You can’t swing a cat in this town without hitting Heather Reisman interviewing some author. Such events usually go down at Indigo Books (where lately it seems she’s the CEO, picks the books, arranges the floor displays, sweeps the floor, changes the light bulbs and sews the employee smocks), and last night, at the Bay and Bloor location, the author in question was the ubiquitous Mark Steyn. He was there to plug his much discussed book America Alone, and held forth in front of a jam-packed audience of mostly white men on his general discomfort with and disdain for the Muslim world and multiculturalism. He espoused what he called a “natalist” policy for Canada—i.e. Canadians should produce more babies, thereby vitiating the need for immigration—and something about “telescoping” our educable years, presumably so as to free up time for more babymaking.
The audience cheered and laughed as though they were at an evening of old-timey vaudeville. Which, in a sense, they were. Steyn is an accomplished polemicist-comedian and easily batted away Reisman’s milquetoast efforts at rejoinder—“Isn’t there possibly some middle ground between multiculturalism and what you’re talking about that we could maybe agree on, maybe?”—while rousing his fans into a frenzy of concurrence.
In the end, Reisman surrendered to her sales persona, going on about what a wonderful and passionate writer Steyn was. “Isn’t someone as passionate and wonderful as you so clearly are optimistic about the future.”
“Yes, Heather,” Steyn was forced to agree. “I am, at the end of the day, a happy warrior.”
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The “Muslim world” could be said to be embodied by the general actions of the member countries of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. To varying degrees they exhibit xenophobia, lack of freedom, persecution of women and minorities, religious intolerance and extreme hypocrisy. Within many of these countries the political direction is towards increasing these traits.
(Let’s be clear that this description does not include all Muslims nor even all Islam which has been and is practiced inoffensively in many places.)
Inasmuch as multiculturalism seems to be for allowing expansion of this “Muslim world” into Canada, bless Steyn and the White Men for their disdain. (Also bless the unwhite supporters and other sexes who attended. Your use of “mostly” tells me that there were some.)
If TORONTO LIFE had even one writer, with 10% of Mr. Steyn’s talent, your image would improve dramatically.
Instead, you provide writers who’s life experience rarely extends beyond the borders of Toronto.
Toronto Life War Corresponsdent…..someone who shops near Jane and Finch when the cheques come in.