kimmy

Is this some sort of attempt at parody? Or are you being serious? If I was the sort of person who went around speculating at random that someone might be involved in drugs, I'd suspect you're high right now. -k

Since when do we support taking the law into ones' own hands? The article said that Sheppard caught up to the car ON FOOT. Conceding that Sheppard probably had violent intention is the first candid comment you've made here IMO. People here are arguing that Bryant was wrong for attempting to escape a physical altercation with a younger, stronger, drunk, violent man. -k

There are likely several major reasons why they are leaving, and fear of violence is probably the major one. The official South African government line is that race bears no role in the violence at all, that the criminals are motivated by poverty, not hate. I think it is presumptuous for the government to claim to know what lays in the hearts of criminals. And the explanation that it is greed, not hate, rings somewhat hollow when one considers that the murdered Boer farmers are frequently found not just robbed and killed, but also brutally tortured. One can also look at the violence directed at the immigrants and asylum seekers, who have not much worth stealing but have been targets of violence anyway. -k

He could have taken the license of the vehicle and reported the incident to police. He could have let go when the vehicle was moving much slower. In fact, according to this CTV report, the vehicle was *already moving* when Sheppard grabbed it. Bryant is obviously not blameless in this, but those of you trying to rationalize Sheppard's actions look extremely foolish. -k

I suspect the phrase "African South African" is the product of a Canadian mind who is uncomfortable using the word "black", and figured that if blacks in the United States are "African Americans", then black South Africans must be "African South Africans". I think the alternative explanation is more likely: South Africa has a problem, and they're ashamed to admit it. As I drove home from work tonight I turned on CBC's "As It Happens" and listened with amazement as a CBC reporter "interviewed" a spokesman for the ANC government... that is to say, he allowed the spokesman to speak and refused to ask him a single challenging question. -race isn't relevant, because crime is crime and it doesn't make any difference if the victim is black or white. (except that our refugee claims system considers persecution of many sorts in making a decision.) -the government has unwavering commitment to fighting crime. (if that is the case, they must be incredibly inept at it, as violent crime in South Africa is out of control, even in comparison to South Africa's poorer neighbors.) -most victims of violence in South Africa are black. (this one is true, as anyone who has paid any attention will recall the wave of violence committed by black South Africans against black immigrants to South Africa.) -it is obvious that whites are not persecuted in South Africa, since if whites were persecuted in South Africa they would have all left. (well, out of around 5 million white South Africans, almost almost a million have left in the past decade.) -South Africans of all colors are insulted and offended by this decision because it misrepresents the harmonious relationship of the races in South Africa. (so, if it's so harmonious, why are so many white people leaving?) But the interviewer failed to challenge the ANC spokesman on any of these claims. He was allowed to "whitewash" the issue by presenting half-baked arguments and accusing Canada of racism in making this decision. -k

ha ha, ok. He was leaning on the car talking to the guy, and the guy gets in and starts driving, and the guy doesn't let go because suddenly he realizes that now the car is speeding away and he's too terrified to let go. I'm sorry, but you simply can't come up with a situation where the car is standing still then begins moving and the guy grabbing on somehow didn't have the opportunity to let go. Of course, maybe the car was already moving when Mr Sheppard grabbed onto it, but that doesn't do much to dispel the suggestion that he was some sort of maniac, does it. -k

Right now my one prediction is that the NDP are going to do very poorly. I am of the belief that many traditional Liberals voted NDP as a means of expressing their dismay and disbelief that Stephane Dion was somehow their party's leader. -k {In the interest of not being sued by the former Non Prime Minister, I should mention that my former pet-name for him was simply a whimsical, affectionate nickname, and was never intended to imply that Mr Dion had at any time literally been a lunar module.}

Guilty as charged. I know I shouldn't have done it. But if there was ever a thread that deserved to be derailed onto the native protester dog-crap that infests this forum, this would be that thread. -k

The cyclist killed in an altercation with former Ontario attorney-general Michael Bryant had been drinking and was involved in a confrontation with police earlier in the evening. Easily found on Globe And Mail. why? So he could kick your ass? Why is the onus on Bryant here? He's trying to escape a violent confrontation. I don't think you can blame Bryant for trying to escape from an altercation with a younger, stronger, drunk, violent man. By the way, if a car I was hanging onto started driving away, I would let go of the f--ing car. You think there might be any number of reasonable explanations why he might have been clinging to the car as it started to drive away? Please, name some of them! -k

Report non-humans. Keep this site human. -k {I need to go see this movie.}

Spin? I don't know or care enough about Michael Bryant to attempt to do any spin on his behalf. I don't care about the Ontario Liberals either. My only bias is that of a sane person who sometimes has to deal with crazy people. Someone attempting to gain entry to an occupied vehicle without the occupant's permission is an attacker. Someone attempting to gain entry to a moving vehicle is a maniac. Those are are obvious truths, Oleg, obvious to anybody except perhaps yourself, at least. And on Planet Oleg, it is apparently "spin" and "character assassination" for reporters to note that the attacker was drunk and had already engaged the police in a confrontation earlier that evening. If you do stupid, reckless, dangerous things, you may wind up dead. Attempting to hang onto a moving vehicle is an insanely foolish risk, and Mr Sheppard paid with his life. Had I been in Mr Bryant's situation, I probably would not have stopped either. If some maniac wanted to attack me badly enough to cling to my car while I am driving away, I would certainly not stop and give him the opportunity to do so. The only way I'd have stopped is if I had a can of bear spray in my glove compartment. -k

I assume this is what Oleg is blathering about: http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/689220 Personally, if some maniac attached himself to my car while I was driving, I would assume the person was crazy and that I was under attack. Someone who'd grab onto a moving car is by definition a maniac, and who could imagine what his motivation what his motivation might be? I'm not sure how I'd react in such a situation. -k

Demonstrably false, Watson. Canada's most prominent and vocal Liberals and liberals are in the Toronto area, right there amongst the "immigrant cesspool". -k

Cite for "thousands of acres" being destroyed? "Consulted" is the new code for "give us money or there'll be trouble." And of course it goes without saying that native protesters will make the most of this opportunity to tell the world how horrible Canada has been to them, even though their leaders have sold their cooperation to the organizing committee in exchange for lucrative knick-knack merchandising deals. It is the way of things. -k

I have also lived in major cities from Victoria to Ottawa, and I have had plenty of contact with immigrants and minorities in all of them. You start the thread with this retarded premise that people who don't live in Toronto like immigrants because they don't know immigrants, but when you get called out on how stupid that is, you move the yardsticks and say that people who don't live in Toronto like immigrants because they're not "surrounded and outnumbered". If the new premise is that only people who live in immigrant-dominated areas know immigrants well enough to have an opinion, then it's retarded. As are you. -k

Oh, ok. So nothing should be built in BC? Nothing should ever happen in BC? I'm in BC right now... am I trespassing? Should I GTFO? -k

He may be an ignorant dick, but attempting to characterize his views as Nazi is a disservice to everybody involve. Ok, so seriously: which venues are on native lands? -k

That's just ridiculous. Dion was weaker than a balsa-wood hockey stick. He was weaker than an anorexic kitten. "What could be weaker than Dion?" is some sort of philosophical question, like "how far up is up?" or "what is the sound of one hand clapping?" In the interest of not being sued by the Liberal Party Of Canada, I should state that I am speaking strictly metaphorically and stating an opinion and making no claim of factual evidence. I in no way intend to suggest that Stephane Dion has ever literally attempted to fight an anorexic kitten, nor been actually beaten up by one. -k

This seems like an attempt to deflect an uncomfortable message by attacking the messenger. -k

I think most people who have been here for a while know that I'm not a big fan of multiculturalism in any form beyond tasty food and funny hats. And yet I find myself really annoyed by the presumption of this thread. This is really just another example of "center of the universe" syndrome. The original poster is so ignorant of the rest of the country that he thinks Canada outside of Toronto is Whitebreadland. Mr Canada, do you know why I choose not to live in Toronto? It isn't because of immigrants. It's because I've been to Toronto. I wouldn't live in that crap-hole if you paid me to. -k

What 100% white communities would those be? Where do you imagine people live that they don't have contact with minorities? Surely you can't be so dense as to imagine that Toronto is the only place in the country where white people come into contact with immigrants. Actually, having read some of your prior work, I retract that... you may actually be that dense. -k

A discussion of Van Jones' background seems entirely relevant... he is an executive in a prominent position in the government, is he not? Is Jones still a communist? The Wikipedia synopsis of his book reads thusly: The book is a detailed proposal for a "green new deal". There is the opportunity to create thousands of low- and medium-skill jobs that help conserve energy (for example, insulating older homes and buildings) or use alternate energy sources (solar panels). These are local jobs that can't be exported. With appropriate incentives and programs, the jobs can be created in inner cities and thereby help lift people out of poverty. According to Jones, we can ensure the "approaching green wave lifts all boats." In the book, Jones calls for a mass movement to tackle our ecological and economic crises. Frankly, that does sound a bit like Beck's allegations of a massive transfer of wealth ... -k

"muscle" is a poor choice of words. This is carrot-and-stick. Facebook opted for "carrot", and receives kudos for being responsive to concerns about customer privacy. Had they chosen "stick", refusing to address customer privacy concerns would have yielded bad publicity that would have reached beyond Canada's borders. -k

I don't know a single person who wasn't annoyed and even offended that stores brought out Christmas so early last year. It's insulting to Christians and non-Christians alike. It's insulting to peoples' intelligence. I believe there's a huge public backlash building at these cynical retailers. I bet people are already imposing their own personal boycotts, and I think it would be very easy to organize a real boycott of retail chains that trot out their Christmas music and Christmas decorations early. You money grubbing bastards are making baby Jesus cry. Put that shit back in the shed until after Halloween. -k

I'm curious... what did they explain? If ones' greater appreciation of The Beatles over The Monkees requires that one know the Beatles are the original and the Monkees are the copy, are we still comparing the merits of the music? Well, this is kind of what I was getting at. I gather that Patti Page was the first performer to make "You Belong To Me" a big hit. I read that it was the "B" side of a single that was at the time a much bigger hit for her, called "I Went To Your Wedding". (can anybody here hum a few bars?) At the time, "I Went To Your Wedding" was apparently the more popular song... but "You Belong To Me" is the one that has endured. -k