University Paper: Muslim Cartoons No Way but Cartoon of Jesus in Oral Sex OK

For the second time in as many weeks, a Canadian university newspaper has published cartoons offending Christianity which make the cartoons from Denmark offending Islam pale in comparison.

The University of Saskatchewan student newspaper, The Sheaf, has published a cartoon depicting Jesus performing oral sex on a pig with the caption reading, "Go on, it's ok, it's kosher if you don't swallow". The decision to publish the outrageously offensive "Capitalist Piglet" cartoon comes after the same newspaper refused to print the cartoons mocking Mohammed out of respect for Islam.

Two weeks ago, a University of Toronto newspaper published a cartoon depicting Jesus and Mohammed Smooching with a view to promoting tolerance of homosexuality (see coverage: http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/feb/06022011.html"http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/feb/06022011.html )

While The Sheaf claims to be independent, university students are required to fund the publication via their tuition. With nearly 20,000 students, the paper receives approximately $120,000 from mandated student fees.

A staff member for Catholic Christian Outreach (CCO), an organization which works on campuses across the country, told LifeSiteNews.com, "it was totally distasteful and very hurtful to a lot of students." CCO's Johnny Hickey, who works full time on the University of Saskatchewan campus said, "it was especially hurtful because last week the paper published an article saying why they didn't print the cartoons from Denmark." He said that while students were "hurt, offended, and frustrated" he was nonetheless impressed that they were handling the situation without malice but with a determined effort to see justice done, demanding the resignation of the cartoonist. A local radio talk show is encouraging students to complain to the human rights commission regarding the offence.

A website has been launched to confront the paper (http://www.boycottthesheaf.blogspot.com/"http://www.boycottthesheaf.blogspot.com/ WARNING site contains photo of the cartoon), calling on those offended to contact the newspaper's advertisers and inform them of a boycott over their support of the paper which printed the offensive cartoon.

University President Peter MacKinnon, in a communication to the university campus stated, "In the February 23 edition of the Sheaf, the editors explained that they would not publish the controversial cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. It is surprising that they did not exercise similar restraint in their decision to publish 'Capitalist Piglet' in the March 2 issue of the paper. This is a cartoon that is certain to cause distress to members of our community. It has divisive shock value only and does nothing to advance the understanding or debate for which universities should be distinguished."

MacKinnon added, "The Sheaf should apologize to us all." MacKinnon was not available for comment, and so could not address students' concerns that they not be forced to fund the paper, which has often carried offensive material.

The paper's production manager, Liam Richards, told LifeSiteNews.com that the printing of the cartoon was "not an editorial decision but a mistake that resulted from a miscommunication." However, when asked if the paper would accept any further submissions to the paper from the student responsible for the sacrilegious cartoon - Jeff Macdonald - Richards said the paper was still discussing the matter.

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A COMMENT ON THE ELLIS AFFAIR

The higher institutions of learning represent the ultimate in the furtherance of human knowledge. Our universities and learned research institutions have long enjoyed the freedom to enquire, to explore, to provoke debate and even controversy. It is only by challenging perceptions, dogma and current understanding of our world that scientific progress can be made.

These liberties which have survived many attempts over the centuries by despotic monarchs, cardinals and archbishops are once again under threat from the modern tyranny of Marxist political correctness.

One of the main vehicles for the implementation of political correctness, the Commission for Racial Equality has stepped into a row over a Leeds University lecturer who has challenged multiculturalism. This is the 21st century equivalent of challenging the medieval perception that the world is flat or the Victorian view of human origins being exactly as written in Genesis.

Dr Ellis, a lecturer in Russian literature in the department of modern languages and culture, told the "Leeds Student" campus newspaper that he was a supporter of the late Enoch Powell, who warned that uncontrolled immigration would lead to "rivers of blood". Dr Ellis also said he would support repatriation if it were done "humanely".

"Canary"

He further said that the British National Party was useful as "a canary" to warn the Government of views on multiculturalism, which was doomed to failure because "it is based on the lie that all people, races and cultures are equal and that no one race or culture is better than any other".

All sensible sounding material which is worthy of mature debate in a responsible academic environment, at least that is what most decent people would think. While we totally agree with Dr. Ellis's observations we suggest that those who disagree with him and us, argue the point, is that not a reasonable request?

Well apparently not in Blair's Britain! Certain views are dangerous it seems and now the Race Gestapo, the CRE, has demanded an inquiry into whether Dr. Ellis' views had "affected his assessment of students".

The powerful body said that public bodies were under a duty to promote good relations between people of different racial groups, to promote equality of opportunity between those groups and to eliminate unlawful racial discrimination.

Threats

In addition the same left wing fascist thugs who turned out of their beds to heckle and shout abuse at the decent men and women of the BNP who stood outside Leeds Crown Court during the last weeks of January in support of the Free Speech Two have threatened to picket Dr. Ellis' lectures unless the university authorities sack him. These people it seems are not prepared to debate, to inquire, to challenge in an intellectual manner which behoves privileged students in a place of learning. Only by bullying, threatening disruption and chaos can their "argument" expect to succeed.

However a spokesman for Leeds University said that "Dr Ellis has a right to his personal opinions but he does not have the right to treat students or colleagues in a prejudicial or discriminatory manner. The university has no evidence yet that this has happened."

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The child obesity panic

Panic: A new report by three British official bodies has criticised the government for a lack of progress on tackling child obesity. For example, it has taken 18 months just to agree on how obesity should be measured. The report quotes statistics suggesting that the proportion of obese children has risen from 9.6 per cent in 1995 to 13.7 per cent in 2003. By 2010, the report says that the cost of treating diseases caused by obesity across the whole population - including hypertension, heart disease and type 2 diabetes - will reach o3.6billion per year. Steve Bundred, chief executive of the Audit Commission, said: 'If the trend continues, this generation will be the first for many decades that doesn't live as long as their parents.'

Don't panic: While it is true that certain diseases are more common in obese adults, the vast majority of people can still expect to live into old age whatever their body shape. If fears about obesity are overstated for adults, they are even more misplaced when it comes to children.

It is by no means certain that children who are fat will go on to be fat adults. Figures suggest about 30 per cent of obese children stay that heavy in adulthood. Telling a child that being overweight means they are effectively sick may have some impact on their waistlines but is likely to be a recipe for misery in years to come. As Dr Dee Dawson, a specialist in treating eating disorders, notes: 'We should not be getting children obsessed about what they eat, how much fat and calories there is in their food, how they look. Most of them are perfectly fit and well.'

Nor are the alternatives necessarily much better. While getting some exercise, like walking regularly, seems to be beneficial, taking a lot of exercise may have little additional benefit. Dieting is not only regularly unsuccessful, but has itself been associated with health problems. As an editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine noted in 1998, 'Until we have better data about the risks of being overweight and the benefits and risks of losing weight, we should remember that the cure for obesity may be worse than the condition'.

The most controversial idea, quoted regularly, is that children of this generation will have a lower life expectancy than their parents. While not impossible, it seems highly unlikely. Firstly, it assumes that obesity is the reason that very fat people tend to die younger, rather than lack of exercise, poverty, poor quality of diet or a host of other reasons. Secondly, it suggests that this one lifestyle factor could overcome the effect of all the other medical and social developments which have provided consistent rises in life expectancy. For women, life expectancy has risen every decade for the past 16 decades, and for both sexes lifespans are rising by roughly two years every decade.

If we are really concerned about child obesity, we should stop fretting about what children eat and give them more opportunity for active, independent play. However, given our increasingly risk-averse approach towards kids, there's fat chance of that.

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