Canada, not unlike much of the United States, was a very different place just a short time ago. Most Canadians used to believe in basic civil liberties. They could watch hockey games without being lectured about radical gender theory by teams donning pride-themed jerseys. Denouncing people for the color of their skin was seen as vicious, not virtuous.
But perhaps the most troubling of all changes to occur in recent years is the country’s open and growing hostility toward Christianity and, in particular, the Catholic faith.
According to new data released by the federal government, police-reported hate crimes targeting Catholics increased by a staggering 260 percent in 2021 compared to the previous year — by far the biggest spike experienced by any group over that time. Hate crimes against Jewish and black Canadians were reportedly up 47 percent and down 5 percent respectively, though both groups reported a higher total number of incidents than Catholics.
Anti-Catholic attacks across Canada rose nearly 10 times faster than all reported hate crimes combined, which were up 27 percent overall. This seems like an important development. So where is the outrage from politicians and the corporate media?
“A new report shows a record jump in hate crimes against the LGBTQ, Muslim and Jewish communities, prompting calls for more support for victims of the abuse,” one article from The Globe and Mail begins. The first of two brief references to the surge in hate crimes against Catholics is buried in the 14th paragraph. Another article by The Canadian Press failed to even mention the word “Catholic” a single time while reporting on the new figures.
Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is busy pandering to more fashionable groups. In March, he lamented the “disturbing rise in anti-transgender hate here in Canada and around the world.” Hate crimes targeting sexual orientation were reportedly up 64 percent.
Back in January, Trudeau announced the appointment of Amira Elghawaby as Canada’s first special representative on combatting Islamophobia. But, per the report, hate crimes in Canada are now more frequently directed at Catholics than Muslims — 155 incidents compared to 144. This inconvenient fact didn’t stop Trudeau from pushing his preferred narrative.
“Islamophobia is all too familiar. … No one in our country should experience hatred because of their faith,” the prime minister said in a statement. No one, it seems, except for faithful Christians.
But it’s not just Canada where Catholics are being targeted for their religious faith. In March, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recommended no jail time for a transgender-identified abortion activist named Maeve Nota who was charged with defacing St. Louise Catholic Church in Bellevue, Washington, with profane graffiti. Nota also allegedly smashed two glass doors with rocks, destroyed a statue of the Virgin Mary, assaulted a church worker, and resisted arrest.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade last June, there have been more than 100 attacks on Catholic churches, pro-life pregnancy centers, maternity homes, and other pro-life organizations throughout America. Unsurprisingly, these incidents receive little coverage.
Last month, a transgender-identified shooter killed three children and three adults in a mass shooting at The Covenant School, a private Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee. Law enforcement called it a “targeted attack.” When asked about whether he believed Christians were intentionally targeted by the transgender shooter, Biden laughed off the question. His allies in the press appear equally uninterested, instead accusing Republicans of “escalating anti-trans rhetoric” by simply seeking answers regarding the shooter’s motive.
If politicians and the corporate media truly cared about the rise in hate crimes, they would be concerned by all of them — not just those that are politically useful.
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