On Saturday, we published an article speculating that Marc Lemire, or at least his wife, isn't pleased with Paul Fromm using Lemire's Sec. 13 fight to fundraise off of, since another poster also implied that the money raised in other cases may not have reached those for who the money was originally intended.
One of our most faithful readers, Maikeru, focused on a photograph we included of Fromm and Lemire together. Originally posted by Fromm on his open Facebook account, he originally labelled it as originating at the "George Orwell Dinner" awards ceremony honoring the Fourniers (though, truth be told, it ain't an honor we would be proud to receive). Maikeru then accused us of three things, but we'll start with the second and third accusations.
The second thing we were accused of was "document tampering" which, given we didn't do anything to the photo itself and were simply providing a label that one of the attendees of the dinner and awards ceremony had ascribed to it sort of leaves us scratching our heads a little.
Connie herself erroneously claims we are engaging in witness tampering for talking about Lemire on these pages who is apparently their witness in Richard Warman's lawsuit against the Fourniers as the third accusation. We actually didn't know this before Connie first wrote about it a while back in making the same accusation against us then, but we can assure Ms. Fournier that we would be absolutely delighted if Mr. Lemire were to testify under oath, especially if the cross examination asked him certain questions about his past he would like to deny. But no, we are not trying to intimidate him or anyone.Trust us, once we knew that you planned on calling him as a witness we have all been very eager for Lemire to testify and have been ever since.
The first accusation though, now that we think about it, wasn't so much an accusation against us but against Harry Abrams whom Maikeru is now claiming is part of our little Collective here. And while hanging out with us is actually pretty fun (we have, "make your own sunday" Sundays here... oh, that reminds us that we need more sprinkles and rum n' butter syrup) and isn't something we think one should be ashamed of.
But we decided to contact Mr. Abrams, whom we haven't had any contact with for some time sadly (because we quite like him and his YouTube videos shows he plays a mean accordion) and let him know that Maikeru has claimed him as being amongst the Collective. Yesterday, Mr. Abrams sent us the following message:
Dear Antiracism Canada Blog,
We really aren't responding to the folks at Free Dominion since they (a) will not believe us and (b) will spin whatever we write to fit what appears to be a growing paranoia on their side. We've come to terms with this reality, but we would still like to set the record straight.
That, and when we mention Free Dominion our hit count increases by some 35%.
So with that said...
Maikeru (or maybe Ogopogo)...
Ding ding ding.
One of our most faithful readers, Maikeru, focused on a photograph we included of Fromm and Lemire together. Originally posted by Fromm on his open Facebook account, he originally labelled it as originating at the "George Orwell Dinner" awards ceremony honoring the Fourniers (though, truth be told, it ain't an honor we would be proud to receive). Maikeru then accused us of three things, but we'll start with the second and third accusations.
The second thing we were accused of was "document tampering" which, given we didn't do anything to the photo itself and were simply providing a label that one of the attendees of the dinner and awards ceremony had ascribed to it sort of leaves us scratching our heads a little.
Connie herself erroneously claims we are engaging in witness tampering for talking about Lemire on these pages who is apparently their witness in Richard Warman's lawsuit against the Fourniers as the third accusation. We actually didn't know this before Connie first wrote about it a while back in making the same accusation against us then, but we can assure Ms. Fournier that we would be absolutely delighted if Mr. Lemire were to testify under oath, especially if the cross examination asked him certain questions about his past he would like to deny. But no, we are not trying to intimidate him or anyone.Trust us, once we knew that you planned on calling him as a witness we have all been very eager for Lemire to testify and have been ever since.
The first accusation though, now that we think about it, wasn't so much an accusation against us but against Harry Abrams whom Maikeru is now claiming is part of our little Collective here. And while hanging out with us is actually pretty fun (we have, "make your own sunday" Sundays here... oh, that reminds us that we need more sprinkles and rum n' butter syrup) and isn't something we think one should be ashamed of.
But we decided to contact Mr. Abrams, whom we haven't had any contact with for some time sadly (because we quite like him and his YouTube videos shows he plays a mean accordion) and let him know that Maikeru has claimed him as being amongst the Collective. Yesterday, Mr. Abrams sent us the following message:
Dear Antiracism Canada Blog,
Thank you for notice of this latest in a very long line of misapprehensions on the part of those Sunday school rejects @ Freedo. (No wonder they're always in trouble) This Maikeru bumpkin has been holding a candle for the very late and not much lamented Doug Collins for a rather long time. Sadly, the Fourniers seem to think that receiving Christie's so-called free Speech award is some kind of an honour akin to the Croix de Guerre, or The Purple Heart.
Well it's not. The very first recipient of one of those cheap plaques eventually returned it to its owner with the following attached letter:
Mr. Douglas Christie 810 Coutney St, Victoria, B.C. April 19, 1996 Dear Sir, Re: The Canadian Free Speech League and The George Orwell Free Speech AwardAs I mentioned in my letter you regarding Ernst Zundel, it is clear
to me that your Canadian Free Speech League is merely a front for an
anti-semitic, Pro-Nazi agenda. I have little doubt, in retrospect,
that this has always been the case. Your organization is
authoritarian and not in the least open to free speech: I sincerely
doubt that you know what free speech really means. Certainly it does
not appear to mean to you what it means to me, namely, a liberal
marketplace of ideas where a variety of opinions are aired without
fear of censure. In the Canadian Free Speech League, the only opinions truly allowed
are those which conform to your own. And those opinions, as you well
know, are antisemitic and almost blatantly pro-Nazi. It is no
coincidence that both you and Ernst Zundel usually celebrate your
birthdays on April 20, Hitler's Birthday. It is no coincidence that
most of the Canadian Free Speech League annual awards ceremonies have
been held as close to that date as possible. This connection with Nazism is in itself a travesty of free speech.
To link the name of George Orwell with a pro-Nazi agenda is a travesty,
for George Orwell was as outspoken against Nazism and antisemitism as
any public voice in the second world war. The award is also a travesty, in retrospect, to my own integrity
as an individual who in 1985 genuinely if naively fought for the
right for free speech. The George Orwell Free Speech award was
presented to me by you in 1986 for "outstanding courage in challenging
censorship and historical orthodoxy". If I showed courage , I now
realize that it was misplaced and misdirected. Believe me, it takes
more courage to admit that I was duped ten years ago. Accordingly, I am returning the 1986 George Orwell Free Speech Award to you as Counsel of the Canadian Free Speech League. Sincerely, Gary Botting, Barrister That, and when we mention Free Dominion our hit count increases by some 35%.
So with that said...
Maikeru (or maybe Ogopogo)...
Ding ding ding.
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