Posted by Line Maheux DOUG BEAZLEY, EDMONTON SUN Malcolm Azania, New Democrat candidate in Edmonton-Strathcona, penned an Internet essay that characterizes white people in general - and many Jews in particular - as "white supremacists." "Whites will, consciously or unconsciously, continue to defend and extend Whitesupremacy (sic), either by action or inaction," wrote Azania in the 1994 newsgroup posting. Titled "Jews: Enemies? Friends?" the essay touches on the role played by Jews in civil rights and on Holocaust history. "The group that is defined as 'Jews' in the United States is most notable for their relations to us ... in that they are WHITE," Azania wrote. "Although they are low on the White social ladder, and of various states on the White economic ladder, they are well-placed on the White media and academic ladders. "What's clear is that a great many of them are (in aggregate terms of their actions) Whitesupremacists. "For us to exonerate (Jews) as a group because they have been persecuted by their fellow Whites seems to me short-sighted. Worse still, I think many of them use their exploitation/slaughter by other Whites to make us believe they understand us and sympathize with us better than do other Whites." Contacted by the Sun yesterday, Azania was quick to repudiate the opinions he expressed 10 years ago. "I am very sorry that I said these things," he said. "It was wrong of me, first of all, to make so little of one of the greatest crimes of the 20th century. "I wish I could take those words back. I have Jewish friends ... my mother is white. I can't express how sorry I am." That wasn't enough for Azania's opponents. Liberal candidate Debby Carlson called the essay "appalling" and called for Azania's withdrawal from the race. "These statements are absolutely racist... I'm surprised the New Democrats let him run as a candidate," she said. "Saying that he was young when he wrote it, that doesn't cut it for me. Why didn't he tell people about this up front? I think people in the riding will be shocked." Conservative incumbent Rahim Jaffer - whose family is Indian African - called Azania's statements "outrageous." "Anyone who holds these views - I've got to ask whether they've got any business running for public office," he said. "I think this is something the New Democrats should look at very carefully. Malcolm's always talking about equality, but this kind of rhetoric just divides people." Azania said he wrote the essay during a "brief period of political foolishness" when he was wholly focused on anti-black racism. "I don't think I had the appropriate level of perspective," he said. "Growing up here, I had to face some racial discrimination and it made me angry. "But I was dead wrong in what I wrote."
on 6/9/2004, 12:35 pm, in reply to "Loose Libs sink ships (PM PM's CSL)"
'I wish I could take those words back'