Mulroney: Trudeau an anti-semite
Mulroney didn't go as far as to accuse the late Trudeau of actually being a fascist Nazi (I guess he must have let the fact that he [Trudeau] once scared a few neighbours in Montreal by knocking on their door and giving them the “Sieg Heil” salute dressed in full Nazi regalia slide), however, that didn't stop him from describing Trudeau as someone who lacked the moral fibre to lead. Check out this excerpt in today's Herald from a chapter in his memoirs which are to be officially released this Monday. Very damning indeed.
I remember asking Spinks one day why he decided to omit Pierre Elliott Trudeau from his 101 list, he replied with something along the lines of "I don't think it's appropriate to criticize individuals who are dead as they are unable to defend themselves". Very good point. One I think Mulroney should have considered before sending some of his candid comments to print. And I say this as someone who has never been a big fan of Trudeaumania.
Related: Repairing Trudeau's mistakes, The man who would kill separatism, The Mulroney I know, Strong on trade
8 Comments:
If anything, Mulroney is a polarizing political figure in Canada. Anytime his name comes up in a dinner conversation, there are bound to be negative emotions involved. I think he did himself a disservice by going neg on a dead man who is charished by Canadian society. Even if some of it is true.
I understand where he is coming from personally when he mentions how Trudeau "salted his game" (i.e. Meech Lake).
However, after the serious public roasting he received post Peter Newman's Mulroney Tapes, you would think he would have toned down the partisan rhetoric just a notch.
But let me be clear Trudeau DID screw this country up. If he were alive he would have been in the top 5 easily.
No question.
aybe I'm just an a-hole but because the man is dead does not excuse, expunge or forgive his actions while alive.
Are we to not condemn Chamberlain for his appeasement of the Nazis because he is dead?
Are we supposed to let this infantile hero worship of a man who single handedly fostered western alienation and presided over the rise of Quebec nationalism continue because he's deceased?
The one and only thing worse than government censoring free speech is people self-censoring free speech for the fear of offending.
That's why so many people avert their eyes and lower their heads when they see some jack-off being a jerk at the grocery store instead of standing up to him.
We've become a society of self-censored eunuchs. Without even the parts to speak the truth, or worse we criticize others for doing so.
"The fact is that censorship always defeats its own purpose, for it creates, in the end, the kind of society that is incapable of exercising real discretion.
~Henry Steele Commager"
Oh I think his actions can certainly be critiqued. The personal stuff though should be left out (alive or dead in my mind).
I just waded in because nbt mentioned Trudeau not being on the 101 list. The criteria was the person had to be alive. The temptation to make an exception in Trudeau's case was certainly there but I wanted to be consistent. As one person wrote at one of the message board's about 101, "Spinks is a hack but a hack with a sense of decency" regarding the omission of Trudeau. A back handed compliment but the consistency was the goal.
Still Trudeau's actions certainly deserve criticism but I'm with nbt on this one, Mulroney went too far (#45 on 101 by the way - shameless plug).
I agree with, spinks. There is nothing to gain by throwing around ad hominems in order to boost your own credentials. Where I come from, it's called being insecure. I was taught at a young age (by my father) to be humble.
Which is probably why I've never been one to boast. For instance, I played basketball at a high level and not once did I ever start rhyming off my stats to anybody who would listen or announce all our great wins. Furthermore, I even went to the extent of interupting someone when they started explaining how good a game I had by saying, "Ahh, it's no big deal". I guess I just thought that your talent should speak for itself. There's no need to bragg, nor is there any reason to put people down.
To me, that shows confidence, not bitter negative emotional pleas for social acceptance, like Mulroney did.
Mulroney has no class.
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