Thursday, November 20, 2008

Ezra Dodges Debate

John Gordon Miller teaches journalism at Ryerson. He has been an on-and-off participant in the Canadian blogosphere's great Speechy War for the past year or so. Most recently, he has confirmed what most of us have always suspected...that the "sources" behind Mark Steyn's most inflammatory claims re Islam and its practices are either far right blogs, discredited, or entirely non-existent.

Recently, John Miller challenged Ezra to an e-mail debate on the J-source website, the topic being "freedom of speech vs. responsibility ". Ezra's response has been, naturally, to smear the professor and dodge debate. I suppose for the Ez, it is easier to hide behind the small army of sycophants that cluster around his blog than to actually have to make and defend arguments in a 3rd party forum.


So lets be clear about what's going on here, Ezra. This chicken's for you.

13 comments:

RuralSandi said...

Hey, I know John. He lives in my little town - and believe me he won't let up.

Ti-Guy said...

Amazing how much hate Ezra incites among his commenters. The grotesque defamation and character assassination simply for having proposed a debate.

Gayle said...

Ezra's idea of a debate is to go on Mike Duffy and talk loudly and interrupt anyone who he believes is going to make a point.

He hates debate. He can only "succeed" if he prevents anyone else from speaking.

Ben Hicks said...

Out of curiousity fellas, once Iggy wins the Liberal leadership and formally jumps on Mr. Levant's kill-section-13 bandwagon where will you cranky pro-censorship types find a politcal home? NDP? Bloc? Marxist-Leninist? Inquiring minds need to know.

FYI:
http://searchingforliberty.blogspot.com/2008/11/warren-kinsella-iggy-said-what.html
http://ezralevant.com/2008/11/what-about-michael-ignatieff.html

bigcitylib said...

Ben,

The only reason you believe that is Ezra told you, right?

Ben Hicks said...

Well, I did provide two links.

Ti-Guy said...

Ben Hicks:

"I am a twenty year old arts student attending the University of New Brunswick Saint John,"

A more tragic tale of woe I've never come across.

Get back to your homework, sonny.

bigcitylib said...

One is Ezra, one is some guy regurgitating Ezra. Get serious.

You heard it from The Ez and you believe.

Ben Hicks said...

TG: You think so? I'm actually considering writing a best-selling tragedy novel based on my life. It ends with me idling away my twilight years as an full time internet troll who never shuts about the difference between an"assertion" and an "argument."

BCL: I like to think I can take arguments at face value, regardless of whether I agree with their politics. I think Levant and Rob Harvie's arguments ring true (particularily the later's quotes from Iggy's book).

But regardless let's say, hypothetically, it's true that Iggy isn't anti-free speech enough for your liking. Can I look forward to reading your lament of the election of a nazi hugging Liberal leader on newdemocratsonline.ca? (If so, it would make my pathetic existance as a Saint John arts student almost bearable.)

bigcitylib said...

Your question is of the "if pigs could fly, would they fly WestJet?" variety. Its a waste of brain cells to answer.

Ben Hicks said...

I'll take that as a "maybe."

Ti-Guy said...

It ends with me idling away my twilight years as an full time internet troll who never shuts about the difference between an"assertion" and an "argument."

I see you're familiar with my work. Just make sure you learn the difference before you gra-joo-eight!

Seriously, undergrads get dumber by the year.

If your brain were a confection, Ben...what kind would it be?

Ben Hicks said...

"Seriously, undergrads get dumber by the year."

Assertion. Not an argument. You're slipping old man.