He's Their Kind of 'Toonist

The head of the Quebec branch of the Ceej responds to accusations that serial-Jewish-star-drawer, cartoonist Guy Badeaux (pen name Bado), is antisemitic, viewing them as a personal affront to--wait for it--himself. (The letter to the editor appeared in Bado's Le Doit and was translated from the French by google):

Let me hereby to express my surprise and sadness at the controversy surrounding the publication of caricatures of the LeDroit Bado of 20 September. Prétendre que cette caricature à un caractère antisémite relève de la mauvaise foi. Claim that an anti-Semitic cartoon is in bad faith. Suspecter Guy Badeaux de racisme insulte non seulement l'auteur de la caricature mais ceux qui ont le privilège de le côtoyer. Guy Badeaux suspicion of racism not only insult the author of the cartoon but those who have the privilege of knowing him.

This mock trial is a true friend shocks us by its injustice and its free. Guy Badeaux has often drawn the Canadian Parliament with the star found the clock on the Peace Tower. Why do those who accuse today have never responded before?

Judaism is not a matter of faith, "said Franz Kafka is also a matter of social practice. Accusing baseless and without a shred of evidence a man known for his honesty and integrity goes against the fundamental values of Judaism.

Guy Badeaux has always stood by the courage of his opinions, the appropriateness of its actions and sense of nuance. As a community, his cartoons have often provoked, sometimes angry - that is the price of freedom of expression - but never insulted. He sketched in from the perspective of the heart to help us speak when words are silent. Quebec Jewish Congress has also had the opportunity to organize a series of events to promote dialogue and respect for others, as part of the "Action Week against Racism 2009". Alongside fellow Canadian, French and Israeli Guy Badeaux had risen brilliantly against all forms of intolerance. With its ironic pencil strokes, he sketched the fanatics who threaten our planet and brushed the edges of an open society and pluralistic. Making use of words and his pen, he had claimed more than 200 guests gathered in a synagogue in Montreal in designing a message of peace, tolerance and hope.

If, however, this evidence proved unable to convince your readers the honor of our friend Bado, then I also claim the right to be considered an anti-Semite.

Daniel Amar
Directeur général, Director General,
Congrès juif québécois Quebec Jewish Congress

Stirring words, indeed. Perhaps a bit de trop, as they say in French, but rousing nonetheless. Would that the Ceej had been willing to stand foursquare with those famed Danish 'toonists (which, alas, it was not, slamming their Motoons for being "inexcusably provocative"), or with, say, Mark Steyn when his "ironic pen" was put on trial by a Kafkaësque totalitarian court in B.C. But then, they never "claimed more than 200 guests gathered in a synagogue in Montreal in designing a message of peace, tolerance and hope"--so what good are they? (BTW, Swedish Motoonist, Lars Vilks, will be in town next week.) As for moi, I guess I must be a really bad Jew for pointing out that, while Bado may be gung ho for multiculturalisme and "anti-racism" (and, hey, can you name me a lefty who isn't?), he seems to have it in for Star of David-land.