Freedom of Expression Under Fire

Today, 12 journalists who worked for a satire magazine in France were slaughtered by Islamic fundamentalists. A few years ago my own life was threatened by someone in Nelson, B.C. who had read an editorial I wrote for The Nelson Village Voice, and who objected to my slamming the extremist Islamists.

In today’s news, a professor from New Brunswick, social science professor Dr Ricardo Duchesne, is being pummeled by bleeding heart types and even a Vancouver city counsellor accusing him of hate-mongering because he had the temerity to comment on the preponderance of the Chinese growth in population of Vancouver. I am wearying of yapmeisters and critics who lambaste any wondering aloud about ethnic issues affecting our sociology. The terms hate-monger and racist are being used all too often to stymie freedom of expression. As far as I’m concerned, if a visitor or newly landed immigrant misbehaves with greed or arrogant driving habits then they ought to be nudged to wake up and show some respect for their host country. I for one would not tolerate an a-hole at my dinner table. No matter what colour or ethnic background. Period.

We, as a country, really need to take a closer look at what’s happening to our sociological make-up when we put up our land and resources for sale to all comers. And we all need to continue speaking out and writing fearlessly to protect our precious freedom of speech.