Steyn on Thought Police

By Russ Vaughn

For a truly chilling preview of a leftist-controlled America, read Mark Steyn's recent essay recounting the current state of free speech in the Great North. Steyn, who himself has been persecuted by the Canadian thought police, describes the events surrounding Ann Coulter's recently aborted expedition into the cold, hostile tundra of the campus at the University of Ottawa, where a leftist student celebration of diversity and free speech became so violent Ms. Coulter was forced to flee both stage and country.

What will probably have some right-thinking Americans, especially those in the northern border states, inventorying their ammunition stocks is the brazen confirmation by leading Canadian leftists that free speech is some quaint, outdated Americanism that really has no application in the new Oceanian province of Kafkanada. Steyn quotes Canadian feminist, Susan Cole:

"We don't have a First Amendment, we don't have a religion of free speech," she explained patiently. "Students sign off on all kinds of agreements as to how they'll behave on campus, in order to respect diversity, equity, all of the values that Canadians really care about. Those are the things that drive our political culture. Not freedoms, not rugged individualism, not free speech. It's different, and for us, it works."

It should be obvious, but I will still point out the use of the term religion associated with free speech. Has the notoriously anti-religion left, recognizing the advantage of the widespread phenomenon of youthful rebellion against religion, so prevalent, yet frequently transitory, determined that an insidious way to undermine free speech in those young skulls full of mush is to associate it with religion?

Steyn further illustrates the Kafkanadian concept of free speech with this quote:

As some leftie website put it, "Defending freedom of speech for jerks means defending jerks." Well, yes. But, in this case, not defending the jerks means not defending freedom of speech for yourself. It's not a left/right thing; it's a free/unfree thing.

That's a distinction that never has seemed to register with lefties. What is it they were so fond of sneering all those years ago, "You just don't get it?" To paraphrase Reverend Wright, "Them chickens is airborne an' headin' home!"

By the time those right-thinking Americans above finish reading Steyn's closing paragraph, they'll likely be loading up the family home-defense arsenal and heading for the range to sharpen their marksmanship skills. Here's part of it:

Thus, the new Canada: intolerance is "tolerance"; mob rule is "restraint"; "kikeroaches" is "civility"; law enforcement is optional; jokes are actionable; up is down; black is white; "conflict studies" majors are rioting; Steve Paikin interviewing the Ontario finance minister on public television makes Jerry Springer interviewing transsexuals who date their ex-wives' dads look like Jack Paar hosting Kitty Carlisle Hart; and sticks and stones may break your bones, but Rocks like Allan will issue a soothing press release.

Steyn's preview of the development of Kafkanadian intolerance of free speech on our northern border has me thinking that some truly entrepreneurial American, if one remains functioning who has not yet been taxed out of existence by the Democrats, could do quite well producing silhouette targets of menacing figures in Soviet era uniforms and boldly labeled, THOUGHT POLICE.

They'd probably sell even better than those depicting bearded individuals with unkempt graying ponytails in seedy tweed jackets labeled, COMMIE PROFESSOR. Well, on second thought, probably not.

Oh, and considering that vile, leftist term, kikeroaches, is there such a thing as a kosher firing range?