How many ways does the National Post get it wrong?

Exhibit A

The headline: "quandry"? Is that something like a quandary?


Exhibit B

The photo: its caption reads "Anti-abortion protesters attend the March for Life on Jan. 25, 2013 in Washington, DC." 

Were the excitable young Canadian people who staffed the FetusMobile (aka the Whine-a-bago) Gore Tour across Canada last spring not photogenic enough for the National Post's exacting standards of attractiveness?


Exhibit C

The content: facile misdirection, truthiness and glib obfuscations faxed directly from the Fetus Lobby HQ aka MP Maurice Vellacott's office.

One physician, a medical specialist in obstetrics refuted the assumptions made by the three con MPs in their letter to the RCMP.  He asked for anonymity; antiChoice zealots have a history of directing violence against health care professionals who don't share their views.

If newspapers could be charged with committing crimes against journalism, the National Post's lawyers would be very, very wealthy.

"General Mishmash" sez Ezrant - oh noes!

There you go, Canadian journalists.

Consider yourselves MASSIVELY rebuked and chastized by none other than StunTV's Ezra Levant (aka Dame Ezra for his cross-dressing proclivities).

Ezrant seems to believe his own shrieeeking performances and divertissements for Quebecor's Sun media RWNJ are above reproach - though it would seem that it's a matter of public record that most of his claims and statements do not meet the veracity standards of rigorous journalism nor, interestingly enough since he appears to sport some law degree of sorts, those of the court.

But they are exemplary of the manner in which RWNJs present truthiness.

Responses to Ezrant's fictional orientation and diversions can be found here and here.

Update: Susan Delacourt's account of the panel attended by Levant. Kady O'Malley's.

Canadian Cynic observes.

More lies from Contempt Party government.

They LIE.
They lie they lie they lie THEY LIE!

Today our government introduced the Budget Implementation Act II which includes measures to eliminate the Per Vote Party Subsidy. In November 2008, our government committed to ending this tax on voting that will save the Government of Canada around $30 million per year. This move is being heavily criticized by the NDP, who receive most of their funding from large unions and have come to rely on this subsidy for a portion of their annual funding. This disrespect for taxpayers' money is yet another reason why the NDP are not fit to govern.

From here, where Kady O'Malley eviscerates the truthiness of the above agit-prop produced by the Contempt Party's propaganda machine, aka Stevie's Politburo.

"In our country the lie has become not just a moral category but a pillar of the State - Alexander Solzhenitsyn."

Never responsible, always the victim - update.

$arah Palin, of course.

As others quicker off the mark than I these days pointed out, Palin and her sycophants produced this map, as well as reams of political eliminationist discourse directed at ideological opponents.

Palin has a history of evading responsibility for her actions, as well as shirking her obligations. Over and over, she's blamed others for everything that shines a spotlight upon her intellectual laziness, her egotism, the fabrication of her image and her greediness. Couric allegedly ambushed her; though she (and family members) preened in clothing and luxury items bought by the Republican party during the presidential campaign she refused to wear the issue; she abandoned her job as Governor of Alaska to pursue lucrative proposals yet said it was the media's fault she quit, etc. etc. etc.

Some political observers think Palin's bid for the presidency will be damaged by the Tucson carnage, others believe she'll bounce back.

Andrew Sullivan:

"There is no way to understand the politics of this without Palin. She has long been the leader of the movement that drapes itself in military garb, that marinates in violent rhetoric, that worships gun culture, that has particular ferocity in the state of Arizona, and that never ever apologises for anything." He adds: "My hope is that this horrifying momentary conflation of politics, guns and mental illness will lead responsible figures on the right to eschew the path of Palin."

David Frum:

[...] Palin's response – condolences to the victims and a simple denial of any responsibility – was perfectly fair in reply to opponents who suggested the crosshairs contributed to the shooting. But if she wanted to be a leader, she had to go beyond that, he said. He called on her to express real grief and sincere compassion, be visible, engage in the debate, and challenge opponents [...] "Palin is splashed by that history [the build-up to the Tucson incident] and the challenge is to find something big and generous to speak of in a larger way. So far, she has opted not to do so."

Expect the usual whining from Palin and her die-hard supporters. It will be difficult for Palin to spin that she is - not Gabrielle Giffords and the citizens killed or injured by the shooting - the "real" victim of this tragedy. Nonetheless she'll exploit her own brand of truthiness in her favour.

And also, go read Dr Dawg, Audrey II, Buckdog and Simon.

Update: Palin responds, not as Frum suggested, but in her habitual 'Pit Bull with Lipstick' attack form. Republican Jewish leaders choose to remain silent on Palin's opportunistic appropriation of the term "blood libel".

Grand merci to Jymm.

Of ignorance and truthiness ...

First, those darn funny Republicans.

Exhibit 1: Barbara Bush claims that fetus-in-a-jar that George W remembers was not hers. It was the housekeeper's.

George W. Bush had written in Decision Points that his mother had showed him the dead fetus of a potential brother or sister when he was a teenager, and that the incident had helped implant in his mind the belief that abortion was fundamentally wrong.

So if that was a "potential brother or sister" of Dubya, who's his real mother? (We know who's his daddy - the ressemblance is frightening.)

Exhibit 2: Palin accuses the media of picking on her - again.

[...] Sarah Palin found time to lash out at her political foes - in this case the media for blowing out of proportion her gaffe on the Korean crisis. [...]

Of the media reports that followed her little mix-up, she said, "Obviously, I would have been even more impressed if the media showed some consistency on this issue. Unfortunately, it seems they couldn't resist the temptation to turn a simple one word slip-of-the-tongue of mine into a major political headline." And for her part, Palin couldn't resist firing back.

As this political observer notes out, the specific gaffe is not the point, it's Palin's proud, happy-as-a-pig-in-shit ignorance that's the problem.

Oh. And also. Too.

Exhibit 3: Pope Maledict and the Vatican Taliban now claim condom use by men during "not-normal sex" to prevent HIV transmission is OK.

Renowned moral theologian Janet Smith makes an analogy in her essay on the current controversy. “If someone was going to rob a bank and was determined to use a gun, it would better for that person to use a gun that had no bullets in it. It would reduce the likelihood of fatal injuries.”

Once more, the twisty logic demonstrates that catholic dogma and ideology is all about controlling female sexual and reproductive power. Condom use by women to prevent pregnancy and protect themselves from disease is still a CAPITAL sin.

It's Unanimous

Wow. Austin, Texas, really is a progressive place.

Pregnancy centers that don’t offer or refer clients to abortion services or birth control services will now have to say that on signs posted at their facilities, the Austin City Council decided in a unanimous vote this morning.

Austin is now the second city in the US, after Baltimore, to force fetus fetishists to tell the truth.

This is grand. I hope the movement grows and grows. Because the more they complain about having to tell the truth, the more it demonstrates that they really really really don't want to tell the truth.

Again, LifeShite attributes evil, nefarious reasons to the Vicious Abortion Crusaders™ who promoted this 'truth in advertising' requirement.

Abortion advocates promoted the measure because they are upset such centers provide women with abortion alternatives and pregnancy help.

Almost right. Pro-choice people are disgusted with the fact that such centres think it is their right to lie to, manipulate, guilt-trip, and give the runaround to vulnerable women.

Next reason -- again with the besmirching *snort*.

The goal of the ordinance is to besmirch the work the centers do in helping women because they have taken clients away from abortion businesses.

Yeah, because being forced to tell the truth does kinda besmirch one's previous activities.

Cliff, blogger at rusty idols, wonders if Canadian cities should get on the bandwagon. Check out his Facebook group.

Pointless challenge.

Blob Blogging Wingnut must be experiencing post-Xmas grumpiness. Or something. SHE watched a documentary selected for "family viewing" that contained nothing that might challenge HER beliefs. In HER perpetual state of disenchantment, SHE used it to launch an attack on feminism and feminists, replete with the fetid falsehoods SHE keeps regurgitating.


Yet another whining screed where SHE spins HER usual glurge and obfuscation:

"I know that some animal rights types *do* feel some affinity for the unborn; feminists however, feel none. They simply do not care if the baby dies, and will never admit the slightest amount of pity for him. Because they know their movement rests on dehumanizing the unborn, guaranteeing the illusory autonomy they so ravenously crave. I have noticed that feminists rarely challenge me on this point."

Most of the fatuous claims that SHE makes could be challenged, but what would be the point? SHE believes every piece of prevarication, platitude, cliché, truthiness, ideology, dogma, and glurge that SHE posts.

A while back, SHE claimed men were repelled by feminists. That was surprising news for the majority of men who love and admire their feminist mothers, sisters, daughters, spouses, friends, neighbours and colleagues.

Observe what happens when I tweak her text and substitute a few words.

"I know that some fundamentalist religious types *do* feel some affinity for Fetal Support Units; zealots however, feel none. They simply do not care if the *woman* dies, and will never admit the slightest amount of pity for her. Because they know their ideology rests on dehumanizing the female, guaranteeing them the illusory domination they so ravenously crave. I have noticed that zealots rarely challenge me on this point."

Project much, Blob Blogging Wingnut?

Sanity and Decency Winnin' a Little

Yee-haw! Truth in advertising, indeed. For the first time in the US, an elected body has decided to force the manipulative Xian Talibaners at so-called crisis pregnancy centers/centres to stop lying. Bravo, Baltimore!

Sadly, though, they won't have to post signs like this.




And dig the margin by which it passed.

The bill, which passed the council by a 12-3 vote, awaits a decision by Mayor Sheila Dixon, who could sign it, veto it or allow it to become law without her signature. Dixon supports abortion rights but has not indicated whether she backs the plan.

So much for those wacky polls claiming that opinion is swinging towards forced-pregnancy in the USA. Heck, even David Frum calls it the 'pro-life delusion'.

Kudos also to Pro-Choice Maryland and Crisis Pregnancy Center Watch.

And if you missed it, go here to read the testimony of a former CPC volunteer who describes their practice of targetting 'abortion vulnerable' women (i.e. those considering abortion) and ignoring the real needs of poor women who want to continue their pregnancies.

May there be many more such successes.