Sunday, January 28, 2007

The only argument they'll understand.


Reading the comments section at most right-wing Canadian blogs is normally a trying experience which makes you think you should disinfect your keyboard when you're through or something.

Case in point is some of the feedback over here, where the news that Maher Arar is getting $10.5 million in compensation from the Government of Canada inspired your typical conservative compassion:

Arar was deported from another country and allegedly tortured by his fellow Syrian citizens. While members of the RCMP could be fired from their jobs and sued, Canadian taxpayers owe him nothing.

Now that's an interesting observation, as it suggests a whole new approach to dialogue with some of these cementheads:

You: "He's a Canadian citizen and he was handed over to American authorities!"
Wanker: "Yeah? So?"
You: "The evidence against him was totally and utterly fabricated!"
Wanker: "Uh huh."
You: "He was sent to Syria where he was tortured for ten months!"
Wanker: "Oh, yawn. Whatever."
You: "Uh ... he's getting ten million in compensation of taxpayer money."
Wanker: "What? Are you fucking serious? That's outrageous! This bad craziness has got to stop! We have to make damned sure this never happens again!"

If all else fails, just appeal to their pocketbooks. It's really the only argument they understand.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

From my own rantings about Arar:

For those who believe in the power of due process, and the importance of civil liberties in a democratic society, the Arar case is a poster child for all of the things that can go awry when we allow our lawmakers and enforcement agencies to act out of fear.

Like it or not, we owe it to ourselves to watch the watchers all the more carefully.

catnip said...

I obviously picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue. (That's a movie reference for those of you - and you know you're out there - who want to pick up the 'catnip sniffs glue!!' meme. Google "Airplane!")

Anyway, I'm just not sure how much more of this wingnuttery over Mr Arar's situation I can take. A defender of Kate's sent me to this idiot's ramblings today. My head damn near exploded.