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The Toronto Star's leading advocate of government regulation of opinion, Haroon Siddiqui, tries to hoist a new Strawman of the Day:
The most vocal critics of human rights commissions often invoke freedom of speech. Yet they were strangely silent when Ottawa effectively blocked Al Jazeera Arabic TV's entry into Canada in 2004. And they are mostly silent now about Al Jazeera English's application before the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.
The Closet Conservative responds:
I am totally fine with Al Jazeerah broadcasting in Canada. If that is the way that Jew-haters in Canada want to spend their money-that's fine with me. I would frankly rather that antisemites pay private money for a private antisemitic station, rather than what we have right now, which is the legislated contribution of taxpayer's money to the CBC for similar drivel.
Me, too. I'm in favor of privatization of the CBC, and I'm in favor of Al Jazeera's English broadcasting service being permitted in Canada - on the grounds that, unlike a pro-censorship statist control-freak like Mr Siddiqui, I'm not scared of opinions that differ from mine. Bring 'em on! The more the merrier! It's always useful to know what people really think.
Oh, and a personal note, in the last three years I've been interviewed more on Al Jazeera than on the CBC, so I happen to look on this as my best shot at raising my media profile north of the border.
(See also Scaramouche.)
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