If not me, then Who?
If not now, then when?

A Failure of Moral Leadership

I do believe that the majority of Canadians are tolerant and fair minded. However, our beliefs are being challenged, if not hijacked, by our so-called leaders, who restrict or colour the flow of information, thereby preventing a fair hearing of both sides of the argument. As Tony Chapman, a leading podcaster whom I will be interviewing, worries, Canadians are in danger not only because of the rise of antisemitism but because of the decline in liberal democratic values.

The key point is that we have a failure of moral leadership. The institutions I once felt would protect us have failed, either because they lack the courage to stand up or because they have been infected by leaders who practise HIDE.

Consider the beliefs I once held:

That the police would protect us.

The reality is that the Toronto Police Force has been infected by some who hold a racial bias against Jews, as evidenced by two recent events: a distinguished senior-level Jewish police officer calling out the hate he experienced, and a video of five police officers celebrating October 7th. Where are the politicians and police leaders? Lots of words, no action.

That mass media would protect us.

I believed that mass media would protect us by shedding light on the issue, until I saw the constant flow of information that portrays Jews in an unfavourable and unfair light. The best example is the Globe and Mail's headline, "What I Wish My Jewish Friends Could Hear." It connects Jews to Israel's recent conduct, despite the Globe's own editorial position speaking out against antisemitism. If the Globe were fair minded, it would have published a companion piece: "What I Wish My Muslim Friends Could Hear." The Globe also published an article singling out a Jewish Canadian for investing in Israeli non-defence companies. A textbook example of HIDE: intimidate and isolate. And this from Canada's national newspaper.

That politicians would protect us.

That is not going to happen. When Olivia Chow stands before a Muslim community meeting and makes false and unproven claims that incite rather than encourage tolerance, we know we are in trouble. And Prime Minister Carney is not far behind, acting in a disingenuous manner: discussing antisemitism at a Toronto synagogue, then appointing a council on antisemitism with one Jewish member and a Muslim leader who wanted Hamas and Hezbollah removed from Canada's list of terrorist organizations. Going further, he has ignored the proven pro-Palestinian bias of the CBC by doubling down on its funding.

That our Jewish leaders would stand up.

Far from it. Several have taken on the role of appeasers, indirectly supporting mass media bias by being featured in columns and articles, or inviting Olivia Chow to a Passover Seder. There was much criticism of Jewish leaders during World War II for not standing up and criticizing politicians for their failure to act during the Holocaust. A recent article put the unproven claim of genocide in the right context: the term is now "a currency for acquiring power and position."

That our educators would stand up for us.

Not even close, as the education system embraces HIDE. Jewish teachers and professors are being harassed and blocked from taking on new assignments or having an impact on important decisions. A recent study indicated that DEI is a contributor to the rise in antisemitism.

That the arts community would stand up for us.

Nothing could be further from the truth. The arts community is a leader in practising HIDE, using intimidation, isolation, and demonization to bully fair-minded and tolerant Canadians. Two examples: the interruption of the Giller Prize ceremony, preventing a peaceful assembly, and TIFF barring a film about a courageous Israeli trying to help his family during a Hamas attack, created by a Canadian Jew. This behaviour is akin to what the Nazis undertook prior to World War II: isolate, demonize, and harass.

And I could go on.