On the DEWLine 2.0: Dwight Williams

So Doug Ford showed up for the vigil last night in London, Ontario.

There was a reaction to his attendance.

https://twitter.com/CheriDiNovo/status/1402566860684595200

He said the right things, no obvious gaffes. But I am inclined to share Rev. DiNovo's suspicions.

Details here:

https://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2018/08/moscow-has-made-unforgivable-mistake-of.html

If you do check the links in the essay, of course, be careful.

But still...there are Russians who understand what the people running their government right now have gotten them into...and who do not like the implications and consequences at all. Even if they ever liked the intentions behind those acts.

In reply to an essay by psychotherapist Felix Vikhman on the situation in Washington published by The Walrus:

There is one small complaint I have about the closing paragraphs of that prediction for the futures of many of the White House staff during the Trump years: it is not just one nation now entrapped as Trump's emotional hostage.

It is the entire human race.

For those who have ensured this outcome for us all, I do not know that I will ever be able to forgive that. If we survive it.

The outcome last night wasn't what I was hoping for. (It never is.)

It wasn't what I feared might come to pass yet again, either, though.

Will that be enough?

I don't know yet.

Some of you have already read about this via my Facebook feed.

I went to one of those protest rallies to support the investigation into allegations of election fraud during the 2011 federal elections yesterday. Clive Doucet spoke. So did Errol Mendes from Carleton University, as did Anita Vandenbeld, last year's Liberal candidate who found herself losing to John Baird.

There was some open mike time for other attendees as well.

Towards the end, as the gathered crowd was getting ready to start a march-past of three of the big five political parties' Ottawa HQ offices and singing O Canada as they went, one other speaker got a bit of a harangue from a couple of guys who apparently showed up late and had not heard her speak during the open mike session. They noticed her accent and started in with the old "Where did you come from? Why don't you go back there?" spiel, you see. Had they heard her commentary earlier, I wonder if their complaints about her activism would have taken another tack.

I wish I could remember her name right now.

As she explained, she moved to Canada 45 years ago.

From Germany.

Yeah. She went there in her remarks before being heckled in that general "Go back where you came from" way, observing what she saw as disturbing historical parallels between her old country in the run up to WW 2 and Canada today. "Don't wait until you have to be a hero. It's hard to be a hero. Most of us aren't made for it."

I didn't take seeing her get that treatment very well. Asked them if they'd actually heard her speak. They hadn't. And when I pointed it out, there was some argument over whether or not anyone should dare notice any parallels at all. The "Get a job!" tactic was employed as well. I answered that by asking if they could confirm whether or not a majority of those present were in fact unemployed, never mind whether or not they were on welfare. They didn't take that happily either.

First time I've ever been yelled at by a right-winger for attending what I understood to be a pro-law enforcement rally. First time I've ever seen it happen to anyone else, for that matter.

The paradox is both amusing and frightening.

At least it was only two or three hecklers, this time.

Steve Roby comments on the proposed Defence of Religion Act expected to show up in the House of Commons here in Ottawa soon. Not my choice of phrasing, although I share some concerns of his on this matter.

Lee Barnett notes the potential pitfalls of a meme now in progress on LJ, the spirit of which I sympathize with for reasons personal and ethical. I also keep in mind something Alan Alda said whilst "in character" on The West Wing that leads me to sympathize with Lee's concerns.

To be blunt: it is too damn easy for a particularly patient, careful, and ruthless bigot to lie through their teeth or their keyboard.