Calls for Bruce Allen's termination are greatly exaggerated
Let the hair lighting begin.
Radio station CKNW commentator and über talent manager Bruce Allen ignited a firestorm of critics' follicles when he suggested immigrants unhappy with Canadian laws and customs should use the door and hit the road back "home."
And as has become the norm with any public suggestion that in any way questions multiculturalism, his critics have responded with all the grace and composure of a toddler denied a pack of Smarties at the checkout stand.
NDP opposition critic Harry Bains, whose full time job seems to be calling for government members' resignations, expanded his one-trick pony show to include calls for resignations from Mr. Allen from CKNW and his membership on the team responsible for producing the opening ceremonies of Vancouver's 2010 Olympics.
Similar demands have been made by callers to Punjabi open-line radio, the Canadian Organization of Sikh Students and others.
Hold your fire a moment.
Before we throw the Bruce out with the bathwater let's dispense with the suggestion that Allen's commentary makes him a racist. Those who have actually listened to the commentary could reasonably attest that nothing it contained demonstrated racial intolerance.
Instead, Allen clearly calls for groups to abide by Canadian laws, whatever their ethnic background.
Controversial? Perhaps. Racist? Hardly.
To be sure, Allen's style is often bombastic and angry sounding, which no doubt attracts fans to his daily tirades and may also make his points of view less palatable to some listeners. And lest there be any doubt his persona is an ironic on-air characterization, I've had occasion to meet the man and he's as snarly in person as he is on the AM band.
None of which suggests Allen ought to be banned from the airwaves or is unfit to participate in the opening ceremonies of the Olympics, even if that does mean we're going to have endure Bryan Adams during the event.
What's most bothersome about his critics is their contention that Allen's comments make him unrepresentative of those most illusive 'Canadian values.' That is to say, because Allen holds an opinion not shared by all, he is un-Canadian.
What Canadian values are those? Writers and academics have sought for decades to define Canadian values to little success. Goodness knows political leaders have failed miserably in articulating a clear vision of what it "means" to be Canadian, often labeling each other as lacking in Canadian values as a way of scoring electoral points.
Labeling as unpatriotic those with views in opposition to the majority or authority is the kind of tactic Bush & Co. employ with our neighbours to the south. If there's one trait Canadians always tout in their self definition it's that we're not them.
Even assuming the majority of Canadians support multiculturalism - and I think they do - suggesting people of all ethnic backgrounds obey the laws of the land is not necessarily an attack on multiculturalism itself.
It further seems that if there is a clear principle about which all Canadians agree unequivocally it is that the protection of free speech and free thought is paramount to a just society, even if that speech occasionally makes us uncomfortable.
In our much-celebrated Charter of Rights and Freedoms, freedom of thought and expression are listed as 'fundamental freedoms,' the very underpinnings upon which our understanding of society is based.
Heck, if you want to rank them, free speech is in section 2 of the Charter, multiculturalism isn't mentioned until section 27.
It's probably fair to say many of those critics now calling for Allen's dismissal came to Canada in part because of the denial of the right to free speech in their place of birth. How hypocritical to call for the dismissal of a man who says things about which we may be uncomfortable.
To paraphrase Voltaire, Allen may come across as a pompous windbag on the air, but I'll certainly defend his right to so blow. Besides I can, and often do, just change the channel when I hear something about which I can't agree or just plain don't enjoy. It's also why we have more than one radio station.
To fire Allen from the Olympic opening ceremony team - which VANOC has wisely announced they won't do - because his critics claim his comments do not reflect Canadian values would be a gigantic blow to one of the most critical values of a free and democratic country.
And that's not a trait we'd want to showcase to the world during our Olympic games.
Posted by davidrussellbc
at 4:33 PM PDT
Updated: Sunday, 30 September 2007 4:42 PM PDT
