As readers of the Corner may know, Mark Steyn will be giving attendees at the huge meeting in Toronto an evening of pure Steynamite on April 24th. Mark has stepped in to replace Vice President Dick Cheney and Elizabeth Cheney following their withdrawal from the event because of security concerns stemming from their experiences in Vancouver in September 2011.
As the organizers of the Toronto meeting explain: “[Last] September 26, 2011, a large group of thugs attempted to block the entrance to the Vancouver Club. Their actions put the patrons, event staff, and Vice President Cheney in danger. The Vice President was unable to leave the premises for over seven hours until these violent protesters were dispersed. During these protests, patrons were physically assaulted outside the Vancouver Club.”
Well, you must expect that kind of thing in a Wild West kind of place like Vancouver in a province known even more threateningly as “British California.” But we cannot yield in the fight for civilization and free speech against the Hooligan Left and their allies, the International Human Rights Lawyers Cartel.
So I commend the example of Lady Thatcher a few years ago at a fringe meeting of the Tory Party conference at one of Britain’s seaside resorts. Lady T. had recently been defending General Augusto Pinochet who was living under house arrest in the London suburbs on highly dubious political grounds orchestrated by the HL and IHRLC. She took the view that since Pinochet had helped Britain during the Falklands War (and that he had entered Britain on a diplomatic passport), he should not be treated that way.
A large Hooligan Left mob was outside chanting “Thatcher, Thatcher, Thatcher, Fascist, Fascist, Fascist, Out, Out, Out.”
Lady T. turned to Robin Harris, her political aide (and now author of a fine new history of the Tory Party) and said sadly:
“Oh, Robin, doesn’t it make you feel nostalgic.”