Repost-A Canadian Libertarian Making Noise: Ezra Levant

Full post here from the Corner, on the Ann Coulter, Ezra Levant, dustup at the University of Ottawa.

As originally posted nearly two years ago, to highlight when laws based on inclusion and equality can harbor intolerant and illiberal people, and potentially threaten free speech:

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Ezra Levant is still fighting what he sees as an infringement upon his freedom of speech by the Human Rights Commission of Alberta.  As editor of the Western Standard, Levant published those Danish cartoons of Mohammed, and currently finds himself investigated by, in his words, “a kangaroo court.”

Originally, a letter was written by Syed Soharwardy, an imam living in Alberta, to the Alberta Human Rights Commission.  Soharwardy claimed that the cartoons were morally offensive to the religion of Islam.  Levant believes his decision to publish the cartoons is protected by Canadian law, and that Soharwardy found a path to legal action (at the expense of Canadian taxpayers) through the Human Rights Commission because no one else would take Soharwardy’s claims seriously.

During his defense, Levant has made as much noise as possible, grandstanded a bit, and also stood up to the Human Rights Commission, swaying public opinion along the way.  One of Levant’s main concerns seems to be the the way in which someone like Soharwardy, (with unchallenged religious beliefs, and illiberal ideas of social freedom), has taken advantage of Canadian law and perhaps even lack of intellectual rigor behind an institution like the Alberta Human Rights Commission.

An idealogue himself?  Genuinely aggrieved citizen performing a valuable service?

The Economist has more here about how Western democracies are handling the influx of immigration.

Here are Levant’s opening statements during his investigation:

Also On This Site:  From The BBC-Kurt Westergaard: ‘Cartoonist Attacker In Danish Court’

Also: You may think it entirely political, but it seems some of these problems stem from the humanities being overrun and used for political/ideological aims in our universities:  What I think are some reasonable suggestions to address this:  From The Chronicle Of Higher Ed Via The A & L Daily: ‘Neither A Trap Nor A Lie’

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