Writers Unbound

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Wow! Now I know who he is! I do support many of his viewpoints.

In a previous blog, I added part of a long list of top 10 bloggers. I was perusing the list and found Ezra Levant. It is relly worth going to the description of him: it’s huge ad intriguing. A glimpse of a writer in action. (I may or may not endorse his actions or work, however I certainly admire his achievements in writing!)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezra_Levant
Publishing
In 2004 Levant co-founded the Western Standard, a national magazine with an emphasis on Western Canada, political conservatism, and libertarianism.[21] In October 2007 the magazine ended its print-run due to its unprofitability and became an exclusively online publication.[22] Levant sold the publication’s remaining assets to Matthew Johnson.[23]

A column by Levant appeared in the Calgary Sun on and off, over a ten year period, until October 2007 when the paper dropped the columnist because of an “internal personnel decision.”[24] He continues to write occasionally for the National Post.[25]

[edit] Human Rights complaint
On February 14, 2006 the Western Standard drew the attention of the Muslim community by reprinting the controversial editorial cartoons depicting Muhammad, the founder of Islam.[26]

Levant republished the Muhammed cartoons on his website in January 2008 on the same day he appeared before a hearing of the Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission investigating a complaint by Syed Soharwardy of the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada, and the Edmonton Council of Muslim Communities about Levant’s earlier publication of the cartoon. Additionally, Sowharwardy has filed a complaint with Calgary police about Levant saying he fears for his safety because of “lies” he says Levant has been spreading about him claiming Levant is inciting hatred. Police said they were actively investigating the complaint.[25]

Levant was called before the Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission and asked to respond to the complaint. At the demand of Levant and his lawyers, he was allowed to videotape his interview with Shirley McGovern, a human rights investigator with the commission. The videos of his interview before the Alberta Human Rights Commission were published on YouTube by Levant,[27] which received a notable amount of interest from bloggers and internet users, spending several days in the top ten viewed videos on YouTube. The videos have been collectively viewed more than half-a-million times, and excerpts of the audio and video been featured by many notable radio and television programs.[28][29] Soharwardy’s complaint was ultimately withdrawn [30] and the police investigation ended; however the identical complaint by the Edmonton Muslim Council proceeded. The complaint was dismissed by the Commission on August 5, 2008.

The timing of the Levant case was notable, in that it coincided with a high-profile case considered by the Canadian Human Rights Commission, the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal and the Ontario Human Rights Commission. The case was initiated by the Canadian Islamic Congress against Maclean’s Magazine for the printing of material they alleged was also discriminatory towards Muslims.

Levant and several other conservative bloggers, as well as the National Post, are being sued for libel by lawyer Richard Warman as a result of comments made about the lawyer in relation to human rights complaints he has initiated.[31]

In July 2008, Levant was invited to be an expert witness before the U.S. Congress’s Human Rights Caucus,[citation needed] where he spoke about the tribunals.

See also: Canadian Islamic Congress human rights complaint against Maclean’s Magazine

[edit] Stance against the Alberta Human Rights Commission
In 2008 Levant republished the letter of Steve Boissoin that had gotten Mr. Boissoin fined $7,000 and ordered not to publicly comment on homosexuality again. Although a complaint was filed with the Alberta Human Rights Commission over Levant’s letter, the commission claimed his publishing of it was legitimate political discourse.

Levant denounced this inexplicable change in attitude as an indication of the uneven standards of the AHRC and the fact that it was intentionally anti-Christian. Levant noted that “100% of the CHRC’s targets have been white, Christian or conservative” and that “It’s legal for a Jew like me to publish [Boissoin’s letter]. It’s illegal for a Christian like Rev. Boissoin to publish it.”[32