'Nuff respect (or not, as the case may be)

I don’t usually spend a lot of time agonizing over Sun columns, because…well, I’ll let you fill in the blanks (you never know who could be at the desk next to you one day). But Michael Coren has more of a following than most, which is why I found it hard to let today’s column pass without mention.

See, if you read Coren, or listen to him, or watch him, he goes on ad nauseum about how tired he is of people with his opinions – that would be social conservatives – being treated disrespectfully. He might actually have a point, albeit a heavily exaggerated one, but it would be a lot easier to stomach if he wasn’t more venomous than the social liberals he objects to.

A sample from today’s aforementioned column, in case you opt out of reading the whole thing: “And the same people who brought down Stockwell Day would dearly love to bring down Stephen Harper. Red Tories, fiscal conservatives, the empty and hollow people who appear to care more about taxes than they do about morals.”

So conservatives who don’t agree with him on abortion or gay rights are worthless and immoral. Nice. But at least he kept that attack general, unlike the one on Belinda Stronach for having the temerity not to toe the party line on same-sex marriage: “Belinda has views on things? Who knew! I can't recall a single statement or speech she has made since becoming an MP, and most of what she said when running for office had all the substance of cotton candy.”

That last point, admittedly, is fairly uncontestable. But I’d be curious to know how often Coren has sat glued to his TV in mid-afternoon watching members’ statements and questions and committing to memory every utterance by a rookie MP.

I’m also curious how he’s determined that she’s abandoned her “principles” by supporting gay marriage, considering I never heard her express that she didn’t. But I wouldn’t want to show my intolerance for so-cons by taking this any further.