In honour of International Women's Day, that celebration of feminism, empowerment and above all, political correctness.
I don’t work for
the CBC, but if I did, this would be a serious new story, and it would be
titled: “CBC Host Sexist Misogynist Warmonger!” Except that the CBC, like most left-of-centre media outlets, never reports
on its own incongruities.
I might as well
“engage in stereotyping” (as I heard a CBC host say recently) and venture that
when you listen to a small-town D.J. on the A.M. dial, or some bonehead (aren’t
they all?) on right-wing talk radio, you expect to hear all kinds of chauvinism,
bigotry and glorification of violence, right? But never on the CBC. Yet there I was, last Wednesday morning, in my car, about to
back out of my driveway. The radio dial was tuned to CBC Radio 2 (proof that Mr. P. has mellowed since his April Wine and Blue Oyster Cult days). The
program was Tempo, hosted by one Julie Nesrallah.
Having just
concluded a segment, Julie enjoined listeners to stay with the show
after the hourly news update, promising that we would be taken “for a ride.” (cough)
Moreover, she vouchsafed, in amused and amusing vocal tones, we would enjoy
our musical ride courtesy of (and I quote, hence the punctuation) “blonde babes wearing breastplates and packing
heat.”
Excuse me? Did I just hear an employee of the CBC,
national epicentre of diversity, sensitivity and political correctness, utter a
sentence containing not only a sexist slur but a flippant and frivolous treatment
of concealed weaponry? Never mind that any part of that statement would suffice
to destroy the career of a conservative journalist, academic, or politician who
might say the same.
Is our hallowed state
broadcaster actually condoning blonde jokes? Is the CBC now tolerating sexism
and misogyny by allowing its radio hosts to use such disparaging epithets for
the female sex as “babes”? As for “packing heat,” why, that’s a blatant
celebration of “gun culture” –or at the very least, warrior culture, which is
just as bad (unless you are aboriginal).
Doesn’t the CBC comprehend
that in allowing their employees to make such comments, they are, like 99.9% of
Canadian men, directly and personally responsible for atrocities like the École Polytechnique
Massacre? (I realize it is in
very bad taste to bring up the tragedy—because I’m conservative; if I worked
for the CBC, I would be allowed to invoke it shamelessly, and for any reason.)
I am not blonde,
but I used to be (when I was six), so I feel it incumbent upon myself to be
offended on behalf of all blondes. I should complain about Julie's comments, as well as the CBC, to the CRTC, the Ombudsman, and the Canadian
Human Rights Commission—indeed, perhaps all twelve provincial and territorial HRCs.
The musical
selection that Julie played after the newsbreak was (as you may have guessed)
Richard Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries.” Now don’t bother arguing that I’m not
allowed to be offended on behalf of legendary handmaidens of the Norse god Odin.
If some folks can get offended on behalf of cartoon prophets, I can get
offended on behalf of mythical Teutonic warrior maidens.
I would testify
to the HRCs that the phrase “blonde babes wearing breastplates” –in the context
of ‘riding,’ no less—might be, according to Section 13 (which is not yet dead,
thank goodness Senate!), “likely to expose” flaxen-haired Nordic women to
sexual harassment, ridicule or contempt. I am neither of Nordic extraction, nor
a member of a Norse religion, but I used to be a fan of ABBA, and I think that
counts for both. And besides, numerous past HRC cases have shown that a
complainant need not be a member of an aggrieved group in order to be offended
(and collect cash pay-outs) on their behalf.
Julie (who
herself, by the way, is quite the babe, though not blonde) appears not to be of
Nordic extraction—am I even allowed to notice that, or is it racist? Is it
likewise racist for Julie to use the phrase “blonde babes”? If she is
conservative, yes. If, however, she is a left-leaning feminist (she works for
the CBC after all—or I am engaging in socio-political profiling?), then such
remarks are permissible. Feminists of ethnic diversity get a free speech pass.
In truth, I have
nothing whatever against Julie—I’m sure she is a fun babe (even if she
doesn’t wear breastplates, pack heat, or give rides). So of course I have no
desire to complain of her to the CHRC. In fact, I thought her description of
the Valkyries rather funny—as did, I am sure, her bosses and the rest of her
stereotypical lefty listeners.
If only the CBC
didn’t eat hypocrisy for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and if only Canadian
taxpayers didn’t have to foot the bill.
.
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