Twitchy-eyed, machete-wielding savages

The National Post’s Chris Selley got into a bit of a thing with Edmontonians, including their blustery, I-don’t-understand-sarcasm mayor, Stephen Mandel.

Here’s what Mr. Selley wrote:

Get dry soon, Alberta

The Calgary Herald’s editorialists could not be more proud of how those affected by terrible flooding over the weekend in Calgary and other communities conducted themselves. “It all adds up to one giant, collective effort, a well-oiled machine that slipped seamlessly into action with no hitches,” they write. “There was no major crime, there was no rioting. That sort of thing has happened elsewhere because disasters can bring out the worst in people. But that’s not southern Alberta’s way and never has been.” Edmonton, for example, would be a smoking hole in the ground at this point, infested with twitchy-eyed, machete-wielding savages.

There’s been a bunch of over-the-top responses. It’s really something to behold. Mr. Selley may not have disparaged the good people of Edmonton, but those good people are doing a damned good job of it, themselves.

National Post, naturally, is standing by the column.