Saturday, April 30, 2011

SUN gives Jack a happy ending

Much is being made by the usual suspects of this clumsy smear job on Layton by the Toronto Sun.
Give that story a very careful, very close reading and realize it is built entirely on a single unnamed source, contains no evidence of anything and is built largely on innuendo.
Layton was never charged or even arrested and there is not even any direct accusation in the story that he did anything he should not have done. He openly admits that he went to get a massage at the apparently fully-licenced massage establishment. Something lots of people do every day. There is nothing sleazy about getting a massage. The only suggestion of anything untoward in the story is the unidentified, retired Toronto cop claiming that the establishment in question was thought to be a bawdy house by the Toronto police (who, of course, have never been wrong about anything or abused their powers for political ends, ever, especially back then).
And with the incident having occurred 16 years ago, it seems awfully convenient that the SUN would, wholly by coincidence, choose to run with the story two days before the election. Given what we know about the overlap in CPC strategists and SUN employees, what are the odds the Conservative Party of Canada will somehow be found to have been involved in the release of this information if someone wants to pursue it hard enough?
How's that for innuendo?
You know what the difference is?
What the SUN would like you to believe happened - that Proletarian Jack had his means of production seized -  is a bit skeevy, but if his wife doesn't care, then why should we? It is ancient history and has no bearing on how he would govern.
What I have speculated about is recent, sinister, unethical, unprincipled, corrupt, possibly even criminal and certainly indicative of the kind of sleazy politics of character assassination the CPC has been engaging in for years. And it is more likely to be true.
I don't say any of this as any particular fan of Jack Layton. I'm fairly agnostic about the NDP in the general scheme of things. I like them better than the Conservatives, but I don't think they are going to singlehandedly usher in some kind of golden age where we all gather round singing The Internationale, nor do I think they will start nationalizing the banks and sending anyone who isn't a union member to re-education camps or anything like that.
But this kind of malicious smear campaign based on smirking innuendo should piss off anyone who values the truth, and I think that includes most Canadians. I apologize for the puns, but this kind of thing rubs Canadians the wrong way and the backlash might just be enough to turn a few close seats and give the NDP the hand it needs to give the country a happy ending.

crossposted from The Woodshed


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9 comments:

Gordie Canuk said...

Extremely well said, and annotated. I'm adding you to my blog roll...cheers.

Brian said...

I was wondering if anyone has been looking for former Toronto police/Conservative candidate prints on this smear job.

Dana said...

Fantino forgot these photocopies for a very long time.

Zee said...

Who dunnit? pointing to the CPC, nope.
Pointing to the Liberals, nope.
NDP concocted the thing? Too clever.
Must have been some other big gunzel in the city of Toronto, thought of it all on his ownself. Have no idea, really.
Anyway it looks like Saturday was all about Jack. Upsets last and final plans of everybody in this race. Bit of good luck for (prime minister) Layton. Luv politics.

sunsin said...

Just one more reason to go through the Toronto police with an iron broom and sweep out all the crap and petty fascists that seem to be growing there like mold.

RossK said...

Apologies for streetwalking all over the Rev's post, but...

Stopping All Cons....My Comprehensive Guide To Strategic Surge Voting In British Columbia is now rolling out....here, for anybody interested.


______
(and I know that the Strategic Voting thing is not top-o-the-pops with all, or even most, of the TGB's fine folks, but I still truly believe that all must be done to Stop each and every Con wherever and whenever possible in this election - again apologies for the blogwhoring)

.

Rev.Paperboy said...

Not to worry RossK, I am all about the strategic voting, especially in Ontario and out your way in lotus land where could make a big difference.

Kirbycairo said...

Is this to suggest that you know people that think the NDP (or anyone else for that matter) is going to usher in an era of utopian perfection?

Rev.Paperboy said...

Kirby Cairo,
FUCK, NO!!!
I do not see anyone ushering in Utopia. I'd settle for a prime minister who isn't going to boot us in the plums just to hear the rich boys giggle. Neither Layton or Ignatieff is any great prize, but compared to Harper they are the second coming complete with arkangels!