White supremacist featured in the National Post

[Scotty]

I came across this extraordinary picture on the main page of the National Post the other day. It's still there, and I still find it odd, and query what the thinking is behind it.

It's a not very flattering picture of a white supremacist, and the headline is "A Hater Among Us". It is basically a pretty shallow portrait of a white supremacist of no particular importance who has a blog - which is followed by all of 8 people. He makes no particularly shocking statements (given he's a white supremacist) and no threats. In fact, he states he's completely against the kind of stuff the wack job in Norway did. He has a record of some kind, but we're not told what it is, or anything else about him. As I said, as a piece of journalism it's pretty shallow.

And so I'm thinking -- what the hell is this story doing in a major newspaper anyway? What purpose does it serve? Well, to begin with, it makes this nobody a somebody. A guy with a blog followed by 8 people is now elevated to someone of national interest. I wonder how many will be following his blog after this. I'm guessing more than 8. Is the Post trying to bring together white supremacists so they can form a larger group or something?

On the other side of the ledger, is the Post trying to get this guy killed? One presumes that his particular political views are largely unknown and that, presuming he wears a shirt, he can walk about like any normal person. Does he now have to fear being recognized and attacked on the street for his views? Is the Post trying to, by raising the specter of the white supremacists, scare Canadians into embracing multiculturalism? What? I just don't get the thinking behind this story.

A Hater Among Us

[Guest American Woman]

Sounds to me as if they're trying to compare him to Breivik - which begs the question, did they feature a similar "hater among us" after other terrorist attacks?

If the Post is "inciting hatred" towards him because he is a white supremacist, is it breaking the law?

Like you, I find the story odd.

[Michael Hardner]

Didn't you recently link to a Sun article about a Muslim woman who allegedly slapped someone's camera out of their hands?

This mentality that the media plays to - it comes in various viewpoints too.

[Guest American Woman]

Didn't you recently link to a Sun article about a Muslim woman who allegedly slapped someone's camera out of their hands?

This mentality that the media plays to - it comes in various viewpoints too.

Since your post is following mine and the "you" you speak of isn't clarified, I didn't link to any such article and have no idea what you're talking about.

[Michael Hardner]

The post is addressed to Scotty.

[Scotty]

Didn't you recently link to a Sun article about a Muslim woman who allegedly slapped someone's camera out of their hands?

This mentality that the media plays to - it comes in various viewpoints too.

That wasn't me. It didn't identify the woman nor feature her picture. It was a complaint about the police not acting properly against radical elements. Not the same thing by a long shot.

[Michael Hardner]

Basically the same thing though- playing on the heartstrings of public outrage.

Goose, gander, whatever.

[Shwa]

Seems like the dude (from the Shwa no less!) is the National Post's poster boy for a could-it-happen-here feature, not much more.

[Guest American Woman]

Seems like the dude (from the Shwa no less!) is the National Post's poster boy for a could-it-happen-here feature, not much more.

I would think to single him out while presenting the "could it happen here" scenario is quite odd, to say the least. Again, was any such Muslim highlighted/singled out and pictured/written about in a "could it happen here" scenario after 9-11? And if it had happened, would it have been considered against the hate speech laws? - as inciting hate against Muslims? Seems to me, in light of the idea that's being presented - could a terrorist attack resulting in a massacre happen here - it very likely is inciting hatred. Who would consider that such a person/group could be responsible for a massacre in their country and feel anything else?

[Shwa]

I would think to single him out while presenting the "could it happen here" scenario is quite odd, to say the least.

Not if it sold newspapers though, right?

And I highly doubt that they are singling him out, seems like he is a willing participant in the piece.

Again, was any such Muslim highlighted/singled out and pictured/written about in a "could it happen here" scenario after 9-11?

Tons. Do your own Googling.

And if it had happened, would it have been considered against the hate speech laws? - as inciting hate against Muslims?

No. Not because it is or isn't hate, but because you don't understand the hate laws in the Criminal Code of Canada.

Seems to me, in light of the idea that's being presented - could a terrorist attack resulting in a massacre happen here - it very likely is inciting hatred. Who would consider that such a person/group could be responsible for a massacre in their country and feel anything else?

Jean Luc Picard's response.

[Guest American Woman]

Tons. Do your own Googling.

Why should I have to back up your claim? I'll let the fact that as you claim there were "tons," you didn't even provide one example speak for itself.......

[kimmy]

There were lots of articles asking to what extent Canadian Muslims were "radicalized" and whether home-grown terror was a real possiblity and so-on. I don't recall any that singled out specific individuals to be the poster-boy for home-grown radicalized Muslims, but the "could it happen here?" aspect was pretty apparent.

As for the story in question... I think that newspapers love to print any article where you get to use the word Nazi, no matter how trivial the subject.

-k

[Guest American Woman]

There were lots of articles asking to what extent Canadian Muslims were "radicalized" and whether home-grown terror was a real possiblity and so-on. I don't recall any that singled out specific individuals to be the poster-boy for home-grown radicalized Muslims, but the "could it happen here?" aspect was pretty apparent.

I think articles questioning to what extent Muslims in Canada were radicalized and whether home-grown terror was a real possibility is a bit different from singling out one person and more or less saying -- 'looky here. We DO have our own "Breivik;' it is quite different from just assessing the state of the white supremacy situation in Canada.

If there were simply articles about white supremacy in Canada questioning their strength and belief asking the question - could it happen here? - it would be very understandable. Nothing odd about that.

But having this one guy singled out - with the accompanying photo - would be akin to singling out one Muslim and including as sinister a photo as possible - with the title "A Hater Among Us" - comparing him to the highjackers, saying the similarities are hard to ignore - and I think that would have caused an outrage.

[Scotty]

Basically the same thing though- playing on the heartstrings of public outrage.

Goose, gander, whatever.

Completely and utterly different, but sure, the stories both had vowels and consonents and so, I guess, baiscally the same thing.

[Shwa]

I think articles questioning to what extent Muslims in Canada were radicalized and whether home-grown terror was a real possibility is a bit different from singling out one person and more or less saying -- 'looky here. We DO have our own "Breivik;' it is quite different from just assessing the state of the white supremacy situation in Canada.

Well the guy in the OP wasn't "singled" out. But likely the only volunteer they could find.

These guys, part of the ton, were singled out. And for good reason.

If there were simply articles about white supremacy in Canada questioning their strength and belief asking the question - could it happen here? - it would be very understandable. Nothing odd about that.

Ton of those over the years too. (do your own Googling if you don't believe me) There is nothing odd about a newspaper trying sell more newspapers.

But having this one guy singled out - with the accompanying photo - would be akin to singling out one Muslim and including as sinister a photo as possible - with the title "A Hater Among Us" - comparing him to the highjackers, saying the similarities are hard to ignore - and I think that would have caused an outrage.

OK, you say he was "singled out."

Cite please.

[Oleg Bach]

I know of some white supremists...some black ones too - and some native ones - and a few yellow ones - there are supreme highbeds in every race - supermen and woman... With classic white supreme types they are usually common low bred white trash - those that are truely supreme keep a low profile and do not need to belong to a collective of inferiours.

[Shakeyhands]

Jean Luc Picard's response.

Ha!

[Oleg Bach]

I thought that you were going to show some speech by some Quebec political - not a chunk of Star Trek footage.

[Oleg Bach]

Always a wonderful sight when white supremists raise their bald heads and embarass all of the other white peoplo by showing a very poor example of white superiourity.

[Oleg Bach]

All races have their super elites - their super men and woman - It seems to be a game of discreditation when it comes down to one race suggesting that only the "whites" are the best ---------I have seen white maggots - black ones - yellow ones and so on...and I have seen kings and queens from all races..some of which have lost their memory of who they are.

[bloodyminded]

Always a wonderful sight when white supremists raise their bald heads and embarass all of the other white peoplo by showing a very poor example of white superiourity.

This is exactly the complaint of the more image-conscious white supremacists frequently make. (They are also learning to abandon that term...they tend to prefer "white nationalists" now.)

Browse the "Stormfront" forums for an educational experience. It's a demystifying experience, in which their fabled scaryness is quickly outshone by their monumental ignorance and stupidity.