Why did politicians wait to renounce the Rebel?
It’s been a tough 10 days for Ezra Levant and his crew of provocateurs and socalled journalists who fuel the political propaganda machine otherwise known as the Rebel.
In the wake of the horrific and deadly display of American Nazism in Charlottesville, Levant and his belligerent crew were suddenly on the defensive. It took a Rebel reporter openly sympathizing with the neo-Nazis in Charlottesville to finally wake them up.
Conservative politicians have also hurriedly backed away from Levant and the Rebel, but only after they were publicly shamed into it. Why did it take so long? It’s been well known for years that Levant has been using his so-called news media platform to insult and demean Muslims much the same way Jews were blamed and dehumanized by Nazi propaganda in Germany.
It was 10 years ago that he wrote a column in the Calgary Sun berating the news media for not pointing out that the school bus driver who accidentally crashed her bus leaving a child dead was wearing a hijab that might have impaired her peripheral vision.
Levant simply couldn’t resist pointing out that the driver was Muslim and her garb might have led to the death of a child, a fact that was never entered as evidence during the woman’s subsequent trial.
Three years ago, Levant lost a defama- tion suit after he called Saskatchewan lawyer Khurrum Awan a “serial liar” in blog posts. The judge found that Levant had demonstrated “malice” and “reckless disregard for the truth.”
Four years ago, he broadcast a vicious tirade against the Roma via his Sun News television program.
As the “Commander” of the Rebel, his latest propaganda effort, Levant has gained an international audience by denouncing Muslim refugees and immigrants worldwide. According to Levant, “Sweden is now the rape capital of the world” because it has welcomed so many Muslim refugees and immigrants. Again, not true.
How could any decent politician or journalist appear on, agree to be interviewed by, or place ads on Levant’s platform knowing what he has been doing for years? Why would they encourage this sort of dreck?
It’s not about right or left, it’s about right and wrong.
And yet Conservative leadership hopefuls Brad Trost, Kellie Leitch and Chris Alexander have appeared at political rallies organized by the Rebel. Andrew Scheer, the recently elected Conservative leader, was interviewed several times by Levant. Conservative leadership hopeful Kevin O’Leary had no problem agreeing to a half-hour interview.
Jason Kenney, former Harper cabinet minister, who spearheaded the Unite the Right (unfortunate name given the recent events in Charlottesville) movement in Alberta, heartily congratulated Levant on his success with the Rebel at the onset of a half-hour interview during the Conservative convention last year.
Brian Jean, leader of Alberta’s former Wildrose party, and many of his MLAs have, until recently, been big boosters of the Rebel.
Like Donald Trump, Levant loves insulting people, no matter the harm, because it attracts an audience. Levant then ennobles his vitriol by claiming that he’s defending free speech, a basic tenet of liberal democracy.
For those he defames it’s like being hit over the head with a stone tablet inscribed with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. No harm intended, he’s just asserting his rights.
Levant now lives in Toronto, but he is a born and bred Calgarian.
I first encountered him 30 years ago when he was in the same Calgary high school class as my daughter.
Students, teachers and parents had gathered for an awards ceremony and at some point, the young Levant got up to give a speech and instead started ranting. I can’t remember what he was ranting about because it was obviously the opportunity to rant in front of an audience that mattered most.
His views have become more extreme over the years but overall that high school student hasn’t changed much.
Getting attention, no matter who provides it or how many people are put in harm’s way, still seems to be his key motivation.
Did the conservative politicians not see that? Or did they simply not care? Gillian Steward is a Calgary writer and former managing editor of the Calgary Herald. Her column appears every other week. gsteward@telus.net