From Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary:
Oppression \Op*pres”sion\, n. [F., fr. L. oppressio.]
1. The act of oppressing, or state of being oppressed.
2. That which oppresses; a hardship or injustice; cruelty;
severity; tyranny. “The multitude of oppressions.” –Job
xxxv. 9.
3. A sense of heaviness or obstruction in the body or mind;
depression; dullness; lassitude; as, an oppression of
spirits; an oppression of the lungs.
There gentlee Sleep First found me, and with soft
oppression seized My drowsed sense. –Milton.
4. Ravishment; rape. [Obs.] –Chaucer.
Got that? Now read this:
“… there is nevertheless a danger that political advertising may manipulate or oppress the voter,”
~Mr. Justice Michel Bastarache, Supreme Court of Canada – Harper V. Canada
Can anyone please explain to me how political advertising could possibly oppress anyone? Bastarache, in writing for the Majority of the Supreme Court of Canada is, in my opinion, the one being oppressive here.
The Charter of Rights And Freedoms notwithstanding, this decision ought to offend every Canadian. For what the Supreme Court is basically saying is that you don’t have enough intelligence, brains, or understanding of issues to be able to discern truth or make rational decisions based on information you are provided.
Forget the nonsense about spending limits and some numbskull’s concern that allowing a national organization to spend more than what a local candidate can afford is ‘not fair’. Bastarache has shown us the real issue here, with his statement that advertising could “oppress” you. The Supreme Court believes you are an idiot. The Supreme Court believes you are unable to think for yourself. The Supreme Court believes you are a poor, oppressed person, a victim of cruel treatment, should you see more than $3,000.00 worth of advertising by one entity during the upcoming election in your riding.
Heck, you see more than $3,000.00 worth of advertising on any given night watching Television!
How do you like being seen as a poor wretched creature that isn’t able to think rationally? How do you like the idea that giving you more information to make informed decisions is similar to rape, or injustice? Because that is basically what Bastarach writes.
Others have more ably discussed this, and I urge you to take a look at the ramifications. This assumes of course, that you’re not oppressed by more information:
Jay Jardine Pretty Much Sums Up My Thoughts
Colby Cosh
Damien Penny
Western Standard
Jay says it best and gets right to the point: “retch-inducing.”