Maybe the War of 1812 was a just war after all

One of the open secrets of the “War Hawks” advocating for war with Britain before 1812 (when they convinced Congress to declare war) was an ambition to conquer Canada and bring it into the Union.  That was a spectacular failure, though the Americans managed to end British ambitions to create a buffer state in what is now the Upper Midwest. Outside of that, all the War of 1812 got us was a military hero and future President (Andrew Jackson), and here in Virginia, a local tax that was supposed to end with the war, but has instead survived it by nearly 200 years (the BPOL tax: see Black Velvet Bruce Li and Rappahannock Red to see what I mean).

So I have always been sympathetic to the argument that the War of 1812 was an unnecessary war.

Then I see the “Canadian Human Rights Commission” try to silence Mark Steyn (NRO - The Corner), while the Albertan “Human Rights Commission” (note: Alberta is easily the most right-wing province in Canada) take aim at former Western Standard publisher Ezra Levant (NRO - The Corner).  To give an idea as how these “commissions” ajudicate matters, take a look at this (Steyn in NRO - The Corner, emphasis in orginal):

At the National Review/Thomas More College event in New Hampshire last night, several NR readers were kind enough to enquire about my prospects of “victory” against Canada’s “Human Rights” commissars. I think they’re best summed up by this exchange from the Warman vs Lemire hearing before the Canadian Human Rights Commission (page 4793 of the transcript). Dean Steacy is the principal “anti-hate” investigator of the HRC:

MS KULASZKA: Mr. Steacy, you were talking before about context and how important it is when you do your investigation. What value do you give freedom of speech when you investigate one of these complaints?

MR. STEACY: Freedom of speech is an American concept, so I don’t give it any value.

MS KULASZKA: Okay. That was a clear answer.

MR. STEACY: It’s not my job to give value to an American concept.

I must say, the War Hawks of 1812 look a lot better now.