Opinion - ‘Do you know about the Holocaust? '
DrCaleb @ Fri Nov 23, 2012 2:42 pm
$1:
‘Do you know about the Holocaust? For me, it was the most beautiful thing that could have happened’
$1:
Quebecers, in general, are not an intolerant people. Like in any society, there are exceptions. There are, however, too many exceptions in Quebec’s media and political spheres.
We have become largely complacent with a regular barrage of mockery and belittlement directed toward Anglophones, particularly during the last provincial election campaign. Picking on linguistic minorities for not sufficiently conforming to Quebec society is one matter; going after cultural communities is another. Language is acquired, ethnicity is not.
This week, a host on 98.5 FM – Quebec’s largest talk-radio station – opened the lines to callers and one woman wanted to rant about the Jews. “Maria” was hurt after seeing “my brothers and sisters dying in Gaza.”
She then played a guessing game with overnight host Jacques Fabi, who indulged her.
“I have an animal in my head,” Maria said, and wanted Fabi to guess which animal she was referring to.
“A leopard?” he asked.
“No,” she responded.
“A dog?”
“Yes, exactly!” Maria said, with glee. “It’s an Israeli! Haha!”
As a radio host myself, it’s clear that, at this point, “dumping” the caller would be the wise decision, before the conversation further degenerates. The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council is quite clear about giving airtime to racist views; not that an announcer’s good judgment couldn’t be sufficient.
But Fabi continues the conversation with Maria.
We have become largely complacent with a regular barrage of mockery and belittlement directed toward Anglophones, particularly during the last provincial election campaign. Picking on linguistic minorities for not sufficiently conforming to Quebec society is one matter; going after cultural communities is another. Language is acquired, ethnicity is not.
This week, a host on 98.5 FM – Quebec’s largest talk-radio station – opened the lines to callers and one woman wanted to rant about the Jews. “Maria” was hurt after seeing “my brothers and sisters dying in Gaza.”
She then played a guessing game with overnight host Jacques Fabi, who indulged her.
“I have an animal in my head,” Maria said, and wanted Fabi to guess which animal she was referring to.
“A leopard?” he asked.
“No,” she responded.
“A dog?”
“Yes, exactly!” Maria said, with glee. “It’s an Israeli! Haha!”
As a radio host myself, it’s clear that, at this point, “dumping” the caller would be the wise decision, before the conversation further degenerates. The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council is quite clear about giving airtime to racist views; not that an announcer’s good judgment couldn’t be sufficient.
But Fabi continues the conversation with Maria.
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/201 ... -happened/
Thanos @ Fri Nov 23, 2012 2:52 pm
It's important to let them vent in public every once in a while. That way we won't forget that there's still a bunch of them out there.
martin14 @ Fri Nov 23, 2012 2:56 pm
See now this is the thing the HRC should be getting involved in.
Have the caller charged with hate speech.
Have the radio station hauled in and rake their collective asses over the coals.
Fines, and fire the idiot host.
Job done.
Having said that, Quebec has been particularly anti Semite for a long time.
It's a Jewish / money / businessman / English
vs
Roman Catholic / poor / worker / French
thing.
Lots of material to hate on.
But I guess the French / Quebec / Muslim thing means it goes nowhere.
Jews should take note of days like this.
Xort @ Fri Nov 23, 2012 4:10 pm
martin14 martin14:
See now this is the thing the HRC should be getting involved in. Have the caller charged with hate speech.
The hell for? Saying something bad that happening to a people is good isn't hate speech, more given the context of someone that had close relations to people that are victims of that group.
But to directly reply to your comment, let me quote from the link:
$1:
“You know that in this democratic country,” Fabi responds, “you can’t ever say anything offensive toward Israelis, because it could cost you dearly…you can’t ever have negative views of any nature toward the Jewish people, or there will be serious consequences. That’s how it is.”
Funny eh?
But another quote:
$1:
“I find it very annoying that I’m not allowed to comment at times,” Fabi said. “In Montreal, there is an important Jewish population…you always have to wear white gloves with this beautiful Jewish population.”
Jews are not the only group that takes offense at many things and need to be treated with extra care.
~
I don't think saying that something bad happening to a group of people you don't like is good, is a hate crime or even a normal crime. And I don't think it should be.
Would you charge a Korean for saying Japan getting nuked was good? How about a Ukrainian saying Russians that died in politcal camps was just what they needed?
I don't think we can or should have laws saying be nice to each other. And what was said if I'm getting a semi accurate report doesn't meet our standard under the law for a crime for the caller.
The radio station might be in trouble with our outdated reactionary regulator, but that is another fight.
Proculation @ Fri Nov 23, 2012 5:24 pm
Xort Xort:
martin14 martin14:
See now this is the thing the HRC should be getting involved in. Have the caller charged with hate speech.
The hell for? Saying something bad that happening to a people is good isn't hate speech, more given the context of someone that had close relations to people that are victims of that group.
But to directly reply to your comment, let me quote from the link:
$1:
“You know that in this democratic country,” Fabi responds, “you can’t ever say anything offensive toward Israelis, because it could cost you dearly…you can’t ever have negative views of any nature toward the Jewish people, or there will be serious consequences. That’s how it is.”
Funny eh?
But another quote:
$1:
“I find it very annoying that I’m not allowed to comment at times,” Fabi said. “In Montreal, there is an important Jewish population…you always have to wear white gloves with this beautiful Jewish population.”
Jews are not the only group that takes offense at many things and need to be treated with extra care.
~
I don't think saying that something bad happening to a group of people you don't like is good, is a hate crime or even a normal crime. And I don't think it should be.
Would you charge a Korean for saying Japan getting nuked was good? How about a Ukrainian saying Russians that died in politcal camps was just what they needed?
I don't think we can or should have laws saying be nice to each other. And what was said if I'm getting a semi accurate report doesn't meet our standard under the law for a crime for the caller.
The radio station might be in trouble with our outdated reactionary regulator, but that is another fight.
eeeh.. Jews were not enemies/attackers during WWII. They were targeted because they were Jews. Your examples have nothing to do with what she said.
PluggyRug @ Fri Nov 23, 2012 7:49 pm
Xort Xort:
Would you charge a Korean for saying Japan getting nuked was good? How about a Ukrainian saying Russians that died in politcal camps was just what they needed?
With those comments, you should be running out of straw round about now.
herbie @ Fri Nov 23, 2012 11:35 pm
Everyone knows a teenager who's gone through that phase where they think they can get what they want by being assholes. When they don't get their way they get worse and worse, taking it to incredible levels hoping the adults will give up and give in.
Well sometimes a certain group seems that way, I won't identify which other than to say "Izzra Eelies" seems to be part of their vocabulary.
PostFactum @ Sat Nov 24, 2012 6:07 am
Let's be honest, people who think good are always in bad relations with others. Jews are the nation that thinks very good. Formula is easy, you think good = you have good quality of life. It's some kind of aggression to someone who is smarter than you. And fools, everyone like fools, it's easy to rule them, they are funny and no trouble with them. Holocaust is an instrument to make a lot of fools.
dino_bobba_renno @ Sat Nov 24, 2012 6:23 am
Quebec as a whole seems to be a bit xenophobic but I wouldn't paint all Quebecers with the anti-semite brush because of one talk show host. I am kind of surprised that no one called this guy on his remarks though.
Xort @ Sun Nov 25, 2012 5:47 pm
Proculation Proculation:
eeeh.. Jews were not enemies/attackers during WWII. They were targeted because they were Jews. Your examples have nothing to do with what she said.
The caller don't mind that something bad happened to the Jews, because of what the caller thinks of the Jews today.
How does that have nothing to do with what was said?
That's the whole point. Something bad happened to a group I don't like, so I'm glad that bad thing happened.
Not a hate crime, and not something we need to censor from our radio.
Proculation @ Sun Nov 25, 2012 7:45 pm
Xort Xort:
Proculation Proculation:
eeeh.. Jews were not enemies/attackers during WWII. They were targeted because they were Jews. Your examples have nothing to do with what she said.
The caller don't mind that something bad happened to the Jews, because of what the caller thinks of the Jews today.
How does that have nothing to do with what was said?
That's the whole point. Something bad happened to a group I don't like, so I'm glad that bad thing happened.
Not a hate crime, and not something we need to censor from our radio.
The host didn't commit a hate crime. But he violated public diffusion norms and he deserves his suspension. As for 'Maria', I think she has to do more propaganda like that to be accused of hate crime.
However, you seem to have something against Jews yourself. Wanna talk about it ? It's not sane to have such hate in yourself.
herbie @ Sun Nov 25, 2012 7:55 pm
I used to think there was no need for hate laws and the like. The Holocaust was history, it would never happen again.
Except it did. And then it happened in Yugoslavia, right in fucking Europe in a country liberated from the Nazis.
Civilization is only skin deep in too many of us.
martin14 @ Sun Nov 25, 2012 11:03 pm
Xort Xort:
Something bad happened to a group I don't like, so I'm glad that bad thing happened.
No surprise..
andyt @ Sun Nov 25, 2012 11:29 pm
martin14 martin14:
Xort Xort:
Something bad happened to a group I don't like, so I'm glad that bad thing happened.
No surprise..
Nope. Only people who are on the side of the angels get to say that.
Xort @ Mon Nov 26, 2012 5:00 pm
Proculation Proculation:
The host didn't commit a hate crime.
martin14 thinks the caller commited a hate crime. I don't think the caller did.$1:
But he violated public diffusion norms and he deserves his suspension.
I don't agree.$1:
As for 'Maria', I think she has to do more propaganda like that to be accused of hate crime.
Tell it to martin14$1:
However, you seem to have something against Jews yourself. Wanna talk about it ? It's not sane to have such hate in yourself.
I don't hate very much. Mostly I'm just sad about the state of things.
Jews are a religion doesn't greatly upset me more than most other religions. Jews as a political orginization with their own motivations and goals, don't greatly upset me more than most other intrest groups, like enviromentalists or NIMBY groups. Jews as a self identifying group that don't upset me more than most other groups that refuse to intergrate, like natives or French Canadians.
Can't say I have anything more against Jews than lost of other groups that I find annoying.