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Trudeau scandal illustrates double standard

How Canadian voters react to revelations about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is up to them, of course. But the episode is one more demonstration of the hypocrisy demonstrated by liberal politicians who are always eager to use “the race card” in criticizing conservatives.

Trudeau cultivates an image of being the new face of liberalism. At 47, he is still young, and that fact alone has helped his popularity.

It has taken something of a dive this week, however, with news that well into adulthood, Trudeau apparently did not understand the offense many people of color take at whites who think wearing “blackface” is entertaining.

A picture that surfaced a few days ago shows Trudeau posing with four women in 2001 during an “Arabian Nights” party at the private school where he was a teacher then. He was 29 years old at the time.

He was dressed as the character “Alladin,” Trudeau explained, adding that now, he knows wearing what is being described as “brownface” was wrong.

“I should have known better then,” the prime minister told reporters.

He added that while in high school, he once wore blackface during a show in which he was portraying singer Harry Belafonte.

Apparently, Trudeau forgot about another time, during the1990s, when he wore blackface and posed for a video uncovered and broadcast by a Canadian television network.

Trudeau’s fellow liberals scrambled to defend him — as their neighbors of like political mind have done when U.S. politicians such as Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam were embarrassed by similar revelations.

“I think the real measure of the man, and I think the thing we need to be talking about, is all the amazing things we have done for diversity,” commented Greg Fergus, a liberal member of the Canadian parliament.

Strange, is it not, how political and social good deeds by conservative politicians escape the notice of liberals such as Trudeau?

Human beings make mistakes. Even 29-year-olds judged mature and knowledgeable to be teachers sometimes err. And such lapses occur occasionally even long after people of color have expressed certain concerns.

Still, one question about Trudeau may be worth asking: How would he have reacted in public to a similar situation involving a conservative foe?

But we know the answer to that, do we not?

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