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What if Henry Morgentaler looked like this?

July 22, 2008 by Brigitte Pellerin 3 Comments

Perhaps the silliest argument in favour of the old abortionist: That if only we weren’t so anti-Semitic and bent on detesting ugly people, there wouldn’t be such an uproar over his induction into the Order of Canada.

Many years ago, Montreal Gazette cartoonist Terry Mosher, aka Aislin, published a cartoon that pictured Henry Morgentaler beside a handsome, waspish doctor with an Anglo-Saxon name and posited the question: Do you think if Henry Morgentaler looked like this, there would be this fuss?

We may never know how the debate on abortion might have unfolded if its leading proponent looked like George Clooney. Aislin, also named to the Order in 2003, made his point brilliantly, tacitly alluding to an unfortunate thread of anti-Semitism that also circulates about Morgentaler and his practice.

I’m sure there are pro-lifers who harbour anti-Semitic feelings. After all, there are imbeciles everywhere – including among journalists and politicians and (why not?) pro-choicers. But really, dude, you’re pushing it. On the other charge, that of finding Henry Morgentaler less visually pleasant to look at than certain famous surfing actors I could name, well, gosh, I plead guilty. I didn’t think that was the reason I opposed abortion, but hey.

Filed Under: All Posts Tagged With: anti-semitism, Henry Morgentaler, Order of Canada

Anti-semites in, pro-lifers out?

February 12, 2008 by Andrea Mrozek Leave a Comment

It’s Israel Apartheid Week at my alma mater right now. Most universities allow an astonishing latitude to bigots, provided they are of the socialist, left-wing variety. I  fondly recall those university moments when students would hand out the The Socialist Worker… but enough reminiscing.  

My thought is this: Let freedom reign. Only where the ideas have merit will they take hold. Where bad ideas take hold, fight them.  

Freedom has not reigned for pro-life groups on campus.

And don’t go equating pro-lifers with anti-semites, either. I just find it odd that the former have trouble expressing themselves on campus when the latter don’t. If the argument against pro-lifers is that their point of view is offensive, surely we ought to apply that same criterion to people who think The Protocols of the Elders of Zion is a reliable work of non-fiction.

Update, February 16, 2008: George Jonas eloquently gets at my point in this column. He translates UofT’s attempt to explain the anti-semitic event away:

Political fashion is our middle name. We know which side our fatwa is buttered on. We know racism that’s in demand, racism that’s tolerated and racism that’s anathema. U of T’s approach succeeds because we’re in touch with the times. We know who are likely to riot, and it isn’t the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies. You’re listening to the Voice of the U of T. Shalom. Salaam. Peace. Boycott Israel, and have a nice day.

Sounds about right to me.

Filed Under: All Posts Tagged With: anti-semitism, University of Toronto

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