There are people that do not like us, do not like Sun News, do not like me, do not like Byline.
This isn’t shocking, we are not everyone’s cup of tea, nor do we try to be.
We had Margie Gillis, the hand dancer, and her friends try to shut us down a little while ago.
Gillis asked for us to be put off the air until we could prove that we supported and broadcast Canadian values, of course that would mean her version of Canadian values which might included bowing before her and the million dollars plus she’s sucked from the pockets of taxpayers over the years.
Gillis complained to the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council and encouraged others to do the same – some 4,000 people did complain.
The Broadcast Standards council is not a government body but it is close. It is made up of Canada’s private broadcasters and it issues rulings on codes of conduct, it hears complaints and issues rulings.
If you ignore a ruling or refuse to comply you can have your licence pulled because membership in the council is often a requirement of the licence.
Remember the Dire Straits ruling?
One woman in Newfoundland complained that the song, a song that had been played on Canadian radio for 25 years, used the word faggot. The council didn’t look at the context of the song, they didn’t look at the meaning, they just ruled that it used the word faggot and was therefore homophobic and was essentially banned on commercial radio in Canada.
They reversed themselves after a public outcry, a good dose of public ridicule and after looking at the context of the song.
Well now a lone man in Toronto has started a campaign not to shut us down but in a way to shut us up.
Michael Erickson, a high school teacher in Toronto and a candidate for the New Democrats in the last federal election has petitioned the board of directors of our parent company Quebecor, the Canadian Broadcaster Standards Council and the Advertising Standards Council over our decision to air an ad that he doesn’t like.
The ad, from the Institute for Canadian Values, is against the introduction of the McGuinty government’s graphic sex-ed curriculum.
Here’s the ad.
Erickson’s complaint and his online petition, claim that “This ad promotes intolerance against people who might stand out from traditional male or female gender roles.”
I’d disagree with that and I have several times. The ad highlights what was in McGuinty’s proposed curriculum and what has been found in existing guides for teachers at the elementary school level.
Is teaching about transgendered issues, gender identity and gender fluidity in grade three a good idea?
I don’t think so.
Neither do the people behind the ad.
But rather than fight back using his own words, asking to come on the show, buying his own ad to counter the ad that has already played he wants to go a different route.
Here is what he is demanding from Quebecor.
“AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION to determine how this ad was approved for distribution and at what rate; we also recommend you assess the level of conflict of interest involved in this particular case. We assume that you will take the appropriate disciplinary action with the employee(s) involved.”Wow – he wants to control our internal systems that would touch on ad sales, human resources and more. He also wants to control what ads we show on our network. His letter goes on.
“A ONE YEAR MORATORIUM on publishing or circulating ads by The Canadian Christian College and its subsidiary organizations, specifically (but not limited to) the Institute for Canadian Values.”A bit of an over-reach don’t you think, telling us we cannot run any ads by this group?
The ad he’s complaining about was approved by the regulator put in place to approve ads on private stations in Canada. It’s called Telecaster. But he doesn’t like the ad so he wants to shut us up. Oh, and he wants money as well.
“PROFITS FROM THE AD TO BE GIVEN to a registered non-profit in Canada or Ontario that promotes or provides services that improve the equality, safety, awareness and/or human dignity of trans, transsexual, transgendered, two-spirited or intersex people.”Okay, so he wants to control our internal systems including human resources, ad sales and he wants the money from the ad to go to a group he approves of, one that promotes his issues.
But as they say on those late night ads, wait, there’s more!
“TWO HOURS OF FREE AD TIME for a registered non-profit in Canada or Ontario that promotes or provides services that improve the equality, safety, awareness and/or human dignity of trans, transsexual, transgendered, two-spirited or intersex people.”So he wants money, free ads, control of our human resources and a ban on a potential client buying any ads from us for any reason or on any issue. This is starting to sound like a threat, it’s starting to sound like Michael Erickson, the NDP candidate and high school teacher wants to run this company.
But he’s not done yet. Michael Erickson also want to control our minds, our thoughts, our feelings. He wants to control what we say. One of his other demands.
“SENSITIVITY TRAINING for every employee in Quebecor and its subsidiaries who earn over $90,000 a year. The sensitivity training should be no less than 3 hours and should build awareness and sensitivity of trans, transsexual, transgender, two-spirited and intersex identities and experiences with the goal of building a long term capacity for equality and respect of diversity in your corporation.”Erickson has other demands including a public statement from the company on trans issues and an audit of our portrayal of trans people to make sure it is to his liking.
Don’t do these things and he will take us to the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council, the group that can yank our licence, and try to get them to force us to do it.
He will also demand action from the Advertising Standards Council even though this ad has already been cleared by the body set up to screen TV ads.
This is an attempt at lawfare, an attempt to harras us into accepting his point of view and not allow any others.
This is an attempt to shred the Charter of Rights and Freedom which does not grant but guarantees free speech.
For daring to exercise our own free speech and allowing others to do the same, this man wants to take control of many aspects of this television station.
All of this comes at the same time as a boycott has been launched by gay activists in Toronto targeting the advertisers of the Toronto Sun. The reason, a print version of this very same ad.
These folks are asking people to call, bully and harass the companies that do business with the Sun until we bow and scrap before them and their point of view. The boycott appears to have the backing of the paper Xtra.
Rather sad if you ask me but that’s the way things are.
Is this what Canada stands for now?
Writing about the Shafia honour killings trial recently the blogger Closet Conservative used the phrase “From never again to never offend.”
That’s an apt description of this situation as well.
Is that what we want to become in Canada, a country that doesn’t allow anyone to offend?
Diefenbaker said, “I am Canadian, free to speak without fear.”
I say we embrace Diefenbaker’s way, not the way of Michael Erickson and his ilk.
And that’s the Byline.
Categories: Byline
That guy is a mind control freak. Then again, so is everyone from the Left. They don’t just disagree with you, they do what it takes to make you shut your mouth.
To live is to offend – it is part of human nature – it will happen – once we die we do not offend anyone anymore. To shut down freedom of speech would be shutting down your soul. What do Canadians want? To be a nation of the walking dead? This reminds me of stories I heard from immigrants who lived under Communist rule. They had to whisper in the ear of another person f they needed to say anything that could be construed as even mildly “confrontational or offensive”. They were even afraid the walls had ears. This is what the NDP and their politically correct cronies will bring upon us!
Complex. First, the simple part. Gay activists (or LGBTQ ones) have no right to tell you what to say or think or even broadcast. They should get stuffed. And I mean that figuratively, but not euphemistically.
That said, I think Sun News is at times unkind and thoughtless to transgendered people. Yep, I’ve utmost sympathy for those business people Ezra Levant highlights who are hit with lawsuits demanding, in effect, single sex bathrooms. But… there is a reasonable ground of people stuck painfully in the middle.
I think you can see where this is going. My own sister is transgendered. She was bright and capable when we thought she was a boy; she has flourished into so much more now that we understand what she is.
And sure, maybe she is, as your channel’s contributor Kathy Shaidle would have it, “a mentally ill castration fetishist”. I’m banking quite solidly on “no”. I think I know her better than Ms. Shaidle (who writes beautifully and is otherwise a fine person) does.
One of the many things I admire about Fox News (that phrase should kind of be a gentle hint I’m not a left-wing activist if you haven’t figured it out), is that they’ve got a quite decent set of news coverage on the web of GLBTQwhatever affairs, sourced mostly from AP.
I don’t give a crap about the idiocy of “homophobia”, which is just an idiotic charge used to try and spin people who disagree with left-wing gay activists as mentally ill, but I do care about news dealing with people like my sister.
And there’s where I think Sun falls short. I think you missed an opportunity here, Mr. Lilley. I think you could have said something like:
“There’s a wide range of views on these issues, but a fairly strong consensus amongst physicians that for some, these issues of gender are very real. Most people, I think, legitimately believe that these issues, however real they may be, are best dealt with at an age greater than six or seven”.
You could then have launched into a ringing defense of free speech and I’d have been all for you. As it is… well, I’m for you. What you say is right. But it risks, IMO, being needlessly cruel.
And should Sun News Network’s people take sensitivity training? Absolutely. So should we all. Here is my proposed course.
Please take one hour, and write about your thoughts and reactions assuming the following. It’s entirely for your own consumption; this will not be passed on to anyone:
1. You are temporally disadvantaged, graduating either in the 1930′s or 2010′s. It sucks to get a job.
2. You are a white male 1980-onwards trying to get a job in public policy.
3. You are a black (or white!) woman in the 1950′s trying to get a career-related job.
4. You’re Asian/Jewish, and in the late 2010′s explaining why you should not be discriminated against to a university admissions council.
5. You’re born anatomically the reverse of your present gender, yet you believe and feel strongly that you should be your…
Mr. Erickson is simply showing his supremacist nature and an attitude that is nothing short of fascist. This fool is teaching our children? It’s not enough for Erickson to simply turn the channel or indeed accept that people are free to think what they want to think, no, Mr. Erickson won’t be happy until everyone is forced to think the way he does. What a sad desperate activist. I suggest Mr. Erickson loosen his jackboots, take off his homosexual activist hat and embrace freedom of thought, and freedom of speech. Another example of the type of dangerous extremists and haters of freedom encrusted within the NDP. Truly pathetic.
Offending people like Erickson is a sign that you are on the right path. Keep up the good work.
Mr. Lilley, you and your friends at SunTV are a breath of fresh air to Canadians like me that have been breathing the stagnant carbon dioxide of left wing media for our entire lives. If I believed in God, I would ask him to bless you.
Tell Michael Erickson to go fu*k himself!
I really hope you post this.
These gay rights activists need to be put in their place. They are ridiculous. They seem to think that have some authority to demand people do their bidding. They claim to embrace diversity but look what happens when you broadcast something they don’t like. It’s textbook Liberal/NDP behaviour.
I’m sick to death of all of these special interest groups that are constantly whining and complaining because their feelings are hurt.
They can all go fu*k themselves!
Proof positive that the lunatic fringe is alive and well within the NDP.
A month ago, National Post bowed to this pressure. They issued an apology (for the ad) and donated the cost of the ad to a Gay Awareness group.
I cancelled my subscription as this is the only way I can object to their decision.
Whether I agree or disagree with the ad campaign is irrelevant. My issue is the way NP folded and effectively said that dissenting views are not allowed to be discussed in this country.
Be sure to ask for substantiation that his classifications of two spirited blah blah nonsense has some scientific evidence. Mental health professionals call gender indentity disorders just that. He can normalize mental health issues like gender indentity disorder and place them into special leftwing progressive boxes called LGTB community but that means absolutely nothing because there is absolutely no evidence to substantiate their contrived sexuallity groups.
lol.. i like the arbitrary salary # of 90k a year and up for his sensitivity training demand.
You can’t teach that kind of crazy.
What happened to the former liberal notion of, “I may disagree with you but I will fight for your right to say what you said”? The NDP is a fascistic organization, kids in grade three, while needing to learn tolerance, do not need explicit sexual information and this idiot needs to go F himself. Thanks for the opportunity to be non P.C.
Brian, excellent smackdown of an odious little totalitarian who richly needs smacking down. Way to rip the sheets off!
People like Michael Ericson have created a two-tier justice system. Top tier for the Special Snowflakes like himself, bottom tier for everybody else. As a connected member of a protected victim group, Mr. Slaphead may be able to squeeze a Royal Inquiry out of one letter to SUN, whereas Ernie Palmer in Caledonia can’t even get the OPP to show up and remove an illegal smoke shop off his front lawn.
I appreciate the effort you and all the people at SUN TV have put in so fart to get the network on the air and now to keep it there. You are doing a very valuable service for Canada and for me personally by pointing and laughing at the Ericsons of the world. Carry on!
People like Michael Ericson gives
gays and lesbian a bad name. Not all of us are left wing and for teaching children anything about homosexuality or gender issues. I personally agree with the ad and am a lesbian. It disturbs me that he speaks for all of us but am not surprised. That is the socialist sick way of spreading their propaganda and furthering their agenda.
I admit to being outraged by the arrogance and cheek of these speech and thought control fascists. I say fascists because that is exactly how they behave by trying to threaten, intimidate and bully to impose their agenda and to silence dissent. For them the ideal is being able to get the state to do this for them, which is why they just love HRCs and statism. Michael probably read the writing on the wall and figured the HRCs would no longer be in position to do his dirty work, so he turned to the remaining state bodies.
I saw the ad and there is absolutely nothing in it attacking any of these pseudo groups. What it does attack is the attempt to impose this on small children, which is not only child abuse but criminal. I would say exactly the same were it a program to teach the same children sex between a married man and woman. Schools should be about teaching skills and knowledge in order to prepare children for their future, but we have allowed them to be transformed into laboratories for social experimentation and indoctrination.
What a fascist bolshevik! Essentially he and his scumbag ilk say, “I may disagree with what you say, and you may not do anything about it or I will have the government send men with guns to shut you up or toss you into jail. So there. Be happy.”
When I saw this ad I immediately went to the site and signed the petition! It’s typical of the Left and their utter intolerance of any free-thinking individual or group. The Left have one simple policy: agree with us or else – we will badger, bully or break you down into our defective jello mold which we call society. They are Big Brother: Freedom is Slavery. They cannot tolerate a fully functioning, thoughtful human being who diagrees with their rigid dogma. Thanks Brain and, Long Live the Sun New Network!
Absolutely beautiful smackdown, sir! And much deserved by the sanctimonious twit Erikson (sp?).
gender identity is probably best explored at puberty. and people especially those who consider themselves christ-like aka christians (aren’t they the ones running the ads?) should be setting the highest example in our society of acceptance, love and understanding
Three observations:
1. I believe McVety and his potemkin organization have the absolute right to say all those things.
2. The ad was still pretty offensive and hateful.
3. Homophobic conspiracy theories about OH NO THE GAYS ARE COMING TO PERVERT OUR CHILDREN are not a very good hill to die on in support of free speech.
the amount of blatant hatred within these comments is stunning.
the highest example in our society of acceptance, love and understanding
End quote:———–
I advocate providing adequate mental health treatment for those suffering from gender identity disorders not normalizing their psychosis and delusions. Legally I cannot be forced to reconize the voices in a person’s head suffering from a mental health psychotic episode. The treatment of people suffering identity disorders belongs at the psychiatric level not in our schools to appease the LGTB community.
So, by expressing his own right to freedom of speech he is to be vilified and attacked? The hypocritical logic is ASTOUNDING. The petition’s signatures just shot up today. Thanks for being an ally Brian Lilley!
Your right to free speech does not trump my right as a gay person not to be the subject of hateful lies and hate speech. The moment where you cannot exercise your right to free speech without infringing on my much more basic and fundamental right to equality and safety, that’s the spot where your right to free speech ends. And that doesn’t make me a “leftist mind control freak” — it just makes me a simple human being with the same right to basic human dignity as you have.
So if you think you have some sort of right to tell vicious, hateful and false lies about me and my brothers and sisters because it’s “freedom of speech”, then you’re the ones who need to go eff you see kay yourselves, not Michael Erickson. Because my right not to *be* the subject of vicious, hateful and false lies comes *ahead* of your right to say whatever stupid piece of crap comes out of your mind with impunity just because it’s speech.
The story around these various ads is a peculiar one. Charles McVety’s Institute and the Ontario PCs have a lot to answer for. Like you, they claimed that the ads targeted the proposed new sex education curriculum, but the ad actually very clearly referenced the existing TDSB curriculum for all of its wild claims. And wild they were. Quotes were taken way out of context and distorted to provoke maximum fear. Several referenced items simply do not exist in the curriculum; others were spun into the polar opposite of what they actually say.
And best of all, no one from McVety’s organization, no one from the PCs, and no one from Sun dares to discuss these ads in an open forum, where they will be forced to respond to challenges made against their outrageous claims. That is telling.
If you’re going to hide from the discussion like that, your appeals to freedom of speech don’t do much for me. Frankly, any actions that can be taken to subject these ads to some form of intellectual review are appreciated. Let’s get the facts out before the public, instead of hiding behind lame talking points and lies.
After watching Brian Lilley’s shows and the rest of the gang at SunTV we can’t stand seeing CTV, Global and esp. CBC anymore.
They’re so biased you feel embarrassed for their immaturity.
Hi Brian
Sun News is excellent. I’m astonished how good Sun News is compared to whats been available for Canadian TV news where I live in Canada for my entire 40 year life.
Our rights and freedoms are under attack, something I concluded myself and known for a long time. Seeing the likes of Ezra Levant and Mark Steyn on Canadian TV I can hardly believe it, it’s great.
What can ordinary people do to help protect our freedoms of speech and expression.
Mr Lilley
Why isn’t teaching about transgendered issues, gender identity and gender fluidity in grade three a good idea?
You make the statement, in what seems to be an uncharacteristic behaviour, fail to support it.
I mean given you are OK with the word ‘faggot’ being allowed airplay, it seems odd that you want to hid information from children.
Alain, if your outraged, why do you come here. Lilley’s tactic is to get you outraged. He looks for reason to outrage you. He’s not a thoughtful researcher looking at both sides of an argument. He has a point of view, and tries to support it using his vast array of research tools, like googling “Why gay people don’t deserve the same rights as straight people”.
I enjoy finding errors in his arguments. Not sure why you’re here.
FREEDOM OF SPEECH?
First of all it’s completely hypocritical to cry about a lack of freedom of speech when really this whole issue started because of an add that is trying to silence freedom of speech of the school board. Isn’t the whole ad about silencing a particular sex ed curriculum? And then suddenly everyone has their back up about “freedom of speech” when the ad is challenged? It is very cowardly to hide behind the argument of free speech when that is clearly not what is really going on here. It’s pretty transparent so just stop hiding behind that argument please. A lot of blood has been shed to protect freedom of speech (among other freedoms) and you do a real dishonour to that history to exploit these values in order to hide your intolerance.
BULLYING CULTURE:
Secondly, all the very hate-fuelled name-calling going on here is a clear example of the kind of bullying treatment young kids might face by their friends, families or teachers if they have any uncertainty about their sexuality or don’t fit into straight culture. Kids are killing themselves because of this kind of bullying. What’s really “confusing” kids is all the abuse they often face daily at school if they don’t fit in – some of it can be extremely brutal. Sure here people are adults and can dish it our and take it (though really I don’t think the name calling adds anything to the dialogue and mostly just illustrates the qualities of their authors) but with kids it’s a whole different story.
It’s probably just a waste of time trying to even engage in this dialogue but though you will likely label me a crazy leftist, I see myself first as a Canadian and someone proud of our democracy and hopeful about public dialogue between people of different opinions. I would just like us to uphold some values about how we go about that dialogue – such as honesty, civility, thoughtfulness and dare I say – open-mindedness and compassion.
Thank you,
Carly
Would you people feel the same about “free speech” if the KKK were here in Canada spewing their hateful messages? Topics can be discussed respectfully or not, like the KKK. Micheal is hoping the masses vote for respect not hate.
This really got me mad, so I drafted the letter below and sent it both to Erickson (from whom I do not anticipate a reply) and to Sun News.
An Open Letter To Michael Erickson
I care not what your particular “sexual orientation” may be. It is of no concern to me.
I do, however, object to people like yourself, advocating the poisoning of vulnerable young minds of innocent children with sexual “indoctrination” at such a young age.
Your objection to the ad from the Institute For Canadian Values goes beyond the pale on so many levels, least of all, the preservation of free speech in Canada.
This, plus the self-aggrandizing list of your idiotic demands against Sun News would be almost comical, were it not so pathetic and self-serving.
Like the Feminists of the 70’s, you are inadvertently doing more harm than good to your “cause”.
You and your ilk should try education of our children instead of indoctrination.
Perhaps then we would not be witnessing generation after generation of illiterate and numeracy-inhibited unemployables
being socially engineered into useless burdens on society via spoon fed self-esteem and politically correct clap trap.
It seems a bit backward for anyone to claim their freedom of speech is being infringed upon, and then deny Michael Erickson his freedom of speech. It sounds almost as if freedom of speech only applies when they agree with what’s being said. I think our broadcasters have a responsibility to refrain from airing content that incites hatred and intolerance, and especially when the ad is inaccurate – it claims that teachers are being forced to teach our children these LGBT issues as part of the education system’s “curriculum”, but really, the information is just given to the teacher as a resource in case these issues come up in class – no one is “indoctrinating” your children. It was just a scare tactic the ad used to get people worked up, and I would hope any major media outlet would do a little more research to make sure the content they’re airing isn’t propaganda.
Marc Opie says:
“Why isn’t teaching about transgendered issues, gender identity and gender fluidity in grade three a good idea?”
Bill replies:
If we are going to ram homosexuality down children’s throats, then I guess we should have balance. Why not tell children many people who mutilate themselves come to regret it later on? Why not bring Walt Heyer, a former transsexual into a grade 3 class so he can share that the vaginoplasty, breast implants and hormone shots he underwent did serious harm to his body and mental health? Walt Heyer now calls transgender medicine quack medicine, and he devotes all of his energy into warning gender confused men and women to not undergo the permanently debilitating surgery?
Why is it considered hate to listen to real life testimonies like Walt Heyer? Why is it hateful to listen to experts like Dr. Paul McHugh who participated in helping children undergo so called “sex change” operations and who after following his subjects for years, discovered the genital mutilation and psychological counselling was nothing more than quackery that perpetuated a false notion that gender can be changed? Dr. McHugh called his participation in so called sex change operation “Medical madness” and confessed later on that he did great harm to his patients.
Thank you Sun News for running the ad and braving the specious “hate” accusations so that truth can be truly discerned on these important moral and gender issues.
So glad to see many comments supporting Sun News, Brian Lilley and his show Byline, and the ad “I am a girl”. At some point the truth will take hold, even in an historically ‘liberal’ country like Canada. The time is now! Thank goodness for this type of social media – the naysayers can no longer pull the wool over us. Erickson can have his freedom of speech, but so can all other individuals/organizations who disagree with him! The left claims to be tolerant, yet are intolerant of those with opposing views. Mindboggling really.
“I am also a Canadian free to speak with out fear”
Michael Erickson’s kind wrap themselves in the Charter. Free speech for them but, not for the rest of us that have a different point of view. You can’t have it both ways Mr. Erickson we are all free to speak and disagree with your point of view. You have the right to disagree with our point of views also. But, to run to these agencies to shutdown this debate is wrong in a free society.
For those of you claiming that the Sun is being hypocritical of Michael Ericksons right to Free Speech, you are way off base! Michael has the right and freedom to say whatever he wants, the problem is, that HE wants to stop the Suns right to free speech. He is threatening to take them to court, and to have them taken off the air. So the Sun is suppose to do nothing to oppose this?? Give your head a shake.
Secondly, the right to free speech still has it’s limits. For example, a 40 year old man can not talk sexually to a 10 year old girl. Or offer her money in exchange for sex. Yet, you condone this from teachers?? If you do not understand this, GET HELP!!
Third, for those of you saying that Christians should be promoting this as they are to be examples of loving and acceptance. There is a BIG difference between tolerance, loving and acceptance, and promoting and encouraging. Children should be taught that bullying and intolerance is wrong against anyone. They do not need to be taught to question their gender identity, and about sexual issues at that age. Pornography is legal as well, but we don’t force that on children either. Let children be children and stop forcing your sexual perversions on the children!!
So many of you are completely uninformed it is crazy that you even bother posting your opinions! I don’t even know where to begin. Clearly this is about your own anger, fear, homophobia who knows but it certainly isn’t about logic, facts or fair debate.
Much has been said already, but I feel compelled to jump into thr fray because of a comment made on the 27th, by Carly. She simply does not understand what an attempt to silence is. Imposing “sensitivity training” is an attempt to silence – it is a kind of bullying very much akin to the self-incriminating speeches imposed on political oponents at the height of the communist terror in the former Eastern Block countries. Approaching a licence granting entity is also an attempt to silence (even if feeble). An add telling parents to have a say in what their children are thought in school is not an attempt to silence. Carly fails here to distinguish beteen act and speech. The add never said that the Board is not allowed to say whatever it pleases and then some more. It simply warned people of what the Board was doing and warned them that their kids may be in need of protection. No Carly! The add is not about “silencing a particular sex education curriculum” – you missed the point entirely. The add is inviting parent input into that decision. Clearly the authors of the add (as I suspect most decent people) do not agree with that decision. But they did not propose to have the members of the board fired or re-educated. The add simply called parents to exercise their right to have input into this matter and vote, if necessary, with their feet.
I confess that I am completely baffled by the quality of education in our country and that so many people do not understand that arguing against an idea is not the equivalent of usurping the freedom of speech. If I do not agree with you Carly. it does not mean that I am trying to silence you. If I draw attention to the flaws of your argument, it doe not mean that I am trying to silence you. Freedom of speech means that we both have the right to express our ideas, even if we disagree. If you would consider your argument a little closer, you would realize that the bitter leftist attack on the Harper government qualifies in view as an attack on his freedom os speech. If, through a television add, some leftist zealot is urging some category of voters to protect themselves against some measure already implemented or intended to be implemented by the Federal Government, you would never think that it is an assault on the constitutionally protected freedom of speech. Yet this situation is not at all distinguishable from the add aired by Sun Media. It is the eperefctly legitimate view of a group of people, and an attack of their freedom to air their views is unacceptable censorship.
One point that many of us miss is that sex education is only a parents right to teach their children; not some outsider with biased views. We got started down this dark road when our liberal governments decided they knew more than parents about sexuality.
Not surprisingly teachers unions played a big part in the indoctrination process.
To the moonbats who post here with the loopy idea that their tender sensitivities or loopy ideology or idiosyncratic mythology is protected from free expression, I say NOTHING, repeat, NOTHING restricts the right to freely express the truth as one sees it- to voice opinion based in whaat one understands to be right – not fragile sensitivities, not fear of the truth, not the ugliness of the truth, not loathing of any truths inconvenient to a personal or political agendas.The law protects us from physical damage, not opinion we find offensive.
You have NO right not to be offended by what others say when offering fair opinion of realities as they see it. Respect for tender feelings is a matter of civility not law. Part of living in a free society is having to endure often offensive expression , particularly if you wish to keep YOUR right to express disagreement with it intact.
As for Ericson, he acts like a typical authoritarian trying to silence dissenting opinion of his utopian mythology rather than offer reasoned intelligent counter argument via the same medium. If the Ericsons of this nation ever got their way, we will all be doomed to relive the civil horrors of the old soviet bock.
The best way to destroy a bad idea or a lie is expose it to the rigors of free uninhibited public expression, not the heavy handed censoring tactics of authoritarianism. If an idea or world view cannot stand up to public scrutiny via free public dialog, then that idea or statement have no social merit. Suppression of popular will/opinion by restricting free speech is a sure road to civil upheaval and anarchy.
Hi Brian,
Congradulations! For the 8 months that Sun News has been online / tv you have made me “active”. I wrote the PM’s office about the CBC, I have been blogging on the CBC website (a crazy group of individuals I must say) and now showing up on your website in response to this Michael Erickson nonsense.
I am so proud of what Sun News is doing – I want you to know that. I even wrote National Post encouraging them (gently with sincere encouragement) to stand firm in the face of the form of bullying that Erickson is trying to do. If we are truly to teach our children that ALL of bullying is wrong then we have no choice but to stand against these types of bullies that seek to silence different points of view – especially when they want control over the minds of our children. We must stand against people like Erickson who try to impose his worldview upon us. We owe this stand to our children … don’t we.
Thanks so much,
Michael
read the Pink Swastika..
everything old is new again..