Stupid Rex Murphy quote of the month: Protest is a “moral disease”

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      CBC commentator Rex Murphy hasn't won many fans among activists of the left-wing persuasion with his climate-change denial, dismissal of Canada's genocide against First Nations, and other right-wing ramblings.

      Those activists probably won't appreciate the Stupid Rex Murphy Quote of the Month, from his latest column in the National Post:

      I truly believe that the act of protest has, in many contexts, become something of a moral disease.

      I'll save you the trouble of reading the column, which takes on the protests at PiDGiN restaurant in the Downtown Eastside. As Murphy tells it, a "heroic restauranteur" faced down "social activist bullies" in "Vancouver’s most squalid and threatening area" and won.

      Comments

      17 Comments

      Martin Dunphy

      Jan 13, 2014 at 12:26pm

      The only "sic-ness" I see anyone suffering from is Murphy and his NP editors' lack of misspelling antibodies: "restauranteur"?

      James Smith

      Jan 13, 2014 at 12:43pm

      Mindless, reactionist protesting is bordering on a moral disease. For every well intentioned protestor that truly understands the position they are espousing there are 10 more that latch on as part of the "we don't know what exactly we don't like but we want to make noise crowd. This group that feels entitled to make themselves seen crowd out and obscure important legitimate messages. In this context protest serves only to muddy the issues at hand and ensure that constructive conversations can't take place.

      MD

      Jan 13, 2014 at 1:21pm

      South Park explained the role of civil protest in democracies far better than anyone else ever has, or ever will.

      .

      DavidH

      Jan 13, 2014 at 1:40pm

      @ James Smith: Oddly enough, Rex Murphy "feels entitled to make himself seen and obscure important legitimate messages". His rants "serve only to muddy the issues at hand and ensure that constructive conversations can't take place". His own words describe him.

      Like his National Post mentor and colleague Conrad Black, Rex Murphy has nothing useful to say. He earns his living by saying stupid things to gullible people, but all in a pseudo-intellectual way that convinces some readers that he's actually smart and well-informed. He is neither. Never has been.

      Tom folkestone

      Jan 13, 2014 at 2:03pm

      Rex is a senile old joke of a man. The hot air coming out of my ass has greater moral weight.

      RUK

      Jan 13, 2014 at 2:11pm

      I don't like to be saved the trouble of reading interesting articles so I did click on that link and suggest you do as well - the comments are particularly thought-provoking.

      Murphy's one-liner is asinine sure (protest reveals not disease but awareness, activity, spirit!) but the article and comments reinforce the impression that the Pidgin protest was a waste of the protestors' time and energy, that it made the owner seem like a victim of the absurdly politically correct rather than a nasty gentrifier, and that it was utter scapegoating. All in all, it was a thoroughly ridiculous footnote in Vancouver history.

      OccupyMedic

      Jan 13, 2014 at 5:50pm

      Dear Rex: That 'moral disease' brought you labour laws, unions, women's right to vote, the abolition of slaverey, the protection of old growth ecosystems.... The list goes on. Protest IS Democracy. Anyone who says different is selling something.

      Diana Schroeder

      Jan 13, 2014 at 6:11pm

      Rex Murphy needs to understand that every one of the protesters represent about 10 others who can not attend because of other commitments. He also has to understand that protesting is a moral obligation to our fellow citizens and that if it weren't important, we wouldn't bother. He's lucky we aren't violent.

      cathy

      Jan 13, 2014 at 10:32pm

      Murphy is just putting his spin on an extreme right wing view in the States that anyone interested in social justice issues has a mental illness.
      Nothing new here from Murphy-same ol' b.s.

      claire

      Jan 13, 2014 at 11:13pm

      people like Rex need a media expiry date of some kind...