Monday, May 20, 2013

Every day there is a story about an attempt by Zionist hoodlums to ban and censor and repress

"A group of Toronto city councillors will file a motion on 28 May to cut the grant to Toronto LGBT Pride unless the organisers agree to ban the participation of a pro-Palestinian activist group, Queers Against Israeli Apartheid (QuAIA). They also want to ban the use of the phrase 'Israeli apartheid'." "The co-chair of Queer Ontario, Nick Mulé, believes councillors Di Giorgio and Pasternak are more interested in censorship opinions than protecting rights. It's inaccurate to describe the dispute as one of "competing rights," he argues, because the right to religious freedom doesn't mean the right to suppress other people's viewpoints. "They are trying to shut down dialogue and infringe on freedom of expression," he says. "QuAIA is not a people-hating group. Their message is a critical analysis of political policy. If we don't have the freedom to critique policy, then we are really in trouble as a society." "Their demand for a ban is straightforward censorship. It's a direct attack on free speech and the right to protest - and, some people might say, borderline blackmail." (thanks Amir)