Who are these people?

istockphoto-Eric Simmard

This is an article forwarded to me by someone and was written by M. Proctor based in Washington DC about the growing fear of political correctness taken to extremes. Regular readers of my posts will note that I am largely opposed to political views being espoused in this forum, and recognise this to be a slight departure. But upon reading the following article I was amazed at the result and with the growing confusion I have about where we as a society are headed if we allow such silliness to continue, I chose to share it here. I am not a gay activist by any stretch of the imagination, nor do I espouse such a practice, that said, I do have friends that are gay and accept them as friends, without condemning their lifestyle. I am not of the same faith of the minister mentioned either, yet I feel to share this article to share the disbelief I have in some decisions that are made on behalf of society's "greater good"!? I have quoted the article verbatim and performed no editorial discretion whatsoever.

In a world being smothered in political correctness, you can no longer take freedom for granted. "The price of liberty is eternal vigilance," and here is a story that indicates why that truth rings and just how fragile freedom can be.
A Christian pastor in Canada has just been sentenced by the Alberta Human Rights Commission (HRC) to silence and to essentially renounce key elements of his faith. The case began in 2002 when Canada was debating adopting same-sex marriage and the Rev. Stephen Boissoin published letters to the editor in his local newspaper the Red Deer Advocate opposing counterfeit marriage and the indoctrination of school children with homosexuality.

Professor Darren Lund, a gay-rights activist, read Boissoin's editorials and filed a complaint with the Commission, that, in turn, appointed a tribunal to investigate. Last November, just for publishing his ideas in a newspaper, Boissoin was found guilty of discrimination and last week he was sentenced by Lori Andreachuk, an unelected burueaucrat to "cease publishing in newspapers, by email, on the radio, in public speeches, or on the Internet, in future, disparaging remarks about gays and homosexuals." This oppressive edict covers across the waterfront of expression from sermons to private emails. Notice, too, Boissoin's gag order is not for doing anything illegal, but only for offering political and moral opinions the Commission found negative.

As if this were not despotic enough, Boissoin has been ordered to offer an apology and pay a fine of $5,000 to Lund, whom the Commission acknowledges was not a victim in the case.

According to Peter Vere of the Catholic Exchange, "In essence, the Alberta Human Rights Tribunal is ordering the minister to renounce his Christian faith, since his opposition to homosexuality is based upon the Judeo-Christian Bible."

Ezra Levant, who is also under scrutiny for his cartoons on Mohammed, noted, ""[Boissoin] has to publicly humiliate himself, by publicly declaring his contrition--a contrition he does not feel--and his abandonment of his deeply-held religious beliefs... Other than tribunals in Stalin's Soviet Union and Mao's China, where is this Orwellian 'order' considered to be justice?"

"This is like a Third World jail-house confession - where accused criminals are forced to sign false statements of guilt. We don't even 'order' murderers to apologize to their victims' families. Because we know that a forced apology is meaningless. But not if your point is to degrade Christian pastors."

The title of the post was taken from a song I love by Burt Bacharach written about the Bush White House and I feel equally applies here.

Who Are These People?

Lyrics by Burt Bacharach and Tonio K.

Who are these people that keep telling us lies
And how did these people get control of our lives
And who’ll stop the violence cause it’s out of control?
Make em stop


Who are these people that destroy everything
And sell off the future for whatever it brings
And what kind of leaders can’t admit when they’re wrong?
Make em stop


This stupid mess we’re in just keeps getting worse
So many people dying needlessly
Looks like the liars may inherit the earth
Even pretending to pray
And getting away with it


Who are these people that keep telling us lies
And how did these people get control of our lives
And who’ll stop the violence cause it’s out of control?
We’ve got to make them stop


Who are these people that keep telling us lies
And how did these people get control of our lives
and who’ll stop the violence cause it’s out of control?
Make em stop


See things really have to change
Before it’s too late