A front-page smear against Christians
by Charles Adler
I am not sure the Globe and Mail will publish the letter that was sent to them by one of my radio listeners. Fortunately for your eyes, I received a carbon copy. The letter is responding to Friday’s front-page Globe story, headlined “Christian activists capturing Tory races”:
I am a Christian. I am also very active in Canadian politics. The last time I checked, I still have the right to be both Christian and politically active.
Your headline offends me and makes me feel that my beliefs are not valid, or welcome in Canadian politics. The actual piece has the same anti-Christian tone. It is somewhat veiled, but it is still negative toward Christians in politics.
Is this how you feel?
I feel you and your paper are saying Christians such as myself need to be purged from political involvement, if the party I am involved with is to be taken seriously by the general public.
You need to apologize to all Christians, and stop spreading hatred against this one segment of society.
You don’t have to agree with me, but you must tolerate other views, or you are no better than a homophobe, or an anti-Semite, or a racist.
Candice Hoeppner, Winkler, Man.
Question to the reader of this column: Do you think the Globe and Mail would use headlines such as “Indo-Canadian activists capturing Liberal races,” or “Muslim Activists forcing Liberals to shift position on Israel?”
The truth is the Globe gets a free throw in this country, as do other media, when it comes to castigating Christians.
If The United Church of Canada gets involved in advancing gay rights, the Globe and Mail is not likely to be concerned. The Globe would never suggest United Church members stay away from Liberal or NDP nomination meetings.
But, when evangelical Christians and socially conservative Catholics get involved in politics in order to advance their issues, look out.
In the Globe article, Gloria Galloway writes: “At least three riding associations in Nova Scotia, four in British Columbia and one in suburban Toronto have nominated candidates with ties to groups such as Focus on the Family, a Christian organization that opposes same-sex marriage.”
This might frighten a secularist—unless he has a knowledge of civics and arithmetic. There are 308 seats in the House of Commons. Is it a national crisis if eight seats have conservative Christians on the ballot? Should Stephen Harper buy television time to announce to the country Christian conservatives need not apply?
The two issues that tend to drive the Globe toward secular fundamentalism are abortion and gay marriage.
Those who oppose the newspaper’s position on these issues are considered extremists. But, though Christians are hardly the only religious group that opposes either practice, it is rare to hear the Globe brand orthodox Jews or Sikhs or Muslims as extremists. Those terms are reserved for Christians.
I am not a Christian—I happen to be a Jew—and I am not a social conservative. I don’t want to see our government restrict access to abortion. Nor do I oppose gay marriage. But I am becoming increasingly opposed to those in media, academics, polling and politics who wish to deny some individuals and groups a place at the table.
One final note: There is not a sliver of evidence Christians won the contests described by the Globe by subverting either party rules or Canadian law.
If there were, the newspaper would have found room in its 1,100-word front-page smear job to point it out.
Charles Adler can be heard live online at 3 PM (eastern) Monday through Friday. He can be contacted through http://www.charlesadler.com.
This article originally appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press and National Post.
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