UPDATED: Just A Victim Of Circumstances?

Fate can be cruel. It is not unheard of to be going about, minding one's own business, when a person of unknown provenance accosts you and demands a photo with you. Results of such encounters can vary.

There was, one may recall, an incident in 2002 when the Mayor of Toronto shook hands with a member of The Hell's Angels.

Mel faced some criticism for that encounter, but claimed he had no idea that the outlaw biker gang dealt in drugs, guns, and violence.

Just a victim of circumstances.

No serendipity was involved in the disgusting picture of former PM Stephen Harper shaking hands with quasi-dictator Viktor Orban of Hungary. For this, he made no apologies, and at least owned up to the fact that the handshake was intentional as he advocates closer ties with him.

But the case of Pierre Poilievre, or, as I like to call him, PP, is a whole other category. Photographic misfortune stalks him. One remembers the time he posed with Jeremy Mackenzie, founder of the Diagolon group, during the former's leadership campaign.

PP's explanation:

“Over the course of my campaign I have shaken hands with literally tens of thousands of people at public rallies. It is impossible to do a background check on every single person who attends my events,” Poilievre’s campaign team said in response to Global News’ request for comment on Aug. 20.

“As I always have, I denounce racism and anyone who spreads it. I didn’t and don’t know or recognize this particular individual.”

And now that the prime ministerial aspirant has doffed his glasses and donned makeup, his photographic presence is in even greater demand:

But again, poor PP is just a victim of unfortunate circumstances:

A spokesman for Pierre Poilievre said Mondaythe federal Conservative leader does not agree with the message of “straight pride,” after he was photographed with a man wearing a T-shirt bearing those words.

Sebastian Skamski said Poilievre had been posing with “hundreds of people” at the Calgary Stampede on Saturday when he was photographed with an individual “without reading what was written on his shirt.”

The bright green T-shirt featured the symbols for men and women that are often posted to the doors of public restrooms.

It said, “Thank a straight person today for your existence,” in black capital letters, with “straight pride” written at the bottom.

Skamski said that “Poilievre does not agree with the message displayed on the T-shirt,” adding that Conservatives are working to build a country where everyone is free to be themselves, “regardless of their sexual orientation.”

PP's lapses are alarming to some; however, I suspect they are very loud dog whistles to others. 

Circumstances, fate, or character revelation? You decide.

UPDATE: Dean Blundell has his interpretation that aligns with mine.