Omg! - Will Someone Please Tell Harper He Sounds Awful?!?

[Mitch Cronin]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/draft-harper-serenades-netanyahu/article16444477/

.... and this on the same day Jimi Kimmel thanked Canada for Rob Ford... "almost makes up for Justin Bieber!" he said.

Have we become the world's joke?

[blues deville]

Speechless. Hey Jude? Really?

I would have opened with Adam Sandler's Hanukkah song instead.

[Mizar]

I think Harper should spend more time in his day job. It would be better for all of us.

[mo32a]

Geez, it's too bad all of you were forced to listen to the PM sing.

[Mitch Cronin]

Geez, it's too bad all of you were forced to listen to the PM sing.

Sadly, it was many more than 'all of us'.... He did that on what was, essentially, an international stage.

Canada.... where the Prime Minister is an egocentric, power hungry doofus, and the Mayor of their biggest city is a crackheaded, drunken, bad-boy wannabe. .... how low have we sunk I wonder, in terms of international esteem, from these two clods?

[FireFox]

Sadly, it was many more than 'all of us'.... He did that on what was, essentially, an international stage.

I highly doubt many "intelligent" people are judging our Prime Minister on how he sings.

Geez...maybe we should elect Neil Young for PM?

[Mizar]

Canada.... where the Prime Minister is an egocentric, power hungry doofus, and the Mayor of their biggest city is a crackheaded, drunken, bad-boy wannabe. .... how low have we sunk I wonder, in terms of international esteem, from these two clods?

If you honestly think that our international esteem has sunk by our Prime Minister singing poorly(and it is obvious that your political bias is the real reason you use an insulting term for him), you really are the clod.

[FireFox]

If you honestly think that our international esteem has sunk by our Prime Minister singing poorly(and it is obvious that your political bias is the real reason you use an insulting term for him), you really are the clod.

Hey Mizar....maybe Celine Dion would make a good PM. After all, don't she sing purdy.

[Mitch Cronin]

If you honestly think that our international esteem has sunk by our Prime Minister singing poorly(and it is obvious that your political bias is the real reason you use an insulting term for him), you really are the clod.

Whaaa, whaaa... Insults! ....

Geez...maybe we should elect Neil Young for PM?

Yikes!!!! Please no!!!

Ok, UNCLE! Sorry I said anything! Honest, I'll shut up now, just PLEASE don't even JOKE about such a thing!

[Mizar]

Have we become the world's joke?

Canada.... where the Prime Minister is an egocentric, power hungry doofus

how low have we sunk I wonder, in terms of international esteem, from these two clods?

Whaaa, whaaa... Insults! ....

Yikes!!!! Please no!!!

Winston Churchill quote - The best argument against democracy is a five-minute talk with the average voter.

I see what he means.

[Mitch Cronin]

Denied access Guest quote: Whaaa, whaaa, insults, insults. Lookit how these un-intelligent, infantile scallywags insult me!

I still think he was a little thin-skinned, and far too arrogant, but I always wondered if he could learn to behave in a civil manner?

....But I digress.... Sorry, what were you saying? Did it have something to do with the topic?

[Mizar]

See my previous post of (Winston Churchill quote - The best argument against democracy is a five-minute talk with the average voter.)

I will let the readers of this thread decide if the above and below posts fit the bill.

.

[Mitch Cronin]

sigh...

[Maverick]

See my previous post of (Winston Churchill quote - The best argument against democracy is a five-minute talk with the average voter.)

I will let the readers of this thread decide if the above and below posts fit the bill.

.

You really think quite highly of yourself don't you?

[dagger]

I'm more ashamed that Harper kissed up to an Israeli Prime Minister who couldn't be elected dog catcher if a vote were held tomorrow. Israeli public opinion is far more diversified and nuanced than our prime minister would have us believe.

[Mizar]

I think the admiration is for the Israeli idea rather than the leader himself. Harper has made it clear. The only significant people of the Middle East who come anywhere close the the ideals of a democracy for themselves based on freedom, justice, and human rights are the Jews of Israel. It is a place where you can freely mock the leaders, criticize religion, be openly gay, have an independent judiciary, be free of endless corruption, work hard to create a modern society.

It is surrounded by people of which a large percentage will jail those who criticize leaders, are full of corruption, torture their opponents, kill in the name of religion, dance on Sep 11, stifle free speech, destroy religious locations of other believers, and dont have much time for democracy and have created a third world society.

As one goes further and further left in the political spectrum in the west, we see greater and greater support for the latter group(which has fewer and fewer peaceful countries left). Why on earth a significant portion of the further left wing in the west has chosen to favour the latter is beyond belief. Especially when you consider that they would be one of the first groups persecuted in this society for the ideas they hold dear. Think about it for a second. Why would anybody support the rest of the Middle East inhabitants strong desire to destroy Israel and be so upset about what they call an apartheid state, yet they are silent about the atrocities in the rest of the Middle East.

I still remember the BC Green party candidate that said he felt like pumping his fist in the air when he saw the Twin Towers collapse. Harper has chosen to show his support elsewhere. We should be proud.

As for the statement in the post above that Israeli public opinion is far more diversified and nuanced than our prime minister would have us believe.

This reality of diversified opinion and the right they have to freely express it without fear is what our PM is standing up for. The fact that many cant figure that out is bizarre.

Green party story

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story.html?id=f6edd8aa-0739-4197-b4c4-67a170f45a3c

Palestinians dance 9-11 below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRA0NKQ0k6E

[UpperDeck]

In the latest edition of The Economist in a Sharon obituary, it was noted that as the commander of Unit 101, Ariel Sharon led the massacre of "scores of women and children in the village of Qibya" which was located in Jordan.

In response, Israel ordered that he focus more on military targets.

The US "briefly suspended aid."

That's it. That was the consequence of the massacre of scores of women and children.

Israel has simply ignored its international obligations (and agreements) and has engaged in a repeated pattern of conduct that violates the rights--flagrantly violates the human rights---of others.

But according to Stephen Harper, allying oneself with THE VAST MAJORITY of countries that fault Israel for this conduct is reason to be labelled anti-semitic. By that term, Harper presumably intended its common usage;"prejudice, hatred of, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage."

In brief, according to Harper, any criticism of Israel constitutes criticism of adherents of the Jewish faith. But that is simply irrational!! There is a significant percentage of Jews both within Israel as well as the diaspora who do not agree with the current policies of Israel and of its government. Are they also anti-semitic---self-hating Jews?

Canadians must be able to speak up---to be heard---without fear that they will be tarred and feathered by the use of epithets condoned by the Prime Minister.

I regret the passage of that period when Canada's voice within the international community was heard as a voice of reason measured by justice and humanity. When Canada "scolded", it did so because the facts so warranted and not because it took exception to an ideology as a matter of "principle". The same country that was criticized one day might well be praised the next---when the facts merited such praise. Is there no Lester B. in the political wings?

I regret that Stephen Harper has diminished Canada and has endangered Canadians by his unquestioning and uncritical public adoration of Israel.

I do not know whether there is truth to this "story" or how much of it is accurate, but I am told and have read that evangelical Christians fervently believe that Israel is vital to their realization of the hereafter. The following is extracted from a column in Beliefnet.com";

"There have been many recent media reports of this "strange bedfellows" relationship between Jews--here and in Israel--and the conservative Christians who love them, especially since the relationship seems to be influencing government policy. Some have explained it as a result of the declining dependence on Arab oil, which meant leaders here needn't be as allied with Arab countries. Others suggest that after Sept. 11, Americans felt an immediate, gut-wrenching identification with Israelis, who have lived with the Muslim militant threat for decades.

But the least understood, and probably most important, reason has been missed by most secular analysts. Evangelicals support Israel because of biblical prophecy, including passages that tie the survival of Israel to the Second Coming of Jesus.

According to their reading of the Bible, God established a covenant with Abraham in the Book of Genesis. Essentially, says Beliefnet columnist Richard Land, a Southern Baptist leader with close ties to the Bush Administration, evangelicals support Israel because they believe "God blesses those that bless the Jews and curses those who curse the Jews. Consequently, we believe America needs to bless the Jews and Israel, because if we bless the Jews and support Israel, God blesses us. And if we don't, God curses us."

But it goes beyond that. The establishment--and continuation--of the State of Israel is essential to set the stage for the imminent return of Jesus. At the time of the Second Coming, these Christians believe, Jesus will descend from heaven, subdue all of Israel's enemies and take believers to heaven in what is known as the Rapture--literally, they will ascend to the clouds to be in heaven. This series of events ushers in the end-times. According to conservative Christians' reading of the Book of Revelation, this won't happen unless Israel exists in the Holy Land."

And Stephen Harper is an evangelical Christian.

Once upon a time, Americans feared the election of a Catholic President because it was assumed that foreign policy would be dictated by Rome. That fear was unjustified. All accepted that religion had no role in the governance of the United States. More recently, Mitt Romney was at pains to assure voters that his Mormon faith would not guide his political decisions.

Where is the concern here in Canada that our foreign (and domestic) policy is being dictated not by the best interests of Canada but by reason of dogmatic adherence to a religious belief? And in Canada, we don't have the safety net of any legislative body to protect us from the foibles of our "leader".

[Mizar]

Upper Deck,

Unfortunately war has been characterized by massacres. Many said we did the same bombing German cities. This is all in the distant past. That doesn't mean it should be forgotten or covered up but is hardly part of the argument of the freedoms of one country versus the surrounding states. Massacres have also happened by the British, French, Americans, Russians, Japanese, etc in the last century. Many of which have seen little justice.

If Israel is so terrible, perhaps you should ask yourself who the luckiest Syrians are in the Middle East. They are the ones under Israeli rule in the Golan Heights. I wonder how many of them are trying to get back under Syrian rule.

Taking a quote from some religious website to justify your argument hardly adds credibility. Perhaps you should try an experiment. Go to Israel and walk around the downtown of their capital with a sign calling for the removal of their leader and see what happens. Then choose an Arab capital at random and go there and try the same. Let us know what happens. Try the same with a sign criticizing the state religion. Or just state that you are openly gay in the two capitals and act that way.

[UpperDeck]

Mizar...

Somewhat ironic, I think, for you to suggest that references to authority are of less value than actual experience.

Based on that theory, you should attempt a takeoff with contaminated wings on both a slatted and non-slatted aircraft and then report your findings. Unfortunately, you are unlikely to survive the first effort.

More to the point, my comment was not about "relative freedoms". Surely you must appreciate that the amenities enjoyed by a Tel Aviv resident are not in even the most trivial of ways comparable to the life of a typical West-banker Palestinian. A discussion of "freedom" when considering their relative circumstances is ludicrous. Carry a sign proselytizing? Are you serious? Is that really how you evaluate the benefits of one regime over another?

My expressed concern was that Israel has engaged and is engaging in inhumane conduct. The "civilized" world agrees that Israel should exist and should be secure. Most of the world also maintains that Palestinians should have their own autonomous country which should similarly be secure. Israel agreed (tentatively) with that combined scenario and then continued its path of "re-construction"---bulldozing Palestinian villages to make way for unauthorized Israeli settlers.

And yet...there is no consequence just as there was no consequence for Unit 101's massacre.

If one attempts to raise a voice in opposition, they are immediately labelled an anti-semitic. If the voice of opposition is too loud, one is at risk of being characterized as a holocaust denier.

None of that makes any sense but it has been an incredibly effective means of silencing dissent.

And now the Prime Minister of Canada has engaged in identical behavior possibly (emphasize "possibly") because of his personal religious beliefs.

That, Mizar, is the issue for discussion and debate.....not whether one can carry a sign in Iran denouncing the prophet.

[Mizar]

In Israel it appears that there can be attempts to silence dissent by using the label of anti-semetism as you say. In the rest of the Arab world it is torture and death. I know whose side I am on and it isn't that of those who when are not trying to kill us are busy killing each other. I am quite happy with Israel in the Golan and controlling the west Bank. We have seen what happens when a gesture of goodwill is made and the Gaza is returned to the Palestinians.

Why don't you take your concerns of the unit 101 massacre to an Israeli newspaper. There are actually quite activist groups in that country that are very outspoken in their opposition to present government policy. I think you will get a lot more traction than you ever would have for say, what Syria did about 25 years ago in the city of Hama when there was an uprising.

Google it. You might discover that there have been many similar events all around that area. At least in one country you can discuss it openly. That is why Harper supports the Israeli idea. And he hmself said criticism of I

One last thing. Ever wonder why when it came to the intifada and attacks on Israel that none or almost none came from Israeli-Arabs. Because they abhor the idea of living under Palestinian rule. They know what the Gaza is like and what the west bank would be like. Like the rest of the Arab world of course. So when you mention about a West Banker not being treated like an inhabitant of Tel Aviv, you are correct. But they are treated much better than they likely would be under Arab authority. From Iraq to Syria to Libya to where Egypt is heading to Algeria to Saudi Arabia to Yemen to Sudan to Chad to Mali and Gaza itself. At least 50% of the Arab world are in or near a state of chaos(all the fault of the west or Israel of course). And the rest will probably follow at some point unless the totalitarian leaders can stay in charge of their police states.Of course, Israel is not in the West Bank to help the Arabs. They just know the end result of giving the land back. Just look at the past and present.

Of course, in many dark corners, it is still with us. But, in much of the Western world, the old hatred has been translated into more sophisticated language for use in polite society.

People who would never say they hate and blame the Jews for their own failings or the problems of the world, instead declare their hatred of Israel and blame the only Jewish state for the problems of the Middle East. As once Jewish businesses were boycotted, some civil-society leaders today call for a boycott of Israel.

On some campuses, intellectualized arguments against Israeli policies thinly mask the underlying realities, such as the shunning of Israeli academics and the harassment of Jewish students. Most disgracefully of all, some openly call Israel an apartheid state.

Think about that.

Further

Of course, criticism of Israeli government policy is not in and of itself necessarily anti-Semitic. But what else can we call criticism that selectively condemns only the Jewish state and effectively denies its right to defend itself while systematically ignoring – or excusing – the violence and oppression all around it?

Stephen Harper 2014