Barbara Kay and the "Abominable" Post Man

Yesterday, the National Post printed my letter objecting to NatPo columnist Terry Glavin's use of the word "abomination" re Israel's actions in Gaza.

Today--hurray!--Barbara Kay elaborates on--and excoriates--Glavin's abominable word choice:

Well, that’s quite a strong word, abomination. A very damning word. Myself, I save it for truly depraved actions like the indiscriminate use of chemical weapons on whole villages of innocent people — man, woman and child — by a monstrous tyrant who will stop at nothing to retain power, and who has proved many times that he’s devoid of any respect for the lives of those who aren’t kin or politically useful. I’m referring to Syria’s Assad, of course — and having read Glavin’s columns over the years, I know he shares my horror.

And this explains some of my surprise. “Abomination” is not a word I would ever use for any engagement with enemy forces undertaken in a democratic nation whose military, made up of ordinary citizens, comes out of a culture in which respect for human life is legendary.

Kay goes on to provide examples of actions that do satisfy the meaning of "abomination"/"abominable":

Hamas provided free transportation to the security fence for all Gazans, including women and children. They were paid $14 a head or $100 per family to attend. The injured received $500. That’s pretty abominable. So’s this: Hamas gave everyone with a video camera VIP access to “the show,” and free wifi too to make sure no injury went unrecorded (both real and fake: one video shows an “injured” victim borne away on a stretcher hopping off completely unscathed when presumably out of camera range.)

She concludes in a more-in-sadness-than-in-anger kind of way:

Israel is constantly subjected to double standards — by the UN, by biased journalists, by anti-Semites on social media. In choosing to use this morally charged locution, “abomination,” with regard to the IDF, even the brilliant and knowledgeable and honourable Terry Glavin, whose writing on foreign affairs I greatly admire, has not only succumbed to uncharacteristic rhetorical carelessness, but in doing so, has given comfort and ammunition to polemical jackals for whom he normally and justifiably feels the greatest contempt.

Well, there's a sucker born every minute--and, in the bamboozling department, Hamas has it all over old P.T.!