I have been astounded this past week by the commentaries, insults, accusations and threats made on the internet against politicians and some high profile people as well. The attackers are always using phony ‘user names’ so they can remain anonymous. And I have to confess that I am so tempted to join them – the latest outrages of McGuinty and the provincial Liberals for not only blowing $580 million of our tax dollars, but then pretending they didn’t know it would be that much. Then they went on to claim that their senior staff had deleted the evidence without telling them about it. This is really too much.
When NDP leader Horwath spoke so well months ago about how she was going to keep the Liberals ‘honest’, I actually thought she was pretty good – until last week when I watched her cringing in her closet, keeping silent over their breach of the public trust and probably, after the OPP is finished, breach of the law. Nonetheless, she has decided to keep them in power. I just heard her on the radio saying how the NDP has kept its promises to the people of Ontario and Kathleen Wynne hasn’t. Horwath went on to say that she is “doing us a favour by supporting the budget so she can monitor Liberal corruption on our behalf”.
That would be funny if it wasn’t so pitiful. Do you think anyone believed her? She just sold any principles she might have had, along with her credibility, down the river to keep herself employed.
Did all of you get her real message? Phooey on her promises to the people of Ontario and phooey on the rest of us.
So now it’s my turn – I am going to be guilty of insults and accusations. I should know better. I’ve been there, done that. But the frustration is overwhelming. And if that isn’t enough, we can now add to the politics the deafening silence of the Jewish community about what is going on in Quebec.
Let’s do that one first. Sha shtill! How often have I had to use that expression in my blogs this past year? Too often. Sickening to think how the CIJA Board (look up who they are – not worth my time) who are self appointed (did I miss a community election?) quivers at the first sign of trouble. That group has a priest on their Board, and that is a good thing, but no Rabbi. It would be soooo interesting to get their rationale for that brilliant decision. I have asked but they refuse to answer me. Maybe one of you should try.
Let’s see – three major attacks on Jewish establishments in Quebec in a few weeks – “oh, it’s just a coincidence” they whine. Mmm. “Oh no, that’s okay. It just happens to look like they are picking on the Jews. Life has always been so wonderful for us in Quebec”.
Mulcair? The leader of the NDP? Silence. I am sure that David Lewis just spun around a few times in his grave. Justin? The leader of the Liberals? More silence. But I know that his father is clapping his hands in his grave. And so will Crouton. Oh, he is a Frenchie you say? How quaint.
Thankfully we know that Prime Minister Harper will never turn away in silence as those cowardly men have if the Jewish community comes under attack.
So remember all of this at election time. Duffy? Corpulent and allegedly corrupt – Wallin? – hypocrite peddling herself as holier than thou – also allegedly corrupt – but who are they really screwing by ripping off the government for phony expenses? Themselves! Do you think they will ever be welcome again at the places they want to be? Not at all.
And now it is another rainy Tuesday so I’m off to lunch with my golf buddies in lieu of a real golf game. This is the third week of a rain-out. I hope it isn’t some kind of sinister plot.
I’m back! Our agenda, after a soup and salad lunch was the glory of Toronto city politics. So Mayor Ford is still in place – as he should be. He was elected by a majority – he said there would be no unions running the city the way they had been under Miller and that he would get a handle on the lefties who were taxing and spending us into financial oblivion. And he has done that. Don’t like him? Think he is a druggie? The way to remove him is to vote him out of office – not by going along with an off the wall newspaper editor who is using the media to circumvent the electoral process.
“Hold it!” said Barbie. “Yah, hold it!” seconded Elly. “Yo, hold it also!” said Norma. “You can’t really support Rob Ford! Don’t you think what he did was disgusting?”
“And I heard he had one of those guys in that picture murdered”
“And I read in the Globe and Mail that the Fords are drug dealers”
“And the Toronto Star said he paid someone to get rid of that video”
“He has embarrassed Torontonians. People are laughing at us”.
Okay, now it is my turn. I know Kevin Donovan, the Star’s #1 investigative reporter – once upon a time it was me that he was investigating. And he is very good. And there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that whatever he saw on that video, he believes it is Rob Ford. So what? Who cares? It wasn’t in a school, it wasn’t at City Hall, it wasn’t in a public park. It was in the dead of night – somewhere – we don’t know whether it was last year or five years ago, or even longer. Two rubbie dubs are standing next to him – wasn’t one of them murdered? Again, so what?
I think that Ainslie and Bailao, two admitted drunk drivers, are more dangerous and should have been booted out of office. Drunk drivers kill children and maim adults. They choose to get behind the wheel.
So how come those two are still in City Hall? Where is the press? Oh, I get it. Drunk driving is not as bad as being photographed standing in between two drug users. Well, I guess it depends on your values – and that is my point. Who are we to judge? I can tell you that many high profile people, especially politicians, are often surrounded by and posed next to all kinds of people they don’t know. Remember Obama’s first White House event? Two gate crashers got in and parked themselves next to him and were photographed. So even at the highest levels, it happens.
And now I come to the title of this blog – Glass Houses. Are any of you comfortable being judged solely by the company you keep? Anybody got a friend or relative who has broken the law, or slipped off the wagon, or gambled away their house or cheated on their spouse? If you have chosen to remain a loyal friend, does that now make you an accessory after the fact? So unless you want to live in a glass house, should you be making judgement calls on others?
Not me. I believe that Ford has kept some important promises to the people of Toronto. That is why he was elected and if he is not re-elected, it should be because of what he doesn’t do as the Mayor, not because of what he does in the privacy of his own bedroom or playroom, or wherever.
So, as I told my friends. I am a supporter of any Mayor who keeps his promises and saves my tax dollars. No stinky garbage on the streets, no payoffs to union bosses, no millions blown down the tube – look at the TDSB – they had Miller in their hands as their #1 boy. And last night on TV, I heard Sheila Ward, TDSB trustee, trying to gloss over the $7 million they over spent on the Mandela school. BUT –it wasn’t her problem – she doesn’t do construction – how was she supposed to know what would happen when ineptness got into bed with special interests?
And the irony is that Rob Ford is in office for another year and a half because McGuinty, that paragon of honesty and special interests, extended his David Miller’s term of office from three years to four… in the dead of night of course. Did you know about it before the fact? I didn’t. . So all of you Ford haters out there can thank M & M for your continuing anguish. Only eighteen more months to go. We’ll see who wins in the end. We’ll see.
And kudos to TIFF. They have re-scheduled their awards ceremony this year to Sunday, Sept 15, 2013 – the day after Yom Kippur. Thank you.
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