Comments on The Burd Report: The Ford saga continues

the Critic asked, "Let's hear some fac...

2010-08-22T14:08:00.797-04:00
the Critic asked, "Let's hear some facts for a change"

It is indisputable fact that Mr Burd asserted, "White males love this guy." He said this about the constituency of Robert Ford, which is the ISSUE UNDER DISCUSSION.

The question arises whether THIS is a fact; "White males love this guy."

I asked if Mr Burd could provide the basis on which he made this assertion. He did not provide any grounds whatsoever. Surely he would not make such a contention out of whole cloth.

I did an extensive Google search to ascertain if there were any grounds whatsoever to assert that support for Mr Ford comes from those with a particular skin colour (race) and a particular gender. Nothing. Nowhere is there a reputable report indicating the race of Mr Ford’s constituency.

But let us suppose that Mr Burd did not make this up, that white skinned males do support Ford. So what? Why would Mr Burd make such an assertion? What does it mean? Are politicians expected to avoid catering to white males? Are white males just a politer way of saying redneck?

When Mr Burd uses the term “white” he is referring to skin colour, he is referring to race. He is making an assertion about race, that a segment of the population, based solely on their race, are behaving in certain way.

White people can’t dance.
White people can’t jump
White people support Robert Ford

I don’t believe for a moment that Mr Burd is a racist, but a public assertion that “White males love this guy” is a racist comment. I have not been attacking Mr Burd. I attacked what he asserted. ‘the Critic’ is too blind to see a racist comment when it is shoved into their face.

‘the Critic’ said, ”Tell us why you are defending Rob Ford, for instance.” Not once have I defended Rob Ford. If you think that, then you have a serious deficit in terms of reading and comprehension. In the above thread I wrote “He's not my vote.”
Later in another comment on this thread, I wrote, “several of them said they will still vote for florid Ford. Go figure.

So tell me, the Critic, how you obtained the evidence that I “defended Rob Ford.” Are you making up ‘facts’ that have as much substance as Mr Burd’s so-called fact, “White males are supporting this guy.” Both of you seem to have difficulty with reality, both making up facts.

What do they call people who make up facts out of whole cloth and then scold someone else to present their facts. ‘the Critic’ is a fraud – please take that personally, because your own distorted personal admonishments.

Bullies love bullies. Maybe because no one else do...

2010-08-21T08:22:44.460-04:00
Bullies love bullies. Maybe because no one else does. (Pay particular attention to the Ford Campaign boilerplate support in the 'Comments'. They must have a room set aside somewhere for cheering on their boy....)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/christie-blatchford/rob-ford-the-gadfly-that-toronto-needs/article1680642/#comments

to critical1 Let's be clear here the right wi...

2010-08-21T08:22:38.142-04:00
to critical1
Let's be clear here the right wing radio stations hounded Giambrone, he removed himself amidst the onslaught from the jocks who have continually parrotted the anti Miller lines for the past four years on an hourly basis.
Rob Ford has had a weekly radio slot on AM640 for those four years and nobody has complained about this unfair advantage.
Even the "National" radio slot on 640 continually starts with the Toronto situation. How the hell Charles Adler, who is based in Winnipeg, considers a national show to be national when all he does is bash the left in Toronto and boost Ford or any other opponent of the right is beyond me

Again, Wally, you are allowing yourself to wallow ...

2010-08-20T21:18:30.854-04:00
Again, Wally, you are allowing yourself to wallow in personal insults based on utterly uninformed assumptions about people.

Let's hear some facts for a change. Tell us why you are defending Rob Ford, for instance. Quit focusing on putting everybody else down and tell us what you think about the ISSUE UNDER DISCUSSION.

Your memory is a little fuzzy there Ben. Adam Giam...

2010-08-20T19:54:25.511-04:00
Your memory is a little fuzzy there Ben. Adam Giambrone, after his sordid little trysts were exposed, booted himself from the Mayor's race, perhaps with an assist from his long-suffering official girlfriend.

As for the Ford saga, he may have become a bit too volatile now but Canadians in the past have demostrated they like colourful, if not completely wacky, mayors and he sure would be a refreshing change from those sanctimonious spendthrift socialists now ruling Toronto.

As for the immigrant issue, it would be nice to see a serious debate take place on this (have we ever had one?). We are constantly being badgered to the effect that Canada needs hundreds of thousands of new immigrants every year to replace the dying and retiring older generation for economic growth etc.

Yet at the same time studies have shown recent immigrants are more highly likely to be found in poverty and joblessness than long-time residents.

Maybe we're not getting the right immigrants.

The esteemed Ben Burd opined, "White males...

2010-08-20T17:36:31.870-04:00
The esteemed Ben Burd opined, "White males love this guy."

Where does this assertion come from? What study or poll was taken that indicates that Mr Ford obtains the majority of his support from "White males" or as Ms Deborah O'Conner respectfully calls them, "rednecks" or as Mr Merklin Muffley respectfully calls them, "mob".

That is not the respectful way to make a point on the issue. It is as disrepectful as some black-skinned people referring to each other as niggers. Just because it is white-skinned people referring to other white-skinned people as rednecks does not make it a respectful opinion.

It is wearisome to listen to leftists constantly bringing up the race card, even if they think it is OK for white-skinned people to use denigrating language towards their own.It is a disgraceful and divisive way to talk about politics.

I have not seen reports/polls/studies that white-skinned males are the predominant constituency of Mr Ford. Surely Ben, with his long residency experience in Toronto, can illuminate the readers of this blog how he ascertained that Mr Ford's supporters are largely "white males".

I'd also like to know what the skin colour of Mr Ford's constituency has to do with anything. Race and gender -- tell us Ben, how this is playing out in Mr Ford's camp.

These kinds of racist and sexist remarks by Mr Burd serve only to diminish his comments. What kind of respect does that indicate?

theCritic opined, "Try sticking to the top...

2010-08-20T16:45:39.262-04:00
theCritic opined, "Try sticking to the topic instead of ridiculing the other posters."

theCritic runs interference for the uber-sensitive. I will try to make my writing as boring and mild as the other commentators on this blog.

My public response to the personal public self-righteous scold of the faceless spineless theCritic: PRZT!

I wonder what theCritic has to say about the topic at hand: Rob Ford. Get on topic please, pretty please with beige sugar on top.

Wally you are sliding back into your old bad habit...

2010-08-20T16:21:06.633-04:00
Wally you are sliding back into your old bad habit of mudslinging and personal attacks against other posters.

Try sticking to the topic instead of ridiculing the other posters. When you do, you have valuable insight to provide. The attacks just diminish you.

You are so passionate about your right to free speech, how about showing some respect for what others think?

Merk the Jerk opined, "(BTW -how come I ha...

2010-08-20T13:01:20.092-04:00
Merk the Jerk opined, "(BTW -how come I haven't seen any mention of Ford being ejected from The Air Canada Centre -a Leafs game I think it was- a year or so ago? Something about hurling verbal abuse if memory serves.)"

I read about that in the National Post and other newspapers yesterday. Ford ain't getting a free ride from any media.

Polls will soon tell us if Ford has lost his lead in the mayoral lead. I watched CBC interview people on the street (not white 'rednecks' btw) and several of them said they will still vote for florid Ford. Go figure.

Merk the Jerk redundantly repeated, "base instincts of the mob ... base instincts of the mob."

This is just trashtalk by a smalltown 'progressive/regressive' mind with a shallow feel of the current demographics of Toronto. It demonstrates a base ignorance of the make-up the electorate that supports Ford.

The snobs of progressivism feel a need to demonize the majority: rednecks, mobs, etc.

BTW Smitheram & the others have similar skeletons in their closet, so keep up the sludge-slinging entertainment on your favourite boogieperson, since neither of you can add any substance to your political perceptions.

Regardless of the huff and puff by federal politic...

2010-08-20T10:39:06.314-04:00
Regardless of the huff and puff by federal politicians, the 'refugees' that recently arrived in Canada are being processed fully in accordance with Canada's generous immigration laws.

To Ford's credit, he was the only city politician that spent less than the alloted money provided to councillors -- an achievement not accomplished by any other politician. This appeals to voters.

The vast majority of refugees end up residing in Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto, especially Toronto. Immigration policy is made by the feds, but the three municipalities bear the expense to house and care for them with generous welfare.

Small communities, such as Cobourg, get a free ride -- they do not have to bear the costs of housing refugees. Indeed, Cobourg has demonstrated that it wants these 'visitors' out of town and to remain in their urban ghettoes.

Ford has proven that he is much less profligate with taxpayers money and this has a lot of appeal across the diversity of Toronto's demographic.

But didn't he just say Toronto needs to care f...

2010-08-20T09:28:13.000-04:00
But didn't he just say Toronto needs to care for the 2.5 million people that currently live there, not bring in another million because how will the city support them.

Deb O, it's not unlike the recession and its effect on the rise in needy people in Northumberland. We struggle to take care of the people currently living in poverty and then 'bam!' demand increases and we have difficulty meeting everyone's needs.

He may look and talk like a yokel, but I think his words are being taken out of context.

And he won't win the mayor's chair, the Toronto papers smell blood (as evidenced by his mugshot on the front of The Sun this morning).

The Toronto Sun bannered 6 pages of Rob Ford '...

2010-08-20T08:08:39.478-04:00
The Toronto Sun bannered 6 pages of Rob Ford 'news' on Thursday. For all intents and purposes Rob Ford was and probably still is The Sun's choice.

That's because playing to the base instincts of the mob is what The Toronto Sun (or Northumberlandtoday.com -which IS The Sun) is all about. Playing to the base instincts of the mob is what Rob Ford is all about too. So, what you have is a demagogue being promoted by a demogogic newspaper in an effort to attract the demogogue vote.

Any candidate of a Conservative persuasion running for mayor in and city or town who thinks self-glorification, bluster and buffoonery are going to carry the day when the closet is full of skeletons is simply kidding themselves. I'm certainly glad there's no one like that running in Port Hope.

(BTW -how come I haven't seen any mention of Ford being ejected from The Air Canada Centre -a Leafs game I think it was- a year or so ago? Something about hurling verbal abuse if memory serves.)

Deb O recommended, "For the good of Toront...

2010-08-19T23:36:43.821-04:00
Deb O recommended, "For the good of Toronto, we can only hope so."

That's rich coming from someone not a resident of Toronto.

My 37 years residency there does not give me any insight into why Ford is the front-runner. He's not my vote. I can say that it is not 'rednecks' keeping him there.

A few years back Toronto became the world's most diverse city. I'm a white anglo-saxon and I am now a visible minority, that is to say, white people are less than 50 percent of the population.

The support for Ford runs across all kinds of diversity. The demographics of the city would not have it any other way.

To attribute it to 'rednecks' is not only embarassingly simplistic, it is highly inaccurate. It is a leftover cliche from the 60s that no longer has any substance. Rednecks were the boogieman of that day, long ago, when humans were walking on the moon.

It is at least bizaare, if not perverse, that the ...

2010-08-19T20:13:50.799-04:00
It is at least bizaare, if not perverse, that the clown-like Ford could win the damn mayor's chair in Toronto.

What a disaster that would be. He would make Mel Lastman look downright intelligent by comparison.

He seems to have cast a spell over every redneck in that city, and the more the media and Smitherman call him out for his buffoonery, the more the rednecks rally around him.

Still, the election is a couple of months away and only now just heating up, there's still time for him to reveal himself enough that people will come to their senses.

For the good of Toronto, we can only hope so.

Comments on The Burd Report: The Ford saga continues

the Critic asked, "Let's hear some fac...

Bullies love bullies. Maybe because no one else do...

to critical1 Let's be clear here the right wi...

Again, Wally, you are allowing yourself to wallow ...

Your memory is a little fuzzy there Ben. Adam Giam...

The esteemed Ben Burd opined, "White males...

theCritic opined, "Try sticking to the top...

Wally you are sliding back into your old bad habit...

Merk the Jerk opined, "(BTW -how come I ha...

Regardless of the huff and puff by federal politic...

But didn't he just say Toronto needs to care f...

The Toronto Sun bannered 6 pages of Rob Ford '...

Deb O recommended, "For the good of Toront...

It is at least bizaare, if not perverse, that the ...