Two and Two

Regrettably a Canadian solider was killed a few days ago in Afghanistan. I first heard the news on CBC Radio 1 during the afternoon. I must admit, like some of you, I'm mostly immune to this news. Sadly it's just another day in another war without end; one that costs us freedom in addition to promising young men like Matthew McCully.

However I was interested to hear the location where Rick Hillier, Canada's Chief of Defence (sic) Staff was reached for comment. He was giving a speech to the Economic Club of Toronto.

Seems a bit strange doesn't it? Why the Economic Club of Toronto? What possible relationship could these business people have with the military? Doesn't the military just go out and fight evil in the world? What could they do for these business people or vice versa?

Please ponder this one for a while.

Respect

I have to admit to being amazed by Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States. I'm sure that some of you out there could make mincemeat of his record as president (and actually I'd be interested to hear your charges against him) but I'm mostly impressed at his record since being president. He is fearless in speaking in support of Palestinians and Palestine and now represents the best of America, in my mind; George W. Bush's vision contrastingly remains the imperial and small-minded worst.

Perhaps you know only a little about Carter. I urge you to learn about him. I expect I may shed a tear when he passes away (if he doesn't outlast me--for all our sakes I hope he does).

Brakes

I heard Phil Fontaine, the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, calling for a day of protest against the continuing casual annihilation and extermination of aboriginal culture in Canada. I thought that he was learning from recent events but was disappointed to hear that he was calling for First Nations people to gather in major cities to express their outrage at their treatment by the federal government (and by association all Canadians, like myself, who choose to mostly look the other way).

Big deal. Go out and march the streets, make some noise, climb some lampposts. That's what they want you to do. State sanctioned marches (did you apply for your permit Phil?) do nothing to really endanger this treacherous Canadian state. So you get nothing and the forests continue to fall and the species continue to go extinct and your people continue to suffer and die.

Now here's a good idea. How fast will this get elites' attentions? How fast will they run to either capitulate or send in the army? Even if the army is Harper's first option, that will at least make the violence against First Nations overt instead of something that happens when "drunken Indians" are dumped in the snow outside of town to die; small genocides that you can never quite add up to anything.

So block some rails which go through your land. Good idea. As much as our "goods" move by road these days, there are still many "natural resources" that travel by rail. And our "economy" is now focused on primary resources for the Americans; think about it, we have oil (poisoned groundwater), softwood (clear cuts), minerals (more poison) and more.

So rail is a weak point in the genocidal industrial economy. These weak points are really everywhere once you learn to start seeing them.

We have a lot to learn from the original inhabitants of this land. Even today.

Eight Years to Go

I woke up this morning, like every morning, to the sounds of Metro Morning. Following my snoozing for 30 minutes, I get up and take a very short shower, just enough to soap up and rinse off; I've stopped washing my hair, I don't think one needs to. Then I put on my clothes, eat some fruit or a piece of toast with peanut butter on it. Then it's out the door for my 30 minute bus ride to work. At work I am chained to my computer and print a few sheets on recycled paper and carry on my regular duties; sometimes I meet with City staff and go to various meetings on my bike or on the bus. I eat a yummy vegan lunch and dinner, trying against the world to eat locally. I sometimes play sports in the evening or go to a pub or cafe in my neighbourhood. Then I sleep and am woken up by Metro Morning again and the process begins again.

I like to believe that this behaviour is sustainable. But is it?

I want to believe that it is but with 6 billion human beings on the earth I know that it isn't. Even if these billions of humans would give up their cars (which they won't) to take the bus to work, or gave up their bacon and eggs (which they won't) for fruit and used less energy to heat their homes and water (which they won't), it still wouldn't be possible for us to not destroy the earth and act sustainably.

And please don't tell me that technology will save us. It won't.

This morning I heard right off the top of Metro Morning's news that 30 percent of the Earth's plant and animal species will be extinct if our planet, with civilized humans at the helm, continues down our "progressive" path; temperature rises will dismantle ecosystems and cause this genocide. Apparently humans have eight years to prevent this ecocide according to "experts". This is probably the most sickening news I have heard in a while. I've heard about tipping points before and temperature increases but this means that the plants and animals that make this a special world will be disappearing forever and soon.

And it's my fault and everyone else's fault for being pigs and living beyond the land's ability to sustain us, despite my short showers. What were we thinking? Do we even think?

I'm full of dread. I'm scared. I want to pray to God but I know he's not listening. He's given up on us and his perfect creation. Or perhaps if we were created in his image, he preceded us by destroying himself long ago. At least he had the good sense to not bring down the whole of creation with him.

Yet I still wake up every morning and go through the same routine. Why? Shouldn't I fight the future? At the very least end my destructive life? I wonder when I'll wake up and not hear Metro Morning anymore. Will it still echo in my skull like a spell calling me back to my violent birthright?