Free Richard Moon

Could it be true? That a human rights complaint has been filed against none other than Richard Moon, law professor at the University of Windsor and hired gun for the Canadian Human Rights Commission?

Could it really be that the good professor is accused of both racism and sexism, based on his campaign to scupper the career of a woman of colour -- a campaign spurred on by Moon's wife?

What a nightmare for him. Even if he wins, he loses. Mind you, unlike me, I'm sure his (and his wife's) legal bills will be paid for by the university. Still, he's about to learn, first-hand, what a show trial is like from the inside.

Gentle reader, do not gloat. It might be tempting to smile at the fact that Moon, who has tried so hard to defend the legitimacy of human rights commissions, is now getting the kangaroo treatment himself, and at the hands of Barbara Hall, no less. But schadenfreude is unbecoming. Just because Moon believes politically correct hunter-killer bureaucrats should be sicced on you and me, doesn't mean we should descend to that level and cheer that they are now being sicced on him.

And, let us remember, that although Moon pocketed his $50,000 to write a brochure for the CHRC, and although he vigorously defends the CHRC's bullies, including Richard Warman, Moon also publicly recommended that the CHRC's censorship powers (also known as section 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act) be repealed. So there is a little bit of gold in that heart of stone.

I'm not happy that he's being dragged into the dungeon that he himself defended. I admit that my own sense of mercy and forgiveness is tempered by the fact that he is surely making special pleading with his university, not only to pay his legal fees, but to pay off the accuser, too, to make her go away.

So I guess, after all, he won't go through the financial ruin and personal stress that other victims of the HRCs do.

Still, I'll say it: Free Richard Moon!