The Visitor

READ THIS BEFORE WATCHING. This parody NOT meant to be a comparison of Ignatieff and Gandhi as men. It is simply a comic effort at suggesting the bigotry of the recent attack ads. Also please do not assume that I am ignorant concerning the events of Gandhi's life as some readers have done, eliciting condescending comments. I am well in formed about Gandhi's life. Personal geography is not the prerequisite to being an effective political actor. Keep these facts in mind before you leave me offensive or uninformed comments.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Gandhi
• Ignatieff
• Harper
• Attack Ads.

[domtar76]

Gandhi returned to India in 1915. He didn't enter politics at all till 1928. Moreover, when he lived in South Africa he fought for the rights of Indians living in South Africa. Ignatieff has not done the same (and not had to do the same, since Canadians are not oppressed there) in the UK or US.

This comparison is, frankly, a stretch.

[kirbycairo]

Precision is not in the nature of comparison. The search for conceptual parallels is a conceptual exercise. Furthermore, for the sake of precision, Gandhi surely entered politics in India long before 1928. He was the president of the Home Rule League in 1920. But this is not the important thing. The important thing is that the Conservative ads are absurd, offensive, and bigoted. And if we can use a little humor and levity to demonstrate this, all the better.

[domtar76]

It isn't bigoted to want a leader that cares about your country for reasons other than personal glory. If Iggy screws up here he can just go back to Harvard. Harper can't do that without leaving the only home he has ever known.

Were the many Liberals who thought this was a big deal in 2006 being absurd? Bigoted? Offensive?

As to the comparison - clearly Gandhi cared about India and the plight of Indians in South Africa - what did Ignatieff do for Canadians while abroad?

[kirbycairo]

It is indeed bigoted because it implies that anyone who has lived outside the country or in fact not lived here all their lives is not qualified to be Prime Minister. The implication is very clear. And according to the Conservative the "Indians" in South Africa were NOT Indians because they had left India. But you were completely wrong about Gandhi's political work in India before 1928 so it is not clear you really know about Gandhi's history.

[kirbycairo]

By the way bigotry is evident in your very posting. You say Ignatieff "can just go back...." This what racists say about immigrants: "they can just go back to their own country" they say. But Ignatieff is a Canadian citizen with all the rights and privileges therein. I am not a Liberal nor an Ignatieff supporter, but the implications of this ad campaign are profoundly dangerous.

[universalradio]

Awesome, A+

[findpolitics]

(hilarious by the way ... really enjoyed it ... especially the salt line)

[powerfulSubtlety]

Oh man, this was more serious when the attack ads were on, but now that I watch it again, it's hilarious. It really makes those attack ads seem ridiculous.

[meloveicecream24]

hey domtar!

i like your impressions!

[kirbycairo]

As I said from the beginning, such comparisons are not meant to demonstrate exact parallels. And the roots of these ads are steeped in ugliness, bigotry, pettiness, and do not constitute real political discourse. Diane Ablonzcy was born in the US and lived out of the country for years. I used to live in her riding but would never had made an issue of her geographical history. I still contend that the "he can go back" comment demonstrates a bigoted root in all of this.

[domtar76]

rights of Indians living in South Africa (as Gandhi did) you have an entirely different kettle of fish.

You need a parallel of a leader who lived abroad for at least 30 years, who did nothing for his home country in those 30 years, and who started running for PM two years after returning to his birth country.

George I is probably the best example I can think of.

[domtar76]

...that same fate. His kids grew up elsewhere, as did his wife. He has many friends abroad (and probably would lose few by moving back to Harvard). Iggy has less to lose by being a crappy PM than say Stephen Harper.

Kirby, you are putting words in my mouth. Indians living in South Africa for a few years are still Indians. When they refer to South Africa as their country, and say they only really care about the Taj Mahal anyway they are not really Indians.

When they fight for the civil...

[domtar76]

Uh I am not saying that immigrants (I think immigration is a good thing) shouldn't be able to be Prime Minister. Heck, I am a Canadian living abroad. I do think you should live in Canada for some amount of time though.

I don't think "immigrants should go back to their own country". I think one of the best tools for accountability we have is the fact that crappy PM's become pariahs, derided from all quarters (eg. Mulroney).

Ignatieff doesn't have deep roots in this country, and could avoid...

[gooeygeespot]

Umm, yeah, Ignatieff isn't in the same league as Gandhi. thanks for clearing that up for us Domtar. The point isnt that iggy is gandhi. Its that the attack ads are brain dead. Peter Worthington, Andrew Coyne and Rex Murphy, that troika of Trotsyites agree