The leftist insult strategy
It's tiresomely predictable, and once you see it you can't unsee it.
This week in Ontario, Bill 67, the “Racial Equity in the Education System Act”, passed second reading here in Ontario. To understand what this bill implies, see this Jordan Peterson podcast. Suffice to say, it enshrines all of the most pernicious tenets of Critical Race Theory in the Ontario education system.
This bill was passed almost unanimously, with Belinda Karahalios of the New Blue Party being the only MPP who voted against it. This means even our “conservative” party unanimously supported this bill, which tells you something about the state of (non-existent) conservatism here in Canada.
I wrote to all Ontario MPPs requesting that they vote against this Bill, obviously with no success.
Today I got this response back from one of them (bolding is mine):
Hello,
Thank you for writing the office of MPP Jennifer French regarding Bill 67, which passed second reading at the Ontario Legislature with the support of MPPs from all parties. We want to thank the Conservative, Liberal and Green Party members for voting in support of this bill.
Bill 67 is a bill which works to provide schools with more tools for age-appropriate education on anti-racism. It is modelled after existing rules and tools already included in the Education Act and already used in schools. You can read the Education Act here: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90e02
Well organized far-right and alt-right sources are targeting this bill and its author, and spreading dangerous misinformation. We find those attacks to be deeply troubling, and believe American-style politics like that has no place in Canada or on Ontario.
Thank you again for writing our office regarding Bill 67.
Best,
[assistant to the MPP]
I’ve bolded the paragraph I want to talk about, because it’s extremely typical of a leftist strategy which has become their go-to play in response to any form of opposition whatsoever.
Just look at those words:
far-right
alt-right
dangerous misinformation
American-style politics
What are those designed to do? They are designed to smear and label any type of opposition to this bill, and completely shut down questioning or critical thinking. As soon as someone sees them, they’re supposed to think: “Oh my, those are really bad things. Anyone who opposes this bill is bad, and probably racist! I don’t want to be guilty of being far-right, or of believing dangerous misinformation. Worst of all, I don’t want to be like those crazy Americans! After all, I’m a dignified, sophisticated Canadian who believes all the right things according to the current orthodoxy, not like those rubes and yahoos down south. OK, this bill is good! Politician who voted for it is good!” And off they go to watch CBC and forget about it.
Once you see this tactic, you can’t unsee it. It’s tiresomely predictable. Leftists make a power play, like imposing critical race theory in schools or forcing truckers to be vaccinated to cross the border. People object. Leftists, instead of engaging their concerns, spew out a stream of insults. No need to come up with intelligent arguments, just associate your opponent with what you believe to be the worst things you could call someone, and call it a day.
This is exactly what Trudeau did to the truckers. Instead of talking with them, he first ran away pretending to have Covid, then when he returned, issued a stream of insults: “antisemitic, Islamophobic, anti-Black racists, homophobes, and transphobes.” This is similar to his insults of the unvaccinated: “racist, misogynist, science-deniers”.
One might rightly wonder what protesting being forced to be vaccinated in order to work has to do with any of that. It doesn’t, but that’s not the point. It’s actually laughably childish, and would be funnier if it wasn’t the Prime Minister of a supposedly first-world country. It would also be funnier if it didn’t foment extreme societal division and hatred on the part of the naifs who believe these lies. It’s the adult equivalent of a child sticking their fingers in their ears and yelling insults at someone they’re fighting with.
You want to support a bill that imposes Critical Race Theory in schools? OK, hit me with your best shot - give me your best arguments against the concerns I expressed in my email. You want me to believe you? You want me to be on your side? Don’t shoot out insults that are designed to shut off thinking - tell me why I should support this bill. Otherwise, it just looks like you are arrogantly imposing your viewpoint on Ontarians, with no substance to back it up.
Finally, I actually found this line somewhat offensive: “We find those attacks to be deeply troubling, and believe American-style politics like that has no place in Canada or on Ontario.”
What does she mean by “American-style politics”?
She means the fact that across America, parents and others are waking up to the underhanded tactics being used by teachers and politicians to impose the pernicious, divisive Critical Theory ideology in schools and on their children, and they are fighting back. They’re not taking it lying down. They’re not letting ideologues indoctrinate their children while they helplessly stand by.
So what does she mean that these American-style politics have no place in Canada or “on” [sic] Ontario?
She means that Canadians should be the opposite of those Americans: we should helplessly and passively believe that our politicians know what’s best, and accept whatever they impose on us without resistance. We should just take her word for it that anyone who’s against Bill 67 is a dangerous alt-righter, sit down, shut up, and neglect to fight for our kids or take any notice of what is being taught to them.
Well, I for one won’t. And I hope and pray many other Canadians won’t either. It’s time for arrogant politicians who think they have the right to tell us what’s best for us without our input to be put on notice, just as they have been in the States.
American-style politics...Where, exactly, did CRT first get a hearing? Should they, maybe, be yelping about "American-style education"?
Yup. Call someone names to shut them up. Abusers use this technique. So many now “triggered” to think only one way by the word misinformation. Humanity is really taking a dumper. I despair.