A declaration filed by 10 plaintiffs from Hillel has been filed, demanding Hillel’s full and unconditional reinstatement, the unfreezing of its funding, and $100,000 in punative damages.
Another typical day at the UN.
A resolution is proposed criticizing Israel for the deaths of three UN workers. The United States vetoes it. A resolution is proposed condemning terrorism against Israelis in the Kenya attacks. Syria votes against it.
And the beat goes on . . .
After Israel let him in, even though they didn’t have to, Singh decided that laws were merely “suggestions” and that he could break whichever ones he pleases. He defied a ban on entry into the West Bank and is now bragging to the media about it.
Singh told Montreal radio station CJAD he had violated an Israeli court ruling to keep him out of the area and freely showed Israeli soldiers his passport. “Most of the soldiers who man checkpoints, who are involved in dealing directly with Palestinians, are 18- and 19-year-old kids,” Singh told the station. “They’re nice guys and girls when they don’t have their uniforms on, but they’re not the sharpest knives in the drawer.”
So which is it, Jaggi? Is the Israeli army oppressively restricting people’s movement? Or is crossing the border a simple matter?
It does make me wonder about the effectiveness of Israeli security, though. Surely if Singh could get IN, then a suicide bomber would have little trouble getting OUT with 50 pounds of explosives strapped to his chest. A bit disconcerting.
Singh had this to add:
“I’m not here committing any crimes. I’m here observing the situation and if they want to come in and get me, I’m not going out of my way to hide.”
Singh has said he’s prepared to face the consequences.
Go get him, Israel!
I could make a reader poll about war in Iraq, international relations, sovereignty, the Israel-Palestinian conflict, or a whole host of important issues.
So of course, I’m choosing the most important debate of all: Counting Crows vs. Michelle Branch.
Not that I’d want to bias this poll in any way . . . so just type in the comments whether your vote is for the poetic, talented, awesome Counting Crows . . . or for Michelle Branch.
Jon, I will prove you wrong!
Quebeckers were getting ready to crown him king, but the closest Mario Dumont is likely to get to the throne is in a washroom stall. A new poll shows ADQ support is slipping.
A new CROP-Express poll suggests 34 per cent of decided Quebec voters now support the Liberals. The Parti Québécois follows at 33 per cent, and then Mario Dumont’s ADQ at 31 per cent. It’s the first time the ADQ has come third in a poll since April.
Granted, “super-Mario” was a one-man show, who got by on charisma as long as his platform – or lack of – wasn’t scrutinized too closely. His proposals may have been a bit too conservative for Quebec – with the feasibility of such ideas as flat tax or school vouchers being doubted. And his surge in popularity led to increased questions about his youth, his lack of experience, and his incredible fence-sitting act on the sovereignty question.
But according to the Gazette, none of that is the reason for the wind being knocked out of Mario’s sails.
Many believe Dumont’s popularity decline began after a well-received speech at Toronto’s Canadian Club in September. The next day, Quebec networks and newspapers carried images of Dumont speaking in front of a giant Maple Leaf flag.
Once again, as the song says, “Blame Canada” . . .
No offense, Damian, but your provincial government has just given us a whole new cause to crack Newfie jokes.
Legislation banning handheld cellphones in cars was just passed by the Newfoundland cabinet.
“I know that all the other provinces realize that the use of cellphones by drivers is a problem,” said Walter Noel, the province’s government services minister. “They have various reasons not to act on it to date (but) I think we’ll see more provinces act before very long,” he said in an interview Friday.
Anyone caught breaking the law will receive four demerit points on their driver’s licence and fines ranging from $45 to $180.
This law is both restrictive and ridiculous. There are tons of idiots who drive erratically while on the phone, true. But there are also many people who use the phone responsibly. And what about other distractions, such as changing the radio station, drinking coffee, or checking makeup in the rearview mirror? Should all of those things be banned too?
Cell phone laws are always advocated by people looking for an easy scapegoat for road accidents. But there were plenty of accidents before cell phones were invented, and there will be plenty more even after this ban is imposed. Studies have indicated that there is no evidence that cell phone use causes accidents. This is a fluff law, designed to appease the public while solving nothing.
I’m getting really sick of hearing these “root-cause” arguments for hatred. Between Osama’s apologists, Arafat’s cheerleaders, and the Jaggi Singhs who insisted on blaming everyone for the rioting at Concordia but the rioters, it seems that nobody takes personal responsibility seriously anymore.
In a letter in today’s Gazette, Dorval resident Juerg Bangerter blames Anglophones for being resented by Francophones:
If some 25 years ago or even 50 years ago, the French-Canadian population would have been treated equally and with respect in Canada, the Parti Québécois would never have risen to power. If English Quebecers would have treated the francophone Québécois majority as equals, there would never been any of the language extremism we all hate today.
If there were as many bilingual anglophones as there are bilingual francophones in Canada, there wouldn’t be any controversy about the Quebec flag, and we would behave as citizens of a real confederation in which all minorities are equally respected.
If Bangereter wants to criticize the members of the Anglo society fifty years ago who didn’t treat Francophones as equals, then that’s certainly legitimate. But his suggestion that “they hate us cause we don’t all speak their language” is ridiculous. Firstly, many of us do speak their language. Secondly, since when is it grounds to hate someone simply because they don’t speak a certain language? Silly me, I was under the impression that this constitutes discrimination.
Amram Mitzna and the Labour party continue to weaken Israel’s position in the Palestinian conflict by promising more unilateral concessions.
As prime minister, Mr. Mitzna would withdraw immediately from the Gaza Strip without conditions and resume peace talks with the Palestinians, the program says. If there is no agreement after a year, Israel will withdraw from considerable parts of the West Bank and draw its own “security border.”
Peace without a peace partner just means more war, but from a smaller strip of land. We can debate Israeli politics or the wisdom of Likud’s policies all day if we want, but that doesn’t change the fact that those 63% of Palestinians who support suicide bombings aren’t likely to be swayed by Mitzna’s sweet-talking. Hamas and the Islamic Jihad have already vowed to “continue the struggle”, indicating that it makes no difference to them who leads Israel; their goal is to wipe Israel off the map. A unilateral withdrawal from the territories will only serve to trigger even more terrorist attacks, since they’ll have achieved something. And as long as a strategy works, it will continue.
63% of Palestinians think suicide bombings should continue and 80% support the continuation of the intifada, while only 17% oppose it, according to a new poll released Wednesday. (via LGF.)
The poll also showed that, while there is widespread mistrust of Palestinian leaders, Yasser Arafat was the most-trusted leader, with 25% support. More importantly, the second- and third-place leaders were Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, leader of Hamas, and Marwan Barghouti, a leader of Fatah in jail in Israel for terrorist attacks.
So much for claims that suicide bombers are extremists on the fringe with no mainstream support.
LGF’s Idiotarian of the Year contest is getting some excellent nominations.
My nominees:
The Concordia Student Union (especially exec members Sabine Freisinger, Yves Engler, Ralph Lee, Aaron Mate, Sameer Zuberi, and Kealia Curtis as well as members of the council of representatives
Jaggi Singh and his buddies (including Samer Elatrash and Laith Marouf)
The 11% of Americans who couldn’t find the USA on a world map.
and, last but not least, Jennifer Durocher.
Although, admittedly, Robert Fisk has been getting so many nominations that it almost seems unfair to declare him as the winner. It seems the award will be named for him, thus disqualifying him and opening the field to other nominees. Feel free to mosey on over and give your suggestions.
Latest Comments