Sunday, June 22, 2014
Rex Murphy: When a Pimp becomes a Pope
Lordy. I swear to Godzilla I didn't think it was possible. I really didn't believe you could be a pimp and a Pope at the same time.
And the resident right-wing demagogue of the CBC's flagship news program.
But Rex Murphy has proved me wrong.
It turns out you can be a ghastly oil pimp, and still publish religious tracts like this one.
What kind of politics are they which require an MP to renounce his deepest moral commitments; indeed, to go beyond renunciation and declare himself positively in favour of ideas and actions that his faith condemns, his Church forbids, and his conscience cannot abide.
Because despite the usual big words that Rexie is always pulling out of his thesaurus or his posterior, or the pious claim that he's above the fray, that's all it is.
A right-wing CATHOLIC tract, and a smarmy theocratic assault on Justin Trudeau...
He classifies abortion under the banner of what he calls “women’s rights” — an absolute status. But he does this mainly by vigorous assertion, and a garbled interpretation of constitutional law, than by any clear argumentation. He has never delineated why the progressive view of abortion cannot be challenged, while it is open season on religiously inspired belief.
Which suggests outrageously that even in a progressive party religious rights should hold sway over the basic human right of women to control their own bodies.
And to add insult or incense to injury, also suggests that the religious rights of politicians are being infringed, because they can't oppose the human rights of LGBT Canadians.
As things now are, a truly religious person must actually stay out of politics — must forgo an active role in democratic government — because in our brazen and new age, he or she will be faced with irreconcilable moral choices. If elected, he or she will be required to betray their faith and themselves, and on those very issues that matter most: issues of life, family, autonomy and the dignity of persons.
For what are so-called "family" issues but a code word for the right-wing assault on the lives of gay people?
And religious fanatics are free to join the Con party or the Christian Heritage party TOMORROW if they so choose.
But then why should anybody be surprised?
When as I have pointed out before, Murphy has always been a closet right-wing Catholic, and a ghastly homophobe...
Who during the gay marriage debate even went so far as to advocate the imposition of the notwithstanding clause to deny gay people their human rights.
When I read of Cardinal Aloysius Ambrozic's argument to the Prime Minister that the notwithstanding clause should be invoked to stay the enactment of same-sex marriages, I recognized his position as being within that circle of moderation and calm that is almost ritualistically held out as a model of the Canadian way After all, an urging to use the not-withstanding clause to allow for a period of study and to gauge the social impact of same sex in the other jurisdictions that have enacted it, is neither radical nor incendiary.
And is using the same sticky religious arguments to attack Justin Trudeau and a woman's right to choose.
Which makes the CBC's decision to dismiss the many complaints against Murphy even more appalling.
The most important thing to understand is that Rex is not a regular reporter. He appears on The National as a commentator precisely to do analysis and offer his point of view on issues of the day. His work has to be approved by editors at The National and has to meet a clear and straightforward threshold: that it be rooted in fact and experience, not just opinion or kneejerk ideology.
When he is the high priest of knee-jerk right-wing ideology. Religion has never been and never will be "rooted in fact."
Murphy is nothing but a shameless oil pimp, and a shabby Con stooge.
And if the hapless managers at the CBC had any sense of decency. Or understood what journalistic integrity means. Or how much damage he is doing The National.
They should do the right thing.
And fire the mad prophet TOMORROW...
Please click here to recommend this post at Progressive Bloggers.
Rex needs to understand there is a separation of state and church. It is there for a reason. You keep your religion out of my politics and I'll keep my politics out of Rex's religion. Who knows why the National keeps Rex on. Perhaps he has a no cut contract or he is the CBC's "gift" to the cons.
ReplyDeleteDenying people the right to marry because "their religion" "forbids It", well I've read a lot of Bibles as a kid and you know I never ran a across a line which said GLBT people couldn'.t be married. There was a line about man not lying down with man, but hell the Bible says though shalt not kill, though shalt not steal, though shalt not commit adultery, and the list goes on. Rex can't pick and choose what is on for political purposes and what isn't.
All sorts of religious types have been killing since Able did Cain or the other way around. Abortion is a medical procedure. if some religious type wants to take the position life begins at conception, well that's their opinion, but I never read that in a bible either. I'm sure if you sit down with some religious scholars, who study the closest thing we have in old manuscripts, they'd be hard pressed to find anything like that either.
the CBC is about news and relevant opinions. Rex is worse than Don Cherry. Time for Rex to go. He is just such a waste of a salary.
Well said e.a.f., and also, why is John Ivison now slaughtering the last remaining shreds
Deleteof P&P I had any respect left for? I have to sit through him to get not enough minutes of Patriquin.
CBC sucks!!
I think Fife, Weston, others, maybe Evan, should get on CTS or Vision,
they don't discriminate (Jack Van Impe, Conrad Black ffs!) then,
we could get some unfiltered, real discourse, instead of the grift brought to us by the 'big' three. Shills like Murph, Alise Mills For Prosperty, Ezra, Prentice, Oliver, barely more than mail clerks.
I know, it pays. Gotta feed the family, right?
Who don't they own? Besides us.
hi e.a.f...well said.I have no idea what the CBC sees in Rex Murphy, or why for that matter they think they need someone to give one-sided and unchallenged opinions on what is supposed to be a news program. I'm told that CBC management is just a dumpy little cabal only interested in feathering its own nest, with neither the judgement or the imagination to run a first-class network. But whatever the reason, it's absolutely outrageous, it does compromise their journalistic integrity, And both the poisonous toad Murphy and the senile blowhard Cherry should be fired as soon as possible...
Deletehi liberalandlovingit...I don't know what's happening to Ivison. I used to think he was a fairly balanced reporter, but these days he's acting like the new Dimitri Soudas. I was prepared to cut him some slack because he comes from Glasgow. Ahem. But not any longer...
DeleteAre we talking about the same Ivison? Fairly balanced? Of course, I never read him,
Deleteseeing him on panels was too much. I've always had him pegged as a 'Stager/Fluffer'!
Too bad for Glasgow. It's just random, anyway.
I re-visited Gasoline Alley and Footloose & Fancy Free yesterday.
Thought of you, Simon, the fight we're in, and many other yesterdays.
I love youtube for full discs and concerts.
I watched Freddie and Queen at Live Aid, too.
He was one of my first loves, back in the day.
And Elton. AM radio, baby!
.. Wonder what Rex (or anyone for that matter) thinks about Evangelicals planning to swamp federal riding nominations, Conservative, Liberal and NDP to ensure Evangelicals take over The House of Commons. Why else would Harper & PMO and Party have already preempted 1/3 of Conservative Party riding associations with their preferred nominees? Perhaps I am wrong, and that 1/3 of ridings are by intention, Evangelicals! In which case we can expect to see the remaining 2/3rds of federal ridings get Evangelical Conservative (Harper) Party nominees in place. Now what do you think Canadians might feel about extreme escalation of partisan evangelical fixing of riding nominations to attempt to ensure a fixed federal election outcome in 2015 ?????
ReplyDeletehi salamander...I have always tried to get Canadians to care about the theocratic conspiracy in the upper echelons of the Con regime. But despite my efforts and the exemplary work of people like Marci McDonald Canadians don't seem interested. But because their rabid religious base senses an opportunity they have been trying to takeover some Con ridings and have forced Harper to fix the contest so as not to end up with some total wackos who could give the game away. If you look at how much oney they have been gifting to religious organizations it's simply scandalous. And people like Jason Kenney make a living out of pandering to every conservative religious group in Canada. It's disgusting, but as you point out, if we are smart we can use it against them...
Delete"CBC's "gift" to the cons" ...right beside Kevin O'Leary !
ReplyDeletehi Ole infidel...yes Kevin O'Leary, a fitting companion to Rex Murphy and Don Cherry, and three good reasons why I don't watch CBC as much as I once did. I'm a big believer in public broadcasting, but they can keep that right-wing crap, I'm not interested...
DeletePersonally, I feel that anyone who holds any religious views contradictory to Canadian law (and simple justice and humanity) should in fact not be running for any office anywhere, at any time...so for the first time in my life (and surely the last) I agree with Wreck Murky..sort of...
ReplyDeleteReligion is a personal matter and should never be an issue to be discussed, disseminated or infringed on by anyone, and, alternatively, the separation of Church and State should be respected in all ways and at all times..
As for the CBC, they have been shilling for the Right since Harper got his majority, hoping to stick it out until we are rid of the pestilence, and survive and thrive under, hopefully, a more progressive regime (if they last that long)
To blame them now for Murphy's droolings is to forget that he has been a part of the 'scene' for decades, and only now spews his truly ugly philosophy out from under the rock that kept him in check...who cares what this mental midget says? Must be an East Coast thing.....
I think it's quite a broadbrush for mizdarlin to say the CBC has been "shilling for the Right since Harper got his majority". Evan Solomon (Power & Politics) is one of the best interviewers on TV, grilling Pierre Poilievre on the "Fair Elections Act" You will never see an interview with disgruntled veterans (or their wives) on the Sun "News" Network!
Deletehi mizdarlin...how can you agree with Murphy when what he is suggesting is that religious rights are as equal as human rights, and that the idea that women should control their own bodies is debatable?
DeleteIf people want to believe in Gods and other fables I have no objection, as long as their twisted fantasies don't become my problem. Because any religious fanatic who stick his or her pointy nose into my life is going to have it amputated. Religion is the curse of humanity and we need less of it not more. Murphy is a Con and a religious freak and he should be fired.
As for the CBC, I don't think they are consciously shilling for the Cons. From what I hear it's more a question of incompetence and ideological ignorance. But either way it's intolerable, and we deserve better...
The Harper government is quietly seizing greater control of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, while a public advocacy group accuses the Tories of stacking the CBC’s board with political allies.
ReplyDeleteBill C-60, the Tories’ budget implementation bill, includes a clause that allows the prime minister’s cabinet to approve salaries, working conditions and collective bargaining positions for the CBC, The Hill Times reports.
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/04/30/bill-c60-cbc-harper_n_3187821.html
.
Sometimes not so quietly.
DeleteThey've been stacking, gerry-rigging, election-buyingslashstealing,
and cheating and lying to us since time began.
Rights & Democracy? A crime against humanity, in my books.
Skeleton offices with very well-paid heads- but no work. Nothing.
A Minister of Religious Freedom? A joke.
Never to be heard from again.
He graduated with Don Meredith
from Chuck McVety's College of Grift and Con,
did he not?