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| kliege Location: Calgary Gender: Unknown
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 Posted: 06/ 09/ 04 5:41 am Post subject: NDP has Racist and Ant-Semite has Candidate |
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| Quote: | 'I wish I could take those words back'
DOUG BEAZLEY, EDMONTON SUN
Malcolm Azania, New Democrat candidate in Edmonton-Strathcona, penned an Internet essay that characterizes white people in general - and many Jews in particular - as "white supremacists." "Whites will, consciously or unconsciously, continue to defend and extend Whitesupremacy (sic), either by action or inaction," wrote Azania in the 1994 newsgroup posting.
Titled "Jews: Enemies? Friends?" the essay touches on the role played by Jews in civil rights and on Holocaust history.
"The group that is defined as 'Jews' in the United States is most notable for their relations to us ... in that they are WHITE," Azania wrote.
"Although they are low on the White social ladder, and of various states on the White economic ladder, they are well-placed on the White media and academic ladders.
"What's clear is that a great many of them are (in aggregate terms of their actions) Whitesupremacists.
"For us to exonerate (Jews) as a group because they have been persecuted by their fellow Whites seems to me short-sighted. Worse still, I think many of them use their exploitation/slaughter by other Whites to make us believe they understand us and sympathize with us better than do other Whites."
Contacted by the Sun yesterday, Azania was quick to repudiate the opinions he expressed 10 years ago.
"I am very sorry that I said these things," he said. "It was wrong of me, first of all, to make so little of one of the greatest crimes of the 20th century.
"I wish I could take those words back. I have Jewish friends ... my mother is white. I can't express how sorry I am."
That wasn't enough for Azania's opponents. Liberal candidate Debby Carlson called the essay "appalling" and called for Azania's withdrawal from the race.
"These statements are absolutely racist... I'm surprised the New Democrats let him run as a candidate," she said.
"Saying that he was young when he wrote it, that doesn't cut it for me. Why didn't he tell people about this up front? I think people in the riding will be shocked."
Conservative incumbent Rahim Jaffer - whose family is Indian African - called Azania's statements "outrageous."
"Anyone who holds these views - I've got to ask whether they've got any business running for public office," he said.
"I think this is something the New Democrats should look at very carefully. Malcolm's always talking about equality, but this kind of rhetoric just divides people."
Azania said he wrote the essay during a "brief period of political foolishness" when he was wholly focused on anti-black racism.
"I don't think I had the appropriate level of perspective," he said. "Growing up here, I had to face some racial discrimination and it made me angry.
"But I was dead wrong in what I wrote." |
Call your local newspapers and Television networks and tell them to report this and ask jack Layton if he agrees or disagrees with this bigot.
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Ethan Marriott |
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 Muddy
Joined: 16 Jun 2003 Total posts: 7285 Location: Halton Hills Gender: Unknown
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| Posted: 06/ 09/ 04 6:49 am Post subject: |
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Disgusting. What a terrible thing to write. He sounds like a kid to me that was so wrapped up in his own world he lost his true perspective of life and what he wanted. I think he is truely sorry. He was just a kid . Leave him alone. Don`t vote for him! But leave him alone.
I know ! I know ! I am not ruthless enough after how our opponents treat us the way they do.
This is why perhaps I was a failure in politics? |
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RedDog
Location: High Plains Gender: Male
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| Posted: 06/ 09/ 04 7:52 am Post subject: |
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This is a significant story in Edmonton-Strathcona. Many people recall Rahim Jaffer's having an assistant impersonate him on a radio talk show so he could tend to other things. This will be the first opportunity to send him a message since that gaff.
In turn, Malcolm Aznia has been getting a lot of press with his dapper manner and beaming smile, and has, until now appeared polished as peach.
Also recall that Strathcona is the off-the-wall, trendy campus district who routinely sends one of only two ND's to the Alberta legislature.
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MORE ALBERTA.  Less Ottawa.
Opinions expressed by RedDog on Free Dominion are those of RedDog alone and are in no way intended to represent the views of Free Dominion, its principals or moderators.
"If it wasn''t for pizza and other fine Italian foods there would be no happiness" John Goodman |
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| The Valley Squire Joined: 30 Mar 2004 Total posts: 109 Location: Ottawa Valley, Eastern Ontario Gender: Unknown
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| Posted: 06/ 09/ 04 7:53 am Post subject: |
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I don't want to come across as a bleading-heart liberal but if Malcolm Azania has apologized for what he wrote ten years ago and claims he no longer holds these repugnant beliefs then we should let this issue go. The kind of swill he wrote is all-too-common and can be overheard on just about any university campus in the country. Many people who are interested in politics are attracted to extreme positions in their youth but later moderate their views and become useful members of society or members of the NDP. 
I'm not running for public office but, frankly, I still wouldn't want to held responsible today for everything I did, said, or believed while at school although 'Renounce Your White Privilege' week at Carleton University always made me very angry. 
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"You do not reason a man out of something he was not reasoned into." Jonathan Swift |
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| _Patrick_ Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Gender: Male
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| Posted: 06/ 09/ 04 7:58 am Post subject: |
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| Muddy wrote: | Disgusting. What a terrible thing to write. He sounds like a kid to me that was so wrapped up in his own world he lost his true perspective of life and what he wanted. I think he is truely sorry. He was just a kid . Leave him alone. Don`t vote for him! But leave him alone.
I know ! I know ! I am not ruthless enough after how our opponents treat us the way they do.
This is why perhaps I was a failure in politics? |
I agree with Muddy. It may seem like an opportunity for the Conservatives but it will likely backfire. What will the Conservatives say when the NDP drag out all the accusations against Reform, Alliance and PCs from the past?
Besides, it's time we stopped behaving like Liberals.
Forgive and forget, I say. It's not like he stole an expensive piece of jewelry. He just shot his mouth off. He also apologized and said he regretted the comment. Who here hasn’t written something they later wished they hadn’t?
Let’s rise above this cheap muckraking
Keep your standards high! |
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| shiva Joined: 13 Oct 2003 Total posts: 4416 Gender: Female
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| Posted: 06/ 09/ 04 8:22 am Post subject: Re: NDP has Racist and Ant-Semite has Candidate |
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| Quote: | | That wasn't enough for Azania's opponents. Liberal candidate Debby Carlson called the essay "appalling" and called for Azania's withdrawal from the race. |
I have to agree that comments made when he was young and angry, should be considered and certainly he needs to prove that he no longer holds these views but they should not automatically disqualify him from running. As others have said, people change. There's no doubt in my mind that people who knew me when I was young would barely recognize who I am now. People who have open hearts and minds change once they get a little experience of the world in them. But to call for his withdrawal from the race? How typical of the Liberals to go to the extreme with an opportunity like this. They are simply political opportunists who lack class and would throw away sense for sensation every time. I much prefer Rahim's comments. To say the views that were expressed were outrageous is true and a fair comment. To say that the NDP needs to consider his candidacy carefully is also sensible and worthy of note. If then the NDP have determined that he is not the same person who made those comments, and feel the person he is now is worthy of running for their party, then he should be allowed to run. People can make their own judgement and if he still holds these views it would become apparent. Now, let's see if another 10 years of living turns him into a conservative.  |
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| denisgrey Joined: 05 Jun 2004 Total posts: 61 Gender: Unknown
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| Posted: 06/ 09/ 04 10:32 am Post subject: |
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If you're going to hold what people said or did in their youth against them you should take a closer look at Anne Cools' history. She was sentenced to three months in jail for her role in the riot at Sir George Williams University in 1969.
But I guess you can forgive youthful actions if the person becomes a conservative later on, eh?  |
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| The Valley Squire Joined: 30 Mar 2004 Total posts: 109 Location: Ottawa Valley, Eastern Ontario Gender: Unknown
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| Posted: 06/ 09/ 04 10:46 am Post subject: |
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The NDP probably knew that Monia Mazigh's religious beliefs contradict party policy but were desparate for a candidate with name recognition. They are pandering to the large number of Muslims in the riding of Ottawa South.
My folks were so outraged by her selection as a candidate that they swore not to vote for Ed Broadbent in Ottawa Centre. No one whose status as a security risk (or spouse of a potential security risk) is still in question should be chosen as a candidate for parliament.
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"You do not reason a man out of something he was not reasoned into." Jonathan Swift |
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| black jacques shellack Joined: 24 Nov 2001 Total posts: 1816 Gender: Unknown
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| Posted: 06/ 09/ 04 11:12 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | 'Renounce Your White Privilege' week at Carleton University always made me very angry. |
So, let me see if I've got it straight about how things work here in Canada. An essay about Jews being part of the white supremacy problem is an outrage. But universities can openly target whites in general.
This country has becomemore racist than it cares to admit under divisive liberal ideology. |
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| The Valley Squire Joined: 30 Mar 2004 Total posts: 109 Location: Ottawa Valley, Eastern Ontario Gender: Unknown
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| Posted: 06/ 09/ 04 11:39 am Post subject: |
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I wasn't saying I agreed with 'Renounce Your White Privilege' week at Carleton. I meant to convey that despite holding some left-wing views about the legitimacy of using state power for propping up the media and cultural elite in Canada, I always thought an attack on white people as an ethic group was wrong and verging on communist-like excess.
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"You do not reason a man out of something he was not reasoned into." Jonathan Swift |
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GratianGasparri
Gender: Unknown
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| Posted: 06/ 09/ 04 11:52 am Post subject: |
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Look, the NDP guy was a college student at the time, and ten years' later he has openly and unequivocally renounced his former views and apologized. I agree that he deserves a pass. In fact, I think it would show good statesmanship (and in a tight race I think we could attract more voters from the NDP) if our CPC incumbent issued a new statement stating that the NDP guys former views are reprehensible and cannot be condoned, however, he feels the NDP guy has matured since then, has apologized in good faith, and we should move on to the issues.
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Grand Inquisitor of the Shadowy Group[TM]
Author of "Me!" - Free Dominion''s 1,000,000th post. |
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| Davide Joined: 07 Dec 2003 Total posts: 716 Location: Edmonton Gender: Unknown
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| Posted: 06/ 09/ 04 11:55 am Post subject: |
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I can see the media taking issue with him though. He is heavily promoting an anti-racist platform, while being ...... (admittedly in the past).
It's sort of similar to Jack Ramsey a few years back. And his situation went back 20 something years.
Live by the sword, die by the sword.
And its a shame, he's a great guy. He lectured at my childrens school about racism several years ago (non partisan) and the kids were really motivated by him.
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Albertans know that one, and only one, acceptable regional prejudice exists in this country. - Colby Cosh. |
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