Bannon vs. Frum debate disappoints
Re Bannon vs. Frum at Toronto debate generates sound and fury, DiManno, Nov. 2
It was with bewilderment that I walked to the entrance of Roy Thomson Hall last Friday evening, a wall of police officers between me and the protesters. Those people on Simcoe St. looked like and likely were the same people with whom I ride the TTC and the GO train, perfectly ordinary neighbourhood folks. But some looked like they hated me. Most were chanting, “Shame on you.” I came close to crying, but didn’t understand why.
I have read widely about Bannon and populism and the radical right and was not the least bit swayed by the man’s arguments inside the hall. I am neither afraid of him nor do I hate him, and I came out of the hall with better arguments in favour of liberal democracy, and strengthened in my conviction the world is and will be better because of it.
Ross Connell, Oakville
Expatriate Canadian Conservative commentator David Frum was a poor choice as Steve Bannon’s opponent in the recent Munk Debate. Frum long ago diminished his relevance to Canadians by moving to the United States and advocating for neo-conservative ideology and permanent war. As an author and former speech writer to George W. Bush, Frum advocated for the sort of ruthless capitalism and aggressive militarism that created the conditions for the rise of a fake populist like Donald Trump. Both men are beneficiaries of inherited wealth with scant understanding of those who work factory jobs and fight pointless wars.
I would have vastly preferred to witness a debate featuring Ed Broadbent or Linda McQuaig as Bannon’s opponent.
Morgan Duchesney, Ottawa
Rosie Dimanno writes that Steve Bannon couldn't draw more than 25 people at a political rally in Topeka recently. Nonetheless, the University of Toronto's Munk Centre for Global Affairs and Public Policy eagerly paid his transportation and speaker fees and placed this fascist blowhard in front of almost three thousand Canadians at Roy Thomson Hall.
A sad reflection on the University of Toronto in general and particularly the Munk Centre's programming priorities.
Robin Breon, retired administrator at the U of T and a member of the Massey College Quadrangle Society