Tolerance costly loss in war of words

The London Free Press (Canada) ^ | April 5, 2003 | JIM CHAPMAN

[freeforall]

Tolerance costly loss in war of words

By JIM CHAPMAN -- London Free Press

I generally like Don Cherry. I'm amused by his bombast and impressed by his knowledge of hockey. But I don't always agree with the things he says and this week he rubbed me the wrong way.

During an interview on an American radio program, he made reference to "true" Canadians, implying that anyone who did not share his view was somehow maple-leaf-deficient.

So who are these "true" Canadians, as described by Cherry? He says they are outside Quebec and onside with the American effort in Iraq. Simple as that.

Several callers to our radio show this week agreed, some suggesting Prime Minister Jean Chretien doesn't qualify on the basis of his French-Canadian background and apparent French-European sympathies.

Others defended Chretien as the embodiment of Canadian independence, standing up to those American bullies as he did (their words, not mine). How much more "true" to the true north strong and free could you be, they asked?

Between these two extremes lie the bulk of Canadians who are watching history unfold in Iraq and wondering where Canada's proper place is. Does their confusion mean they are somehow less "true" to Canadian values than someone whose mind is made up?

I don't think so. And I'm offended by Cherry's comments insofar as they reflect a mindset that I also find offensive -- the idea that any person has the right or ability to define another's character based on geography or ethnicity or political preference.

Don Cherry and his supporters are no more fit to judge who is a "true" Canadian than are Jean Chretien and his. They're entitled to their opinions, but that's all they have, opinions. They are not tablets from the mountain-top.

The war in Iraq has created a new level of anger in this country, an even deeper divide than is normal in this politically fractured society, as the heated discussions over Cherry's comments illustrate.

Anti-war protesters equate support for the Americans and British as war-mongering and neo-imperialism and loudly proclaim their displeasure.

Somewhere along the way toward defending Canadian values . . . we've lost one of our great Canadian virtues -- tolerance of the opinions of others.

Pro-American Canadians resent their anti-war fellow countrymen as ill-informed or gonadally under-equipped. They are particularly incensed by any suggestion that by not opposing the war, they are condoning the deaths of innocent Iraqis.

I could spend the rest of this column (and probably most of the newspaper) discussing the salient points of each argument but there's a larger issue here than whose side you're on and why.

Somewhere along the way toward defending Canadian values (whatever you perceive them to be), we've lost one of our great Canadian virtues -- tolerance of the opinions of others. It's one of those things we trumpet loudly when asked to define what makes us Canadian. There's an old saying that truth is the first casualty of war, but the conflict in Iraq had another early victim in this country -- that same tolerance of which we are normally so justifiably proud.

And it has to be revived. There is no place in this country for the kind of thinking that led to a kids' hockey team from the U.S. being booed in Montreal, or for the pitiful display of nasty name-calling and worse that has passed for Parliament recently.

There is particularly no room for the Don Cherrys or the Jean Chretiens to lay claim to the title of "true" Canadians based on their own narrow viewpoints. I am reminded of the words of Winston Churchill: " A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject."

Exactly, and that kind of intransigence is the last thing we need in this country right now, from Cherry, Chretien or anyone else.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jim Chapman is host of CJBK-AM Radio's Talk of the Town. His column appears Sundays

[UCFRoadWarrior]

I bet Don Cherry knows about Vimy Ridge...I doubt if this author does

[Don W]

"Tolerance" and "multiculturalism" is what got us INTO this mess in the first place.

I find it rather interesting that voicing one's opinion is fine and dandy if it fits the leftist's agenda, but show ANY sign of independant thought, and they jump on the "mutant" like hyenas on a lone wildebeest calf.

[headsonpikes]

Somehow, when I think of Don Cherry, a 'wildebeest calf' does not spring to mind.

Grapes can take care of himself; he's a real Canadian.

;^)

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

OFFICIAL BUMP(TOPIC)LIST

[gcruse]

O, Qanada

O, Canada, we missed you in Iraq.
All of your friends were there from down the block.
There were Aussie lads plus your British dad
With the US dropping bombs like mad.
O, Canada, we stood on guard for you.
O, Qanada, the new names fits you, too.  

[Don W]

Well, considering I come from the WEST part of Canada (you know, the area that elected a whopping 6 members of the federal ruling party in a 300+ member parliament), you must be right.

The fact that Ottawa feeds the Canadian cow in the west, milks it in central Canada, and sh*ts on the maritimes means that we are all euro-socialist wimps. With VERY few exceptions, everyone I talk to out here is horrified and humiliated by Cretin's refusal to support this action in Iraq.

Just like when BeelzeBubba was your "leader" you were all pot-smoking, draft-dodging, philandering rapists, I guess that we all deserve to be tarred with the same brush.

[gcruse]

The war's over. Thanks for the help. BTW, we at least tried to get Clinton out of office, and it's a lot harder to remove a president than it is to dissolve a Parliament.