An early 20th century photo of the cemetery associated with the St. Mary’s IRS, Kenora, Ontario, showing wooden grave markers of students that were allowed to disintegrate over time, proving that students were given a proper Christian (Catholic) burial.
“We must protect the truth.” That’s what Kimberly Murray gave as her motive for demanding those she called “residential school deniers” be criminally prosecuted or subjected to civil liability for raising questions about unmarked graves and other related topics that Murray and her colleagues find uncomfortable. Murray believes anyone who questions claims made by anyone who attended a residential school about unmarked graves, or who claims that anything positive came from residential schools should fall into this criminally and civilly punishable “denier” category.
But there are problems with this.
In the first place, if saying that anything positive came from residential school attendance is a crime, it would put many indigenous people who attended residential schools in legal jeopardy — even the people who wrote the Truth and Reconciliation Report. Because even that report contains a section titled “Warm Memories” that contains only positive accounts of indigenous residential school attendees who remember their years at residential school fondly, and credit their school attendance for their success in life.
That section is short, but there are hundreds of other personal accounts — and even entire books — of people who speak of how their attendance changed their lives for the better. The best book written by a residential school attendee is “Permanent Astonishment” by acclaimed indigenous playwright, writer and pianist Tomson Highway. In the book, Highway describes his experience at the Guy Hill Residential School in northern Manitoba as “nine of the best years of my life” during which he not only acquired the skills he needed to become an internationally acclaimed author, but learned to play the first piano he had ever seen, and developed his skills to a professional level. Many other important indigenous leaders received the educations that equipped them to succeed at residential schools.
So, if merely stating the truth — namely that some people benefited from their residential school experience — becomes a criminal offence, expect to see some of Canada’s most successful indigenous leaders in the criminal dock.
But there are other problems as well, because Kimberly Murray wants to criminalize anyone who raises questions about what residential school “survivors” have claimed to be the truth. Readers will recall that two years ago the Kamloops chief and her colleagues claimed that 215 graves had been discovered containing the remains of 215 children who had died under sinister circumstances at the school, and who had been secretly buried — with the forced help of six year olds. Almost immediately copy-cat claims followed, with allegations that there were thousands of such “missing children” buried all across the country.
Senior indigenous leaders weighed in with allegations that there were “tens of thousands” and “25,000-maybe more” such “missing children.” ‘Survivors’ claimed they had personally observed priests clubbing indigenous children to death and throwing them into pits; that dead indigenous children were hung on meat hooks in barns; that the bodies of indigenous children were “tossed into rivers, lakes and streams,” and even that Queen Elizabeth herself had kidnapped ten indigenous children from the Kamloops School.
But if Kimberly Murray gets her way, and anyone who questions any of these claims becomes a criminal, they had better start building more jails. Because there is not a single shred of evidence that would stand up in any court that any of those fantastical claims are true. Never mind “thousands” there is no credible evidence that even one single child was murdered or secretly buried at any residential school. And it is now almost certain that the 215 “soil disturbances” detected at the Kamloops school were not graves at all, but were from previous excavations on the school grounds.
The “survivors” who made the false claims might believe that they are true. But they are not. And the fact that these stories have circulated in indigenous communities for years does not make them true.
So, Kimberly Murray’s demand that anyone who refuses to accept her odd version of reality must become a criminal will go the way of most expensively produced government reports — sitting on a dusty shelf.
Murray is right about one thing — “We must protect the truth.” Indeed. But we do that not by making criminals of those who ask questions. Instead, we welcome those questions.
TONIGHT – June 19, 7 p.m. – special showing of the documentary “UNACCEPTABLE” at the Oliver Theatre, 6387 Main Street, Oliver.
DETAILS:
Tickets – $15 – if you haven’t already purchased, there are still plenty of seats available. Pay at the door. Bring friends.
Please support the Oliver Theatre concession as a sign of our appreciation for showing this important film. Most theatres would not rent us space for this.
Meet, greet and eat – at The Firehall Bistro, 34881 Okanagan Highway, Oliver. (250) 498-4867
– Freedom Frequency women’s group will be there by 5 and welcomes other women to join them when you arrive OR
by calling Lynn in advance OR
book on your own OR
Just show up!
Bring friends.
Car Pooling – Call a friend if you need a ride. Offer a ride to some friends if you have spare seats. If you have run out of friends with seats available, call Mary Lou at 780-908-0309 and we’ll see what we can do to help you.
~~~~~~~o0o~~~~~~~
TOMORROW, TUESDAY – June 20, 2023 – 2 to 4 p.m.
PROTEST RALLY AT KELOWNA CITY HALL
Kelowna City Council meets at 3 and is voting on a bylaw to shut down the CLEAR/Freedom rallies in the city. This is an attack on all freedom public events, and if passed, it could roll out to other BC cities quickly, and then go across Canada. IMPORTANT to have a significant crowd there with appropriate signs. Please make the effort to be there.
DETAILS:
Carpooling: Two options:
– Attend the A4C Cannings Rally from 11:30 to 12:20 at 301 Main Street, Penticton and connect there OR
– Meet and park (free parking) at the vacant parking lot at Main Street and Warren Avenue no later than 12:15 and WAIT THERE. Derrick will arrive with his truck and billboard trailer and lead the convoy/carpool from there around 12:30.
Resistance Convoy (see poster below and pass it on to your friends) – leaving 948 McCurdy Drive, Kelowna at 12:45 – we will meet up with them plus others from the south and west, at the parking lot of Tim Hortons and the Landmark Cinema at 525 Hwy 97 S, West Kelowna – leaving for City Hall at 1:15. PLEASE NOTE the new location.
Signs and Banners –Canadian symbols on buttons, metallic vehicle signs, flags, ponchos and other forms will be available at Main and Warren and at the West Kelowna meet-up location, to decorate ourselves and our vehicles. Donations will be welcomed.
Lucky She’s Not White — Calgary Black Lives Matter President Won’t Be Charged With Hate Motivated Mischief for Blocking Access to Catholic School
Canada’s notorious “hate law”, Sec. 319 of the Criminal Code, was introduced by Pierre Elliott Trudeau in 1971, after more than 30 years of pressure from the lobbyist group, the Canadian Jewish Congress. In the 1990s, Bill C-36 made “hate” against certain privileged groups an aggravating factor in sentencing. These laws were always meant to be used against White people and Christians. They were imposed to suppress or dampen White dissent against the Globalist totalitarian changes being imposed on our society. They have almost NEVER been used against non-Whites.
Thus, when earlier this week, it was announced that Adora Nwofor President of Calgary Black Lives Matter was being charged with mischief for blocking access to St. Thomas Aquinas School and that her actions were motivated “by hate based on race or ethnic origin” I was amazed.
Sure enough, the Big Boys must have spoken to Prosecutor Will Tran. Such charges are only reserved for White people. Obstreperous Negroes get a pass. ” Prosecutor Will Tran told Justice Indra Maharaj the Crown would not be proceeding with the allegation Nwofor committed a hate-based mischief by interfering with people’s access to St. Thomas Aquinas School.” — Paul Fromm
Crown withdraws hate-crime allegation against Calgary Black Lives Matter president
The Calgary Police Service said there was a “clerical error” in alleging Adora Nwofor was motivated by “hate based on race or ethnic origin” Author of the article: Kevin Martin Published Jun 16, 2023 • Last updated 1 day ago • 2 minute read 94 Comments
Adora Nwofor is photographed in Calgary on July 17, 2020. Photo by Azin Ghaffari /Postmedia
The hate-crime charge against Calgary Black Lives Matter president Adora Nwofor was dropped by the Crown Friday, two weeks after she was arrested by police.
Prosecutor Will Tran told Justice Indra Maharaj the Crown would not be proceeding with the allegation Nwofor committed a hate-based mischief by interfering with people’s access to St. Thomas Aquinas School.
“There’s just one matter before the court. It’s the Crown’s application to withdraw it,” Tran told Maharaj, about the single allegation against Nwofor.
Outside court, Tran declined comment, which is standard procedure for prosecutors where charges are withdrawn, stayed or downgraded.
ACPS indicates allegation wasn’t reviewed by a prosecutor prior to Nwofor being charged
But in an official statement the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service (ACPS) indicated the allegation wasn’t reviewed by a prosecutor prior to Nwofor being charged.
“The ACPS is working to roll out a pre-charge process provincewide, but Calgary is not currently a participant in this process,” the statement said.
“With the pre-charge process, the prosecutor would have reviewed the potential charge prior to it being laid. The prosecutor would then provide this assessment to law enforcement to consider prior to laying charges,” it said.
Indian Lobbyist Wants to Make Questioning Residential School Claims A Criminal Offence & Justice Lametti Seems to Agree
In this age, victimhood is a prize commodity.. With it, a group can induce guilt into tenderhearted Europeans and with guilt comes entitlement and money. The organized Jewish lobby from the 1970s on, used the story of their sufferings in World War II — the so-called holocaust — to pry immense sums of money from Germany. (Germany just allocated another $1.5-billion to survivors. It’s been 78 years since the end of WW II!)
Guilt, though is a useful tool. The press is immensely sympathetic to Jewish interests. Canadians are meant to feel guilty about the so-called holocaust even though it didn’t happen here, it didn’t happen to Canadians, and Canada didn’t do it. Indeed, Canada fought against those who caused Jewish suffering.
Nevertheless, we have Holocaust Remembrance Day and Month and a Holocaust Monument. So powerful has this guilt tripping been that the holocaust has become almost a religion imposed by Western elites that sneer at Christianity.
However, there were soon pesky questions challenging the numbers and many other claims of the victim narrative from some former detention camp inmates (Rassinier), from scientists (Leuchter, Butz, Faurrison, Luftl, Rudolf) and historians (Irving) The power of the guilt message depends on emotionalism. Rational questions are disruptive.
So, the victim group demands that any questioning of its victim narrative be silenced or criminalized. Questioning the Hollywood version of World War II can get you five years in prison in Germany and many other European countries.Last year, Trudeau, he who smashed the peaceful Truckers’ Freedom Convoy with the Emergencies Act and who is no friend of free speech, snuck amendments into the budget criminalizing holocaust denial. No Member of Parliament opposed this gutting of free speech. The holocaust is now an imposed state religion in Canada. It is beyond historical or scientific discussion or skepticism. It must be believed, if one is doubtful, the skeptic must keep silent.
Well, now a spokesman for another entitled group, native Indians, is demanding that questioners of that group’s guilt narrative be silenced.
The guilt narrative suggests that Europeans abused and dispossessed the native people. oF COURSE, there certainly were frictions in the relations between the European founding/settler people of Canada and Native Indians.
The residential schools set up to educate Indian children — to help move them from the Stone Age to the edge of the Modern Age in one generation — were really attempts at genocide, oh, well, not real genocide, but cultural genocide, according to former Chief Justice Beverley McLaughlin. The Harper Government apologized and shovelled out billions of dollars in compensation. The the guilt just keeps on giving. Trudeau has flung more money under various guises to Indians. Then, two years ago a propaganda bonanza occurred. The Kamloops band said that ground penetrating radar had found what might have been 216 graves near a former residential school. The press was is full guilt-mongering propaganda mode. The finding was dubbed “mass graves”, suggesting an undignified one-time burial, perhaps even extermination. Two years later, no further investigation has occurred. Are there even graves there; if so, who is in those graves and how, if it can be determined, did they die?
The irrational guiltmongering allowed the wrecking crew who hate Old Stock Canadians et quebecois de souche to tear down statues including of Canada’s first Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald, to rename buildings and even institutions. Ryerson University, named after the father of education in Ontario, was renamed Metropolitan University and a statue of Egerton Ryerson was vandalized and beheaded. The head was later found on the Six Nations Reservation near Brantford. No charges were laid. Over 50 Christian churches were vandalized or destroyed or damaged by arson. Belatedly, Justin Trudeau said he did not condone the arson but said he understood.; Almost no charges have been laid in these attacks one of which destroyed a Coptic Christian church in Vancouver. The Copts came to Canada from Egypt AFTER the last residential school closed.
Our history needs rational discussion. If individual Indians were abused or assaulted by all means charge the perpetrators, if still alive.
However, as with the holocaust, discussion and questioning is not what is wanted. It would interrupt and dampen the very profitable guilt narrative. Thus, “Canada should give “urgent consideration” to legal mechanisms as a way to combat residential school denialism, said a Friday report from [Kimberly Murray] the independent special interlocutor on unmarked graves.
Justice Minister David Lametti said he is open to such a solution. …
In her interim report, Murray raised concerns about increasing attacks from “denialists” who challenge communities when they announce the discovery of possible unmarked graves.
‘This violence is prolific,”’ the report said. ‘And takes place via email, telephone, social media, op-eds and, at times, through in-person confrontations’.” (Canadian Press, June 16, 2023)
Notice that e-mail comments, post on social media and op eds are now labelled as “violence.”
No discussion or criticism is to be allowed: Just hang your head in guilt and shame and pay up! — Paul Fromm
These are reasonable questions.
Canada should consider legal solution to fight residential school denialism: special interlocutor
Kimberly Murray wants to see tougher action on residential school denialism
Kimberly Murray, Special Interlocuter at the first meeting for the National Gathering for Unmarked Burials
Canada should give “urgent consideration” to legal mechanisms as a way to combat residential school denialism, said a Friday report from the independent special interlocutor on unmarked graves.
Justice Minister David Lametti said he is open to such a solution.
Kimberly Murray made the call in her newly released interim report, just over a year after she was appointed to an advisory role focused on how Ottawa can help indigenous communities search for children who died and disappeared from residential schools.
Her final report is due next year and is expected to contain recommendations.
The former executive director of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada spent much of the past year travelling the country and hearing from different communities, experts and survivors.
The Liberal government created her role as it looked for ways to respond to First Nations from across Western Canada and in parts of Ontario using ground-penetrating radar to search former residential school sites for possible unmarked graves.
In her interim report, Murray raised concerns about increasing attacks from “denialists” who challenge communities when they announce the discovery of possible unmarked graves.
“This violence is prolific,” the report said. “And takes place via email, telephone, social media, op-eds and, at times, through in-person confrontations.”
Murray listed several examples, including after the May 2021 announcement by the Tk’emlups te Secwepemc Nation that ground-penetrating radar had discovered what are believed to be 215 unmarked graves at the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School.
The findings garnered international media attention and triggered an outpouring of grief, shock and anger from across the country, both in Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.
Murray said in her report that on top of dealing with an onslaught of media attention, the First Nation in British Columbia had to deal with individuals entering the site itself.
“Some came in the middle of the night, carrying shovels; they said they wanted to ‘see for themselves’ if children are buried there. Denialists also attacked the community on social media.”
Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir of Tk’emlups te Secwepemc said she no longer uses social media without heavy filters because of the intensity of the “hate and racism” she experienced, according to the report, and believes the issue needs more attention…
Murray said Canada has a role to play to combat this sentiment and that “urgent consideration” should be given to what legal tools exist to address the problem, including both civil and criminal sanctions.
Lametti, who appointed Murray to her role, said that he is open to all possibilities to fighting residential-school denialism.
He said that includes “a legal solution and outlawing it,” adding some countries have criminalized denial of the Holocaust during the Second World War.
The federal government followed suit last year, amending the Criminal Code to say someone could be found guilty if they wilfully promote antisemitism “by condoning, denying or downplaying the Holocaust.”
The measure does not apply to private conversations.
NDP MP Leah Gazan has also called for Parliament to legislate residential school denialism as hate speech.
“I recognize the damage denialism does,” Lametti said Friday as he joined the event in Cowessess First Nation by video conference.”
Alfred phoned me this morning from his landline to tell me the latest. The thugs in uniform came en masse at 6 am his time today, ding-dong-ding-dong-ding-dong-ding-dong!!! so, his wife opened up and let them in. Good thing too or they would have busted down the door to the whole building (others live in the same building too). Alfred has proof of that because he overheard one of them reporting back to headquarters that they “did not have to resort to force to enter”. So, these uniformed thugs raided his home once again, stole all his electronic equipment, every last bit of it including his cell phone, took Alfred to the police station in Starnberg, did whatever they do there, and released him.
In his usual fighting spirit, Alfred lectured them non-stop, and the last thing he said to the police chief is “I’d rather be DEAD than be doing what you are doing now!”
He says they were “polite”, but of course showed zero response to his talking at them. His wife heard them commenting on their way out the door how neat and tidy and clean their place was. The normal conditions of the past (neat and clean and tidy German homes) are evidently becoming a thing of the past, according to these guys’ experience.
Ontario Attorney General’s Appeal against Whatcott “hate” crime acquittal to be heard this coming week
Zoom link attached at bottom of update.
Bill Whatcott handing out “Zombie Safe Sex” packages which contained life saving Gospel and accurate medical information on the dangers of homosexual sex to Toronto Shame Parade attendees
Dear Friends,
The Toronto Court of Appeal will be hearing the Ontario Attorney General’s appeal this coming week, (Wednesday, June 21, 2023 at 10:00 am, EDT) against my aquittal for their specious hate crime charge levied against me for covertly sharing the Gospel at the Toronto Homosexual Shame Parade in 2016.
Shortly after Lifesite wrote the above news article the homosexual activist lawyers who launched a $104 million class action lawsuit against me for my ministry to the Toronto Shame Parade threatened Lifesite with being included in the lawsuit if they did not remove the above story. To Lifesite’s credit they never removed the original story, but rather wrote this one here: https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/canadian-pro-life-group-threatened-with-legal-action-over-lifesite-report-o/
Anyways, due to cost and logistics of travelling across Canada, the Ontario Court of Appeal is offering zoom to myself and anyone else who wishes to attend my hearing virtually.
The link you can use this coming week (Wednesday, June 21, 2023 at 10:00 am, EDT) is:
Unless permission is given by the court, it is an offence under s. 136 of the Courts of Justice Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.43, punishable by a fine of not more than $25,000 or imprisonment of up to six months, or both, to record any part of the hearing, including by way of screenshot/capture and photograph, as well as to publish, broadcast, reproduce or disseminate any such recording.
It is recommended to log in early to make sure any bugs are resolved. if you have an issue you can call: 416-326-1029
Please pray for God to vindicate us at the court of appeal and that a clear and unambiguous ruling is made that Gospel truth speech can never be defined by the authorities or homosexual activists as so-called “hate speech.”
In Christ’s Service, Bill Whatcott
“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” Luke 6:27, 28
Here is the flyer for the Tuesday, June 20, 2023 rally at Kelowna City Hall to oppose their Petition to ban our rallies.
City Council will be sitting on this date starting at 3:00 p.m. Let’s be there early to greet them!!!
2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
We need to get as many people as possible to come out for just a couple of hours and oppose what the City is doing as the implications will be felt by everyone if they are successful.
I would be grateful if you can please forward this to your lists ASAP and encourage everyone to come out. Please encourage everyone to make their own signage as well.
As a lawyer once told me years ago, the first line of defence is to deny everything…make sure people don’t get heard.
Is the Election Eve Arrest of Populist Candidate Chris Sky Elite Interference in the Election?
On June 13, on the eve of the crucial Toronto mayoralty by-election, populist candidate Chris Sky (Chris Saccoccia) was arrested for “uttering threats.” He surrendered to police and was released. As usual, the lamestream media and police failed to tell us against whom the threats were made or what exactly these threats were, so that the public could decide.
Why was Mr. Sky arrested, just 13 days before the election? Could police not have arrested him after the vote. The arrest serves to smear his name. Sadly. many people mistake a charge for a conviction. He must be guilty, they think, or the police would not have charged him. Are the police acting as hitmen for the woke elite? Chris Sky is a populist leader and businessman. He is among about a dozen serious candidates, among 102, for Mayor. He has an impressive election headquarters, has many charge election signs, a sharp website and has held many meetings. The woke elite detest him. Chris Sky was a key leader of the freedom rallies in Queen’s Park Toronto that began in 2020. His energy and youthful social media savvy made him a powerful icon. His approach was summed up in a short book he wrote Just Say No. Also, he has expressed doubts about some of the common claims about Jewish experiences in World War II. Even the populist Rebel Media tried to pillory him in an ambush interview with Ezra Levant and David Menzies. All they wanted to talk about is the new religion of holocaust, which has become the religion of the woke elite that sneers at Christianity. Misled about the purpose of the interview, Chris walked out on them.
Chris has been persecuted for his leadership. Although a peaceful man, he was placed under a flight ban (usually reserved for terrorists). He had to drive across the country to attend his own meetings in Western cities, including Vancouver. He has been charged 71 times, but there have been no convictions. Charging a dissident is a great way for the elite to restrict or silence a dissident. Broadcaster Leslie Bory is in his fourth month in prison for “uttering threats.” The courts have denied him bail. At one point, several years ago, one of Chris Sky’s bail conditions was that he not enter the City of Toronto (Be out of Dodge City by sunset). We know the elite was outraged by the massive peaceful Truckers’ Freedom convoy last January. A shaken tyrant Justin Trudeau, applauded by most of the Fake News media, invoked the police state Emergencies Act, to smash dissent and freeze dissidents’ bank accounts. So, was the arrest of Chris Sky just before the election a similar measure to hobble dissent?
Toronto mayoral candidate Chris Saccoccia arrested for allegedly uttering death threats
King City resident Christopher Saccoccia is seen in this photo. (Instagram)
Aisling Murphy, Web Content Writer Published Tuesday, June 13, 2023 12:00PM EDT
Toronto mayoral candidate Chris Saccoccia has been arrested for allegedly uttering death threats, Toronto police confirmed on Tuesday.
Saccoccia, best known by his internet moniker Chris Sky, has made headlines in the past for his protests against COVID-19 vaccinations and mask mandates. He was arrested in 2021 for threatening to shoot elected officials such as Doug Ford and members of the public, and according to a video shared to his Twitter page on Monday, he has been charged with a crime 73 times.
“I am quite confident that I’ll be exonerated,” Saccoccia says in the video. “The best thing that anybody watching can do, is go out, share this video, and tell everybody to vote for me.” Saccoccia adds in the video that this arrest is the latest in a series of ploys by the “deep state” to render Saccoccia “unelectable.”
In a follow-up video posted Tuesday morning, Saccoccia spoke directly to the youth of Toronto, encouraging them to vote while apparently en route to surrender himself for his arrest.
In a statement to CP24, a representative for the Toronto Police Service confirmed that Saccoccia had been arrested for uttering threats of death or bodily harm, following allegations of text and voice messages sent on June 5 that included a death threat.
________________________
Tom Marazzo writes:
“In my opinion, Chris Sky Saccoccia for Mayor is not getting a fair shake. Hated by both elites and politicians, Chris is completely ignored by the legacy media, but his popularity on social media and with the under thirties is undeniable. AND the middle class is increasingly embracing his honest and straightforward no BS style.”
“At 39, Chris Sky is a guy who gets things done. A developer and businessman for twenty-years, he knows his way around City Hall from the outside in. Vice President of Sky Homes Corp. Chris is educated is both Building Design and Development and Sports Medicine. Over the last three years, Chris helped business and families get out from under the fallout of lockdowns, out of his own pocket, because he truly cares about the people.”
“With a well laid out plan for CHANGE, Chris will never embrace the concept of 15-minute cities. He will lead Toronto out of debt and create a new Toronto that will be a blueprint for growth not only in Canada but around the world.”
“The world needs change! Chris Sky is the Mayor for a positive future! I say, ignore the mainstream media and on Monday, June 26, 2023 regardless of line ups or delays get out and vote Chris Saccoccia for Mayor of Toronto.”
Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Anthony Bass is the latest victim of the tyranny and intolerance of the many corporate backers of the homosexual agenda. Bass made a critical post online about the LGBTQ community. Although he apologized, he added: ” “The video itself, obviously, I took it down,I just felt like it was too much of a distraction, right? But I stand by my personal beliefs and everyone’s entitled to their personal beliefs, right? But also I mean no harm toward any groups of people.” NO! s a corporate slave, he is not entitled to his own views. Nor are the fans. General Manager Ross Atkins warns: ” As for a message for fans who may be against participating in the weekend’s festivities, Atkins said the organization will “continue to work hard to make sure that this is an inclusive environment and one where we will not stand for behavior that makes it otherwise.”
Do you get it? An “inclusive environment” but not of any views contrary to the LGBTQ agenda. Notice, while embracing Gay Pride, the Jays aren’t likely to embrace traditional Christian family pride!
Toronto Blue Jays drop pitcher Anthony Bass following anti-LGBTQ comments
By Jacob Lev, CNN Updated 8:50 AM EDT, Sun June 11, 2023
Anthony Bass of the Toronto Blue Jays delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins in the ninth inning of the game at Target Field on August 4, 2022, in Minneapolis. David Berding/Getty Images CNN —
The Toronto Blue Jays have designated pitcher Anthony Bass for assignment following an anti-LGBTQ post the 35-year-old shared on social media last month.
The move comes hours before the Blue Jays’ first game of Pride Weekend when the team faces the Minnesota Twins. Bass was expected to take part in the festivities including catching the ceremonial first pitch on Friday.
Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said Friday that Bass’s performance on the field was primarily a baseball decision.
Atkins added that the team values the LGBTQ community and expressed regret for any mishandling of the situation.
“We definitely don’t want anyone feeling any hurt,” Atkins said. “We’re focused on the environment. We care about this community. We care about our fans. And I deeply regret if people do feel that way. It certainly was not our intention.”
In May, Bass shared an Instagram post that called for anti-LGBTQ boycotts of Target and Bud Light over their support for the LGBTQ community and referred to the support as “evil” and “demonic.”
Bass later apologized for the post while speaking to reporters, but has been booed by fans at the Rogers Centre since.
On Thursday, Bass expanded on his original apology, saying he was sorry for “any harm or hurt” that he made toward the Pride community. However, he added that he stands by his “personal beliefs.”
“The video itself, obviously, I took it down,” Bass said. “I just felt like it was too much of a distraction, right? But I stand by my personal beliefs and everyone’s entitled to their personal beliefs, right? But also I mean no harm toward any groups of people. And I felt like taking that down the second time was the right thing to do and not being a distraction. As a team, our job is to win baseball games. And that’s my focus.”
Bass said he did not perceive the post to be “hateful” but added that he understood why some people viewed it as “hurtful.”
The 12-year veteran said he had a “productive” meeting with Pride Toronto’s executive director Sherwin Modeste earlier this week to understand more about LGBTQ community in the city and learn about Modeste’s story.
“Before I said anything, I really wanted just to listen to what he had to say. Those were my intentions going into the meeting, and I felt like it was very productive,” Bass said.
Bass met with Atkins and team manager John Schneider last week and according to Atkins on Thursday, Bass apologized to them and his teammates for “creating any harm and for hurting others.”
“That was not his intent,” Atkins added. “His emotion was very strong, as was mine. I was personally hurt, myself. He felt my disappointment and anger. It was a very charged exchange.”
Atkins said he felt Bass’s apology was “sincere” and that he felt he was holding himself “accountable.”
“That was the most significant piece is that he was accountable,” Atkins said. “He wanted to apologize, not just to me, which was very important, but more importantly to our community and this community. Without that, as I said, we’d have a very different outcome. And then I think the willingness to do something about it, being paramount and seeing that step taken is a good first step.”
As for a message for fans who may be against participating in the weekend’s festivities, Atkins said the organization will “continue to work hard to make sure that this is an inclusive environment and one where we will not stand for behavior that makes it otherwise.”
Bass has a 4.95 ERA in 22 relief appearances this season for the Blue Jays. Bass has also pitched for the San Diego Padres, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs, Seattle Mariners and Miami Marlins.
In a corresponding roster move, Toronto reinstated right-hander Mitch White from the 60-day injured list.
Designated for assignment means the Blue Jays can trade Bass in the next seven days, and if they don’t, they can place him on irrevocable outright waivers – where he will be released or claimed by another team.
I know you have lots to do. Nevertheless, I recommend spending 20 minutes, scrolling-through the pdf at this URL if you’re one of the dissident voices who understands that the SARS2Covid19 thing is an enormous HOAX, then it pertains to you
The Investigative Report “Vancouver Island Freedom Movement is a Hate Movement” is a classic example of the anti-Christs’ perverted rhetoric … for no good reason but to smear / vilify anyone and everyone who sympathizes in any way, with The Freedom Movement (c).
Reference to holocaust denial gives them away : what they fear, is : Christians at the forefront of this authentic populist movement. It impacts not just us in Victoria / Kelowna, but everyone who is seen repudiating the wicked-ness in high places in America.
To long-time political activists ( such as moi ) it’s comical. Petty, half-baked hysteria, drinking their own bathwater…. proving the recent adage “their projection is their confession”. In fact, of those who show up at gatherings big and small, at least 90% are White people. So this is the opening salvo, locally, of President Biden’s campaign vilifying patriotic White nationalists, as > The Enemy. Echoing what Justin Trudeau said about him being glad to get rid of “old stock” White Canadians.
In substance, this screed is nothing but a grab-bag of whatever images + half-truths collected via the internet cobbled-together for propaganda purposes. . Very little first-hand effort. But it implies that the Enemies of Freedom are worried-enough to bother with our tiny little group of dissident voices, as we gather at the Leg. every Saturday. Expect it to be taken up by the media syndicate and printed as “Evidence” !
back in my anti-abortion daze, we used to say “when you’re taking flak, you know you’re over the target”
