If Chevreau of the Post were a human rights columnist

Johathan Chevreau’s unique journalistic approach to the devastation caused to income trust investors was to “blame the victims”.

How totally mindless and ignorant. Yup, blame the victims!

To get a sense for how mindless and ignorant, I took one of his more infamous “blame the victim" articles and substituted the fewest numbers of words to turn it into a more topical story of the day, as if Chevreau were covering the “human rights beat”, rather that the “personal investment beat”, something for which he would be similarly and uniquely ill-qualified to do.

I am sure that Chevreau would be delighted to send his original piece to you for comparison, since I noticed it has been deleted from the National Post Hall of Shame website. But here’s mine, taken from his original piece of tortured journalism. I archive all sorts of crap. You never know when it might come in handy as an educational tool:



Earth to Afghan detainees: Don't blame Ottawa for your torture
It's only a real loss if you die

Jonathan Chevreau,
Financial Post
November 25, 2006

I disclose here that I voted Tory last time and will do so again.

A month after the Massacre, torture is to be a bone of contention for detainees on the cusp of incarceration.

These appeals are being sent to any journalist remotely sympathetic to the cause. And much of the lobbying comes from those with a sharp axe to grind.

These detainees understandably desperate to persuade Ottawa to change its mind, in the hope they can recoup their lives and avoid torture.

One camp is from those with a vested interest in getting the Tories booted from office. Presumably, they are card-carrying Liberals or members of other parties.

The telltale line from the politically motivated is the cry "they tortured" or "they lied."

Earth to this detainee: That's appalling but did your tribal leader approve this idea or worse, initiate it? There's no reason for you to be out farming your fields in the middle of an insurgency. You should expect to be detained and subsequently tortured.

Don’t blame the Harper government. If the Liberals had been in power they would have taken the same action. Torture is routine procedure. Get over it.

“You promised!" may work with children pleading with parents but it's unlikely to sway professional politicians. As for lying, it's sad but regrettably true that prevarication is an occupational hazard for those who attain political office.

Circumstances change, you only have yourselves to blame for your torture. Wrong place, wrong time. Tough luck.

Stop your whining and "man-up" to your doomed fate of torture,

The manufactured rage is disproportionate to the alleged offence. It's time to let it be. Torture is good for you. It builds character. You only have yourself to blame.....or the Liberals.

Meanwhile, your health may yet come back. Remember -- it's only a real loss if you die.