Update: In the comments, Dawg says the music is Turkish.
Showing posts with label Roma. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Roma. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
The State Of Stand With Ezra
Update: In the comments, Dawg says the music is Turkish.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Farber On Cdn Human Rights
With little fanfare, Canada was scolded earlier this year by both the United Nations and Amnesty International over its human rights record. Yes you read this correctly — Canada.
The two areas that attracted the most attention by the UN/Amnesty International human rights experts were Canada’s record when it came to refugees and, internally, the manner in which we continue to discriminate against our First Nations people.
While politicians mouth the usual platitudes in support of refugees and First Nations their actions demonstrate the platitudes are nothing but a smoke screen.
A nice column to kick off the holiday of Passover.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Jason Kenney Is Being Lied To
From Canadian Jewish News:
A recent Canadian billboard campaign in Hungary targeting would-be Roma asylum-seekers to Canada with the message that new immigration laws severely limit their ability to seek refuge from persecution here led [Hungarian film-maker Adam] Csillag to contact The CJN to alert Canada’s Jewish community to the situation in his country.
[...]
“Hungary is lying to Canadian politicians when it says it is democratic,” he said. “Jobbik and its paramilitary [groups] are doing terrible things to Roma. I witnessed serial killings of Roma in 2008. The police are against the Roma.”
In a recent phone interview from his home in Budapest, with his daughter Anna translating, he said public discourse in Hungary has reached the point where “a disturbing amount” of people are unabashed about insulting minorities, particularly Jews and Roma.
He said he’s now advising his daughter and all Jewish youth in Hungary to leave for their own safety and a better future.
Anna, who is half-Jewish on her father’s side, confirmed that for the past few years while attending university, her friends and classmates have never been shy about telling her how much they like her “despite” her heritage.
A recent Canadian billboard campaign in Hungary targeting would-be Roma asylum-seekers to Canada with the message that new immigration laws severely limit their ability to seek refuge from persecution here led [Hungarian film-maker Adam] Csillag to contact The CJN to alert Canada’s Jewish community to the situation in his country.
[...]
“Hungary is lying to Canadian politicians when it says it is democratic,” he said. “Jobbik and its paramilitary [groups] are doing terrible things to Roma. I witnessed serial killings of Roma in 2008. The police are against the Roma.”
In a recent phone interview from his home in Budapest, with his daughter Anna translating, he said public discourse in Hungary has reached the point where “a disturbing amount” of people are unabashed about insulting minorities, particularly Jews and Roma.
He said he’s now advising his daughter and all Jewish youth in Hungary to leave for their own safety and a better future.
Anna, who is half-Jewish on her father’s side, confirmed that for the past few years while attending university, her friends and classmates have never been shy about telling her how much they like her “despite” her heritage.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Ezra In The (Jewish) News
I would just note that this piece in the Canadian Jewish News almost entirely ignores the ongoing hate-speech investigation of Ezra Levant, preferring instead to focus on an address he gave to the Canadian Hadassah-WIZO’s Hatikvah chapter, which is a Jewish women's group. Ezra's spiel, not surprisingly, was yet another tired rehash of his time with the Western Standard, his publication of the Danish cartoons, and yada yada yada. The closest CJN staff writer Frances Kraf gets to reporting on the only new news about Levant is:
More recently, Levant’s Sept. 5 on-air rant on Sun News against Canada’s Roma community prompted the Toronto Roma Community Centre to launch a hate speech complaint with Toronto police that is currently under investigation.
Since the paragraphs before and after this contain nothing but Levant blithering on about Freedom and etc., I can only assume he refused to speak of his latest difficulties. But you know, journalists aren't supposed to let that kind of thing go. What ever happened to asking the hard questions and demanding straight answers?
More recently, Levant’s Sept. 5 on-air rant on Sun News against Canada’s Roma community prompted the Toronto Roma Community Centre to launch a hate speech complaint with Toronto police that is currently under investigation.
Since the paragraphs before and after this contain nothing but Levant blithering on about Freedom and etc., I can only assume he refused to speak of his latest difficulties. But you know, journalists aren't supposed to let that kind of thing go. What ever happened to asking the hard questions and demanding straight answers?
Saturday, December 15, 2012
CIJA On Designated Countries Of Origin
In response to Kenney's list, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs remains relatively mush-mouthed, but notes the following points of concern:
However, we believe there are two key deficiencies in the DCO regulations that should be addressed. First, there are no clear provisions for how a designated country could be removed from the list should the situation there merit a re-evaluation. Second, DCO applicants awaiting a ruling by the IRB only have access to the same basic healthcare coverage extended to failed claimants awaiting deportation. We propose that DCO refugee applicants receive the same health coverage as non-DCO applicants awaiting adjudication of their claims, especially given their expedited evaluation process.
As others have pointed out previously, the CBC story says that giving the EU a clan bill of health, whatever the conditions on the ground in countries like Hungary "...removes a major irritant in the process of negotiating a Canadian trade agreement with the EU". Interestingly enough, CIJA is "encouraged by" this latter country's recent attempts to protect its Roma and Jewish populations. I suppose they're thinking about stuff like this.
However, we believe there are two key deficiencies in the DCO regulations that should be addressed. First, there are no clear provisions for how a designated country could be removed from the list should the situation there merit a re-evaluation. Second, DCO applicants awaiting a ruling by the IRB only have access to the same basic healthcare coverage extended to failed claimants awaiting deportation. We propose that DCO refugee applicants receive the same health coverage as non-DCO applicants awaiting adjudication of their claims, especially given their expedited evaluation process.
As others have pointed out previously, the CBC story says that giving the EU a clan bill of health, whatever the conditions on the ground in countries like Hungary "...removes a major irritant in the process of negotiating a Canadian trade agreement with the EU". Interestingly enough, CIJA is "encouraged by" this latter country's recent attempts to protect its Roma and Jewish populations. I suppose they're thinking about stuff like this.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Police Hate Speech investigation Against Ezra Levant "Ongoing"
... and police have referred it to the Crown attorney’s office.
Not much to report on this front, but more than I had previously heard, which is that the police were sitting on the file.
So there you have it.
Not much to report on this front, but more than I had previously heard, which is that the police were sitting on the file.
So there you have it.
Sunday, December 09, 2012
Carry On Roma
With all the to-do about these folks lately, I thought the following might be apropos:
Dec. 6, 2012 — Despite their modern-day diversity of language, lifestyle, and religion, Europe's widespread Romani population shares a common, if complex, past. It all began in northwestern India about 1,500 years ago...
[...]
The genome-wide evidence specified the geographic origin toward the north or northwestern parts of India and provided a date of origin of about 1,500 years ago. While the Middle East and Caucasus regions are known to have had an important influence on Romani language, the researchers saw limited evidence for shared genetic ancestry between the European Romani and those who live in those regions of the world today. Once in Europe, Romani people began settling in various locations, likely spreading across Europe via the Balkan region about 900 years ago.
You can read abstract here.
Dec. 6, 2012 — Despite their modern-day diversity of language, lifestyle, and religion, Europe's widespread Romani population shares a common, if complex, past. It all began in northwestern India about 1,500 years ago...
[...]
The genome-wide evidence specified the geographic origin toward the north or northwestern parts of India and provided a date of origin of about 1,500 years ago. While the Middle East and Caucasus regions are known to have had an important influence on Romani language, the researchers saw limited evidence for shared genetic ancestry between the European Romani and those who live in those regions of the world today. Once in Europe, Romani people began settling in various locations, likely spreading across Europe via the Balkan region about 900 years ago.
You can read abstract here.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Who Said This About The Government Changes To The Interim Federal Health Program
...that have resulted in a refugee from the Mid-East being denied his chemo?
...unbelievable that some of the decisions that have been taken federally are having this impact on people who are clearly the most vulnerable, refugees who are obviously fleeing something quite terrible — that’s why they’re refugees...”
[...]
“On the face of it, you just consider the case of this particular gentleman or others who, for example, as it was pointed out … might need prenatal care, this is just common sense. You just do this.
“This is the kind of country we are. You cover it.”
[...]
“This country is rich. We are rich beyond measure compared to the countries where these folks are fleeing from and so it’s our view that we should just be there to help.
“That’s kind of a basic Canadian value, I think...”
Was it a bunch of crazy Liberal Jews? A bunch of less Liberal Jews? No, it was right-wing Premier of Saskatchewan Brad Wall, who apparently has at least one compassionate bone in his body. Unlike Immigration Minister Jason Kenney or his PM Stephen Harper.
And the refugee in question fled his home country because "he was persecuted for being Christian". Does Stephen Harper suddenly hate Christians? Probably not. But then what can we learn from this? Simple: its actually very difficult to craft your laws re refugees so that they fuck over the Roma exclusively. Discriminate against one group, and there will always be collateral damage to other groups not on your shit list.
...unbelievable that some of the decisions that have been taken federally are having this impact on people who are clearly the most vulnerable, refugees who are obviously fleeing something quite terrible — that’s why they’re refugees...”
[...]
“On the face of it, you just consider the case of this particular gentleman or others who, for example, as it was pointed out … might need prenatal care, this is just common sense. You just do this.
“This is the kind of country we are. You cover it.”
[...]
“This country is rich. We are rich beyond measure compared to the countries where these folks are fleeing from and so it’s our view that we should just be there to help.
“That’s kind of a basic Canadian value, I think...”
Was it a bunch of crazy Liberal Jews? A bunch of less Liberal Jews? No, it was right-wing Premier of Saskatchewan Brad Wall, who apparently has at least one compassionate bone in his body. Unlike Immigration Minister Jason Kenney or his PM Stephen Harper.
And the refugee in question fled his home country because "he was persecuted for being Christian". Does Stephen Harper suddenly hate Christians? Probably not. But then what can we learn from this? Simple: its actually very difficult to craft your laws re refugees so that they fuck over the Roma exclusively. Discriminate against one group, and there will always be collateral damage to other groups not on your shit list.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Ezra Levant...My Part In His Downfall
Well,it finally happened:
On Thursday October 11, 2012, Toronto's Roma Community Centre officially reported a hate crime to the Toronto Police Services and an investigation is now underway.
This was in response to overtly racist, prejudicial, and demeaning statements made by Sun News Network commentator, Ezra Levant, which were broadcast live on television throughout Canada.
And indeed the Toronto police have confirmed that an investigation is underway. The way these things work is they will interview everyone involved, including Ezra, and then decide whether or not to approach the attorney general. So Ezra will get a chance to do his whole "outraged" act, as with the gal from the Alberta Human Rights Commission back in 2008:
God, those were the days.
And I'll tell you a true story. Back in 2008 I was an up-and-coming blogger, and Ezra in the process of crashing and burning The Western Standard. He had bragged on his own blog that there would be some awesome video footage coming next morning, and to stay tuned for the exclusive. But me, realizing the time difference between here and Alta., got up early and pinched the footage off his youtube channel before he could post it, then shopped the link to NN and other news outlets. The rest, as they say, is history...the Neo-Nazis, the lawsuits, the repeal of S13.
Remember, old Ez didn't have much clout at the time; if he had pushed the story it probably would have gone nowhere. So in a way he owes me for relaunching his career. He couldn't have moved out of his dad's basement, come to Toronto and made himself a Fox News North Super Star, without my help.
Mind you, he also wouldn't have been able to launch his Anti-Roma rant and get himself investigated. Now the guy might wind up doing slammer time, married to the inmate with the most cigarettes. Funny how things go. Its almost like Life is a Wheel, that goes up before it goes down...
On Thursday October 11, 2012, Toronto's Roma Community Centre officially reported a hate crime to the Toronto Police Services and an investigation is now underway.
This was in response to overtly racist, prejudicial, and demeaning statements made by Sun News Network commentator, Ezra Levant, which were broadcast live on television throughout Canada.
And indeed the Toronto police have confirmed that an investigation is underway. The way these things work is they will interview everyone involved, including Ezra, and then decide whether or not to approach the attorney general. So Ezra will get a chance to do his whole "outraged" act, as with the gal from the Alberta Human Rights Commission back in 2008:
God, those were the days.
And I'll tell you a true story. Back in 2008 I was an up-and-coming blogger, and Ezra in the process of crashing and burning The Western Standard. He had bragged on his own blog that there would be some awesome video footage coming next morning, and to stay tuned for the exclusive. But me, realizing the time difference between here and Alta., got up early and pinched the footage off his youtube channel before he could post it, then shopped the link to NN and other news outlets. The rest, as they say, is history...the Neo-Nazis, the lawsuits, the repeal of S13.
Remember, old Ez didn't have much clout at the time; if he had pushed the story it probably would have gone nowhere. So in a way he owes me for relaunching his career. He couldn't have moved out of his dad's basement, come to Toronto and made himself a Fox News North Super Star, without my help.
Mind you, he also wouldn't have been able to launch his Anti-Roma rant and get himself investigated. Now the guy might wind up doing slammer time, married to the inmate with the most cigarettes. Funny how things go. Its almost like Life is a Wheel, that goes up before it goes down...
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
See Kelly Block's Disgusting Flyer!!!
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Update On Roma Vs. Kenney
Members of Toronto’s Roma Community Centre will disassociate itself from a number of other groups protesting a reception for Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney--who will be honoured by the Canadian Friends of Haifa University (CFHU) on Nov. 4 at the Fairmount Royal York hotel-- to symbolically show that they are not anti-Israel, merely oppose Kenney’s Bill C-31, which they feel unfairly targets the Roma community.
Everyone's favorite human rights activist and Jewish community leader Bernie Farber, who has been helping the RCC prepare their hate-speech complaint against Ezra Levant, will nevertheless be attending the Kenney presentation as a guest:
Farber, who will attend the university’s gala event as a guest, said he has a “deep and abiding respect” for Kenney’s stances on Israel and antisemitism.
“On those issues, we stand shoulder to shoulder, and I consider him a friend. But like all friends, we can have differences of opinion on some issues,” Bill C-31 being one such item, he said.
Farber added that he felt Kenney was being “very hard on the Roma” and that many respected representatives of the Jewish community are in agreement. Earlier this year the Toronto Board of Rabbis and Elie Wiesel, among others, had urged the minister to reconsider the legislation.
Some of the other groups protesting the event include Queers Against Israeli Apartheid, Independent Jewish Voices, Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network and Jews Opposing Zionism.
PS. Its quite possible that Ezra, an official "friend of Haifa", will be at the same reception. If it comes to it, my money is on Bernie by TKO.
Everyone's favorite human rights activist and Jewish community leader Bernie Farber, who has been helping the RCC prepare their hate-speech complaint against Ezra Levant, will nevertheless be attending the Kenney presentation as a guest:
Farber, who will attend the university’s gala event as a guest, said he has a “deep and abiding respect” for Kenney’s stances on Israel and antisemitism.
“On those issues, we stand shoulder to shoulder, and I consider him a friend. But like all friends, we can have differences of opinion on some issues,” Bill C-31 being one such item, he said.
Farber added that he felt Kenney was being “very hard on the Roma” and that many respected representatives of the Jewish community are in agreement. Earlier this year the Toronto Board of Rabbis and Elie Wiesel, among others, had urged the minister to reconsider the legislation.
Some of the other groups protesting the event include Queers Against Israeli Apartheid, Independent Jewish Voices, Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network and Jews Opposing Zionism.
PS. Its quite possible that Ezra, an official "friend of Haifa", will be at the same reception. If it comes to it, my money is on Bernie by TKO.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Hate Speech Complaint Against Ezra Levant To Be Submitted To Police
From the Jewish Tribune, but not yet on line:
I'll probably write more about this story eventually, as it tries to play the "Anti-Israel" card against Ms. Csanyi - Robah on some pretty weak grounds, and also insinuates that Bernie Farber (noted above) is somehow up to something nefarious. But right now its only available at Shaidle's place, and I won't send traffic there.
Sun TV's reaction to all this should be interesting to watch. I'm told they've got a lawyer that pours over Ezra's material, but that he missed the "Roma Rant" because he's primed to look for defamation, not hate speech. Their official grovelling apology sounded a bit like they were washing their hands of Mr. Levant.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
The Roma, Jason Kenny, And The University of Haifa
The Roma Community Centre of Toronto, Canada has sent a letter--their second, because their first from earlier this month has not been responded to--to the University of Haifa in Northern Israel, asking that the University "reconsider granting an honorary doctorate to [Minister for Citizenship and Immigration] Jason Kenney", due to the fact that he's been trashing Roma refugees from Hungary in the name of "law and order" for the past six months.
There's even a connection to Roma hater Ezra Levant, The Ez being
...a member of the Canadian Friends of Haifa University’s Tribute Committee organizing the Nov. 4 ceremony to award Mr. Kenney the University of Haifa degree.
Whether U-of-Haifa wants to give Kenney a medal is their own business, obviously, but I do think they owe the RCC the courtesy of a response and an explanation. You can find the email of their Vice President for External Relations and Resource Development through the link, if you want to pitch in. I would note that almost all of Canada's Jewish community groups, including the Tory-friendly CIJA, have expressed concern over the government's bill C-31, which would stigmatize Roma refugee claimants.
There's even a connection to Roma hater Ezra Levant, The Ez being
...a member of the Canadian Friends of Haifa University’s Tribute Committee organizing the Nov. 4 ceremony to award Mr. Kenney the University of Haifa degree.
Whether U-of-Haifa wants to give Kenney a medal is their own business, obviously, but I do think they owe the RCC the courtesy of a response and an explanation. You can find the email of their Vice President for External Relations and Resource Development through the link, if you want to pitch in. I would note that almost all of Canada's Jewish community groups, including the Tory-friendly CIJA, have expressed concern over the government's bill C-31, which would stigmatize Roma refugee claimants.
Friday, September 21, 2012
Update On Levant's Roma Rant
It has now drawn a complaint to the Law Society of Alberta:
Roma Community Centre (RCC) of Toronto, Ontario, wishes to file a complaint with Alberta Law Society (ALS) against Ezra Levant. According to the ALS Code of Conduct, “Alberta’s lawyers are expected to conduct themselves and their law practices in ways which are highly ethical and above reproach.” We believe that Mr. Levant demonstrated highly unethical attitudes and behaviour in a recent broadcast of “The Source with Ezra Levant” (Sept. 5th, 2012, at 5 p.m. EDT, Sun News Network). We also feel that for a member of the bar to promote hatred against an identifiable ethnic group is conduct unbecoming a lawyer, and wonder if Mr. Levant’s broadcast violates Section 319 of the Canadian Criminal Code, ‘Wilful Promotion of Hatred’.
Here the RCC "wonders" whether Levant's broadcast, which I have written about here, might have violated section 319, so I am not sure what concrete steps, if any, they have taken towards filing a criminal complaint. The body of the RCC letter does confirm, though, that they have gone to the CRTC and Canadian Broadcast Standards Council. From the tone of the Sun TV's eventual apology to the ROMA which, I am told, was followed in the same broadcast by second apology for Ezra's on-air cursing, it sounds like any lawyer's fees to defend against all these complaints will be borne by Ezra alone.
Roma Community Centre (RCC) of Toronto, Ontario, wishes to file a complaint with Alberta Law Society (ALS) against Ezra Levant. According to the ALS Code of Conduct, “Alberta’s lawyers are expected to conduct themselves and their law practices in ways which are highly ethical and above reproach.” We believe that Mr. Levant demonstrated highly unethical attitudes and behaviour in a recent broadcast of “The Source with Ezra Levant” (Sept. 5th, 2012, at 5 p.m. EDT, Sun News Network). We also feel that for a member of the bar to promote hatred against an identifiable ethnic group is conduct unbecoming a lawyer, and wonder if Mr. Levant’s broadcast violates Section 319 of the Canadian Criminal Code, ‘Wilful Promotion of Hatred’.
Here the RCC "wonders" whether Levant's broadcast, which I have written about here, might have violated section 319, so I am not sure what concrete steps, if any, they have taken towards filing a criminal complaint. The body of the RCC letter does confirm, though, that they have gone to the CRTC and Canadian Broadcast Standards Council. From the tone of the Sun TV's eventual apology to the ROMA which, I am told, was followed in the same broadcast by second apology for Ezra's on-air cursing, it sounds like any lawyer's fees to defend against all these complaints will be borne by Ezra alone.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Sun TV Issues Grovelling Apology To Roma--Ezra Levant Hates On
I am told that Sun TV ran a scrolled apology to the Canadian Roma community last evening during Ezra's show, although I am not seeing it in the vids posted to the network's website.Ezra, it should be noted, has not issued his own apology, which means that a criminal hate speech complaint may still be launched against him.
Friday, September 14, 2012
Criminal Hate Speech Complaint To Be Filed Against Ezra, Sun News?
When Deboaned noted in my comments section that police were "taking an interest" in Levant's anti-Roma screed, I didn't think much of it. But now I am informed by usually reliable off-line sources that, indeed, the CBSC/CRTC complaints are essentially filed and the police have been approached. I don't know if, typically, the fact of an investigation is made public until charges are laid/not laid, but apparently behind the scenes, wheels are turning.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Sun TV Deletes Ezra Levant's Anti-Roma Screed
It used to be here. Background on the network's latest foray into hate-speech here. H/T to Dawg And a question to Kory Teneycke, boss of bosses at Fox News North (Sun News Network): why let these kind of broadcasts happen, and then pull them down when they cause your network shame? Why not just tell your boys to not act like racist dickheads on the air or they'll be fired? "Tabbing it up" hasn't done fuck all for your ratings, has it? Why not change?
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