Hardly Relevant: And we're off...Day 1

Monday, March 13, 2006

And we're off...Day 1

As promised, we begin our experiment. Now before I begin, let me explain that some of the links here are on pages that you have to register with the Gazette to read fully. This will involve giving them your email address and picking a username. I realize that this is a bit of a pain in the a@#, so I apologize for that but I don't make the rules, what can I say. If you do go through their registration crap, you can elect not to have them send you a daily email, and can live out the rest of your life without ever actually hearing from them. In light of all this, I promise two things: first, in the event of a "registered" article or letter (which is what I will use vs. "un-registered" to denote access to the Gazette content), I will provide enough of an accurately quoted sample of the piece, you'll have to trust me if you don't look for yourself, without being misleading. Second, whenever and as much as possible, I will use the "un-registered" stuff so that this is all a moot point. I also want to make you aware that I will be linking to letters to the editor as well, since I believe that it is in that type of content that the real public sentiments lay.

Lastly, understand that this is only content from the Montreal Gazette, which is published in what is generally considered to be a relatively US friendly Province.

Here we go....

Gazette Editorial, 03/13/2006 - "Good riddance to Abu Ghraib" - Registered
I have no beef with closing Abu Ghraib, in fact I'm all in favor of it. I'll go one step further, I don't think we belong in Iraq at all, Afghanistan yeah, but not Iraq. That said, regardless of how I feel, I support 100% and without equivocation, the men and women in Iraq who are doing what they have to do. In this editorial, the writer let's us know that the name is symbolic of "The American moral and political failure", and is "certain to remain in the worlds consciousness for a long time to come". Not the failure of the US Government, DOD, President, Sec. Of defense, but an AMERICAN moral and political failure. This type of verbiage is intentional and not an isolated incident. I've been watching it for nine months now, and it happens all the time, and pointing it out is one of the aims of my little project here.

Letter to Gazette Editor, 03/13/2006 - "Bill Clinton is no statesman" - Registered
He makes the point that former President Clinton is accountable for the Rwandan genocide by way of inaction, and hence, is not qualified to be viewed as a "world statesman". He goes on to emphasize that since Clinton delayed acting on what became the genocide, the US was negligent and basically we have blood on our hands. He does not however mention anything about the fact that the ONLY ROLE the Canadian government played in "preventing" the genocide, was through the UN, by way of a General who commanded a UN peacekeeping contingent that he pulled out after ten Belgian troops were murdered while protecting a female opposition leader, who was herself killed. Anyone see a duality here? We are simutaineously chastised on the same page for having gone into Iraq outside the wishes of the UN, and also for not having gone to Rwanda fast enough outside of the UN. Oh yeah, the guy who is credited for having incited the genocide was recently deported to Rwanda after a comfortable ten year stay in a western country. Which country? Glad you asked.....Canada.

Funny side note...this article, (Canadian Press Internet article 03/13/2006 - Unregistered). What do you think the effect on that US tourist bling bling would be if people really understood how much we are disliked up here?

See you tomorrow....