It has been refreshing to see the push back in some of the mainstream media in the US mostly CNN and MSNBC against the misleading narrow-minded and politically motivated screed of Fox News especially.
The kind of misleading commentary you see promoted in the ultra-right wings in the States these days is so emblematic of the tensions of the 60 and 70s I lived through in terms of race, violence, the Viet Nam war, Watergate, civil rights movements- and the list goes on.
Well here is another piece of clarifying push back on the Internet. Glenn Beck is planning to take his hate encouraging screed to speak on the same steps on the same day that Martin Luther King Jr delivered his "I Have a Dream" message of hope and courage.
Glenn Beck is NOT Martin Luther King Jr. NOT by any stretch of the imagination.
http://glennbeckisnotmartinlutherkingjr.com/?utm_source=alternet
We Canadians should not be smug about this stuff. It is socially, politically and economically rooted from the past Bush-Cheney administration. That Bush-Cheney political culture and philosophy is alive and well in the brain trusts and back rooms of the Harper Conservatives. Why else would they waste $2B on G20 "security," arrest hundreds of innocent people in the process, other than intimidation. And now we see them and stifling an independent gun registry review for 6 months while they proceed to mislead us on the costs and consequences of the gun registry.
These and others and other examples of how badly we are being governed in Canada are not the big lie that Weapons of Mass Destruction Bush-Cheney used to perpetrate the Iraqi War. It is, however, the same dishonest, disrespectful and corrupted character flaws of politicians who place personal political power above their sworn duty to provide good government.
We need to return to responsible, informed, active citizenship if we are to ensure this kind of creeping and creepy totalitarianism does not become normative political behaviour. We need to take action and that demands time, attention and courage. We need to make a commitment to reaffirm our rights and restore our democracy by seeking out servant leaders with goals of the greater good through good governance - not just the gamesmanship and spin of getting and keeping political power we see dominate politics today.
Alberta, like Canada, needs a progressive political alternative to counteract the swing to the right we see happening in the political culture of Alberta and Canada. If you, as an informed and engaged Albertan, want to see a more progressive political culture in the Next Alberta register now for RebootAlberta 3.0 at www.rebootalberta.org.
Question: How is allowing people to NOT register their guns part of the Harper "intimidation"? Wouldn't "intimidation" conspiracies include limiting and regulating guns?
ReplyDeleteThe right to bear arms in the 'States is seen as a freedom issue, and should be here.
Rape statistics plummeted in Florida as soon as women were allowed to carry concealed weapons, for instance.
I asked that very question of my MP as to why the G20 was so expensive.
ReplyDeleteAnswer:
1. The reason the venue was changed is that smaller nations decided to bring huge retinues, more than ever before by a factor of two. This is seen more of a boondoggle for these small countries - junkets for friends and family
2. All retinues as well as the main characters are required to be protected - which sent the security cost soaring.
3. major postings by so many, especially after the bank bombing, suggested a significant presence of hooligans, bent only on destruction, which of course happened.
4. Canadian costs were lifted from all departments involved, whereas other countries buried a lot of their costs in the serving departments. So an apples and oranges comparison to other G20s are tough to make accurately
thought you might like to know
To be honest, I think the governing going on in this country by a MINORITY government demonstrates an ability by Harper to work well even when handling the empty but highly noisy threatened actions of the combined opposition.
ReplyDeleteThere is no question for instance that this government has passed more environmentally positive legislation than your preferred Liberals. The Libs new about the tar pits out east for more than a decade, but it took the Cons to clean it up. Your Dion did nothing. Even in your own back yard Rona Ambrose started, and then others completed, a $1 billion carbon sequestration agreement and that facility is almost finished out in Wabamun. I think it a waste of time, but you and Satya never mention this. How come?
The Libs did nothing in a majority government, the Cons do it with opposition everywhere
I agree. Glen Beck is no Martin Luther. Beck is far greater of a leader.
ReplyDeleteGlen Beck drew 500,000 people.
ReplyDeleteSharpton drew a pittance.
I suggest that you progressives watch Glen and think for yourselves. I don't expect you to embrace him but neither is he the devil incarnate.
Progressives, I challenge you to think independently and maintain a healthy skepticism about all things.
Ken Chapman said, "Glenn Beck is planning to take his hate encouraging screed..."
ReplyDeleteKen, smarten up. You just insulted 50% of America with that statement. Shame on you. You make me ashamed to be an Albertan and a Canadian when you insult good people with thoughtless statements like that.