Communist oppression, CBC

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation shilling Fidel Castro cap online

By Judi McLeod

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

In the U.S. a NBC cameraman shows up to cover a march flying a Mexican flag on his trusty camera.

In Canada, the taxpayer-funded Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) displays a "Castro Cap" in its boutiques and online stores.

Welcome to the world of "Crusader Journalism"! Crusader Journalism throws balance out the window and employs photo journalists and reporters who wear their politics on their sleeves.

Angry shouts from counter-protesters greeted a cameraman for the NBC affiliate in Houston. The cameraman was captured on home video sporting a Mexican flag on his camera while covering a rally in the Texan city that supported illegal immigrants.

At least NBC isn't wholly funded by taxpayers' dollars.

For legions that fled communist Cuba for a new life in Canada, finding Fidel Castro's cap for sale by their country's largest television network, is repulsive.

Shilling the wares of murderous dictators is hardly honourable.

"How can the CBC in good conscience, as our taxpayer-funded "neutral" broadcaster, offer up such a symbol of communist oppression?" Bryan Clark, of Montreal, Quebec asked in a letter of complaint to CBC.

"From 1959 through to the present, more than 100,000 Cubans have been held in camps, prisons, or open-regime sites," wrote Clark. "Between 20,000 to 30,000 Cubans have been executed to date. Understandable when you understand that international communism is a system with a history of murdering more than 100,000,000 souls since its inception in 1914."

Clark has no objections to more the more benign fare for sale in CBC boutiques and online stores.

"The various baseball caps and wooly toques that CBC sells are harmless and politically neutral. Actually, they are quite attractive with the various historical corporate symbols from the past. However, I strenuously suggest that offering a "Castro Cap" is a different matter. It is a "loaded" symbol of a ruthless, murdering dictator."

Clark sent his letter to Canada Free Press (CFP) after receiving an unsatisfactory response to his letter of complaint sent to the television network.

"Thank you for contacting the CBC shop," wrote Matthew from cbcshop@CBC.ca. "We apologize that you take offense to this hat. We do call it a "Radio 3 Castro Cap" on the site, not a Fidel Castro hat. While this is in reference to the style of (the) hat he did wear it is a widely used and accepted term for the style of hat and many stores and retailers all over north america (sic) sell castro (sic) hats, to call it another style of hat would not describe it properly. It is unfortunate that castro (sic) made the style recognizeable (sic), but it is associated with him. It is in no way meant to glorify communism and murder simply a style of hat. (sic).

"Have a great day."

Readers can see the CBC hat for themselves: here:

(www.cbcshop.ca/CBC/shopping/product.aspx?Product_ID=CPGEN00250&Variant_ID=6R302L&lang=en-CA)

"The message this symbol sends is very, very clear..."We at the CBC just love Castro and communism and we are showing it openly and for all to see, by selling Fidel's favourite headwear," Clark wrote to CFP. "Make no mistake. A brutal, murdering dictator made that cap famous. As a taxpayer, I suggest that CBC remove this product from its shelves."

The Montreal man has a suggestion for CBC should it stubbornly and perversely refuse to remove the offending article from its shelves and website: "In the spirit of providing a more "balanced" array of political headwear in your CBC Boutique, I have attached some photos of additional historical caps and hats that you might consider and approve for inclusion alongside your beloved "Castro Caps"...or should I say, your beloved Castro's "Cap".

Included in Clark's hat display is a photo of Adolph Hitler decked out in his favourite head dress.

Meanwhile, it seems that CBC is truly living up to the nickname given it by disgruntled taxpayers who pay its expensive freight: CBC, the "Communist Broadcasting Corporation".

Canada Free Press founding editor Most recent by Judi McLeod is an award-winning journalist with 30 years experience in the print media. Her work has appeared on Newsmax.com, Drudge Report, Foxnews.com, Glenn Beck. Judi can be reached at: judi@canadafreepress.com

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