Bernier, Baby, Bernier!

Maxime Bernier, leader of the PPC (which sounds like a toxic chemical, but which really stands for the People's Party of Canada, although, now that you mention it...) brought his circus of confusion, chaos and contempt to Toronto to attend a pro-hate rally outside a high school. Things went about as well as you might expect.

It's A Fine Line (The Size Of The Grand Canyon) Between Love And Hate

In response to counter-protesters chanting, "No place for hate!", many of the protesters said, "We don't hate anybody."

This did not account for the kid, who couldn't have been more than ten, repeatedly shrieking, "Faggots!" at the counter-protesters. Perhaps he was saying it with love.

And then there was the man wearing a "Truck Trudeau!" t-shirt. A whole hate-filled discourse is eloquently expressed in that one phrase.

And we mustn't forget the protesters who got in the faces of the counter-protesters, attempting to physically intimidate them and doing their best to initiate a violent incident.

It was clear that somebody didn't get the memo, but I'm not sure who it was...

For Those Of You Who Are Metaphor-impaired: Get An Imagination!

What are you against?

"Whaddya got?"

Vaccines and Mask mandates.

"Oh, yeah. Definitely against that."

Abortion on demand.

"Against that, too."

The Liberal government in Ottawa.

"I cannot begin to tell you how against that I am!"

Trans youth.

"Oh, yeah. Right. Sure. I'm against that, I guess."

The protest was a veritable smorgasbord of hate. Funny how most of the patrons ignored the Chef's Special. Makes you wonder what menu they were ordering off of.

Night Image Gallery (Because You Can't Spell "SUCK" Without "SC")

Hello, everybody. Did you know that beta blockers cause osteoporosis? No? Probably because the available medical science suggests that they actually increase bone density, which would help prevent the brittle bone disease. But who cares about medical science? I'm here to tell you that beta blockers do cause osteoporosis. In political science, the only facts that matter are the ones you can convince people of! Are beta blockers illegal in Canada? Legal science will tell you no, but my political science tells me yes. And if you disagree with political science, you are an ignorant Commie bastard!

You, uhh, do know that that's not the flag of the country you're in, right? Sometimes it feels like the whole protest took a wrong turn at Albuquerque!

Nothing says "LEAVE OUR KIDS ALONE!" quite like taking a selfie surrounded by young people that you'll use to promote your political science on social media.

Yeaaaaaah, about that. The whole "the cross I bear" shtick probably plays very well at anti-choice rallies. At protests with the ostensible theme of protecting children, less so. If you don't understand why, you might want to try spending some quality time with a Catholic Priest.

What, this guy again‽ Hasn't he done enough to spread lies and misinformation - sorry, political science - for one day? He's the Energizer Bunny of Hate. "Life on beta blockers is a life of sterility," he said. "Don't you want grandchildren?" Breeders! They can't imagine that people don't share their every desire. He went on to compare teaching children about the best scientific understanding of their sexuality to Orwellian repression. "Read Nineteen Eighty-four!" he exhorted people. Personally, I think the social engineering of Brave New World might be an apter comparison, but I doubt he's read either novel; he probably read the Blinkist version of the ReadItFor.Me version of Cole's Notes of the books. He also said: "Our job is to love children just the way they are."* I rolled my eyes so hard they may be permanently stuck in the back of my head!

* He didn't, of course, add: "As long as they conform to my ideas of who they should be." Some things are just understood!

But Then, This Is Just A Petty Observation

The protesters played "I Won't Back Down" in the hope of drowning out the counter-protesters; it didn't work because their speakers were too far from the front line. I couldn't help but wonder if they got permission from the estate of the late Tom Petty to use the song. If the estate ever finds out, somebody should expect a letter from a legal scientist.

It Just Goes To Show That Those Who Forget History Are Doomed To Make Fools Of Themselves At Protests

When the counter-protesters chanted "Go home fascists!", one protester shouted back, "You're the fascists! You communists!" Because with the far right every accusation is...you know.

I felt like telling her: the exam does not allow for multiple choices, madam. You have to choose one. But that would just confuse somebody who was obviously a failing student.

When The Implied "According To Your Belief System (Not Mine)" Goes Over Somebody's Head, It Makes A Splooshing Splat When It Hits The Wall Behind Them

After it was all over, a lovely young woman who undoubtedly believed she was a Christian angrily told me: "You're lost and if you don't do anything you're going to go to hell." (Because nobody can hate like a true believer.)

I gave her my standard response: "Lady, I'm Jewish. I was going to hell from the moment I was born!"

To which she replied, "Ah. So, you get it."

I - what?