It can be shamefully easy up here in Canada to sit back and watch the antics to the South, feeling safe an secure in our multicultural snuggie. The reality is that if you flipped over a few rocks up here, you’d find the same squirming underbelly of hate-fuelled maggots. Sure, our government pays lip service to the kind and peaceful society we all wish we lived in, but there is plenty of irrational fear to be found in the populace, and some of it is manifesting itself in right wing vigilante groups like the Soldiers of Odin. VICE recently created a mini-documentary about the S.O.O. that highlights their network of Canadian chapters and their close ties to neo-nazi and extreme right wing groups – despite their claims of “not being racist” and just being there to “protect our communities.” Watching this documentary demonstrates to me just how important education and accurate information is, because there are people who seriously believe that by accepting refugees into Canada, we are putting ourselves at risk of being overtaken by Sharia Law. I think it’s pretty clear that Canada is on a path to bettering our democracy and further separating Church and State – I’m more worried about the direction of the Trump administration, with the willy-nilly executive orders being handed down like he’s the incarnation of Mussolini. S.O.O. is similarly trying to capitalize on Islamophobia, stirring the pot with anti-Islam protests where they can and then offering a solution in the form of bigotry and biker vests. This is the kind of ignorance that can’t be allowed to fester, it jeopardizes not just the lives of Muslim Canadians, but the very tenets of diversity and acceptance that Canada claims to stand for. Some highlights from this mini-doc include: CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) states that white supremacist groups pose a far larger terrorist threat than ISIS on Canadian soil (I think the same could be said for the US); S.O.O. doesn’t have a problem with refugees per se, just the ones who “don’t want a better life” when they immigrate here; and repeated claims that S.O.O. isn’t racist, they’re just huge fucking bigots. Don’t try to patrol my streets, fuckers.
[youtube id=”F9NdN4a6D_g”]

Valerie Amber Russo
February 28, 2017 at 11:51 am
Sean Swan
Sean Swan
February 28, 2017 at 12:10 pm
Interesting
Ryan Mitchell
February 28, 2017 at 8:57 am
I continue to appreciate your stance against racist bullshit. AntiNSBM. Fuck off nazi scum.
Nik Kai Mellin
February 28, 2017 at 1:01 pm
good..good…let that hate flow through you.
Ryan Mitchell
February 28, 2017 at 1:22 pm
Always do.
Andrew Shideler
February 28, 2017 at 7:47 am
http://www.blacksabbathlyrics.net/wickedworld.htm
Blaine Stranger
February 28, 2017 at 5:43 am
Yeah they are white supremacists who aren’t brave enough to say they are
Rafał Piernikowski
February 28, 2017 at 4:02 am
So now, being a mostly rightist-centrist metalhead (somewhat, I don’t really identify as such anyway) means I’m not educated well enough? I know that the SOO example is about the extremists, which are too much for me too, why do most of the metal music outlets alienate their different minded audience so much? Before anyone jumps on me for being right – stop, you would probably be surprised how much of my views you share.
Jelte Schmitz
February 28, 2017 at 4:18 am
This whole right-left idea is pretty much useless, unless you define what you want to express with this binaries. Leftist could mean anything from communist, to social-liberal, to stalinist.
Also, binary oppositions might share some views, yet their core ideology and reasoning as to how to approach solutions are very different.
CVLT Nation
February 28, 2017 at 10:44 am
Thinking that Sharia Law is a REAL threat to a well-established democratic culture (especially assuming that refugees from such oppressive states want to set it up here) is ignorant and shows a lack of education and an insular worldview.
Rafał Piernikowski
February 28, 2017 at 10:56 am
Thinking that Sharia Law is not a REAL threat to a weak and over-tolerant culture (regardless of the political system, especially keeping in mind that some of the same refugees that run from it tend to set it up everywhere else) is ignorant and shows a lack of education, imagination and a frightening level of gullibility influenced by a very deformed view of what tolerance should be about.
Not to mention that we don’t have to go as far as to endanger the ENTIRE CULTURE to color me worried. Just make it slightly dangerous for one, single person walking alone at night and you’ll make me worried.
See? I can do that too.
Jelte Schmitz
February 28, 2017 at 11:08 am
Do you even know what the Sharia law is about?
I assume you don’t.
Chris Wood
February 28, 2017 at 11:49 am
How is Sharia a threat? I live among a whole load of Muslims, the majority of whom follow Sharia in their daily lives. No threat to me or those I love from them. Tell me I’m wrong.
Dan Brownson
March 1, 2017 at 12:41 am
You’re a weak-ass white boy who is scared that the Other will treat you as badly as you treat those different than you.
Danial Gambler
February 28, 2017 at 2:44 am
I’m going to have to watch this at some point through out the day.
I’m kind of interested to find out more about all this.
Edward Shaw
February 28, 2017 at 1:21 am
So are Soldiers of Odin a band? Struggling to see the metal connection here…
Victoria Chakal
February 28, 2017 at 2:24 am
CN is a lifestyle website. They cover more than music, including art and politics. And the right to express yourself through music is rooted in politics.
Edward Shaw
February 28, 2017 at 4:49 am
That’s news to me, it used to be about music.
Edward Shaw
February 28, 2017 at 4:51 am
The right to express yourself provided you’re on the Left, it would seem…
Mike Miller
February 28, 2017 at 5:26 am
Edward Shaw Just so long as you don’t express hate. No one cares about right or left here, unless spreading hate and judgment of individuals based on their race/religion is a right wing attribute? Anyway, protecting minorities and the bullied has always been a part of metal from my perspective.
Edward Shaw
February 28, 2017 at 5:49 am
“No one cares about right or left here” Yeah, sure 🙂
Mike Miller
February 28, 2017 at 7:06 am
Well, no one has said anything against right wingers expressing themselves other than when they express hate. And it seems like most of the people who are trying to make this about more broad politics are people arguing that crypto-racists are being targeted because they’re right wing (despite SOO saying nothing about broader politics whatsoever in this video). The critique of view points is always fair, and that’s the discussion we’re having here (who is silencing you here? We’re engaging with you). But it seems that right wingers get angry about racism being criticised. It’s a basic “People have the right to express racism, but not to criticise racism” conversation. So, who is it that’s attacking free speech?
Victoria Chakal
February 28, 2017 at 9:29 am
“The right to express yourself provided you’re on the Left, it would seem…” >> When you can’t call people faggots or argue for ethnic cleansing without everyone getting all uppity and defensive and THREATENING YOUR FREE SPEECH
https://media.giphy.com/media/OBwYSfqBo6Afu/giphy.gif
Edward Shaw
February 28, 2017 at 10:21 am
I’ve never argued for any of those things. That’s a pretty big assumption to make of someone based on such a small statement. Never ceases to amaze me how ready the Left are to project their own insecurities into others
Edward Shaw
February 28, 2017 at 10:38 am
Also this childish habit the Left has of assuming we’re “triggered” or “threatened” when we point out their ideological flaws and hypocrisies thoroughly entertains me, because all it does it further weaken their position in the political arena and give greater public weighting to our way of thinking. But then that’s not hard to do when we are already correct; that can never be changed, only reinforced. Keep it up! 🙂
Victoria Chakal
February 28, 2017 at 11:12 am
Alright alright Eddie, so I’ll withdraw my playful assumption that YOU in particular were a fragile white supremacist – presumption of innocence and all that. But given the topic of the article and how you implied that there was some horrible and no-good-at-all SILENCING at work, you have to admit, it’s tempting to draw conclusions. Also you didn’t point out any ideological flaws or hypocrisy! Come on buddy! Walk the walk!
Victoria Chakal
February 28, 2017 at 11:14 am
Like for real, you literally have a hyper right-wing government in place in the US, and there are people babbling about the errors of The Left (the boogeyman of 2017) on every political article on Cult Nation. Y’all have platforms a-plenty.
Edward Shaw
February 28, 2017 at 11:32 am
The Left’s ideological flaws are self-evident. And if the government in the US is as you say “hyper right-wing”, then by that logic so is over half of the population. Are you actually saying that over 160 million people are “hyper right-wing”? Again, there is a hypocrisy in your ‘bogeyman’ argument. But in your case, the bogeyman is the overwhelming majority. Marxism has time and time again proven itself to be an inherently flawed and corrupted ideology, and shall continue to do so. The only difference now is that the majority are no longer afraid to point and laugh at the naked cultural spectre. As I said, it amuses me that all the Left has left (no pun intended) in their dwindling arsenal is temper tantrums, contradictions and blatant lies.
Victoria Chakal
March 1, 2017 at 12:56 am
Glossing over all the fallacies and inaccuracies in your comment (“half the population,” historical executions of Marxism etc), yes, the US gov is hyper right-wing. That’s not me passing a judgement, it’s… literally just a matter of definition on the political spectrum. Words have some amount of meaning.
Edward Shaw
March 1, 2017 at 2:05 am
The majority of people voted for Donald Trump. That’s why he won. That’s how elections work. That’s a fact. Fallacies and inaccuracies? Only if you’re incapable of acknowledging reality (a common trait amongst Leftists).
William Walter
March 1, 2017 at 7:29 am
I’m not going to participate in this pissing contest, per se. But the “majority” absolutely did not vote for Trump. He won via electoral collage. Hillary won the majority vote by a landslide.
Seeing you talk about fallacies after a comment like that, is pretty entertaining.
Victoria Chakal
March 1, 2017 at 7:36 am
1. 42% of the US voting population did not vote.
2. Trump got 45.9% of the popular vote; Clinton got 48%.
I’m sorry to put your nose in it like that. Those are widely referenced, easily available figures. Trump was elected by 45.9% of 56% of the population, and that’s not a majority. If you want to “acknowledge reality,” here’s a perfect opportunity.
http://footlights.click/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/2016-US-Prez-Voter-Distribution-Pie-Chart.jpg
Edward Shaw
March 1, 2017 at 7:40 am
In whatever numbers, the Right still won. Sucks to be you 🙂
Victoria Chakal
March 1, 2017 at 7:40 am
Oh and also, majority and minority don’t define a government’s political alignment! Trump could have been elected by a 99.9% majority and an endorsement by Jesus himself, that wouldn’t make him any more of a moderate! So I’m not sure why you were telling me that in the first place.
Edward Shaw
March 1, 2017 at 7:41 am
“I’m not going to participate..” *immediately proceeds to participate* 😀
Edward Shaw
March 1, 2017 at 7:43 am
Love how you’ve gone from implying anyone who disagrees with you is throwing a temper tantrum, to throwing a relentless keyboard-bashing temper tantrum.
Victoria Chakal
March 1, 2017 at 8:00 am
*Sigh* You got caught talking easily disprovable shit, it’s a little late to try and flip this on me. I’m not being “relentless,” man, you did this to yourself.
https://media.giphy.com/media/BuUL1J6B0r3mo/giphy.gif
Edward Shaw
March 1, 2017 at 8:13 am
If he hadn’t gotten the majority vote, he wouldn’t have been elected.
Victoria Chakal
March 1, 2017 at 8:23 am
AND YET.
Did you suffer an aneurysm recently? I know the US electoral system is confusing, but it’s not *that* confusing.
Edward Shaw
March 1, 2017 at 8:25 am
So are you saying he did or did not win the election?
Victoria Chakal
March 1, 2017 at 8:40 am
He sits in the White House because he got a majority in the electoral college. Which is not “the majority vote,” because that would be the popular vote. Which he lost. Are you alright?
Chris Jones
February 28, 2017 at 1:10 am
“Canada is on the path to bettering our Democracy” you sound like some lame soccer mom, not the death metal warrior your brand is supposed to represent
Jelte Schmitz
February 28, 2017 at 2:51 am
You take death metal icons for their real life identity? That’s sad man.
Nicklas Baschek
February 28, 2017 at 3:22 am
Lol. “death metal warrior”. 🙂
Bill Farrar
February 28, 2017 at 5:34 am
Because Glen Benton of Deicide is what the “brand” should aspire to.
Nik Kai Mellin
February 28, 2017 at 6:24 am
metal autism at its finest top kek
Dan Brownson
March 1, 2017 at 12:43 am
“death metal warrior” lol grow up
Chris Jones
February 28, 2017 at 1:08 am
SJWism never was, is, or ever will be Metal
Axel Brandt
February 28, 2017 at 1:19 am
Who cares about metal? This is real fucking life.
Kieran Pringle
February 28, 2017 at 1:19 am
lolwut, metal has been a place for progressive political views and embracing outsider culture for decades. Right wing is(was?) the exception. Same with punk. Metal lyrics are rife with ecological, anti-capitalist and generally left wing themes. That’s without listing off people like Rob Halford, Gaahl or Mina Capuno
AIien Brain
February 28, 2017 at 1:26 am
fascist dickheads continue to insist it all belongs to them. it does not.
Chris Jones
February 28, 2017 at 1:32 am
Maybe shitty post 2010 metal bands have lyrics that are marxist or whatever, for almost all of it’s existence as a genre metal has been about defying political correctness, being controversial, celebrating strength over weakness, generally flirting with fascist iconography. The politically left infiltration has been only a thing for less than a decade. Punk has been more outwardly communist for a lot longer but the further back you go the less politically correct it was.
Kieran Pringle
February 28, 2017 at 1:47 am
Being politically incorrect doesn’t mean not being progressive. It’s entirely possible to be offensive and progressive. Case in point: metal. Mental illness, feelings of not belonging, perseverance, rejecting mainstream society — all pretty progressive themes.
Take Napalm Death as an example (and they are one of many): From Enslavement to Obliteration – reject capitalism; Fallacy Dominion – affirmative action is a bandaid on a cancer patient; Moral Crusade – fuck traditional Christian values; The Code is Red… Long Live The Code – nationalism is a tool to stop the working class from rising.
There are many more examples from many other bands. Offensive imagery in metal has been about challenging and questioning mainstream, traditional culture. Anti-SJW movements are about reinforcing it.
Chris Jones
February 28, 2017 at 1:50 am
Well I gotta say it’s pretty damn hard to be politically incorrect if you agree 99% with the politics of media, television, film, culture, etc
Chris Jones
February 28, 2017 at 1:51 am
Mainstream society is “liberal”, or more accurately culturally marxist, especially over the last decade
Colin Gardner
February 28, 2017 at 1:58 am
Chris Jones is the kind of Rhodes Scholar that thinks black metal begins and ends with Mayhem and that extreme music was W.A.S.P talking about fucking chicks instead of bands that were questioning the government, opposing religion and breaking down the walls of fascism.
Kieran Pringle
February 28, 2017 at 2:03 am
I’m assuming you haven’t read any of the “Cultural Marxists” as critics like DeBord and Foucault would have abhored modern society.
Similarly, don’t mistake a homosexual being allowed to appear on TV without being referred to as a freak as mainstream culture accepting them. Even if it was, what’s the issue with accepting them and treating them as people? Something people like Rob Halford have fought for?
Chris Jones
February 28, 2017 at 2:04 am
Metal has NEVER been marxist/leftist until only a few years ago. You are projecting your own opinions onto the past, for the vast majority of it’s history no one shared these beliefs that you do. Anyone that’s old school can tell you that. A lot of the old bands are actually speaking out against the trend in political correctness.
Chris Jones
February 28, 2017 at 2:08 am
I have society of the spectacle on my nightstand RIGHT NOW
Chris Jones
February 28, 2017 at 2:10 am
Chris Jones
February 28, 2017 at 2:11 am
I’m extremely familiar with Foucault as well
Kieran Pringle
February 28, 2017 at 2:13 am
Genuinely curious, I’d like to hear more about your thoughts on Society of the Spectacle since you seem to have read it in s very different way to me. Drop me a direct message.
Victoria Chakal
February 28, 2017 at 2:16 am
“for the vast majority of it’s history no one shared these beliefs that you do” AND BECAUSE I, A FREE-THINKING INDIVIDUAL, STAND IN UNCOMPROMISING DEFIANCE OF “THE NORM,” I WILL TOLERATE NO EVOLUTION WHATSOEVER OF MY “OLD SCHOOL METAL” FANTASY
Chris Jones
February 28, 2017 at 2:22 am
@Kieran Pringle what debord could not (or perhaps chose not) to predict when he wrote society of the spectacle in the 60s was the marriage between a leftism which is purely cultural and an economic industrial complex which is “capitalist”, but I prefer to simply call it consumerist or materialistic. Zizek makes similar criticisms of “the new left” and the rise of political correctness. Ironically for Debord, the spectacle has fully embraced this sort of post-marxist theory. Liberalism is the logic of consumption.
Nicolas Royles
February 28, 2017 at 2:25 am
Punk??? Have you forgot about The Clash?? Weren’t they around at the beginning? As for punk being “outwardly communist”, you’re way off there.
Kieran Pringle
February 28, 2017 at 2:37 am
@Chris Jones I’ve always interpreted the current state of “acceptance” in media to be nothing more than an attempt to placate those potentially most likely to lead or instigate a revolt (though not intentionally, more in the middle class liberal fear of the boat ever being rocked). I have seen it as the other side of the same coin that spawned the alt-right. Fear and rejection of rising self-awareness and cohesion among “outside” groups. Honestly, I fear the liberal media placating more, as it’s more innocuous and meets less resistance since it creates an illusion of equality while denying it in reality. Even more so when equal media representation has been made a goal to be fought for and is chased more than equal standing in society.
My two cents, though so find your view interesting and will keep it in mind when I do a reread.
Ian Magus
February 28, 2017 at 6:26 am
Personally I’ve always seen metal as fairly centrist, or more accurately, nihilist. Metal is both “fuck your feelings” as well as “fuck your traditions”. The whole “protect our community” shit isn’t metal, either.
Victoria Chakal
February 28, 2017 at 8:42 am
How the hell is nihilism centrist. And metalheads are literally obsessed with community. What planet do you live on?
Victoria Chakal
February 28, 2017 at 10:05 pm
Y’all are so confused it’s almost a work of art.