The buzzkill begins over at “Free Mark Steyn”, with a (cough) lawyer — this one on our side — offering free (that’s a change!) advice. And worth every penny:
I wanted to let you know that linking to non-public officials who may be involved in this process could make things worse. Even if you do not live in Canada, at best it will increase the sympathy of the Tribunal to the complainants. It doesn’t matter if you’re not officially affiliated with Steyn, because they can use it as an example of harrassing behaviour that his articles and books are encouraging.
Stick to the content, not the personas. The Canadian legal system is a little more tricky.”
Puh-leese: All these people are public figures (of their own making). How else would I have heard of them? (Judy Holliday voice:) Ain’t I the public?
My being rude has INCREASED sympathy and publicity for Steyn and co., not for the HRC. I’ve been on this case since day one, and my mockery of those involved has helped raise the profile of this case.
Not even the average wimpy Canadian is going to be naturally sympathetic to some faceless, unelected, mysterious bureaucractic acronym, as opposed to a “household name” magazine being bullied by jumped up little (Muslim) law students who can’t spell.
Oh, but I’m not supposed to harrass them. Screw that.
Mark himself just called the Law is Cool gits ‘nellies’. That’s the spirit.
The spirit of Tom Paine and Jonathan Swift and PJ ORourke and Lenny Bruce and Private Eye magazine and Christopher Hitchens and Orianna Fallaci.
Lawyers none.
Let ordinary people react as they naturally would — with untempered outrage and, yes, a name being called here and there — and see the results WE get for a change.
If that lawyer wants to do something useful, he should defend me pro bono if someone objects to my website.
Otherwise, leave the polemical strategies to those of us non-wimps who know perfectly well what we’re doing, thank you very much.
