John Fund of National Review Online turns his attention to the Canadian prime minister’s latest controversy.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is desperately trying to apologize for the multiple times he appeared in blackface. He has asked for forgiveness, blaming his behavior on the fact that he comes from “a place of privilege.” But now, he adds, “I have to acknowledge that that comes with a massive blind spot.”
Karen Wang, of Vancouver, British Columbia, doesn’t come from a place of privilege. She emigrated from mainland China in 1999 at age 23 and has built a respected day-care business. Last January, while running for Parliament as a candidate representing Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party in a special election, she was suddenly accused of racism. The Liberal Party panicked and within 24 hours forced her resignation, leaving her reputation in tatters. …
… Convinced that she was a victim of a misunderstanding, she asked Prime Minister Trudeau, who is her party’s leader, for a second chance. He spurned her, and the party filled the slot with another candidate who went on to lose the February 25 race by 13 points. …
… Justin Trudeau, who has unleashed his party’s attack dogs on many political opponents for views he claims are racist and homophobic, wasn’t about to dilute such a potent political weapon. He ignored Wang’s appeal and effectively ended her political career.
Now Trudeau is on an apology tour. No pandering is beyond him. He has changed his Twitter profile picture to one of him smiling at a black person — we see Trudeau’s face and only the back of the black man’s head. Critics have said this move is akin to claiming, “Some of my best friends are black!”
But voters are having a tough time absorbing his latest example of rank hypocrisy.