by arthur Weinreb, associate Editor,
april 22, 2004
The big news in Canada last week was NDP MP Svend Robinson’s confession that he went to an auction, "pocketed" a ring and then agonized all weekend before going to the police four days later. The left-wing media played down the fact that there was a criminal element to Robinson’s action. The worst offender was the CBC. In the article that appeared on the network’s website, the CBC adopted Robinson’s terminology and said that he pocketed a ring. although the word pocketed can be used to describe what the long serving MP did, it is usually reserved for describing legal acts such as a sells something to B and pockets a commission.
Next was the Toronto Star that refrained from using words such as "theft" or "stole" but did refer to Robinson’s act as "shoplifting". Robinson was at an auction where expensive jewelry was displayed--he was not in a store. However, at least the word shoplifting does denote an illegality even though shoplifting is a much softer word to use.
Much of the mainstream talked about Svend’s tearful "apology". Svend cried, sobbed, whined about his stress, his medical problems, his legal problems and generally said how sorry he felt for himself or for being in his present predicament. But nowhere in his statement, which can be found on his website, www.svendrobinson.ca, does he ever apologize to the owner of the ring, or anyone else for the theft of the ring. Svend definitely knows how to work the media.
Poster girl for the media elite
The mainstream media is often referred to as elitist. although these small "l" liberals gush sympathy for the poor, the visible minorities, the disabled and the generally downtrodden, they have no insight into the lives of the vast majority of people that they report on. although there are many more non-white faces on television news programs these days, journalists are mainly white, come from affluent or middle-class families, attended the same liberal universities, belong to the same clubs and sip lattes at the same Starbucks. Many have led such sheltered lives that they haven’t got a clue about what the average, let alone disadvantaged, person experiences on a day-to-day basis.
Global Television’s april 18 edition of Focus Ontario held a panel discussion on the provincial government’s proposal to make prepared meals and foods costing less than $4 subject to Provincial Sales Tax. Global reporter, Courtney Pasternak, appropriately dressed in Liberal red, defended the government. Her main argument was that there is hardly anything that you can buy that costs less than $4. Pasternak obviously has no idea of the many ordinary restaurants that are located in lower income areas that have meals, such as all-day breakfasts for under $4. She is oblivious to the fact that many cash-strapped people will have a muffin or a salad for lunch because, forced to eat away from home, that’s all they can afford. Pasternak seems to assume that because she can afford to eat in pricey restaurants, everyone else can too.
after getting glares from the host and other panelists during the show, Pasternak piped up saying that she was playing devil’s advocate. at least she gets an a for quick thinking.
How’s this for a headline
Screamed a headline in the april 5 edition of the Toronto Star: "Man charged with dealing drugs in bar".
Wow!!! What next? If drugs are being sold in bars, it’s only a matter of time before they’ll be sold in back alleys and on street corners.
Guess even writers are entitled to have a bad day once in awhile.