The Canadian Appeasement Contingent
Charles Johnson
Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 6:16 pm PST • Views: 270
Yesterday we noted the brave decision of Canadian political journal The Western Standard to print the dreaded cartoons of blasphemy, and the subsequent threats by Islamist groups to have them prosecuted for “hate crimes.”
Canadian booksellers, however, are proving to be amazingly gutless: Magazine pulled from Saskatoon store. (Hat tip: LGF readers.)
The latest edition of the Western Standard will not reach magazine stands at any McNally Robinson Booksellers stores, owner Paul McNally confirmed Monday.
“We obviously are fervently in favour of freedom of expression BUT looking at this one, we don’t see anything as being expressed except a kind of hurtfulness toward Muslims,” he said in an interview from Winnipeg. “I don’t know if there is anything to be learned or communicated by publishing the cartoons.”
The cartoons are offensive to many individuals, he added.
“We feel there is nothing to gain on the side of freedom of expression and much to lose on the side of hurting feelings,” he said.“We just thought we would take a pass on this.”
Other editions of the magazine will likely not be affected.
“We stocked the last issue and we’ll stock the next issue, I imagine,” he said.
Indigo Books and Music Inc., Canada’s largest bookstore chain, is also refusing to put the latest issue of the Western Standard on its shelves. Indigo also owns Chapters and Coles bookstores.
Frank says: