CANADIAN SADDAMY:

Bad idea: Mocking unionist statue outside union's HQ (Graeme Hamilton, December 05, 2003, National Post)

Upset that a satirical television show was likening their former leader to Saddam Hussein -- the Iraqi leader not known for his tolerance of dissenting views -- members of Montreal's blue-collar union allegedly attacked the video crew yesterday and smashed their camera.

Actors taping a skit for the popular Radio-Canada program Infoman were using sandals to slap an imposing bronze bust of Jean Lapierre, who stepped down as the union's president last February.

The mock assault outside the union's headquarters was inspired by scenes of Iraqi civilians hitting statues of Saddam with their shoes after he was toppled from power. In Arab culture, hitting someone with a shoe is the ultimate expression of contempt.

Union members ordered the Infoman crew to stop filming, then threw the cameraman to the ground and wrestled his camera from him, according to the show's executive producer, Vincent Leduc.

So, let's see if we have this straight: in order to demonstrate they're nothing like Ba'athists, they beat the tar out of someone?

Posted by Orrin Judd at December 5, 2003 10:43 AM