We Must Fight

Guestblogging From an Undisclosed Location

Duncan and I co-wrote a playful election piece for Edmonton's popular podcast talk show - The Unknown Studio. Involving Battlestar Galactica and Edmonton's 12 wards, it was a lot of fun. Intrigued? You can read it here:

Edmonton’s Quorum of Twelve (October 07 2010, the Unknown Studio)

The State of the Nation

I have long been, perhaps more than, a fan of the Enlightened Savage. I, like many others in Alberta, enjoy his contributions to our political dialogue and find them to be always relevant, of a high calibre, honest and fair.

I've been considering all of the differing opinions in this anonymity debate going on in the blogosphere right now regarding the true identity of ES and I have decided that whether or not ES is anonymous has no bearing on my enjoyment of his postings. I wish ES continued blogging enjoyment (for my reading pleasure) and regardless of the outcome of this debate, I remain a proud member of the ES Nation.

And you too can show your continued support by purchasing and wearing Alberta's infamous SavageWear, just in time for the fall fashions.

Tis the Season for Student Politics

I don't know Emily Rowe from Western but this is very clever. Student politics still touches my life for various reasons (mostly Duncan) and I love when it gets entertaining. Boom-Di-Ada!

Dare to Dream

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

The Girl Effect

GirlEffect.org

A Chance To Be A Little Less Alone

"... and uncountable in our history are the number of men and women, forced by society into marrying the opposite sex, in sham marriages, or marriages of convenience, or just marriages of not knowing, centuries of men and women who have lived their lives in shame and unhappiness, and who have, through a lie to themselves or others, broken countless other lives, of spouses and children, all because we said a man couldn't marry another man, or a woman couldn't marry another woman. The sanctity of marriage.

How many marriages like that have there been and how on earth do they increase the "sanctity" of marriage rather than render the term, meaningless?

What is this, to you? Nobody is asking you to embrace their expression of love. But don't you, as human beings, have to embrace... that love? The world is barren enough.

It is stacked against love, and against hope, and against those very few and precious emotions that enable us to go forward. Your marriage only stands a 50-50 chance of lasting, no matter how much you feel and how hard you work.

And here are people overjoyed at the prospect of just that chance, and that work, just for the hope of having that feeling. With so much hate in the world, with so much meaningless division, and people pitted against people for no good reason, this is what your religion tells you to do? With your experience of life and this world and all its sadnesses, this is what your conscience tells you to do?"

Tired of Discrimination Blamed on God

Ignorance and hate does not come from the heart or spirit of God. This is my favourite West Wing moment - it always drives me crazy when holier than thou scripture adherents pick and choose which laws they will follow and which laws they have decided no longer are valid in today's society. Especially since they use this as an excuse to bully, hurt, judge and condemn other people.

Vote NO on Proposition 8 in California

Proposition 8 in California is a terrible thing to have to contemplate in this year of 2008. All you have to do is insert "interracial marriage" into the argument where instead they say "homosexual marriage" and already you will recognize that the the argument is wrong. However, many people have presented these kinds of ideas in the blogosphere and I am not wanting to add to that today.

Instead I want to talk about our rights as people and what they mean to us. I am a strong believer in equal rights for everyone. When it comes to the core fundamental rights that we all enjoy, fair is fair. If they are not equally distributed then they are not rights but more like rules for a privileged sect of people.

When a group organizes to remove some rights from another group that they themselves wish to continue enjoying I get concerned. And maybe even a little angry. This is what is happening with Prop8 in California, entitled "Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry." If passed, the proposition would "change the California Constitution to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry in California."

Our rights are things that we should cling to and uphold for everyone. If one group of people can have their rights eliminated then whose rights, pray tell, are safe?

Our rights are either equal or they're just not rights. They have to be applicable to everyone for them to have any real meaning. If you can allow one group of people to eliminate the legal rights of another then you must know in your heart that your own rights are a little less secure.

When Martin Niemöller wrote his poem in 1946 he was describing this kind of phenomenon with the hopes that it would never happen again - that people would heed his words, learn from his (and others) mistakes and have the courage to stand up for what is right, not just what they want.

I've heard all of the arguments, both for and against, and I understand where people are coming from even if I don't necessarily agree. I know there are some people out there who really want to vote Yes on Prop8 but have the nagging thought in the back of their mind that this proposition is unfair and wrong. Please, trust your instincts and Vote No on Prop8.

Vote No on Prop8.

A Front Row to History

As Election Day in the USA quickly approaches I am finding myself holding my breath, excited to see the results. I have long learned not to under estimate the american voter but if 538.com is right with their electoral simulation predictions, then Obama will be the next President of the United States. Indeed if their predictions are correct then, even with 46.6% of the popular vote, McCain has only a 3.8% chance of winning.

History will ultimately be the judge of the next POTUS, but I believe that one voice can change the world; I dream it will be for the better, for everyone every where. Certainly the last eight years has not been that great.

Its Not Over Until ...

What’s worse than privately musing about your leading opponent’s death?

Using your outside voice. In public.

More than once.

It seems that Hillary Clinton has been using this soundbite since she first went on record with it in March. These are calculated, practiced words that she chooses to say, again and again, for a reason.

To an outside observer it appears somewhat pathological.

Consistently referring to this particular political assassination in order to justify the continuation of her failing campaign is, well, distasteful at best. However, considering that her opponent has been favourably and repeatedly compared to Robert Kennedy by his supporters makes the sub text much more sinister.

With Hillary’s faulty memories, opinions about American heros, imaginary friends, ex friends and Freudian slips I am starting to get a clearer picture about what kind of candidate she really is.

Ever wonder how the Republicans could possibly win back the White House in 2008 after the near disastrous reign of George Bush?

Two words: Hillary Clinton.

If she doesn’t step down soon the Democratic Party might find that the damage she has done is irrevocable.

Someone get that woman an Exit Strategy!

I can ride my bike with no handlebars

Listen/watch Handlebars here.

I can ride my bike with no handlebars
No handlebars, No handlebars

I can ride my bike with no handlebars
No handlebars, No handlebars

Look at me, look at me
hands in the air like it's good to be ALIVE
and I'm a famous rapper
even when the paths are all crooked-ly
I can show you how to do-si-do
I can show you how to scratch a record
I can take apart the remote control
And I can almost put it back together
I can tie a knot in a cherry stem
I can tell you about Leif Erikson
I know all the words to "De Colores"
And "I'm Proud to be an American"
Me and my friend saw a platypus
Me and my friend made a comic book
And guess how long it took
I can do anything that I want cuz, look:

I can keep rhythm with no metronome
No metronome, No metronome

I can see your face on the telephone
On the telephone, On the telephone

Look at me, Look at me
Just called to say that it's good to be ALIVE
In such a small world
All curled up with a book to read
I can make money, open up a thrift store
I can make a living off a magazine
I can design an engine
Sixty four miles to the gallon of gasoline
I can make new antibiotics
I can make computers survive aquatic conditions
I know how to run a business
And I can make you wanna buy a product
Movers, shakers, and producers
Me and my friends understand the future
I see the strings that control the system
I can do anything with no resistance

I can lead a nation with a microphone
With a microphone, With a microphone

I can split the atom of a molecule
Of a molecule, Of a molecule

Look at me, Look at me
Driving and I won't stop
And it feels so good to be
Alive and on top
My reach is global
My tower, secure
My cause is noble
My power is pure
I can hand out a million vaccinations
Or let 'em all die in exasperation
Have 'em all healed from their lacerations
Have 'em all killed by assassination
I can make anybody go to prison
Just because I don't like 'em
And I can do anything with no permission
I have it all under my command

Because I can guide a missile by satellite
By satellite, By satellite

I can hit a target through a telescope
Through a telescope, Through a telescope

and I can end the planet in a holocaust
In a holocaust, In a holocaust
In a holocaust, In a holocaust
In a holocaust, In a holocaust

I can ride my bike with no handlebars
No handle bars, No handlebars

I can ride my bike with no handlebars
No handlebars, No handlebars

Made in China

The Olympic Games is not a political event, nor is politics the purview of the International Olympic Committee. That makes the IOC a bad choice to target with protests regarding China on human rights issues.

But how, when China has made this international Olympic torch run about how glorious and wonderful they are, can one just let it pass by without saying anything?

I was fairly disappointed when China was awarded the games for 2008. I assumed that a country like China would never be asked to host the Olympics. I do think that there was some hope at the time that the Olympics would be a turning point for the Chinese people; instead these past months leading up to the beginning of the torch run has seen them suffer some unbelievable brutality.

While the government of China expresses it's "disgust" with the protests occurring along their torch route, protesters promise to meet the relay everywhere it goes on it's way to Beijing. They do this for the people of China, the people of Tibet, even the people of Darfur.

However, I am not sure China actually cares. Sure, who wouldn't want to manage this public relations scenario a little better? No one likes it when someone rains on their parade. But for China, politically, economically, this protest changes nothing - and as long as Canada remains in the top three of China's export markets, a fat lot of good us being upset about anything will do.

Matter of fact, as long as Canadians continue merrily to buy products that say "Made in China" we might as well cede the futility of our protest.

The Moment That It All Began

"Hope is that thing inside us that insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it, and to work for it, and to fight for it."

Pakistan Blogs

"I was terribly sorry that the assassination denied the people of Pakistan their full range of choices in the scheduled election. Assassination is foul murder, and also a tragic crime against the voters, a form of the most serious treason against the nation."
The Pakistani Spectator :: Read the rest of the post HERE

"History has always been written by those who hang heroes"
Saady :: Read the rest of the post HERE

"This weekend was a truly sad one, not just because of a great politician and leader of our country being murdered but what her supporters and other elements did to Karachi in the name of mourning."
Deadpan Thoughts :: Read the rest of the post HERE (pictures)

"Benazir Bhutto has stayed with us enough to leave behind her vision of the future. Let us honour that vision. Her sacrifice has not weakened the federation, she has made the federation stronger. But we are not talking about a federation presided over by Musharraf. We are talking about a federation free of the army's involvement and Musharraf's presence."
Farrukh Khan Pitafi :: Read the rest of the post HERE

"Her murder is the murder of Pakistani nation."
The Pakistani Spectator :: Read the rest of the post HERE

"Also, the government suddenly realizes that Pakistan should be kept clean, so they wash the whole scene immediately after the incident."
Land of Pure :: Read the rest of the post HERE

"And then it sunk in. My country. My people. Me. What a loss. What a loss. I did not support Benazir but I think she was a great politician of Pakistan. What a loss."
Jalaluddin :: Read the rest of the post HERE

See what Pakistan Bloggers are saying today

The Making of a Modern Day Martyr

The world watched carefully as the drama of Benazir Bhutto’s assassination unfolded before us. Video of the incident shows a person beside Bhutto’s car shooting a handgun three times towards her, followed by a bomb blast. Immediately several first hand accounts – including doctors, American journalists, bystanders, Bhutto’s aides and even her husband - witnessed to the world the death of Bhutto from gunshot wounds.

The Pakistani Interior Ministry also confirmed that Bhutto had died - from a gunshot wound to the neck.

Then, in rapid succession, the Interior Ministry issued conflicting statements regarding Bhutto’s death. They first claimed that she was killed by shrapnel from the explosion rather than gunshot wounds and then that she died merely from a skull fracture suffered when she fell into the car - and not as a result of any attack. Finally, after all the explanations offered seemed to create some controversy, the Pakistani Interior Ministry stated simply "It is immaterial how she died."

However - it is precisely the importance of how and why she died that has created this desperate attempt to sow doubt and confusion around her death.

"They're trying to deny her a martyr's death" CNN national security analyst Ken Robinson said. "Her torch burns bright now forever. She's forever young; she's forever brave, challenging against all odds the party in power and challenging the military and Islamic extremism."

Bhutto's detractors, including members of the Pakistan government, would seemingly control that legacy if successful in minimizing the attacks role in her demise.

But Benazir Bhutto will become even more influential in her death than she was in life.

Silencing a living opponent might seem easy enough - but silencing a martyr?

Not likely.

"She Has Been Martyred”

Pakistani opposition leader and leading Prime Ministerial contender Benazir Bhutto was assassinated at an election rally in the city of Rawalpindi today.

"I am not afraid, I am ready to die for my country."
- Benazir Bhutto (with Time Magazine)

Benazir Bhutto was many things in life – a well educated, charismatic, high profile world leader; a former prime minister; a promoter of democracy; an anti terrorism crusader; a courageous and brave human being... but more importantly, I think, she was a woman. The first woman to lead a modern Muslim country.

Democratically elected twice by her people, she was deposed and ousted both times amid alleged charges of "corruption" that appeared politically motivated by male dominated and militarily backed political rivals. She spent time in exile, under house arrest and years jailed in solitary confinement. Yet, despite this past treatment and intelligence reports indicating that Islamic militants would send suicide bombers after her, she returned to participate in the democratic election set for January 8th, bringing hope once again to the people of Pakistan.

With less than two weeks to go to that election, Bhutto’s campaign, struggle and life are finished in what is surely a tragedy for Pakistan, if not the world.

Peace Be Upon Her.

Her Father, Her Murderer…

"Self-professed mercy killer Robert Latimer denied day parole" Macleans Magazine, December 5, 2007.

On October 24th 1993 Robert Latimer murdered his 12 year old disabled daughter Tracy. A pre-meditated murder, he had considered options like giving her valium, shooting her in the head and then burning her body. Ultimately he decided to poison her by piping carbon monoxide into his truck, where he had previously secured her. He then watched her die - it took 30 minutes.

Latimer killed Tracy while her family was at church and then placed her body in bed for her mother to discover. For some time Latimer lied about killing his daughter - claiming that she had passed away in her sleep and even tried to have her body cremated before an autopsy could be preformed. He only confessed to her murder after the results of the autopsy showed carbon monoxide poisoning to be the cause of death.

Ironically, just twelve days before Tracy was killed, Latimer was offered a permanent placement for Tracy at a nearby facility - but he rejected it saying he had "other plans."

THE VERDICT WAS GUILTY. TWICE!
Is the law and this situation complicated? Perhaps. But Latimer was convicted twice and found unanimously guilty of second degree murder by all 24 jurors.

LATIMER TODAY AND HIS PAROLE BOARD
Even today Latimer remains unrepentant and sees himself as the real victim, believing that he did the right thing – meaning he would do it all over again given the opportunity. That's a dangerous precedent that puts him at a higher risk of re-offending or encouraging others to perpetrate like crimes.

Parole is not a guaranteed right of a criminal, but something they can earn through demonstration of appropriate behaviours. The parole board tries to determine if you have the potential to re-offend, usually this is based on an acknowledgement that you committed an offence and have demonstrated some kind of remorse because of it, yet the parole board said they were left with the feeling "Mr. Latimer has not developed sufficient insight and understanding of his actions." The fact that even years after Latimer murdered his daughter he is unable to show remorse for his crime demands that he be kept in prison.

WHAT IS CEREBRAL PALSY?
Tracy suffered from a disability called Cerebral Palsy - a non-progressive, non- life threatening disorder that approx 50,000 other Canadians also live with – with a normal life expectancy. A person with the disorder can expect to improve somewhat during childhood if they receive the necessary care from specialists and their disabilities are properly managed. Latimer admitted to the parole board that he and his wife did not seek outside help or advice about Tracy. He also did not provide her with adequate pain relief medication – for reasons that were never made clear beyond Latimer believed that drugs beyond Tylenol would interfere with her anti-seizure medications.

TRACY WAS HERE!
We will never know the person that Tracy was becoming, but we know what she was like from testimony at the trials. Tracy could think independently and had attended school since she was 4 years old. She smiled, laughed, cried "very seldom," responded to affection, recognized and communicated with people, enjoyed horses like every other 12 year old girl, loved music and campfires. Laura Latimer, Tracy’s mom, testified that she was a "very happy, very happy little girl" and wrote in her own diary that Tracy was often happy and smiling. Tracy's surgeon was impressed with the progress she was making and testified that her quality of life was improving with each procedure. Tracy's teacher testified she was a "happy, loving person who did not show signs of extreme pain," even though she had a dislocated hip.

Tracy had only just returned home two weeks before her death. She had been living in a group home for four months and came home to prepare for her hip surgery, an operation that would have alleviated her pain.

PERCEPTION OF FAIRNESS
"Some people were willing to agree his daughter's life was not worth living - it's extremely dangerous to vulnerable people with disabilities" said Jim Derksen (Council of Canadians with Disabilities).

Before you grant Latimer any credibility at all consider what that means for the safety of other vulnerable Canadians, including your future self. Able-bodied people can not and should not judge the "quality of life" of a disabled person. It is too simple and misinformed to dismiss this as a mercy killing or "a father putting his child out of her misery."

Many people live with the medical problems that Tracey had, and many other kinds too. Thousands of Canadians in this same situation take care of their children every day. Parents do not determine if their child deserves to live or die. Children are not property and they have a right to be protected by their parents and the law.

It is disturbing to me how some "able-bodied" people can talk so poorly of disabilities, saying thoughtless things like "If I ever become disabled, kill me." What does that say of our society? And what is a disability? After my Dad's first stroke he had dementia - a disability to be sure, but he still managed to really enjoy the next 20 years of his life. My sister recently had a disk out of place in her back and is now learning to walk again - she's only 40. Is her life now not worth living?

MURDER IS MURDER
Latimer is NOT some hero that through an act of love compassionatly ended his daughter’s suffering. He planned her murder (rather than provide her the help she needed), lied to cover it up in order to get away with it AND still shows no remorse. If Latimer believes what he did was right, he can believe that it is worth rotting in prison for. Let him serve his sentence for it's the least he (and Tracy) deserve. Robert Latimer is where he belongs.

Elizabeth May on "Russian Roulette"

In describing our continued dependence on cars and oil Elizabeth May, leader of Canada's Green Party, consistently warns we are "playing Russian Roulette with our life support system." I don't disagree; as a species we have certainly historically exhibited a lack of proper concern in such matters.

May implies the majority of the population are blissfully ignorant, suggesting that we are happy to consider climate change mostly as a subjective topic and not one neccessarily deserving our immediate attention. "If you were in France in the heat wave of 2003, watching the ice melt in the Western Canadian Arctic, or the water rise in New Orleans in August 2005, or British Columbia in the fires of 2004, you might well conclude that things are already pretty dangerous," states May in a recent Killam lecture.

For May to get a car when she herself knows/believes/has seen that these things are occurring boggles me.

May preaches that the planet needs to see carbon reductions of 80% by the year 2050 – which could truly only come about by an astronomical undertaking of people willing to make significant lifestyle changes. Yet for the sake of her own convenience and her political aspirations, she is now willing to become a carbon contributor rather than making a far greater statement by remaining carless and proving that it can be done successfully (albeit with some effort).

As a family we make a lot of sacrifices to live as much of a carbon neutral lifestyle as possible. One of them is that we haven't had a car in over 12 years.

I am certainly one of the early people to come to the notion that, regardless of the actual cause(s), our climate is changing and not in a positive manner. Not wanting to contribute further to this has been our motivation for a few simple lifestyle changes (recycling, water and electricity conservation, utilizing mass transit, living in a townhouse rather than a house, for example).

But the reality is that it is inconvenient. We are sacrificing.

And why? Because every little bit helps - and as more and more people make changes that will help too.

Elizabeth May has cancelled out our contribution towards a carbon neutral society. She may as well have bought a Hummer for all the real difference it makes now, optics and perception being everything in politics. The idea that not even the leader of the Green Party can live a car free life is somewhat demotivating, unpalatable and disheartening.

Screw it, I am getting a car.

In Recognition of Oustanding Service

Congratulations Duncan!

Premier Stelmach attended Edmonton Meadowlarks AGM tonight as our guest speaker. The Premier presented four Leaders' Awards to members of our constituency - Duncan was one of them, all very well deserved. It's great to see such a strong and vibrant constituency association as we head into nominations and the next election!