me. Well the gypsies have gypped us. Too many have come here as false refugees. And they come here to gyp us again and rob us blind as they have done in Europe for centuries…

In almost the same words the Nazis used to smear and dehumanize the Roma, before they tried to exterminate them. 

Which should if there is any justice still left in Harperland, earn that low racist a stint in prison, or at the very least a massive fine. 

So needless to say, I found this pathetic explanation from one of the CUP organizers entirely unconvincing. 

There are many reasons for that. Some find him entertaining. Others are genuinely interested in his right-wing views. Whatever the motive, Levant draws a considerable audience, and that much is clear. More importantly, Levant exemplifies a brand of journalism that is proving more relevant than ever. 

Politics and ideology are seeping into contemporary journalism and consumers are eating it up. It begs the question, what is considered journalism today? Or better yet, does objectivity still exist? How do politics factor in? Levant is one of Canada’s most recognizable partisan commentators and people are familiar with his work. We feel he’s highly suited to tackle these questions.

Or to put it bluntly, absolute BULLSHIT. Because that toxic Con bigot, that rotten human being,  should be shunned by all decent people, has NOTHING to teach students, and is not a model for ANYONE.

Neither is anybody at Sun TV News, the bigot gang that the CRTC is trying to shove down our throats to please their Con masters...



Even though it's a hate channel if ever there was one, a cheap and dirty thing.

So I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who feels that way about Levant's invitation. 

I’m not opposed to hearing opinions I disagree with, or listening to different takes on the state of the Canadian media, but there is a big difference between a divergent opinion and hate speech...adding Levant to the list of keynote speakers this year was misguided—to say the least. There are hundreds of better speakers out there. He shouldn’t be given yet another venue to preach his intolerance or validate his method of journalism.

And all I would add is that by giving that obscene bully bigot a platform, the Canadian University Press has disgraced its proud history, and all those who had anything to do with the selection process should resign NOW.

For they are only contributing to a growing atmosphere of intolerance in this country, where attacks against minorities are increasing, and the insane hatred that Levant promotes so gleefully, is still killing gay kids in our schools.

And if they still don't get it, and if they are so wrapped up in the celebrity culture they can't tell the difference between a third-rate hack/tool of Big Oil, and a real journalist,  then they should abandon any thoughts of becoming journalists themselves.

Because they are clearly not worthy, they are too damn dumb, and we need "journalists" like them and Levant in a country like this one, like we need a hole in the head.

That vicious bigot doesn't need to be subsidized with student money. He needs to be shunned, and deprived of the money and the oxygen he needs to survive. Fired from any job he has, and allowed to wither away in total obscurity, or drown in his own bile.

Or his own pathos...

And if those "cool kids" still feel the need to suckle or blow that spitting nerd, they should restrain themselves in the name of human decency.

And allow his Reform Party sugar daddy Stephen Harper to do that himself...



Because in his own way Harper is as disgusting as Levant. Just as much of an anti-gay bigot. And just like Levant, the Harperite cult has started blaming the so-called "media elite" for all its troubles.

My God, what are those ghastly swine doing to our country, where even the young are corrupted?

What sewer would they turn it into?

What dirty things are those Con BEASTS ?

And when oh when, can we get rid of them?

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6 comments:

the salamander said...

.. think you said it all Simon .. I must re-read tho to see if you mentioned 'tobacco lobbyist' or 'slanderer' re Levant history .. Keep in mind that as shown in the realm of USA politics.. the loudest & most inflamed political animals, often turn out to be exactly what or whom they attack. Hypocrites, liars, cowards, bullies and sociopaths use anything and everything as camouflage and cover for their desperate menial reality. Good on you for calling this pig out.. but as advised earlier.. not worth the effort. I expect university students will jump all over him.. just like his associate Tom Flanagan.

sassy said...

A teaching tool - the best bad example ever.

Anonymous said...

I've always thought that Ezra Levant might be Foghorn Leghorn incarnate. Seems odd that a university would be paying good money to hear a comic character speak.

Anonymous said...

Any salient points you have in this piece are drowned out by your own negativity. You've stooped to Levant's own level.

Anonymous said...

FYI. I like Levant, but this makes no sense at all whatsoever...

http://www.benedictionblogson.com/2014/01/18/canadian-university-press-plays-to-the-grandstands/

Anonymous said...

physician: Heal thyself!