Blogosphere Brawl in Canada

A brawl has broken out in the blogosphere that has enveloped Canadian politics.

First, meet Jason Cherniak, a Liberal Party supporter who writes a popular political blog from his home in Toronto, Ontario.

Next, meet blogger Robert McClelland , a supporter of the "progressive" New Democratic Party (NDP) who posted an anti-semitic remark in reference to Cherniak.

As the National Post reports:

Robert McClelland (if that is his real name) is a blogger in the London area. For years, McClelland has posted some of the most offensive -- and stridently anti-Semitic -- material in the Canadian blogosphere. He has repeatedly called Israelis "murderers;" and he has written that "Jews act like Nazis." Mc- Clelland has become notorious for his hateful views, and he clearly revels in it, on his own site and on a much-read group blog called "Blogging Dippers."

Despite his clear anti-Semitism, McClelland has somehow been permitted to promote the NDP for many, many months. His site features links to the official NDP Web site, photos of Mr. Layton, and even (ironically) a tribute to David Lewis. It has been long believed that he is a sanctioned online voice for the NDP.

Until this week, that is. On Sunday afternoon, there was a discussion on McClelland's Web site headlined: "When the State starts rounding up my Jewish neighbours, I'll speak up." McClelland's response -- which also caustically referenced this writer and a Liberal pro-Israel blogger, Jason Cherniak -- was as follows: "Not me? When next they come for the Jews, I doubt I'll even be able to muster up a 'what a shame.'"

Within 24 hours, the blogosphere had exploded in outrage over McClelland's comments -- and not just from the right, either. On innumerable blogs, pro-NDP activists demanded that McClelland apologize, and withdraw his appalling statements. He adamantly refused.

On Monday afternoon, Cherniak and I were contacted directly by representatives of the federal NDP. They were appalled by what McClelland had written, they said -- and by the notion that anyone would think McClelland is associated with the NDP. In a letter to the Canadian Jewish Congress, New Democrat party president Anne McGrath made clear that McClelland's comments were "highly offensive" and "repugnant."

Meanwhile, the moderators of the Canadian site Progressive Bloggers voted 5 to 1 to drop Robert McClelland from their blogroll. They offer this mealy-mouthed explanation:

There's a fine line between promoting/enjoying Antisemitism, and being"indifferent" to it - and we feel that Robert understands that, despite his repugnant comments.

But while we feel that Robert cannot be accurately labelled as an "anti-Semite" for his beliefs and desires, the single line he uses to display his resentment to the Jewish organizations for not co-operating with his efforts does cross well past the line of good taste, and is in fact disgusting. Robert is not an active promoter of racism, but his admission of deciding to perceive an entire "race" of people in a certain way because of the (lack of) actions of a few of their representatives is simplistic and stereotyping. And most relevant of all, the infamous line he uses makes a rather obvious reference to systematic racism (if not outright genocide), even if he does not necessarily share such leanings - arguing that Jews are bringing such actions upon themselves.While legal authorities wouldn't hypothetically be able to prosecute for promoting hatred, it sure as hell isn't "progressive", and has no place on ProgBlogs.

So, to clarify: He's not an anti-semite, or an active promoter of anti-Jewish hatred--he just tends to "perceive an entire 'race' of people in a certain way" and makes statements referencing the Holocaust. Way to go, "progressive" Canadian bloggers! Even when you disown an anti-semite in your midst, you can't quite bring yourselves to admit that he's anti-semitic.