HEAR PAUL FROMM, DIRECTOR OF CAFE WITH CHARLES LINCOLN EDWARDS OF NEW ORLEANS — NOT MUCH TO SAY ABOUT FREEDOM: COVID DIVERSITY & VACCINE IDENTITY: COVID LOVE, HATE, & INDIFFERENCE
The Supreme Court, on January 13, 2022, handed down two major COVID-19 related decisions: Biden v. Missouri permanently in favor of far reaching vaccine mandates FOR THE HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY (due to the power of Social Security, Medicare, & Medicaid Laws) and NFIB v. OSHA, which TEMPORARILY stayed the OSHA vaccine mandate for thousands of workers nationwide. The mainstream media’s misrepresentation of these results notwithstanding, the NET Victory went to to Federal Power to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations, and that is how we need to analyze the results of January 13, 2022. Paul Frederick Fromm and I are alone tonight discussing COVID-as-CASTE, COVID-as-DISCRIMINATION, COVID-as-CLASSIFICATION, and other aspects of COVID-as the GLOBAL RESET and New World Order, two years after the “discovery” of COVID-19:
Freedom Rallies in the Okanagan in January: Kelowna, Penticton, & Vernon
Common Law Fundamentals Fundamental principles cannot be set aside to meet the demands of convenience or to prevent apparent hardship Let’s begin by first announcing two extremely important rallies upcoming in the next few weeks. Regular rallies are listed at the bottom as per usual. Your support and presence, especially at these next two rallies, is critical to maintaining our exposure to the world, of the gov’t and media corruption.
World Wide Rally and MEGA Rally is coming to Kelowna!
January 22, 2022
Stuart Park 12:00 Noon
Including downtown Kelowna march, and Hwy Rally to follow!
Hosted by Singer/songwriter Jacquelyn Rose
Christy Derksen – From Vancouver singing O’Canada
Presently scheduled speakers:
Marcus Ray
Supporting and rallying local businesses for freedom
Jennifer
KGH nurse, forced to be vaxxed unwillingly, Jennifer will discuss the life altering side effects of this vaccine assault
Ted Kuntz
One of the most inspiring speakers in Canada on vaccines, and co-founder of Vaccine Choice Canada
Ongoing lies, misleading comments, omission of material facts, admissions that the B.C. Gov’t have told media to not give people who love freedom or are opposed to Bonnie the Commie a “platform”, libelous and defamatory statements, and representing freedom lovers as the enemy, has required more vigilant activities to expose the media fraud in the Okanagan.
Colin Dacre of Castanet has been one of the more vocal criminals in this regard, intentionally portraying freedom activists as conspiracy theorists and other false labels. Many of his comments truly amount to nothing less than pure libel. Other reporters have reported in a similar manner.
Almost all rallies in Canada have been peaceful, yet the media continues to falsely label us being associated with racist and violent groups and spreading misinformation. No one is immune, as Maxime Bernier has learned.
We would not be in this position had the media asked the appropriate damning questions of our Governments and Bonnie the Commie right from the beginning. The primary reason for the destruction of our rights and freedoms, and the ignorance of Canadians, lies directly with the compromised media.
We would not be here if the media correctly reported that the problems at hospitals lie not with the number of cases, but with the number of nurses and doctors who have quit or resigned rather than be vaxxed.
Lies include:
that the injection is a vaccine when in fact it has no actual viral particles in it – it changes your DNA
that activists are violent right-wing people, who are racist and extremists. Nothing is further from the truth. We never see pictures of violence at Canadian rallies – just peaceful marches and demonstrations
reporting gov’t press releases with no verification of statistics – most of which are direct lies or lies by omission
that we need to wear masks, when it is physically impossible for masks to prevent viral transmission (and not telling the public Bonnie the Commie has admitted this under oath)
refusing to inform the public that the PCR test is not the gold standard for COVID-19 testing, but fool’s gold, does not test for live viruses and has a 97.5% false positive rate at gov’t testing cycles
that vaccines do not prevent viral transmission, but, if and when they work, only reduce the symptoms
deaths are reported as COVID-19 even if people die from other causes
hospitals have been routinely seen to be empty – not overfilled
any problems at hospitals are because medical personnel are quitting en masse, rather than be subject to the experimental jab
that we don’t believe in science, when everything we promote is scientifically based and in fact, we do believe in science, just not their junk science….and…
Castanet has criminally published letters from people advocating those infected with COVID-19 to come to our rallies and intentionally infect people!!
Following on the heels of the Quebec Government’s decision to back off from firing all non-vaccinated nurses, and the New Brunswick Government’s decision to back off their threats prohibiting all non-vaccinated people from shopping even for food, the Federal Government has now retreated from its decision that all truckers had to be vaxxed before January 15, 2022. With at least 12 000 truckers refusing to vaccinate, the Federal Government had no choice but to retreat or face serious supply chain problems.
Next time you see them on the road, or at your diner or hotel, thank your truckers!!!
Recently Quebec Premier Legault, pictured demonstrating the size of his brain, has declared that it will impose a tax upon the unvaxxed. In politics nothing happens by chance. Less that one day before Quebec announced its recent health tax, the Minister of Health, who clearly knew this was coming, resigned.
In other words, if you don’t agree to let your employer or the State commit the criminal offence of assaulting you, they will tax you for refusing to be assaulted.
Our concern is that these types of cases begin in Quebec, under their civil code. Then the adverse judgments are applied in all common law provinces. For example, in response, Ontario has recently declared, that they will not follow suit.
In Manitoba, in a carefully crafted statement, the Gov’t said: “We’re certainly not looking at something like that now.” The implication is clear – it will be coming just not right now.
These and other provinces are merely waiting to see what happens with the inevitable Quebec challenge under the civil code, to then comply with adverse court rulings, passing the buck onto the courts. It won’t be the last time during this falsified pandemic, that gov’ts have stated a position only to reverse it months if not weeks later. This time, they will simply claim they had to follow the court’s decision.
Quebecers need to oppose this unequal tax on your right to choose what goes into your body.
Constitutional Creep – Declare all provincial offences to be administrative and charge fees to defend yourself
Fundamental principles cannot be set aside to meet the demands of convenience or to prevent apparent hardship
The common law principle above herein, could not be more appropriate to the present situation in our country – on all fronts. Constitutional creep is now the new norm. Beginning in 2013, Alta. began this administrative creep by denial of court protections for drinking and driving. Now they are expanding this to all driving tickets. YOU will be presumed guilty and have to pay to challenge these tickets!!! And if you lose…more administrative penalties. The Alta. Gov’t further intends to expand this to all provincial offence tickets. Drinking was easily sold to the public due to the effects this caused which meant all of us had to forego some of our rights and liberties, (appropriate for China maybe).
Instead of an independent judge, you appear before a gov’t appointed biased adjudicator, with significant limitations on what evidence you can submit, and no appeal process only a limited judicial review. And YOU have to pay for this hearing!
Make no mistake, judges are one of the foremost lobbying force behind these changes. They simply want to see these ‘piddly’ little cases taken out of the courts so they don’t have to deal with them, though the publicly stated reason is to: “make …roads safer while restoring justice system capacity.” Please tell us how stripping you of your fundamental procedural and Constitutional rights to natural justice and procedural fairness, will make the roads safer? By having less people win in court?
This is a cryptic way of stating that due to gov’ts in the past penalizing every action on the highway, mismanagement, judicial laziness, and COVID-19 fear mongering, the courts were backlogged.
Every time changes are made for expediency or for ease, or safety, YOU lose your fundamental Constitutional and/or procedural guarantees. NEVER forget this. It’s like a new menu at your favorite restaurant – you just know the prices are going up despite any new products being offered. Menus are not changed, with corresponding costs, for nothing. Similarly, changes to the system only occur for your detriment. When was the last time you read a statute and said to yourself: “Wow, I’ve just gained more rights or liberties!”?
Don’t think for a moment this won’t come to your province. All courts are backlogged in every province and they will use this as a scapegoat to screw you and make YOU pay up front for it.
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He wrote a compelling letter when he resigned. Here’s a brief excerpt that everyone in the world should read.Steve KirschJan 11Corporal Richard Mehner, has served in the RCMP for 21 years.He was forced to resign over the vaccine mandate. He penned an excellent letter explaining how he felt.
I wanted to share a snippet with you because it puts everything into perspective: basically, the death rate hasn’t changed at all because people are dying with COVID rather than from COVID.Check this out.At the end of 2020 I became convinced we were all being force fed a giant load of absolute bullshit. Don’t believe me? Look at world population statistics. Here’s a sample.At the end of 2018, the world population was 7,631,091,040 and that year 57,625,149 people died. This showed an overall death rate of .76%. I know some of you are shocked by this, but yes, 57 million people died of all types of causes in 2018. When you reach the end of your life, you die.At the end of 2019, the world population was 7,713,468,100 and 58,394,378 died. Naturally, because we had more people reaching the end of their lives, more people died. The death rate that year was .76%.
Now let’s see what 2020 brought us. The year of the pandemic.At the end of 2020, the world population was 7,794,798,739 and 59,230,795 died. The death rate was .76%. Yes. That’s right. In the year of the deadly pandemic the world’s population grew by 81,330,639 people and the death rate did not change by even a hundredth of a percent. The media never once pulled back the lens to show this, they continued to show the narrow focus of case counts and Covid deaths. Even going so far as to change causes of death so that someone who died “with” Covid in their system was counted as someone who died “of” Covid. The Western world shut down over a disease about as deadly as the common flu. And our rights were shut down along with it.Despite this disease having a non existent effect on the overall death rate of the world’s population the call came out for a mass vaccination.
Hi everyone As our local ralliers are aware, I was scheduled for a hearing this morning on 11 out of about 48 bylaw tickets that the C of Kelowna has issued against me for holding our rallies, since August, 2021 when the crackdown began. More are set for January 20, 2022. Was up all night preparing for a hearing I’m not going to now. It has been snowing all night here in Penticton and throughout the Okanagan. This is the most snow I’ve seen here since I moved here over 20 years ago. The roads are bad and still snowing. I will call City Hall at 8 am when they open and request an adjournment, then off to bed. What they do is up to them. I’ll have more info later tonight on our regular email, this is just to update everyone that I will not be going to the hearing this morning because of the weather. Stay home and stay warm!!! Thanks kindly as well for all your support. In freedom David
The Legal Harassment of B.C. Free Speech Activist, Dave Lindsay
Below the – 30 – is a message in circulation re criminal charges against David Lindsay for his involvement in protests against the LOCKDOWN. To which I’m adding more information gained from speaking with him.
Dave has in hand the official transcript of what was said in a hearing where Crown Counsel Grabavac applied to change the Warrant for arresting him. Court was told that the original Warrant allowed for him to be released by the police on the usual conditions. But the Crown wanted a different Warrant so he’d have to go through a bail hearing from which he’d be released only on condition that he undertake not to go near Interior Health buildings, nor any school nor any park. Obviously ! it was a trick creating the premise for the NDP’s “no-free-speech bubble zones” around hospitals and schools
It doesn’t take a degree in political science to figure out that the maneuver by the Crown was first last and ONLY a way to hobble Lindsay from leading political activity to embarrass the NDP more. Their asking he be enjoined from attending Stuart Park, where he’s associated and communicated with citizens for nearly two years, to do with the CONTROLA-VIRUS horror story, is a rank perversion of Justice.
To her credit, Judge Daneliuk deferred ruling saying that she was unsure if it would be proper for her to accede to the change sought. And a good thing she did, too. In light of the ruling of the Supreme Court of Canada in the case of HM the Queen versus Chaycen Zora. It doesn’t get any clearer than its paragraphs 83 – 99, especially 85:
“Terms of release imposed under s. 515(4) may “only be imposed to the extent that they are necessary” to address concerns related to the statutory criteria for detention and to ensure that the accused can be released. They must not be imposed to change an accused person’s behaviour or to punish an accused person. ”.
By the Grace of God, Dave got wind of the Warrant a couple of days earlier. The usually-reliable source warned him that a tv camera crew would be hovering at Stuart Park at the upcoming Saturday weekly rally. So, the script was uniformed agents of the state ( with loaded weapons on their hips, never forget ) agreed to lend prestige and resources to a made-for-media spectacle so that the leader of the local political dissidents would be demonized on the evening news. How perfect is that, eh, for purposes of the New Democratic Party propaganda ?!
David Lindsay has ‘been around the block’ a few times in this game. In fact,very quietly, he went to the Kelowna RCMP HQ on Monday Dec 20th , surrendered, co-operated getting the bail paperwork done, so was out on the street within the hour.
One would think that expertise re what the Supremes had to say about how Bailment ought to go, would be part of the duty of the Agent for the Criminal Justice Branch. A handy explanation for Mr Grabavac’s ignorance, being that was above his pay grade. But he does not get off the hook that easily. There is no doubt in my mind that this outrage was co-ordinated from the very top of the hierarchy, by which I mean, the Chief Law Enforcement officer, by which I mean, the Attorney General himself David Eby. Mister Eby got elected as an MLA, largely on the reputation he’d made as head of the BC Civil Liberties Association. In the days when he was part of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition, had such a disgrace as this — the Crown perverting due process of law for a partisan political purpose –come to his attention, David Eby would have been on his feet in the House, making political ‘hay’ out of it.
This “devil-in-the-details” moment exemplifies how our institutions have failed us. Suffice to say that what went on in the Lindsay matter was a crime unto itself, ie. an attempt to pervert Justice contrary to section 139 of An Act respecting the criminal law RSC.
The Criminal Justice Branch didn’t just come up with this on its own. Don’t tell me David Eby wasn’t aware of it. There is no other, more logical explanation of this witting interference with the rights of a critic of the government, but that it was done with approval of David Eby. Which makes him accomplice before the fact, in another, distinct criminal offence — conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, section 465 ( 1 ) ( c ) of the Criminal Code. And for those who may say : ‘Oh, well, they did not succeed so no harm done’. I remind you-all the attempt IS the crime
The reason I am sure of Eby’s involvement in the Lindsay matter, is that a similar thing happened to me, back in 1993. Then, AG Gabelmann was moved by lobbyists including the lawyer for the NDP David Bellamy, to pervert powers and resources at his disposal against me because I was out on the public sidewalk, informing and warning citizens how the NDP was laundering funds through the abortion ‘clinics’ back to itself. Years later, I proved in Court that Gabelmann had directed the head of the Criminal Justice Branch – then, Ernest Quantz – to frame me up for selective prosecution. I had the satisfaction of hearing Judge Keith Libby say from the Bench:
“There is probably more truth than not to Watson’s assertion that they are spinning a web to catch him.”
The “they” to which he referred was Colin Gabelman and Ernest Quantz. I boast that I ‘lit the fuse on the stick of dynamite that blew the doors off the NCHS”. Out of that commotion, the criminal enterprise known as the Nanaimo Commonwealth Holding Society went to pieces. Its mastermind NDP cabinet minister David Stupich was sent to prison.
History does not repeat itself, but it does rhyme. The pettiness of their attempt to outlaw a political adversary gives away how our relentless intelligent peaceful EVENTS convened in front of the Leg. and similar GATHERINGS all over B. C. have caused Eby & Co. to come unglued. For comic relief , see clause DD page 5 of GrandWitch Bonnie Henry’s latest Public Health diktat. She turns the screws torturing British Columbians still more, yet she knows bloodywell she won’t prevent us assembling in OUTDOOR GATHERINGS. To save face, she pretends to extend her permission !
The BonMonster says:
“I am not prohibiting outdoor assemblies for the purpose of communicating a position on a matter of public interest or controversy, subject to my expectation that persons organizing or attending such an assembly will take the steps and put in place the measures recommended in the guidelines posted on my website in order to limit the risk of transmission of COVID19.”
It’s worth noting that Dave has received 45 Violation Notices for alleged infractions of local by-laws, arising from his involvement in the END THE LOCKDOWN movement. Forty five … count ‘em. Every one a trophy of what? RESISTANCE TO TYRANTS!
As many of you were aware, David was not at Saturday’s Kelowna Rally. As David predicted last year would eventually happen, the Crown has authorized two (2) falsified charges to be laid of assault, allegedly against two ( 2) Palladin Security officials at Interior Health 505 Doyle in Kelowna, from Aug. 19, 2021.
Media were present on Saturday in the hopes of getting pix of police arresting David and taking him away in handcuffs, to publicize and scare people away from coming to rallies. That did not materialize That the Crown would do this is conclusive proof that our rallies are having a major effect on deterring people from getting vaccinated and from complying with Bonnie the Commie’s lockdown measures.
More information will be forthcoming; however, we are limited in what we say to protect the right to a fair and impartial hearing – something that is already tenuous at best. Paid complainants on a witness stand is going to be very interesting indeed. First appearance is on Feb. 17, 2022. Full disclosure is expected by the end of January and with hopes to set a trial date at that time. The sooner the better.
Video: Lawyers Launch Campaign to Protect Civil Liberties in Canada
By Isaac Teo January 5, 2022 Updated: January 5, 2022 biggersmallerPrint
For Bruce Pardy, law professor and executive director of Rights Probe, it’s important to ensure that people who are suffering the effects of “COVID overreach” from pandemic policies know that they are not alone and that there are still lawyers out there who don’t accept the erosion of fundamental freedoms in Canada.
“When you have been suspended or dismissed from your job, when the government has closed your business, when your kids have been prevented from going to school, or your family has experienced deterioration of physical and mental health, it is natural to believe that your own society has turned against you,” Pardy told The Epoch Times.
Citing how COVID rules “erode civil liberties strategically” by restricting people’s ability to work, shop, travel, and socialize and are mandated by unelected health officials “without public scrutiny or open debate,” Pardy and a team of fellow Canadian lawyers launched the “Free North Declaration” campaign in November, calling for the immediate end of vaccine passports and mandates enforced across Canada.
The lawyers are also calling for a public inquiry into the handling of the pandemic and for Canadians to be given back “control of their own lives.”
“We wanted Canadians to know that there are still some lawyers who believe in civil liberties, and do not accept what is happening in this country,” Pardy said. “So far, legal challenges to COVID restrictions have been largely unsuccessful, but it is not for lack of trying.”
As of Jan. 5, almost 500 lawyers and over 60,000 concerned citizens have endorsed the declaration.
On New Year’s Day, Pardy and his team released a video, outlining the current threat and potential solutions, saying that the declaration is an important first step to claim back civil liberties.
In the video, Pardy tells the story of “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” in which nobody dares to say they can’t see the king’s outfit except for the child who fearlessly blurts out “the king is naked!”
“We’re hoping to be the child in the parade, saying there are no clothes here and we’ve all been subjected to these extreme measures that are really unjustified. And the result of those measures has been to infringe our civil liberties,” he said.
Pardy added that COVID rules have been carefully implemented not to run afoul of the law or trigger protections in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms such as liberty and security of the person, the freedoms of association, assembly, expression, conscience, religion, and mobility rights.
“Where COVID rules appear to have violated the Charter, courts have deferred to the state to take whatever measures it deems necessary, whether demonstrably justifiable or not,” he said.
Christopher Nunn, a lawyer in Simcoe, Ont., who also signed the declaration, said although COVID rules don’t appear to violate civil liberties when viewed individually, they become “very dangerous” when put together collectively.
“They don’t on their own, each one of them, don’t infringe on our liberties, but collectively when you have so many things, and it’s such a gradual, for lack of better terminology, a slippery slope, where we slowly [become] like a frog in water, in the hot water,” Nunn said in the video.
“People are becoming desensitized to all these overreaching measures by the government.”
Legal Community Failing Canadians: Signatories
Signatory Lisa Bildy, a private litigation lawyer in London, Ont, said she noticed how some lawyers have changed their attitude towards the unvaccinated over the past year.
“A year ago, in the legal publications for other lawyers, the discussion was ‘Can employers mandate the vaccines?’ and the consensus seemed to be ‘No, they can’t,’” she said in the video.
“Then suddenly, a year later, the consensus is ‘Yes, they can and they must. And by the way, they should be terminating you for cause.’”
Bildy said those lawyers have done a disservice to people, making their lives “as miserable as humanly possible.”
Signatory Stephen Penney, a corporate lawyer in Cambridge, Ont., said he is frustrated to see people having no one to turn to for legal advice when it comes to COVID restrictions.
“I’ve had many people approach me who are desperate,” Penney said in the video. “They need advice, they need information, they need representation and advocacy, and there seems to be a real lack of that being offered by the legal community generally.”
The lawyers also pointed out in the declaration that the ways COVID rules are applied are “inconsistent and irrational.”
“Authorities enforce them selectively and preferentially, coming down hard on common people while turning a blind eye to the privileged,” the declaration reads.
“Covid vaccines do not prevent people from becoming infected or from transmitting the virus to others, but only unvaccinated persons are banned or required to undergo testing. People who have recovered from Covid and therefore have natural immunity are still subject to vaccination mandates even though the purpose of vaccination is to mimic natural immunity.”
Pardy told the Epoch Times that the public’s response to the campaign so far has been “fantastic and gratifying.”
“Many have said that it has given them hope that we can get our country back. But the message needs to continue to spread, one person at a time,” he said.
The law professor added that citizens must take the task into their own hands to reverse course.
“We hope that people will take inspiration from the declaration, and bravely share their convictions with others. This crisis may not end until a critical mass of people comes together to reject the prevailing narrative and demands a return to individual autonomy and government restraint,” he said.
“Public health authorities have broken our trust, and it is time for them to leave us alone.”
are Canadian lawyers. Civil liberties are under unprecedented attack. Governments, public health authorities, universities, employers, municipalities, & businesses are trampling Canadians’ rights and freedoms. Our free society is at risk.
For months now, I’ve been getting complaints about the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, where I’ve worked as a TV and radio producer, and occasional on-air columnist, for much of the past decade.
People want to know why, for example, non-binary Filipinos concerned about a lack of LGBT terms in Tagalog is an editorial priority for the CBC, when local issues of broad concern go unreported. Or why our pop culture radio show’s coverage of the Dave Chappelle Netflix special failed to include any of the legions of fans, or comics, that did not find it offensive. Or why, exactly, taxpayers should be funding articles that scold Canadians for using words such as “brainstorm” and “lame.”
Everyone asks the same thing: What is going on at the CBC?
When I started at the national public broadcaster in 2013, the network produced some of the best journalism in the country. By the time I resigned last month, it embodied some of the worst trends in mainstream media. In a short period of time, the CBC went from being a trusted source of news to churning out clickbait that reads like a parody of the student press.
Those of us on the inside know just how swiftly — and how dramatically — the politics of the public broadcaster have shifted.
It used to be that I was the one furthest to the left in any newsroom, occasionally causing strain in story meetings with my views on issues like the housing crisis. I am now easily the most conservative, frequently sparking tension by questioning identity politics. This happened in the span of about 18 months. My own politics did not change.
To work at the CBC in the current climate is to embrace cognitive dissonance and to abandon journalistic integrity.
It is to sign on, enthusiastically, to a radical political agenda that originated on Ivy League campuses in the United States and spread through American social media platforms that monetize outrage and stoke societal divisions. It is to pretend that the “woke” worldview is near universal — even if it is far from popular with those you know, and speak to, and interview, and read.
To work at the CBC now is to accept the idea that race is the most significant thing about a person, and that some races are more relevant to the public conversation than others. It is, in my newsroom, to fill out racial profile forms for every guest you book; to actively book more people of some races and less of others.
To work at the CBC is to submit to job interviews that are not about qualifications or experience — but instead demand the parroting of orthodoxies, the demonstration of fealty to dogma.
It is to become less adversarial to government and corporations and more hostile to ordinary people with ideas that Twitter doesn’t like.
It is to endlessly document microaggressions but pay little attention to evictions; to spotlight company’s political platitudes but have little interest in wages or working conditions. It is to allow sweeping societal changes like lockdowns, vaccine mandates, and school closures to roll out — with little debate. To see billionaires amass extraordinary wealth and bureaucrats amass enormous power — with little scrutiny. And to watch the most vulnerable among us die of drug overdoses — with little comment.
It is to consent to the idea that a growing list of subjects are off the table, that dialogue itself can be harmful. That the big issues of our time are all already settled.
It is to capitulate to certainty, to shut down critical thinking, to stamp out curiosity. To keep one’s mouth shut, to not ask questions, to not rock the boat.
This, while the world burns.
How could good journalism possibly be done under such conditions? How could any of this possibly be healthy for society?
All of this raises larger questions about the direction that North America is headed. Questions about this new moment we are living through — and its impact on the body politic. On class divisions, and economic inequality. On education. On mental health. On literature, and comedy. On science. On liberalism, and democracy.
These questions keep me up at night.
I can no longer push them down. I will no longer hold them back. This Substack is an attempt to find some answers.
I have been a journalist for 20 years, covering everything from hip-hop to news, food to current affairs. The through line has always been books, which I’ve engaged with at every stage of my career and at every outlet I’ve worked for. In 2020, I published my own book, Lean Out: A Meditation on the Madness of Modern Life, which was an instant bestseller in Canada.
Books have always opened new worlds for me, introduced me to new perspectives, and helped me to make sense of humanity. I need books now more than ever.
During lockdown, when I wasn’t covering COVID-19, I spent a lot of time interviewing authors for a new book I’m working on. Their boldness and insight and humour saved me from despair. These writers gave me ideas on how to move forward, and how to maintain hope. Most of all, they gave me the courage to stand up — and to speak out.
Here at Substack, I will continue the work of thinking through the current moment, focusing on non-fiction writing from around the world. I will post an essay on a books related topic every Monday, and a podcast conversation with a heterodox author every Wednesday. This will be free to all. A third post on Fridays will round up the most contrarian, controversial or overlooked new books and essays, and will be available to paid subscribers.
This work is entirely independent and entirely free from editorial control, allowing me to say the things that are not being said, and ask the questions that are not being asked. Lean Out is solely supported by subscribers. If you care about the world of ideas and value open inquiry, as I do, please consider a paid subscription.
And stay tuned for the first episode of the Lean Out podcast this Wednesday, featuring my conversation with Newsweek’s Batya Ungar-Sargon, author of Bad News: How Woke Media is Undermining Democracy.
Junior BakerJan 3Full disclosure: I’m 71 yrs old. I’ve voted Left/progressive for 50 years. I’ve been a dedicated CBC listener for about 45-50 years. I’ve raised 4 kids to be listeners (one, in fact, to be a CBC staffer). Recently I’ve turned the radio off, probably, 4-5 times a day as the interview/topic shifts into what I call “Identity Radio”. Everything that Ms. Henley says rings very, very true to me. I didn’t suspect the political shift she documents – I thought it was simply demographic and that (like my child) CBC staffers that really run the show (that get up at 4:00 am to produce, write, broadcast on air) are all in their 30s and 40s and simply see things a) more woke than me and b) black and white. I try to tell them, after 71 years, that there is a lot of grey out there, but…dead air.Virtually every show I listen to – national, provincial, local – looks for an identity angle or guest for interviews. Are you a First Nations poet/potter/performer? Is there a non-binary musician we can feature? Do you have an immigrant story (don’t worry – all my grandparents were immigrants)?Time after time over the past 2 years or so I’ve talked to MY demographic about it, almost all being progressives, and there’s almost universal agreement. A friend finally said it out loud: the CBC is in some kind of triage: it’s dumping our (older) demographic for a younger cohort. I suspect at the very top, and with gleeful agreement in the trenches, the decision has been made to ignore or disregard the (very) longstanding listeners, to attract the millennials.I’ve made my choice – I’ve retooled and spend a lot of time listening to internet radio now. Not CBC. And I feel an element, actually, of grief in that.
Reading University has decided to censor a section of a 118-line, ancient Greek poem that makes reference to domestic violence and the ’10 types of women’ for fear that it could trigger distress and offence, reports the Daily Mail.
According to the report, officials at Reeding University cut several lines from the 2,000-year-old “Types Of Women” poem by Semonides of Amorgos, which is taught to first-year classics students, on the grounds that it could ‘potentially trigger’ distress even though no students had complained to date.
The decision sparked backlash amongst some academics fearing a ‘slippery slope’ towards censorship with some critics such as Jeremy Black, emeritus professor of history at the University of Exeter calling the decision “ridiculous”.
“This is beyond naive. It is positively ridiculous and has no place in academia.” said Black.
‘If we applied this same kind of censorship to the news we would end up with a most limited and ignorant view of the world.’
The 118-line poem is controversial because of the way women are portrayed:
It says Greek god Zeus created ten types of women, each represented by an animal or an element. Nine – those deriving from the pig, fox, dog, earth, sea, donkey, ferret, mare and monkey – have negative connotations, with only the female who comes from a bee considered to make a good wife.
Ewen Bowie, an emeritus fellow at Corpus Christi College and Prof Emeritus of Classical Languages and Literature at Oxford University, said ancient works needed to be ‘understood in context’.
‘When you start censoring reading lists you are putting your foot on the slippery slope down towards censoring what is being sold in bookshops.’ he added.
In response to the backlash, the University of Reading, did not acknowledge the removal of the ‘offending’ reference as a form of censorship.
‘The portion of the poem now omitted involved a brief reference to domestic violence. That portion has subsequently been removed because, while the text as a whole is vitriolic, that part seemed unnecessarily unpleasant and (potentially) triggering.”
A spokesman for the University of Reading said: ‘We do not censor academic material.
‘Students have access to all texts relevant to their course and are encouraged to read and discuss a wide range of material.
‘Content warnings are used to encourage discussion and study in a way that allows students to be aware of difficult or controversial material before being confronted with it.’
Twitter Permanently Suspends Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Twitter Account Over ‘COVID-19 Misinformation’
US Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) wears a “Trump Won” face mask as she arrives on the floor of the House to take her oath of office as a newly elected member of the 117th House of Representatives in Washington, DC on January 3, 2021. (Photo by ERIN SCOTT / POOL / AFP) (Photo by ERIN SCOTT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Twitter has permanently suspended the account of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), citing “COVID-19 misinformation” as the reason for the ban. The tech monopoly said in a statement that the ban was handed down after “repeat violations” of the policy.
“We permanently suspended the account you referenced (@mtgreenee) for repeated violations of our COVID-19 misinformation policy. We’ve been clear that, per our strike system for this policy, we will permanently suspend accounts for repeated violations of the policy,” a Twitter spokesperson told The Hill in a statement.
In response to the ban, Greene issued a statement on Telegram.
“Maxine Waters can go to the streets and threaten violence on Twitter, Kamala and Ilhan can bail out Black Lives Matter terrorists on Twitter, CNN and the rest of the Democrat Propaganda Media can spread Russia collusion lies, and just yesterday the Chief spokesman for terrorist IRGC can tweet mourning Soleimani, but I get suspended for tweeting VAERS statistics,” wrote Greene. “Twitter is an enemy to America and can’t handle the truth.”
Twitter had routinely suspended Greene, a sitting Congresswoman, multiple times prior to the permanent ban. The tech monopoly first banned Greene as the House of Representatives debated ejecting her from Congress.
Greene was left unable to defend herself from accusations levied against her by radical leftist members of Congress but was then reinstated after Twitter said that banning her was the result of an “error.”
In August, Greene was suspended for saying COVID-19 vaccines had not sufficiently stopped the spread. In July, she was suspended for saying that the virus was less dangerous for those under the age of 65.
US Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) wears a “Trump Won” face mask as she arrives on the floor of the House to take her oath of office as a newly elected member of the 117th House of Representatives in Washington, DC on January 3, 2021. (Photo by ERIN SCOTT / POOL / AFP) (Photo by ERIN SCOTT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
