The Hypocrisy Zone: Confederate Flag Obliterated, Swastikas Thrive

Due to the horrific, recent tragedy in South Carolina, a much-disputed Confederate flag has become the center of debate.

Is it a racist symbol? Should it be wiped from memory? Should it be taken down from every place flying it?

No, no, and no.

But due to the uproar of leftists who found a cause du jour they can rally around (again), the Confederate flag - a symbol of the South rising from the ashes of defeat - has now become as taboo as the Swastika.

That's the analogy we got. "What if City Hall flew a Swastika? It would be the same thing."

Well, no it wouldn't. The Confederate flag was a symbol of one army, and resurrected as a symbol of survival. The New South - the South that came together with the United States of America and formed a new country.

The Confederate flag doesn't - shouldn't - and didn't raise much hoopla until this week. It has been flown from State Houses, flagpoles, individual houses, restaurants - you name it - without a nationwide call for its removal.

In fact, when Bill Clinton was governor of Arkansas, he declared one of the blue stars on its flag to be in commemoration of the Confederacy.  And not just any star: the top-dog star! Above the name of the State!



He even had these buttons for his campaign in '92. They were available on eBay - but eBay, as you'll read, has taken down all symbols of this flag.



The Confederate flag doesn't evoke such visceral horror as the Swastika, which represents a murderous regime whose survivors still walk this earth.

Show me a survivor of the Civil War, someone who has a visceral reaction to the Confederate flag, and we'll talk.

But this week, as leftists began to denounce South Carolina governor Nikki Haley for flying the Confederate flag from the State House, it became a symbol of derision - even among Canadians who'd never given a damn, or even had an inkling this flag was flying!!

Suddenly, Facebook was filled with - among Americans - Montrealers putting down those who don't see the Confederate flag as a huge issue, Montrealers who had never even gone to the South or seen that flag flying!

Suddenly, it's a cause du jour.

So, Governor Haley gave in. Made an announcement that the flag will be removed. Strike a mark in the Win column for liberals. Peer Pressure on Steroids.

And then, the deluge of those who followed suit. Amazon, Walmart, Sears, eBay, Etsy among them. All banning anything with the Confederate flag on it.

Warner Bros. is even going to remove the flag from its replicas of the General Lee - that iconic car  from the Dukes of Hazzard franchise. I mean, really?

If it were consistent, I'd accept this a little more easily. Perhaps.

But a recent article highlights what items can be found on Amazon, even at this moment of publishing. Some have been removed - but I was able to find suitable replacements for them.

And I'd like to list them for you.

I'm even going to add photos of these items because if you were offended by the Confederate flag and aren't offended by these? It's time to examine your motives.

1. Would you like to read up on how the Holocaust was a hoax? That 6,000,000 Jews were "allegedly" exterminated? You can, because Amazon will sell you this piece of trash book.

2. The flag of Apartheid-era South Africa. The shooter in Charleston had this on his jacket. But Amazon's selling it.



3.  Hey, wanna deck out your Playstation 4 with Swastika skins? It's on Amazon, y'all!


4.  An iPhone case with the Swastika on it - you know, for when you're calling your Jewish accountant about that tax refund you never got.

5.   A Soviet pin for your lapel - right up there next to your American Flag pin!

 6.  A replica Death's Head pin - the SS wore these while operating death camps in Poland. Doesn't EVERY good American protesting racist symbols want one of these?



7.  An iPhone case showing a despicable piece of "art" in which a crucifix was immersed in urine. Its <sarcasm>lovely</sarcasm> name is "Piss Christ"


8. A pewter pendant with a trendy Swastika right there for all to see (just $26.99, folks, get 'em before they sell out)

9. Looking for a gift for that mustachioed gent in your life? Well, how about a Stalin t-shirt? For $19.99, he can sport this face at the next July 4th picnic!

10. Another symbol sewn onto the Charleston shooter's jacket, the White Supremacist flag of Rhodesia. You can hang this one on your house too, for the low, low price of $8.88!

11. A canvas bag depicting China's cultural revolution - only millions died during this era. But hurry, just one left in stock!

12. Is your favorite Nazi's birthday coming up? Because she'll LOVE this Swastika pendant! (The screen capture doesn't do it justice - go see it in its glory here)

13.  Along with about 10,000 Che Guevara tee shirts, you can buy a Che flag. No, he was not a hipster who took a motorcycle ride. He was a ruthless murderer who helped Cuba enslave its citizens into a totalitarian state, he was Fidel Castro's head executioner, and he, not Fidel, was the one to invent the death  corrective camps in Cuba.

But Amazon's selling his face on a flag so that free Americans can worship this guerilla.

Am I mad?

Can't you tell?

The Confederate flag was no more an issue to most Americans (and I'll venture to say 99% of Canadians) than an average recognizable symbol. Not until the Agenda rose its ugly head, politicizing the horrific deaths of 9 beautiful, innocent souls who died at the hands of a racist who wore two of the above symbols on his jacket.

But hey, that's what we're all talking about. When we could be lauding the almost-unimaginable forgiveness shown by the families of those victims.

When we could be marveling at the unity and love shown by the entire State of South Carolina in sharp contrast to the riots of Ferguson and Baltimore.

When we could focus on issues that plague this world - ISIS,  putting "infidels" in a steel cage, shackled and locked together, and submerging them into a swimming pool, filming their agonizing drowning deaths with underwater cameras.

Or others chained together by the neck with explosive "necklaces" which then decapitate them upon detonation.

Or locking other captives in a car and shooting them with RPGs. Or holding a contest and awarding those who can pass a test on the Koran with women and girls, captured and torn from their families, as sex slaves.

 There are so many other, more important reasons to be infuriated.

But no, let's talk about a flag. Moreover, one that was an obscure entity until someone decided to connect dots that did not exist and start the Politically Correct landslide that followed.

This world is in trouble, folks. Let's keep our eye on the ball.

Door-to-Door: A First-Timer's Account

Prime Minister Harper and Valérie Assouline, May 2015

As many of you know, I am a volunteer on the campaign of Valérie Assouline, the candidate for the Conservative Party of Canada here in my area.

A rundown of how elections work in Canada. I would say this is for my non-Canadian friends, but I've learned that so many Canadians don't know how elections work!

In a federal election, one doesn't get to vote for the Prime Minister. One votes for the candidate in their riding - and when the votes are counted, winning candidates become Members of Parliament (MPs).

The party with the most elected MPs becomes the ruling party of Canada, the second-most elected becomes the official opposition and there is a third party as well.

So as much as I'd love to vote for Prime Minister Harper, I can only vote for a Conservative Party candidate in my riding (district).

Here's the thing: it's been way too long (almost 22 years) since my riding had a candidate from the CPC, and this election, we do: Valérie.

My first encounter with this dynamic candidate was an impromptu meet-and-greet at a coffee shop. My second was a meeting in which I volunteered to help with social media, and I wrote about it here.

I also wrote about an event - prior to said event - here, and the recap of the amazing evening here.

At the end of February, I had the privilege of covering an evening with Minister Ed Fast - a cabinet member and the Minister of International Trade. It was fascinating to be a part of this evening, and I knew I was hooked on being part of a campaign.

I will write up another amazing evening - last week, where another Conservative Party candidate launched his campaign - in another post.

But today I had my first experience in canvassing, and I'd like to tell you about it.

We met at a coffee shop, and synchronized with an app on all our phones. This app is fantastic; you are able to click on a "poll", which takes you to a list of addresses in one area. That's your area.

Each address, when clicked, gives you the names of all eligible voters in the household. After making initial contact, you click one of 3 emoticons: a happy face, a sad face, and a neutral face, depending on the reception you get.

There is also space to add notes - which I only used three times - and you click "not home" if - obviously - there is no answer.

Armed with information cards, decked out in CPC/Valerie Assouline 2015 tee shirts, I set off on my route with the campaign manager, pleased to be with someone experienced.

The plan was simple: make contact, and don't make it a visit. State the Party, ask for support, and record the reaction. With about 30 houses per route, and all the walking, it's prudent to keep it short.

The first house, he demonstrated.

"Hi, we're with the Conservative Party of Canada, and we hope we can count on your support in October."

The first guy turned it on us: "Here's a question for you: why should I support the Conservative Party of Canada in October?"

I answered, "Because Valérie Assouline - our riding's candidate - in keeping with the values of Stephen Harper and the Conservatives - has the best interests of all Canadian families at heart.

"Because the Conservative Party of Canada wants to continue to cut taxes, and offer tax breaks for families of all income levels, and because she is a leader, as is Prime Minister Harper."

The guy seemed interested, took the information card and said, "Good answer. I will."

Our first Yes!

It wasn't all that easy. The next house, the woman said she never votes. Our job was not to convince her. But we left the card with her, and asked her to consider it.

House by house we went, some people said okay, some said yes, some probably just wanted to get rid of us.

There were a few that stood out. One was a house where the teenaged daughter answered the door. I did my little bit, she said "sure," took the card and closed the door.

As we were walking down the driveway, her father was coming up toward us. My co-canvasser approached him and explained our purpose.

This man's face lit up. He said, "Oh, you BET I'm voting Conservative in the next election!"

We shook his hand, thanked him for giving us the best answer yet, and continued down the street.

There was one on the other end of the spectrum. A gentleman who didn't even let me finish, practically slammed the door in my face.

The key is not to let it bother you; and it didn't. I know Valérie is an amazing candidate. I know she has what it takes to lead and to help our riding. I know Stephen Harper is a true leader.

So what I know, I can never convince anyone who is so dead set against whatever it was that turned him off, and I move on.

That's the key. It isn't rejection. It's "chalk it up to someone who just won't vote CPC, for whatever reason."

We heard a lot of "wow, you guys are early!" Yes, we are, but that's the key: getting the name and face of the candidate out in the community first, and often, she will have name recognition and people will remember that her campaign took the time and effort to walk the streets on her behalf to help her in the election.

That means a lot. Voters remember.

We had a few who mentioned that they've never seen our current Member of Parliament anywhere but on fliers. That's important to know as well. Take the time, take the effort, meet the people and they will reward you with votes - if all goes as planned, of course!

So this was the first time I went door-to-door, but by no means the last.

I knew I'd be involved in the campaign but I didn't realize the adventures I would have.

My next Excellent Adventure comes on Wednesday: I will be heading to Quebec City with Valérie and her trusty team, where Quebec's "Fête Nationale" is celebrated. More than that - Prime Minister Harper (Himself!) will be there.

I told Valérie I covet a photo of, possibly even with the PM, and she said she'll arrange one.

Stay tuned - me and the PM on Wednesday!

If you've ever thought about volunteering for a political campaign, I urge you to try it. With a dynamic candidate like Valérie, and there are many out there, you will find a side of yourself you never knew existed, and you will feel the reward of having done something good.

Watch this spot - lots more to come!