When (if ever) does the end justify the means?

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When (If ever?) does the end justify the means?

Individuals whom I have come to know and respect believe Trump to be a good choice as President. Hearing these words upset me almost as much as the actions of this man.

I’m a Canadian without a huge concern for direct impact of his Presidency. I sympathize with my friends to the south. They have to suffer the consequences of the orders he manages to push through during his “reign”. I have some misgivings about potential “seepage” so-to-speak across the border with policies, etc.

We had a Prime Minster who I disagreed with on almost every issue. A PM who had a manner about him that was unsettling to me. However, in all his days in power and campaigning I never felt real concern … that he would or had at any time prior (that would have been known to the world) behave in a manner that could be seen as outright bigotry, misogynistic, bullying, etc. Yes, I disagreed with his opinions and values. I certainly would not have accused him of championing the cause when it comes to most forms of discrimination. But I did not fear that he would be the one to encourage and initiate the vitriol.

justify this

Herein lies the real issue with The Donald’s election as President of the U.S. of A.

During the election campaign I was infuriated that Trump had a platform where not only was his ignorance and absolute smuck being accepted but it was glorified. In the period between his election and the inauguration, he should have be reigning himself in and learning to present himself in a manner deserving of the Oval Office. Yet, it continued. In fact, he justified himself anytime it was noted.

Now we have a man in the most powerful office in the world, who is being given seats at tables that deserve behavior of utmost respect and decorum. The @realdonaldtrump is engaging in middle school playground fights with celebrities, television shows and “the media” while the entire world watches. He is now wasting his (and our) time celebrating his over-stated success at drawing a crowd for his inauguration. Seriously, I’m just waiting for the “nannah nannah, nan-nah…” tweet directly to his predecessor.

How much time will it take for my learned friends who believe his claims of caring about their economic values and hatred of “the establishment” … to see just how much this was a power play – and nothing more – for this bigoted, misogynistic, opportunist.

Don’t be fooled by his claims to represent and care about “the people”, he doesn’t have any understanding of what it is like to struggle in any way, shape or form. Nor does he care.

 

So the question is, does the end justify the means?

I don’t have to agree with your values. Nor do you have to agree with mine. There is nothing that justifies the actions of a man so powerful pointedly belittling and degrading those far less powerful than he. Worse still, by accepting that a man in his position behaves in such a way it will only serve to make it acceptable for *anyone* to behave in such a way. Thus undoing the progress our society has made in treating people of all sexes, races, class, abilities, cultures, beliefs, ages, levels of income, etc. with the respect and equity that “the people” deserve.

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Filed Under: General, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , ,

Rape, child pornography, death, poverty and ignorance. A slow news day?

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I’m not sure what news had the greater effect on me in the last 24 hrs. The Maple Ridge gang rape of a 16 year old girl that was photographed and posted to Facebook (this is child porn by the way), the cyclist killed on the highway in New Brunswick, or this story of the US Senate Minority leader who wouldn’t know suffering if it were to knock him across the head with a 2 by 4.

The gang rape is disturbing on so many levels. A young girl drugged and raped by a group of malicious asses, another malicious ass photographing the scene and posting it all over facebook so that this young girl can be re-victimized every time the photo is viewed, shared, and downloaded, and the fact that kids were chuckling at the situation on the news. People don’t understand that once you put something out on the interweb, there’s no return. You can delete it from its original source, but you can’t take it out of every inbox, hard drive it’s been downloaded to, or new source its been posted.

But what has our world come to when classmates are giggling on national television, claiming that it wasn’t really rape?! How do we get our children’s innocence back? How do we ever go back to a day when any sort of violence, especially sexual was a shameful thing for any child to witness, let alone be party to? Will we ever be able to teach the youth of society what a healthy sexual act or relationship is again?! I despair.

I have two children who will soon come of age. As much as I aim to protect, inform and educate my children, I cannot change how their so-called friends interact with them outside of my home (even within it, I’m afraid). There is a desperate need for a major shift in thinking and fast!

The cyclist / truck accident is sad. I wish I could say it were surprising, but so far this season there has been at least one major fatality / month that was most likely attributed to a driver not respecting the cyclists space and rights to be on the road. The greatest trajedy is that these tragic events result in a slew of hate-messages from anti-cyclist citizens who can’t take a moment to consider the full picture.

And finally I must address the statement made by the US Senate Minority leader that people of incomes higher than $250 000 (that’s two hundred and fifty thousand dollars!!!! annually!!!) were hardest hit by the recession.

Angela Glover Blackwell wrote a poignant article about the true depths of poverty as a result of the recession in the United States of America. It is shocking really. I don’t care how much money in relation to their pre-recession income an individual has lost, if they have not gone from having the ability to feed their family, to a state of survival in which everyday is a worry as to how their children will be fed, a roof kept over their heads, medical bills paid… then they haven’t a leg to stand on with this claim of hardship.

How does a man in the position Mitch McConnell is in have the nerve to make such a statement? Even if (and I’m really stretching to give the man the benefit of the doubt here) he actually understands the depths of poverty and how the real buying power of each dollar for someone in poverty is so significantly less than the same dollar in a high earners’ hand.. even if. How could he be so stupid as to say such a thing?

It is news days like this that I feel compelled to find a way that I personally can have some significant effect and see change as a result of my efforts. I am still at a loss for what my strategy should be.

Filed Under: Advocacy Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

How must we be catalysts for change?

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I often speak out about issues. I share my opinion on the smallest and biggest things, especially when I get the impression that those around me are not informed about them. I stick to my values, but am also willing to learn from others if they have insights/perspectives I am unfamiliar with or have not considered.

I believe that as members of society it is our duty to look out for others, as well as ourselves. There is a balance that must be maintained, and sometimes shifted, between individual rights and the collective. More than anything I think people simply need to share their opinions and not allow themselves to be silenced. My position in society allows me significant power in certain circumstances, and it is my duty at those times to use my power to assist others to make a shift.

I often share with my friends (i.e. on Facebook and Twitter) news updates, articles and research, as well as events planned in efforts to effect change around issues that I feel passionately about. These issues are far-reaching, as my ultimate vision is that of a society/world where communities are sustainable, power and wealth are distributed such that no one suffers, and that everyone has a voice.

A friend once complained to me about the items that I post. I responded that he didn’t have to read them. They are posted on my own profile/wall/feed, I wasn’t singling him out and posting them on his wall. He didn’t have to follow me. At some point he “de-friended” me. This is okay. I don’t wish to be a burden to him, and I believe that the friends that I have real connections with aren’t troubled by my passion for social justice.

As I see it if I’m not speaking out about the things that I care about/value, then why would anyone listen to my suggestion that they should?

What ways can we as individuals in society be catalysts for change? How do you get involved in your community? Do you write letters to the editor? Or government representatives? Speak out to your friends? Neighbors? Support your local representative, or candidate in the next election? Attend rallies?

What issues are you passionate about? Are your passionate about domestic violence? Early childhood education? Environmental issues? Homelessness? Copyright? Political reform? Women’s equality? Racism?

I’d love to hear examples of how you are acting to effect change in society.

Filed Under: Advocacy Tagged With: , , , ,