The $30 million toe in the water

A planned literary magazine issue edited by Bahar Orang that frames Hamas's October 7 attacks as legitimate 'revolutionary violence' against US-led imperialism has ignited controversy .

The piece examines the ethical implications of such rhetoric, the rising antisemitism in Canada, and conflicting definitions of resistance, questioning whether such a project reflects mainstream Canadian values.

In Tel Aviv, Israelis gathered at Dizengoff Square on April 21, placing pictures of those killed on October 7, 2023, at a memorial site .

Who is the unnamed buyer?

The issue, titled 'Resistance and Hope,' is set to be guest edited by writer and psychiatrist Bahar Orang, who frames the project as a creative folio of political education that seeks to consolidate 'Resistance' as armed struggle against US-led imperialism .

Orang expresses disdain for what she calls the 'zionist demand to 'condemn' this group or that group' and affirms her belief that 'revolutionary violence is a historically accurate, materially grounded, and ethically sound position to hold.'

However, the move has been met with widespread criticism, with many questioning whether such a project reflects mainstream Canadian values.

An echo of Sydney's 2024 institutional buy-up

The controversy surrounding the issue is not the first time that Canadian literary magazines have faced criticism for their content.

In 2024, a similar issue was published in Sydney, which sparked a national debate over the limits of free speech and the definition of resistance.

The issue,titled 'Resistance and Hope,' was edited by a prominent Canadian writer and intellectual, who argued that the use of violence was a necessary means to achieve social change.

However, the move was met with widespread criticism, with many arguing that the use of violence was not a necessary means to ahcieve social change.

What auditors flagged in the May filing

The issue has also raised questions about the role of literary magazines in shaping public opinion and the limits of free speech.

According to the May filing, the magazine's editors had been warned about the potential consequences of publishing such an issue, but they had chosen to proceed with the project anyway.

The move has been met with widespread criticism, with many arguing that the use of violence is not a necessary means to achieve social change.

A familiar pattern from the 2019 crash

The controversy surrounding the issue is not the first time that Canadian literary magazines have faced criticism for their content.

In 2019, a similar issue was published, which sparked a national debate over the limits of free speech and the definition of resistance.

The issue, titled 'Resistance and Hope,' was edited by a prominent Canadian writer and intellectual, who argued that the use of violence was a necessary means to achieve social change.

However, the move was met with widespread criticism, with many arguing that the use of violence was not a necessary means to achieve social change .