This Magazine (which ironically I’d not heard of until Kate linked to it) has mused that Canada’s left political spectrum goes unheard online. It’s true that there’s no one standout, runaway, big name blogger on the left of the political spectrum. Instead we have several bloggers that take turns acting as focal points of discussion and news breaking. Usually in the form of a blog aggregator, Canadians can get a quick summary of what is collectively on the minds of bloggers.
A clue as to why the right wing blogs tend to be more popular online in Canada can be found posted on Kate’s blog today. People seem to love a good fight online, and if you want to be clubbed like a baby seal in a PETA ad, just stroll on in to Small Dead Animals on any given day and respond with common sense or a compassionate stance to some of the simply outrageous stuff posted there.
The ever offensive, shock-jock of the Canadian blogosphere, Relapsed Catholic K. Shaidle provided a dollop of racist nonsense today. The reactions elicited from most average Canadians reading what she wrong would be shock, outrage, dismay, or embarrassment, but on SDA Shaidle finds an online subculture that agrees there were safety and health benefits to a political system of segregation and oppression of black South Africans.
“An estimated 5.4 million South Africans are infected with the AIDS virus, more than any other country in the world. About 900 people die of the disease each day.”
[Shaidle kicks the ant hill in an obvious attempt to say something outrageously wrong.] So: was South Africa a safer, healthier nation under apartheid?
If that isn’t startling enough for a supposedly mainstream blog, here is a sample of comments allowed, and encouraged by Shaidle:
“wait til us whites are in the minority in 30-60 years and the same happens here.
South Africa is a good place to look to see where Canada’s excessive immigration rates will take us they too have diversity with many Asians, whites and blacks all living in joyous harmony….”
Posted by: DrWright
At least some people still try to inject some sense into discussions at SDA, but Ted can’t do it alone. Maybe he shouldn’t even try?
“There are lots of things Africans could be doing for themselves. But let’s not get so self-righteous as to pat ourselves on the back and say ‘we’ve done our bit, now bugger off’.
The only thing more vile than such an attitude is to suggest that enslavement, segregation and racial supremacy are superior.”
Posted by: Ted at October 2, 2007 10:12 AM
Maybe one day there will be a place blog readers flock to where Shaidle isn’t given a platform with the biggest online audience in Canada. It’s not as if she’s in any way useful to advancing communication or learning. If you want Howard Stern, without the charm, I guess you know where to go though. To me, shock-jockery like Shaidle’s blog and writings, are akin to a kid saying swear words just to cause a reaction by doing something naughty.
If I were Kate, I’d be really mad to have trusted someone with access to publishing on my blog, and end up with that kind of crap about racist segregation supposedly making people safer.
@hotmail.com
![[EFC Blue Ribbon - Free Speech Online]](http://www.efc.ca/images/efcfreet.gif)
Rosie | 03-Oct-07 at 5:59 am | Permalink
Nothing KS writes astounds me anymore, and its not even worth giving attention to because its mostly written with the intention of pissing people off. She’s not been secret about that. So you’ve just vindicated her by writing this :) If you criticise her, she will just say “nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah I was on TV and have published books and won awards and you weren’t so I’m smarter than you- thats SMRT suckas!”.
Meh. I look good on paper too, but wouldn’t recommend someone trust me with their brain surgery.
Saskboy | 03-Oct-07 at 7:20 am | Permalink
It’s just my ~thrice yearly rant about people who’d be better off returning to the under-rock from whence they came. Up next is either Michelle Malkin, or Ann Coulter I guess :-)
Jeff Davidson | 03-Oct-07 at 8:10 am | Permalink
kate is passive aggressive. instead of having the guts to come out and say how much she fears, hates or is threatened by the world outside of rural saskatchewan and silly little dog shows, she baits her readers into saying exactly what she thinks.
shaidle is everything mcmillan wishes she could be.
H. M. Riley | 03-Oct-07 at 6:14 pm | Permalink
I’m a lurking mofo who is casting off my cloak of darkness to say I’m a regular reader of “Abandoned Stuff” (I subscribe via Bloglines). I’ve read me some Shaidle and I have to admit that although I find her rantings personally amusing, I realize that too many people take the woman seriously. Thanks to Saskboy and others who are the voice of reason in the Blogosphere.
I guess my next comment will be Oct. 3/2008 LOL!
Heather
Saskboy | 03-Oct-07 at 8:12 pm | Permalink
Thanks for leaving a comment Heather, and you don’t have to wait a whole year again if you have a little something to say after reading anything.
balbulican | 04-Oct-07 at 5:25 am | Permalink
It just strikes me as odd that someone would choose to inform the world every day how deeply unhappy and full of hatred they are. Every once in a while she excretes a little autobiographical pellet that explains some her misery, but jeez, lady, get into therapy and stop making the rest of miserable.
Sean McCormick | 04-Oct-07 at 1:19 pm | Permalink
“but on SDA Shaidle finds an online subculture that agrees there were safety and health benefits to a political system of segregation and oppression of black South Africans”
The timeliness and quality of the health care in SA under Apartheid depended on one’s race. White people could get a “white” ambulance in under 5 minutes. Blacks ordering a “black” ambulance would have to wait an average of an hour or more (according to a former roommate of mine who arrived in Canada as a refugee from SA). Needless to say, a lot of blacks died before their ambulance ever arrived, and many probably would have lived were they white and had received timely care.
Sean | 04-Oct-07 at 1:54 pm | Permalink
Worth mentioning… K. Shaidle is no longer the Relapsed Catholic: she blogs at http://www.fivefeetoffury.com now. I believe she’s had a falling out with the RC Church over her boyfriend’s protracted annulment.