Rob Ford's Toronto

[Kat_YYZ]

Wow to my perspective, this is a very telling statement by RF. Why would his mind automatically go to child molestation?
Lots of people have mental health issues who have never been abused.
Yes, sexual abuse definitely will contribute to mental health issues. But there is not a direct correlation.
But to RF there is.
Of course, my gut instinct is that those Ford kids were abused in some awful way, and that is why they are all so dysfunctional. Add in that the mom might be an alcoholic herself, and they have hereditary disposition to substance issues. The father seems like he was a real, angry piece of work from all accounts I have read.

my thinking is more that
a) he's voting against it anyways, and
b) nothing pleases right-wing family-values types more than railing against child molesters; I'm sure he'd say the same about funding for the arts: "we should use that money to catch more child molesters!"

The bizarre linkage at the end is just, well... he's a screwed-up guy. But if you're opposing funding for something, and some people think you're being insensitive, you can't go wrong by saying you want to catch more child molesters instead, right?

 

[the lemur]

I have no doubt that at least some of the threatening messages to Doolitle came from posters at The I hate The War On Rob Ford facebook page. They are just vile, particularly in reference to Robyn.

I wouldn't assume anything about the identity of the people threatening Doolittle or Donovan, but it would be great if the police could bust some of them at least. We'd get to see just who they are and how proud they'd be of themselves for doing such things.

 

[Johnny Au]

I wouldn't assume anything about the identity of the people threatening Doolittle or Donovan, but it would be great if the police could bust some of them at least. We'd get to see just who they are and how proud they'd be of themselves for doing such things.

They should be safe on Wikipedia. Neil Flagg and his ilk would not touch Wikipedia with a ten-foot pole. In fact, I have made more edits to Robyn Doolittle's Wikipedia article than Neil Flagg would edit a single Wikipedia article and not be reverted.

This is why I like Wikipedia. No radical fringe groups would be able to have their views being the primary view there.

 

[EagleEye]

Katie Simpson mentioned on Twitter that she is taking a break from CP24 for a while. Does anyone know where she's off to?

 

[the lemur]

my thinking is more that
a) he's voting against it anyways, and
b) nothing pleases right-wing family-values types more than railing against child molesters; I'm sure he'd say the same about funding for the arts: "we should use that money to catch more child molesters!"

The bizarre linkage at the end is just, well... he's a screwed-up guy. But if you're opposing funding for something, and some people think you're being insensitive, you can't go wrong by saying you want to catch more child molesters instead, right?

Something like that. I think Ford's thinking processes, such as they are, run something like:

1) The city wants to spend money on something that's not my idea? Must be a waste of money
2) Mental health? What is that really? Can't people just pull themselves together, get a grip, get over it?
3) You can't stop people killing themselves, at least not with money. So again, waste of money.
4) What kind of people kill themselves anyway? Hmm ... well, that guy who was abused by that child molester at MLG. Maybe if we used money to nab guys like that.

In the case of the arts, he'd probably use a similar argument, except insinuate that the arts don't need money, especially if they somehow promote/hide child molestation.

Ford is very skilled at 'othering' those who don't follow his reflexive desire to withhold money whenever possible. There's something psychological to his pattern of denial of monetary assistance.

 

[Johnny Au]

Katie Simpson mentioned on Twitter that she is taking a break from CP24 for a while. Does anyone know where she's off to?

She is going to be a Twit.

After all, people who use Twitter are Twits, hence the definition of Twit.

 

[EagleEye]

Robyn Doolittle had a chat on the Toronto Star's site today:

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/01/31/crazy_town_live_chat_with_robyn_doolittle.html

Among the interesting things is how much of the Renata tapes she actually heard and how she verified it was Renata. Also, she was asked repeatedly if she feels safe, and she didn't really want to answer that but it seems she's quite aware that she has to be careful. It's not just Ford's fans that she has to worry about but also the Fords and their thugs, too. I had been worried in the past that something might happen to her and also to Daniel Dale after what he went through. The Fords must hate those two with every fibre of their being.

 

[Dottie]

They should be safe on Wikipedia. Neil Flagg and his ilk would not touch Wikipedia with a ten-foot pole. In fact, I have made more edits to Robyn Doolittle's Wikipedia article than Neil Flagg would edit a single Wikipedia article and not be reverted.

This is why I like Wikipedia. No radical fringe groups would be able to have their views being the primary view there.

Ok, we get it. You like Wikipedia. I don't think that's really a big part of what we're discussing here, though.

 

[Dottie]

interesting. he also comes up as having a royal york address...



http://www.wikidomo.com/place/472834/called/j-g-lozo-real-estate-invest/in/etobicoke_ontario_canada

That address turns out to be an apartment building, not an office. Another address that comes up for the business, 20 Fontenay Court, is also an apartment building.

 

[nfitz]

If free speech allows for bigotry, then I don't know what is hate speech.

Facebook is American. There is no concept as hate speech in American law. You are perfectly free there to say any nasty, bigoted things you want, including advocating for slavery, or simply the generic execution of people based on race (I suppose that advocating for executing specific people based on race might be a crime there ...)

That's their free speech. As such, I'd think if Facebook were to ban people based on bigotry, they'd be open to litigation.

Should the phone company not have given Ernst Zundel a phone? Should Staples refuse to sell him paper and ink?

I very much disagree with how this is done in America. Recall that they refuse to extradite Canadians charged with hate crimes, because hate crimes are not a crime in the US.

 

[MetroMan]

Robyn Doolittle had a chat on the Toronto Star's site today:

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/01/31/crazy_town_live_chat_with_robyn_doolittle.html

Among the interesting things is how much of the Renata tapes she actually heard and how she verified it was Renata. Also, she was asked repeatedly if she feels safe, and she didn't really want to answer that but it seems she's quite aware that she has to be careful. It's not just Ford's fans that she has to worry about but also the Fords and their thugs, too. I had been worried in the past that something might happen to her and also to Daniel Dale after what he went through. The Fords must hate those two with every fibre of their being.

She's too high profile a target. Like if Scott MacIntyre were to disappear now, everybody would be looking at Ford. Also, from the look of things, Robyn won't have to be a reporter for long if she doesn't want to. The book sales are through the roof and no doubt movie rights are already being negotiated. She's going to be able to retire before 30.

 

[EagleEye]

She's too high profile a target. Like if Scott MacIntyre were to disappear now, everybody would be looking at Ford. Also, from the look of things, Robyn won't have to be a reporter for long if she doesn't want to. The book sales are through the roof and no doubt movie rights are already being negotiated. She's going to be able to retire before 30.

I don't think she has to be too worried now, but 8 months ago I felt differently. I'm really happy for her and hope she continues reporting but as much as she says she loves it, she might change her mind if other opportunities arise.

 

[EagleEye]

Don Peat ‏@reporterdonpeat 1m

"I'm in a bit of trouble for commenting about things that are mostly common sense" John Tory to Christie Blatchford tonight on Newstalk 1010

I really hope Tory decides to abandon running for mayor. His comments the other day were stupid and he just doesn't seem to be a strong voice. Very wishy washy.

 

[Johnny Au]

Robyn Doolittle is one audacious woman. She risked being ridiculed to death on antisocial media in order to have her Rob Ford book published. I laud her audacity.

 

[kbdid]

Facebook is American. There is no concept as hate speech in American law. You are perfectly free there to say any nasty, bigoted things you want, including advocating for slavery, or simply the generic execution of people based on race (I suppose that advocating for executing specific people based on race might be a crime there ...)

That's their free speech. As such, I'd think if Facebook were to ban people based on bigotry, they'd be open to litigation.

Should the phone company not have given Ernst Zundel a phone? Should Staples refuse to sell him paper and ink?

I very much disagree with how this is done in America. Recall that they refuse to extradite Canadians charged with hate crimes, because hate crimes are not a crime in the US.

Facebook can ban anyone they want. Free speech only guarantees that the government can't interfere with it. FB is a company with TOS, just like UT.