tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43572870917539141082024-03-14T02:44:13.971-07:00Lacrosse WorldJohnny Laxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03183800403490386820noreply@blogger.comBlogger151125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357287091753914108.post-38144374685360326262022-07-05T12:59:00.000-07:002022-07-05T12:59:11.373-07:00RIGHT THE SHIP<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_MSqOIm8M9Fo6vj916RkArXrGi0bV78kX0U0kler2un-ry_raxgySZsoA4_1FyjkGw3tjK8CByeOtwmd96FNXq1D5UTOU2YDcOHypehZO6_a7u9uL9b71_JINgO0-O4SkpmZ8HqOwcx3tD8wwkHD5DE2JjKbpUfrgMu4U37S7bIXkkyd-w-csYRHa/s1200/argos%20boat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_MSqOIm8M9Fo6vj916RkArXrGi0bV78kX0U0kler2un-ry_raxgySZsoA4_1FyjkGw3tjK8CByeOtwmd96FNXq1D5UTOU2YDcOHypehZO6_a7u9uL9b71_JINgO0-O4SkpmZ8HqOwcx3tD8wwkHD5DE2JjKbpUfrgMu4U37S7bIXkkyd-w-csYRHa/s320/argos%20boat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> I grew up loving the Toronto Argonauts and the CFL generally. Back in the 60's and early 70's, the NHL and the CFL were the big leagues. Our TV's could only pull in a total of 12 channels and about half of them were from Buffalo, New York, so we could get a baseball game every Saturday afternoon ( usually featuring the Yankees or Cardinals as the home team ) and the NFL would provide maybe 2 games on a Sunday. So, the pickings were kind of slim when you were a kid who worshipped sports and athletes.<p></p><p>The Argonauts commanded my attention from July until late November, when hockey and the Leafs would take over until May. The Stanley Cup playoffs were not the marathon that they are today: a champion would be crowned in only two playoff rounds. So that meant that we could go outside and play with our friends in the good weather and dream of hitting home runs alongside Mickey Mantle, or scoring hat tricks with Dave Keon and Frank Mahovlich, or running into the end zone with Bill Symons or catching touchdown passes from Wally Gabler or Tom Wilkinson.</p><p>Recent years watching my beloved Argos have been painful. Not because they have necessarily been bad teams ( they have won at least 2 Grey Cups in this century ), but because they have become such an irrelevance in the Toronto sports universe. Nobody cares about them: they are often a page 3 afterthought in the sports pages. They get barely a ripple on TV sports reports. Radio treats them like Korean 3rd division soccer. And the fans have apparently deserted them as well. Crowds hover around 10,000 a home game: in the 70's and 80's, they routinely drew in excess of 40,000.</p><p>What happened ? </p><p>There's no doubt that the competition from other teams and events like the Jays, Raptors, TFC, the Honda Indy and Rogers Cup tennis have all eroded the solid base the Argos enjoyed among Toronto sports fans. There's just too much entertainment to go around in the city. And there is also little doubt that Toronto has changed, grown and become very diverse, all good things. But, with the proliferation of people from all parts of the world, the truly "international" sports do very well, especially basketball and soccer. Argos fans are still mainly from the older, whiter, more traditional demographic and the Argos have not done particularly well trying to attract fans from the other demographics, despite some valiant efforts. </p><p>The Argos are one of the best teams getting out into the community. The players visit hospitals and schools. They lead in programmes that promote anti-bullying and inclusion. They work in soup kitchens and other charitable activities. They are genuinely liked and respected by the people who benefit from their efforts, but, again, this doesn't translate into more fans in the seats of games.</p><p>There is a lingering perception that the CFL and the Argos are "small time", and this does not do well with the fans who want "big league" extravagant sports. Hockey is different and always will be because it's embedded into the cultural fabric of the nation. Football used to be that way, but, alas, no longer, not when kids can get a soccer ball and go play with not a lot of expense and risk. Football is a dangerous and expensive sport, the argument goes .... but then again, so is hockey.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJhzvJTlcP2dYu_opuSIs66ib39NKgBAzrYDvjakOAX0Nw1arVImSRbh0d8YjkekF1w_YlRgC4Hx4_Ir83ZKVVS1KfBqbljR9ElAt2vSnSwLlKElUllZVEYt47FCU9diA86cJhvvaeoFeKlsmQdcl7vPIi36FTLPFK0x714T4Xs4B0e10Bv2E8_DDg/s259/theisman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="195" data-original-width="259" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJhzvJTlcP2dYu_opuSIs66ib39NKgBAzrYDvjakOAX0Nw1arVImSRbh0d8YjkekF1w_YlRgC4Hx4_Ir83ZKVVS1KfBqbljR9ElAt2vSnSwLlKElUllZVEYt47FCU9diA86cJhvvaeoFeKlsmQdcl7vPIi36FTLPFK0x714T4Xs4B0e10Bv2E8_DDg/w259-h198/theisman.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><br />Clearly, the Argos need to operate differently from the other CFL teams. The Argos were most successful when they spent money on high-profile players from the NFL or US college ball and became the "city slickers" that the rest of the country grew to hate. Stadiums were full when Joe Theissman, Eric Allen, Anthony Davis, Terry Metcalfe, Rocket Ismail and the like wore double blue and became the darlings of the Toronto "fair weather fans" who liked image and sizzle more than the grunt work and sweat and blood of real football. They also became the hated enemies of fans in Regina, Ottawa and especially Hamilton, who saw them as the glamour boys who needed to be taught a lesson in real football. It wasn't sustainable in the long term, of course, but it was great while it lasted.<p></p><p>But the Argos hang in there and keep trying. If ever there was an "A For Effort" award in sports, the Argos would win it. They loyally stick to the CFL's modest and realistic business plan, which ensures that most teams in small markets can survive with crowds of around 25,000 per game and a TV deal from TSN that is actually a bargain for the network. All of this means that the Argos are seen as just another team like the Riders, Als, Redblacks and (gasp) TigerCats.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPpzBVYHW2GoZfUBKNAB9-AvQP4db5cAy-_-gD8ZVai4OP7B0pOq2CkJvzeDzULLT8tBvviRgMB3rUqQtnFgvHRhSBJCblVwph_fsOkktCSWPThg-Ymg1oDi5BNJfg8ExQt7Y8FE344Q7pUnY7SoF6QdHssC5MkSNyI49K1mPkHatGT95kgeSTe4Yl/s268/ex2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="188" data-original-width="268" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPpzBVYHW2GoZfUBKNAB9-AvQP4db5cAy-_-gD8ZVai4OP7B0pOq2CkJvzeDzULLT8tBvviRgMB3rUqQtnFgvHRhSBJCblVwph_fsOkktCSWPThg-Ymg1oDi5BNJfg8ExQt7Y8FE344Q7pUnY7SoF6QdHssC5MkSNyI49K1mPkHatGT95kgeSTe4Yl/s1600/ex2.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><br />Maybe the time has come for another sugar daddy to step up, buy the Argos and run them like the old days, CFL rules be damned. Time for the old buccaneering spirit that raided the NFL with a bold swagger and a "who cares about the future, let's have a good time now" attitude. It could right the ship for the Argos, at least in the short term. It could also bankrupt the team.<p></p><p>But what have they got to lose ? Right now, they're alive but they're a great big yawn too. In entertainment, a yawn is as good as an obituary.</p>Johnny Laxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03183800403490386820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357287091753914108.post-14396450490659691512022-06-04T13:46:00.001-07:002022-06-04T13:46:21.551-07:00WHEN THE DUST SETTLES<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOIet8ljTfmcg77ZBcss8rhDqSN2I0VmVQwUw-hpfGyIwekJaPLMOOYYMeqkXsCJTtSlm9l5GLvbxk9Jh9n7LyDyM1P6rbWIKnQN0kX29Q1z_RAykWAkDerwxxEDNkMjgT7bf30WvdtqVud4TLFwe6hWDvqPo2DI3G27RwhzzWJBs2g5zWxgFKx7ya/s591/ont.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="509" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOIet8ljTfmcg77ZBcss8rhDqSN2I0VmVQwUw-hpfGyIwekJaPLMOOYYMeqkXsCJTtSlm9l5GLvbxk9Jh9n7LyDyM1P6rbWIKnQN0kX29Q1z_RAykWAkDerwxxEDNkMjgT7bf30WvdtqVud4TLFwe6hWDvqPo2DI3G27RwhzzWJBs2g5zWxgFKx7ya/s320/ont.gif" width="276" /></a></div> Recently, the sight of a pickup truck carrying large Canadian flags in the box has cause my gorge to rise, in true Hamlet style. I have nothing against pickup trucks per se, but the combination of the truck and the flag brings back really bad memories of the so-called "Freedom Convoy" that laid siege to downtown Ottawa and the border crossing at Windsor this past winter. The stupidity and the naked anger of those convoy nuts has made me shudder at the sight at the symbol of my country, a place that I love.<br /><p></p><p>Today, I saw a pickup with the flag with an interesting quote decal on the back window. It read "I support pipelines. My truck runs on gas, not unicorns or pixie dust. F*CK TRUDEAU !" I looked at the truck and the redneck inside it: it was all I could do to stop myself from walking over and challenging him. My wife, normally the most placid person in the world, shook her head in disgust at this foulmouthed expression of the man's right to free speech. We shrugged and went on our way, but the knot in my stomach still remains.</p><p>Why am I telling you this true story ?</p><p>Because Doug Ford won a second term as premier by a landslide, that's why. Let me explain.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmq51Nd5kKklzrxtmbhUfEA9rNTdpTCI26NDmLljt_kLwgE8vfxJzHZwsEGhuTtvun4ojB3yrjdgnb_fOoduJMuU__5UxUG4rcnQ8ARpDJXkOcoe5NoO73ajL6FeYa_AkiGuJNebRiwRk-FuMwFZmKu1x8li0PCDTE29_KvsdfycEbucom5DckAd0/s275/ford.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmq51Nd5kKklzrxtmbhUfEA9rNTdpTCI26NDmLljt_kLwgE8vfxJzHZwsEGhuTtvun4ojB3yrjdgnb_fOoduJMuU__5UxUG4rcnQ8ARpDJXkOcoe5NoO73ajL6FeYa_AkiGuJNebRiwRk-FuMwFZmKu1x8li0PCDTE29_KvsdfycEbucom5DckAd0/s1600/ford.jpg" width="275" /></a></div>I'm pretty sure the dickhead in the pickup truck voted for Ford. I'm pretty sure most of the dickheads from Ontario in those convoys voted for Ford. I'm pretty sure the angry, cement-heads who were vaccine deniers and anti-mask mandate advocates voted for Ford. And I'm pretty sure that ..... the list goes on.<p></p><p>Ford stumbled his way like a clown at a circus through most of his 4 year term. He badly mishandled the funding for families of autistic children in the early days of his regime. He cut nursing staff and educational staff. He tried to get us to switch to Tory-blue license plates that nobody could read at night. He wants to build a highway through the green belt. He took the federal government to the Supreme Court, challenging the feds' right to implement carbon pricing, against all reasonable legal advice, and LOST, costing us around 50 million dollars in the process. He forced gas stations to put stickers on gas pumps decrying the carbon price, regardless of the gas station owner's opinion on the matter. He refused to deliver the most recent budget by the required time, knowing that the undoubted deficit could conceivably cost him the election. And he went to a Conservative convention in the US declaring that he was a "big Republican" and expressed his admiration for the abominable Donald Trump, although Ford later walked that back when Trump hit us with certain punitive tariffs. </p><p>And then there's the pandemic. Remember the "ring of iron" he was going to build around Long Term Care homes ? Where is it? Remember the awkward roll-out of the vaccination process ? Ford blamed the federal government for this, despite the fact that were plenty of doses of vaccine to go around once Pfizer got their manufacturing glitch together. Remember the first and second re-openings, granted against the advice of all reasonable doctors ? Remember firing the first Chief Medical Officer when he subtly criticized Ford's moves, only to be replaced by a Tory hack, Dr. Kieran Moore ? Remember Moore having to give the press conferences explaining the need to go back to some restrictions, while Ford disappeared ? Remember Ford spending time at the family cottage in the early going, despite the "advice" given by Ford himself to stay at home and not go to the cottage, spreading the virus ?</p><p>Despite this sorry litany of woe, Ford won a landslide this past week. It boggles the mind, but some careful thought can explain why this buffoon is still the Premier of Ontario.</p><p>It's because the other parties are equal buffoons. They offered up no real alternative to the Tories. Their campaigns were weak, mealy-mouthed, pathetic efforts to get noticed. Andrea Horwath, despite her earnest and hard-working personality, is branded as a 3-time loser, and the NDP have no discernable policies. And Steven Del Duca has the charisma and excitement of paste. The Liberals offered up a clumsy government at the last election four years ago and have learned nothing from that humbling experience. They even chose a cabinet minister from the much unloved Kathleen Wynne government, Del Duca himself, as their "new" leader. And, for whatever craven reason, the media mostly chose to ignore them, and didn't bother to give them an opportunity to explain whatever policies they had. Couple this with the absolute silence from Ford and other Tory candidates when approached by the media, and we had a campaign straight out of the TV series "Seinfeld" ... a show about nothing.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIP_cl4VuquuIjlNOTYMwxv7_kCNYj9ROtuIF1pRCp7h9o-26EnGt5PqbKGKPtMeYmHUDlhuma3Qum5SObqmk7HBR9ET9IEXtG7BHCcz978wWrQcMMIMRW_6-L3HmFpAD5sH5p9zz2Z9uerGyS9J3_xxqKGRvX6xhoKzLH8g-LlYaf0YAdWLvnX_YC/s228/andrea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="221" data-original-width="228" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIP_cl4VuquuIjlNOTYMwxv7_kCNYj9ROtuIF1pRCp7h9o-26EnGt5PqbKGKPtMeYmHUDlhuma3Qum5SObqmk7HBR9ET9IEXtG7BHCcz978wWrQcMMIMRW_6-L3HmFpAD5sH5p9zz2Z9uerGyS9J3_xxqKGRvX6xhoKzLH8g-LlYaf0YAdWLvnX_YC/s1600/andrea.jpg" width="228" /></a><br /></div><p></p><p>We deserve better. But this sorry series of events inspired only 48 % of us to get off our lazy asses and vote. Ford got an impressive 83 seats .... with about 41 % of the votes cast. That means that 49 % of us who bothered to vote didn't vote for the clown-car government that Ford offered us. But that's what you get with "first past the post" .... and that's a discussion for another day.</p><p>Clearly something needs to be done. In a recent edition of SOPS Quarterly, I wrote an article entitled "De-Cleft The Left" , a phrase borrowed from a good guy I know who happens to be a former federal MP. I argued that it's high time for the Liberals, NDP and even the Greens to put aside their petty jealousies, rivalries and prejudices, swallow their pride, lick their wounds and get on with the process of MERGING their parties into one party that represents most of us in Ontario. Such a merger would give those of us in the majority, who don't buy into the Tories'<br /> pablum and crap, a chance to keep them out of power. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC8byjiEF9pqBcpCx4RWnWSi34-BDV0WDX-ykUV5ljnnqlZE1tqtRg7SPnHTSeivCzHCLvgFvYyREAoFrDF5MX97uBC4DpvAUIwAI7ZNZp76Kz61f0BTGRluLtqDxxs2yrpdahF65QQ3xReYLJMxdgaKCpkutdnQ0UxsYPJ5NSbzew8kfsjIRCnT2k/s259/del%20duca.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="195" data-original-width="259" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC8byjiEF9pqBcpCx4RWnWSi34-BDV0WDX-ykUV5ljnnqlZE1tqtRg7SPnHTSeivCzHCLvgFvYyREAoFrDF5MX97uBC4DpvAUIwAI7ZNZp76Kz61f0BTGRluLtqDxxs2yrpdahF65QQ3xReYLJMxdgaKCpkutdnQ0UxsYPJ5NSbzew8kfsjIRCnT2k/s1600/del%20duca.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><p></p><p>And, for god's sake, pick a leader with some fire in the belly, some passion, and some willingness to take on the obese, badly-educated and possibly criminal premier we have to suffer under for the next four years.</p><p>And for any conservatives who actually bother to read this and are offended by my words .... well, there's irony for you. Figure it out.</p>Johnny Laxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03183800403490386820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357287091753914108.post-81303309457049789992022-01-10T12:07:00.000-08:002022-01-10T12:07:14.717-08:00"He Fights."<p> History is a fantastic teacher. Our past experiences, no matter what sphere of human endeavour they may be a part of, are rich in lessons that subsequent generations can study and learn from. The problem, as I have written many times before, is that we are poor students. We have short memories and attention spans. We believe that the only true experiences are those that happen to us immediately and directly, or to others within our narrow sphere of existence. If it doesn't happen to me, my family, or my friends, it isn't real.</p><p>In the current battle against the covid virus, we had up until a month ago tricked ourselves into believing that we had it licked. The reality is that the omicron variant has wreaked havoc on our health care system, our outlook on the virus, our habits, our day-to-day activities and business, our schools and our manner of reporting the news events concerning the pandemic. And, as a consequence, our leaders have fallen victim to a type of paralysis in decision making that defies credulity.</p><p>In the American Civil War, a similar situation presented itself to Abraham Lincoln, the president of the US at the time of the southern insurrection. Lincoln had every intention of fighting the war because he believed that the secession of the southern states was illegal, and that the very survival of the republic founded "four-score" years prior depended on a Union victory. Lincoln was single-minded about the prosecution of the war, and was determined to win. But the problem was that the people he put in charge of the Union armies in the earliest stages of the war didn't share his optimism or determination to win.</p><p>One by one, Union generals were put in command of key components of the Union army. And, time after time, they fought their southern rivals to, at best, stalemate after stalemate or, at worst, complete and utter defeat. The southern generals had more to lose than their Union counterparts, to be sure, but the hesitance, the risk-averse attitude, and the uncertainty of Union generals like McClellan, Meade, Pope, Hooker ( who at least was willing to give battle to the southern forces, earning him the nickname "Fighting Joe Hooker" ) and Burnside ( whose main claim to fame was lending a version of his last name to the practice of men growing out their side whiskers, or "sideburns" ) created a stumbling and unsuccessful series of campaigns that drove Lincoln to frustration. </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZK_nQgCTfhw1i29x_2tiY8yxdUXp4z2voYpeXFTkscqBKyDTSHWyL9J0NZHufMpIUxRwnBAOKCYrQFMD7boaDFJLRlNQPF8gxbiyZ4i95Ma6HcjsG8ij9ASYpBgkaXFpfYWd_J_0ouV-br8GYLlluQASNL8PfSF5XJv0LGIsJH-4VuVGQUkGbih7a=s277" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="277" data-original-width="182" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZK_nQgCTfhw1i29x_2tiY8yxdUXp4z2voYpeXFTkscqBKyDTSHWyL9J0NZHufMpIUxRwnBAOKCYrQFMD7boaDFJLRlNQPF8gxbiyZ4i95Ma6HcjsG8ij9ASYpBgkaXFpfYWd_J_0ouV-br8GYLlluQASNL8PfSF5XJv0LGIsJH-4VuVGQUkGbih7a=w180-h207" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pope</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEixACFl-3tMC-bY8eAD83-Uja5w4HUWlEl1OO4JLm4iaKZWrKpLCk0aE3Rh7rYu3lPOiKZieD3ZheQSljCbAc_X1H66Xu9aAsC6asC66J6zVohjMdR1RH8sAVo0wXCqpKlowEiKWB9Olo1ocPTTKro2lRc52EQ_FQ0l9iS6BLdHo4BdlEzhFYT1cCPu=s279" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="279" data-original-width="180" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEixACFl-3tMC-bY8eAD83-Uja5w4HUWlEl1OO4JLm4iaKZWrKpLCk0aE3Rh7rYu3lPOiKZieD3ZheQSljCbAc_X1H66Xu9aAsC6asC66J6zVohjMdR1RH8sAVo0wXCqpKlowEiKWB9Olo1ocPTTKro2lRc52EQ_FQ0l9iS6BLdHo4BdlEzhFYT1cCPu=w180-h224" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meade</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVNhCyk0u7WEcWXSKBhITTTbbJ8Z6z0GJtEpqO_483Z1r3M8IRD94WeybEeiIWmsZkB1EuCqxHe_RbBSqYWxs8T4I9FBFuveu9NFqIaSodsyPqvwZOKBBUUljHvL9wVktFOMWolelLUa42OYcHQyIY0LvR5E6dk_OD-WxLmU3BGfPXvoJIsGRdzp1P=s273" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="184" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVNhCyk0u7WEcWXSKBhITTTbbJ8Z6z0GJtEpqO_483Z1r3M8IRD94WeybEeiIWmsZkB1EuCqxHe_RbBSqYWxs8T4I9FBFuveu9NFqIaSodsyPqvwZOKBBUUljHvL9wVktFOMWolelLUa42OYcHQyIY0LvR5E6dk_OD-WxLmU3BGfPXvoJIsGRdzp1P" width="184" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">McClellan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJcnsiv5kz_CMFZT4sEcyELozHaVAQa5q7M3ibqkPaiLVcLVrVKB0Hi0t7dnRLIpbYdOY_QBhjSI_qrH92kiFySaJVAWqHUrM9sTSnDHMWIYPGXzOJ25lNoobAl3sY2raTCS3Ue8twX0BrzQucLGZ3uusOxWQ43KF3pnB6z542f65IqipZjCc8mcJL=s300" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="168" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJcnsiv5kz_CMFZT4sEcyELozHaVAQa5q7M3ibqkPaiLVcLVrVKB0Hi0t7dnRLIpbYdOY_QBhjSI_qrH92kiFySaJVAWqHUrM9sTSnDHMWIYPGXzOJ25lNoobAl3sY2raTCS3Ue8twX0BrzQucLGZ3uusOxWQ43KF3pnB6z542f65IqipZjCc8mcJL=w168-h227" width="168" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hooker</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgv-SPsRCHgn4YQWhfsQba-VCy6fUGQyfw_rXewgQlJH2g-GZRL1x_dGpFEojFdQ6SfCueZK2e6ASw4B3ZZ5E78q-2F6m313CjitTJba6zPv-6tBZ5yIJms4fpN-Q1AGM6lAEkUxL-hyy2mk_6ccLc7nZPp7A1fIEh3XDODMvAWEy4fDfDKnjU0Y0qA=s253" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="253" data-original-width="199" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgv-SPsRCHgn4YQWhfsQba-VCy6fUGQyfw_rXewgQlJH2g-GZRL1x_dGpFEojFdQ6SfCueZK2e6ASw4B3ZZ5E78q-2F6m313CjitTJba6zPv-6tBZ5yIJms4fpN-Q1AGM6lAEkUxL-hyy2mk_6ccLc7nZPp7A1fIEh3XDODMvAWEy4fDfDKnjU0Y0qA=w199-h217" width="199" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Burnside<br /><br /><br />It wasn't until Lincoln put Ulysses S. Grant in charge of the Union forces, that things began to improve for rhe north. When asked why Lincoln gave the task to Grant, the president simply replies "He fights." Lincoln admired Grant's determination as well as his skill and intelligence. Finally, he found a man that would eliminate the timid and tentative leadership that had plagued the north for so many years. <br /><br /><br />Grant delivered. There are those who write about military strategy and tactics and find Grant's approach to war repugnant. He was referred to as a "butcher" by southern historians because Grant was not afraid to take casualties or put his men in harm's way as long as the enemy suffered more than his troops did. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">By and large, he made as many enemies as friends and as many critics as admirers. But what is undeniable is that he was successful. He gave Lincoln the victory that was necessary to ensure the survival of the American republic to the present day. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In our modern pandemic-laden world, we are now in the fifth wave of the scourge. Our leadership has proven to be as risk-averse, hesitant, and tentative as the original Union generals. Nobody seems capable to making a firm decision. Everyone is careful of the language they use in the interminable news reports. Decisions are not made until poll numbers are analyzed and scrutinized. When the need arises for bold, visionary leadership, we get bumbling and mealy-mouthed platitudes from premiers, ministers, mayors, doctors, administrators and managers. We have nothing but McClellans, Meades, Popes, Hookers, Burnsides ..... when we really need a Grant. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We, the people, are like Lincoln. We want this war against the coronavirus finished. And we demand a complete victory over the virus. We must find our Grant. We need a leader, a doctor, an administrator who will do the right things, no matter the price and no matter the criticism. We need a leader who "fights." </div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzwPGiH2T_7PIKkbtyz9OlfFTAEfNl453SXWtBzthELHpdmtgUDTlXiHiFDaRsCKiUW3QMBwuOl-OkB0uCVBugV0H8-0M3bvMUEsG5kMOI795Qh-DL5oPVBDe484zjI4Gj7mdf8S9sp9fjwSAhl4G9fDfV2e4eSYnVSKA78YFBZNc-gFfGMc5IVRFM=s233" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="217" data-original-width="233" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzwPGiH2T_7PIKkbtyz9OlfFTAEfNl453SXWtBzthELHpdmtgUDTlXiHiFDaRsCKiUW3QMBwuOl-OkB0uCVBugV0H8-0M3bvMUEsG5kMOI795Qh-DL5oPVBDe484zjI4Gj7mdf8S9sp9fjwSAhl4G9fDfV2e4eSYnVSKA78YFBZNc-gFfGMc5IVRFM" width="233" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grant</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p>Johnny Laxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03183800403490386820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357287091753914108.post-67744430283537512292021-02-05T10:04:00.000-08:002021-02-05T10:04:30.800-08:00A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE<p> At the beginning of the pandemic, around the middle of November of 2019, a warning emerged from Wuhan, China of a strange and previously unknown virus that began to make people very sick. Many people who contracted this virus died. Warnings circulated despite the efforts of the Chinese government to suppress them. News agencies picked up the story in December, but the majority of the population and most governments around the world remained complacent. It wasn't until March of 2020, when cases of the virus turned up in every corner of the globe, and people became sick and died in large numbers, that governments became serious about trying to handle the plague. But it was too late: the virus had established a strong foothold and began to spread. The war against covid 19 was on.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7YK6bTyR9srRrEE31QjI_Q26JzxIr4rs5IuIwycqFbu9qyVNxRLzw3-FWO6mctqRwZTcfBR2ojlaQOQETBqVUEBwnwOhMK2O424KnPDmMLxtNOa9OBVCI4RN6eztzZAyJm7Z2WVRqxGI/s266/ppe.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="189" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7YK6bTyR9srRrEE31QjI_Q26JzxIr4rs5IuIwycqFbu9qyVNxRLzw3-FWO6mctqRwZTcfBR2ojlaQOQETBqVUEBwnwOhMK2O424KnPDmMLxtNOa9OBVCI4RN6eztzZAyJm7Z2WVRqxGI/w136-h183/ppe.png" width="136" /></a></div><p></p><p><br />In the early going, we were badly prepared. There was a hue and cry about the lack of Personal Protective Equipment ( PPE ) for hospital and Long Term Care ( LTC ) workers and other front line workers. People became alarmed at the lack of PPE and shuddered to think of LTC workers going in to care for their clients wearing garbage bags and spraying simple paper or cloth masks with lysol for the umpteenth time as they reported for work. But, eventually, governments ramped up production of PPE and, by late spring, there was enough to go around. Now, there is a constant supply of PPE and sanitizer for the general public. We identified a problem and we got about the business of solving it. </p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3x-PpSPbIOyjPhIwhoTiRuzqGNODue9fVIdylA4097m8D8IbgTxgtiHmKRKRatPr0NCHK91FjRyRJ2Lh_T3y3u6tchCs3wKSa_0YMsD4rdSzCRCxAMrQzMr_0YyAD4FihFSx_IW5BVx8/s269/covid+test.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="188" data-original-width="269" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3x-PpSPbIOyjPhIwhoTiRuzqGNODue9fVIdylA4097m8D8IbgTxgtiHmKRKRatPr0NCHK91FjRyRJ2Lh_T3y3u6tchCs3wKSa_0YMsD4rdSzCRCxAMrQzMr_0YyAD4FihFSx_IW5BVx8/w262-h176/covid+test.png" width="262" /></a></div><br />As the summer of 2020 unfolded, we grew complacent as the numbers dipped. Many thought the crisis was over and wanted desperately to resume normal life. But as the end of August arrived, and a new school year was about to start, the numbers increased. The "second wave" of covid was upon us and the numbers grew. Another hue and cry erupted about the number of covid tests being done. Medical professionals could not accurately predict how the second wave was going to evolve because there was not enough materials available for increased testing of the population. As a result, our leaders had no idea of the severity of the second wave until testing was ramped up. Testing equipment was manufactured in greater number and testing facilities were created in order to test larger numbers of people. More tests revealed more covid spread, more illness and more death. Lockdowns ensued, arguably too late to head off the worst of the second wave, but enough to start to mitigate the numbers, hospitalizations and deaths at the time of this writing. Again, a problem was identified and we got about the business of solving it. Testing is being done in record numbers. <p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMzgCX1iwJfVl5eEnWWSC2-7BkVWKx_obbs4QqMCch42RfjMyTaj6fP8QMH1EXD2-cbRAe7DhbspEJ_tXunPKOteeuRdgmuMNOpgd8jGMYOWh-0rcswdYluY4C1RNejl-lanCrZ7w9BD4/s300/vaccination.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMzgCX1iwJfVl5eEnWWSC2-7BkVWKx_obbs4QqMCch42RfjMyTaj6fP8QMH1EXD2-cbRAe7DhbspEJ_tXunPKOteeuRdgmuMNOpgd8jGMYOWh-0rcswdYluY4C1RNejl-lanCrZ7w9BD4/s0/vaccination.png" /></a></div><br />In October of 2020, two pharmaceutical companies, Pfizer and Moderna, announced that they had perfected and tested vaccines against covid 19. The world rejoiced at the news. Other companies and countries are following suit with developing vaccines. But as we journeyed into the winter of 2020-21, shortages of the vaccine began to appear. Pfizer claimed that they needed to re-tool a facility in Belgium in order to meet the demand. Moderna has not provided a reason for their shortages. It is clear that these companies have put all their resources in developing the vaccine, but not in the production of the product. People are understandable becoming concerned as the vaccine roll out moves at a snail's pace. Surely this could have been foreseen by companies and governments ? Our hopes were raised only to have them dashed. Many people believe there will be no vaccine coming for the rest of the year. People have allowed their frustration with a year of isolation and their impatience in the "quick fix" not being right in front of them to make hard and accusatory statements about their leaders or their fellow citizens. Bad feeling abound. Another doom and gloom scenario is taking hold. <p></p><p><br /></p><p>The experience of the previous crises, the arrival of the virus, the PPE shortage and the testing shortage, should provide some lessons for us. </p><p><br /></p><p>First, when problems of a large magnitude arise, we are, as a society, very slow to react. This is mainly because we just simply refuse to believe there is a problem and that those who try to sound warnings are seen as either crazy or paranoid. We think that we just have to keep going as we always have and things will be all right in the end. Obviously, this is wrong and it seems that some of us have learned from this mistake. </p><p><br /></p><p>Second, we have learned that, when shortages or lack of preparation occur, we are able to overcome them. But we don't overcome them very quickly. We've seen this before, in history. In the 1930's, few people took the threat of Adolf Hilter's Nazis seriously until it was too late. When war broke out, few countries were prepared for the challenge. But, eventually, the challenges were met and victory ultimately was claimed by the enemies of fascism. The same will happen in the war against covid. We WILL manufacture enough vaccine to get control of the virus. But it will take time. </p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl82RbbjF11ZQX-iSToDPnY40EvI8XzbYLiYHI391dyU-deYHPHB3QtQaZGsv5k1Xgxwim8vCdxR1ilW8zYSbO0vAsNKU9OauTYzFAWP0GOz5INJbv57XExFM_zbYE1-PweGmX-p0Y_nM/s253/churchill.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="253" data-original-width="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl82RbbjF11ZQX-iSToDPnY40EvI8XzbYLiYHI391dyU-deYHPHB3QtQaZGsv5k1Xgxwim8vCdxR1ilW8zYSbO0vAsNKU9OauTYzFAWP0GOz5INJbv57XExFM_zbYE1-PweGmX-p0Y_nM/s0/churchill.png" /></a></div><br />The third and final lesson from all this is that those in leadership will pay a heavy price for their lack of foresight and their refusal to be proactive in dealing with this serious threat. In the 1940's, Winston Churchill, the man who foresaw the rise and threat of fascism and who eventually led Britain to victory, was defeated in the general election of 1945. People appreciated his wartime leadership, but wanted no part of him once the war was over. Current leaders will, undoubtedly, suffer the same fate. Trump has already, thankfully, been voted out of office, for many reasons, but largely because of his poor response to the challenge of covid 19. Voters will associate all leaders, rightly or wrongly, with the pandemic and will hold them accountable for the slowness of the response, the lack of proactive vision, and the weak will to mobilize the population to fight the fight.<p></p><p><br /></p><p>What must be remembered, however, is that we, the people ..... all of us .... must take responsibility for the shortcomings. Few of us foresaw the disaster that covid has presented to us. Few of us did what was necessary at the beginning to lessen the effects of the virus. And most of us now have lost all perspective on how this will turn out. We must learn lessons from this. We must change the way we live our lives. We must change the way society does things. And we must demand more and better from our leaders.</p><p><br /></p><p>As the comic strip Pogo once famously said: "We have met the enemy, and he is us !"</p>Johnny Laxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03183800403490386820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357287091753914108.post-72702015675502182822020-12-29T12:19:00.002-08:002020-12-29T12:19:44.807-08:00PROACTIVE TIMES<p>I have been highly critical of the Ontario Provincial Government recently regarding their "response" to the covid 19 pandemic. They haven't done much right over the last few weeks and months and I've been loud and eager to point out their shortcomings. I have also been expressing my wish for a government to become more "proactive" in their thinking, rather than "reactive", which is what we've been plagued with. I have also challenged many facebook friends with my views and have engaged in somewhat heated debates with them about this topic. Today, I challenged them to become more proactive and think ahead 6 months and come up with ideas to get us safely to the beginning of summer in these "pandemic" times. I have challenged myself as well, and this is my 6 month ( or longer ) proactive view.</p><p><br /></p><p>1) In 6 months, the pandemic will still be with us. And I believe that we will be preparing for a third wave of covid 19. I can only hope the third wave will be less severe than the second wave, but we can't be certain of this. So, I am going to assume that, as we enter the summer 2021 and head towards fall, we need to plan for a third wave. And, even if a third wave doesn't materialize, we know that there will be a new pandemic just a few years ( decades ? ) away. So this alone makes me proactive. But there's more.</p><p><br /></p><p>2) There is plenty of empty or even abandonned real estate in Ontario. If a third wave arrives, these spaces should be put to use. We know that Long Term Care ( LTC ) in Ontario has been a disaster ( more about this later ), so these empty buildings should be taken over NOW by the province and renovated/repaired to become new LTC facilities. We also know that our hospitals and especially their ICU's have been overwhelmed by covid patients. We should set aside some of these buildings as exclusively ICU hospitals dealing with covid patients. This will free up our existing hospital spaces for regular patients. Let's get at this NOW instead of waiting for the third wave.</p><p><br /></p><p>3) LTC has been a gong show. We need to move NOW to remove LTC from private corporations and put them all directly under the control, ownership and supervision of the province. Make them an offshoot of the Ministry of Health. Make all workers at these facilities well trained, well paid professionals who work at ONE facility only. Make sure these workers have all the PPE they need to do their jobs. Remember, I'm thinking of 6 months down the road, but we should do these things NOW. We have failed our elders, and this is a stain on our society. We must fix it, regardless of cost. </p><p><br /></p><p>4) Six months from now, the weather will be warmer and the temptation to gather in larger groups for parties, and in bars and restaurants will be stronger. If our numbers of covid infection begin to decline, we still have much to worry about because not enough of these partiers will have been vaccinated against covid 19. Thus, the risk will still be there and the spread will happen, contributing to the third wave I discussed above. NOW is the time for the province to get serious about these large gatherings. Let's discuss enforcement and consequences for those who flagrantly disregard the established protocols. Let's talk about cottagers on the Canada Day weekend, or backyard barbeques, or bush parties. Let's establish tough penalties for those who attend these things. Let's throw people in jail and give them permanent criminal records for offenders. Let's raise fines of businesses who operate in contravention of provincial rules. Let's get tough NOW and then let everyone know what risks they run of they flaunt protocols .... and let's actually DO these tough measures instead of just talk about them.</p><p><br /></p><p>5) We need to force people to get vaccinated against covid 19. No more talk of making it "optional" and "respecting people's rights" when they refuse the vaccine. We got rid of polio in the 50's and 60's because we forced people to get their children vaccinated. Let's do the same now. In six months, I want to see the majority of the province vaccinated, and those who refuse to vaccinate hit with severe fines and even jail time for this refusal. If they feel that their rights are being violated, they should be reminded that, with rights, comes repsonsibility. Also, if they feel that they are living in a Draconian society, we should encourage them to leave by making their names known so that they become ineligible for education or employment in Ontario. And we should deny them any health coverage under OHIP or other provincial medical insurance programmes. Time to get tough, people.</p><p><br /></p><p>I humbly submit these for your consideration. These are my efforts at being proactive in the case of covid 19. Now, it's your turn. </p>Johnny Laxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03183800403490386820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357287091753914108.post-2655758867783489602020-12-11T18:08:00.001-08:002020-12-11T18:08:51.919-08:00Johnny Laxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03183800403490386820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357287091753914108.post-49947962228920394562020-12-11T18:04:00.002-08:002020-12-11T18:04:19.111-08:00UMPTEEN ATTEMPTS<p>This is an attempt to see if the platform will conform to my wishes ….. mainly in regards to paragraphing.</p><p>I have been unable to create text in paragraphs. Let's see if this works. </p>Johnny Laxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03183800403490386820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357287091753914108.post-39087543709687172302020-12-11T17:51:00.000-08:002020-12-11T17:51:22.278-08:00COUP D'ETAT IN AMERICADonald Trump has successfully convinced 106 Republican members of Congress to support his bizarrely quixotic attempt to overturn the results of the recent US general election. This band of Trumpists are attempting to go back to the Supreme Court in an effort to nullify the election. There is no precedence for this in US history. Their chances of success are small, but the disturbing aspect in all of this is that they are trying to do this at all.
American democracy used to be the envy of the world. Past elections were often hotly contested and the results have been disputed in some cases. But, after the disputes had been solved, the great tradition has always been the "peaceful transfer of power." Americans made a public display of this at the Inauguration: the outgoing President was always present to watch over the event and then was seen to gracefully leave the scene to the new incoming administration. Americans had always used this as proof that their democracy worked, and held it as an example to the less democratic corners of the world that this was how democracy was done. It was an impressive and important ceremony.
Now, Trump seems bent of destroying this. He must not succeed. As imperfect as the American republican system is, it DOES work. And it works largely because it is SEEN to work. Optics count so much in politics. When the world sees outgoing and incoming Presidents on the same stage, participating in the same ceremony, with one leaving willingly and the other entering with the blessing of the assembled branches of government, they fully understand that a new administration is in charge. But Trump has thrown cold water on the whole proceeding.
Other regimes around the world are now free to question the legitimacy of the Biden administration. Yes, the various states have certified his win. But without the ceremony of the "peaceful transfer of power", there will always be the nagging shred of doubt. This will be a nasty burr in the saddle for Biden as he attempts to restore order to the American chaos. It will be difficult for him to overcome this.
Thus, Trump will accomplish another major disruption to the American way of life. And that is entirely what he sought to do when he launched his bid to become President back in 2015. He has no interest in actually governing or solving problems. His goal was the furtherance of the Trump brand. And, in defeat, he will continue to do this. To what end ? Nobody actually knows. Least of all, Trump himself. There is a strange personal benefit to him to simply be a headline, a public figure ( whether a significant or comic figure ) to massage his massive and sensitive ego. That's what this is all about.
American democracy has survived so many significant things. It is sad that the single thing to completely undermine it, and perhaps destroy it, is a pathetic man's ego.Johnny Laxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03183800403490386820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357287091753914108.post-58133863257965125762020-11-21T12:24:00.004-08:002020-11-21T12:26:16.741-08:00AMERICA THE BIZARREIn the days since the election, we have seen the outgoing President bluster about election fraud, recounts, judicial challenges and remaining in office. He has refused to concede to the President-elect. He has refused to begin the process for a smooth transition of power. He has gone on twitter rampages. And his followers and sycophants have done his bidding, lauching lawsuits that have failed, blustering on TV and social media about the impending armageddon when the new administration is sworn in, and trying to physically halt vote counting and intimidate any state politicians who claim their supervision of the election was done properly.
None of this is particularly surprising, given the track record of the Trump administration or their supporters. In fact, it was expected. What is surprising, though is the completely silent reaction to all of this on the part of the rest of the country. Trump's constant bombast against the legitimacy of the election results is having at least a small effect on many Americans. It is now being reported that the number of people who are beginning to question the election results is going up. It seems to prove the old axiom that if you tell a lie and then repeat it often enough, it begins to take on the aura of truth, even though it is a falsehood.
Why are Americans allowing this to happen ? Why have they not taken to the streets around the White House protesting loudly and vigorously and demanding that the orange madman at least concede ? If there is such a large corps of Americans who truly hate Trump and who voted against him, why are they silently sitting this out ? It would seem that, by doing so, they are increasingly implying consent to the President's tactics.
The United States is a strange and unpredictable country. The rest of the world held its breath on election night, and then for the next few days as the vote totals were counted and the Electoral College tallies ticked agonizingly but surely in Biden's favour. America got it right, the world must've thought as Biden finally eked out a win.
But he hasn't really won yet. His transition is being held up. He is not getting essential official briefings on security, the economy and, most importantly, on covid-19. The lawsuits, while failing, are still nipping at his heels. He's being hamstrung before his administration has gotten started. It's stillborn. And that has dire consequences.
Americans are undoubtedly fatigued by all of this. Trump's administration has been draining. The election was divisive. The pandemic is cutting a wide swath through the population and, once again, overwhelming their chaotic health-care "system." The racial divide, which was a huge factor in the voting, is still a raw wound that will not heal.
Or, perhaps, there is something more sinister at work here.
Americans have always been fascinated by the raw underbelly of society. They revel in the bizarre, the ugly, the perverse, the violent. They are mesmerized by gangsters, thugs, and fighters. Even when they know it's wrong to root for these creatures, they do it anyway. They love the anti-hero, the gunslinger, the punk.
And, in this case, even if they didn't vote for him, they find Trump and his band of troublemakers compelling and entertaining. They don't want the freak-show to stop. They don't want the carnival to end. There's a part of their psychological make-up that is getting an immense jolly out of this.
And it will destroy their democracy more surely than if Trump had actually won the election. It's no longer "America the Beautiful" .... it's "America the Bizarre." And it will unfold in all its sordid glory as certainly as the sun will come up tomorrow.Johnny Laxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03183800403490386820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357287091753914108.post-44847401812769342822020-11-04T11:30:00.001-08:002020-11-04T11:30:50.415-08:00Johnny Laxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03183800403490386820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357287091753914108.post-86988878645958490252020-11-04T11:29:00.000-08:002020-11-04T11:29:34.873-08:00THE FAT LADY STILL SINGS<p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ549ztS2Hy7drwu6WL55YtAmqzbYZ7KYsRQ-OwwUBpaU3NUE1_qLT6cp6dmkGq51XJShOkz6dF1iFYdXHQuQprRmacZvylqz1Xs1YZTjNuGMG_omoFmDwwbP3NBWSVBaMjcesjHjQrKE/s1040/trump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="585" data-original-width="1040" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ549ztS2Hy7drwu6WL55YtAmqzbYZ7KYsRQ-OwwUBpaU3NUE1_qLT6cp6dmkGq51XJShOkz6dF1iFYdXHQuQprRmacZvylqz1Xs1YZTjNuGMG_omoFmDwwbP3NBWSVBaMjcesjHjQrKE/s320/trump.jpg" style="height: 120px; width: 124px;" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCkMVkKjqFt_aMXro5WHGCxrfUIzmrCCzVMWCnnoRkk3JcrXrUqT1TH-uKH69RI2aFmKxVk817qDI_KYE7xel_4qQbQVPhrKebhJgO5SjY0xwuAfx79USPvnpefIU5PoC-tqYzsbNL6Cg/s1040/trump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="585" data-original-width="1040" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCkMVkKjqFt_aMXro5WHGCxrfUIzmrCCzVMWCnnoRkk3JcrXrUqT1TH-uKH69RI2aFmKxVk817qDI_KYE7xel_4qQbQVPhrKebhJgO5SjY0xwuAfx79USPvnpefIU5PoC-tqYzsbNL6Cg/s320/trump.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7WBhoMqiem6pkRNrZjhjPG-5ui7-jucSGLf71xPR36b83j2JHi0qMKS3OcleobaGMOL41PlBUyREccBafVevOF4x2WJ8wzZMxE-wWIl0diNdTh65StDznkrkfQluJGbvCLLikWxkRONc/s1800/biden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1800" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7WBhoMqiem6pkRNrZjhjPG-5ui7-jucSGLf71xPR36b83j2JHi0qMKS3OcleobaGMOL41PlBUyREccBafVevOF4x2WJ8wzZMxE-wWIl0diNdTh65StDznkrkfQluJGbvCLLikWxkRONc/w93-h88/biden.jpg" style="height: 88px; width: 91px;" width="93" /></a></div><br />As of this writing, (Nov.4, 2020, 1:52 pm) the US presidential election is undetermined. Votes are still being counted in several key states. Biden clings to a slim lead in the Electoral College, while Trump blusters about having already won and warns about fraud due to the high number of mail-in votes, which seem to tilt towards Biden. Important races in the US Senate, House and many state Governorships also hang in the balance. The world holds its breath. <p></p><p>Lessons can be learned from this. </p><p>First, we should never put any real faith in pre-election polling. As in 2016, it seemed as though the Democratic candidates would achieve a solid victory. This year, Democrats were musing out loud about a "blue wave" that has, obviously, not materialized. Despite the advances in analytics, polling doesn't give anything close to an accurate reading in how an election will actually turn out. Polling only finds out what contacted persons MIGHT do on election day, and does not prevent people from lying, playing deliberate games of misinformation, or changing their minds. Do not put any faith in polls.</p><p>Second, we must now acknowledge that the "Trump" phenomenon is real. It is no longer just a "one-off." Four years ago, many pundits tried to explain his win as a sign of disaffection and anger in the political system. It's obviously more than that. Those two conditions still exist, but "Trumpism", more of an attitude than a coherent political philosophy, is a genuine entity that thrives now because its supporters have become emboldened by electoral success. Even if Trump ends up losing the Electoral College, he can point to the popular vote and claim that he has widespread support in all states. This is an undeniable fact. And, because of that, the grievances and values of Trump's supporters must be listened to. They are not merely a bunch of "cranks" or racists, although those things are part of the Trump package. </p><p>Third, we must continue to put faith in democratic institutions. The vote is being counted slowly because the Elections Commission is dedicated to getting the result right. There is no evidence of widespread fraud as Trump claims. When the final results are counted, we will know who the next President will be, not because Trump claims he has won. Democracy is still alive in the United States, at least for the present.</p><p>Fourth, as much as we know that Trump has millions of supporters, we also know that there are millions of Americans who reject the attitudes and values of the Trumpists. Hillary Clinton won the popular vote four years ago, and it seems that Biden will do so again. While that does not get the Presidency for the Democrats, it does show the world that decent people live in the United States, and these people have no time for racism, xenophobia, homophobia, mysogeny, ultra capitalism, and anti-intellectualism. We must applaud and support these Americans as they struggle for their ideals and beliefs.</p><p>The results will not be known for a while yet. Keep calm. Keep the faith. America is either in labour, giving birth to a new identity. It is a difficult labour. Or it could be the republic's death throes. Time will tell.</p></p>Johnny Laxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03183800403490386820noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357287091753914108.post-77623490104207087892020-09-15T06:55:00.082-07:002020-09-15T11:48:25.320-07:00POMBO<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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I had the opportunity recently to read Jon Lee Anderson's excellent biography of
Ernesto Che Guevara. The book is massive in its scope, extremely well researched
and wonderfully written. Anderson spent years going through archival material in
Cuba and elsewhere, looking at articles and scholarly papers on Che's life and
career, as well as reading Che's personal papers and poems. Anderson also spent
months in Cuba speaking to several people who lived through the years of the
Cuban Revolution and who participated in the events and who personally knew Che.
All of this research resulted in the definitive biography, in English, of this
enigmatic man.
One of the more interesting figures to emerge from Anderson's study is Harry Villegas, known more popularly as "Pombo". Pombo was born into agrarian simplicity in Cuba sometime around 1938 to 1940. His family are descendents of African slaves. As a young man, Pombo became fascinated in the growing revolutionary movement in Cuba and met up with Che and Fidel sometime around the battle of the Moncada Barracks. Pombo was not an "original" revolutionary, but grew more and more committed to the Revolution with passing time. Eventually, Pombo and Che became best friends and both served as best man at each other's wedding. More importantly, Pombo became Che's bodyguard, an essential position given the fact the the CIA had targetted both Che and Fidel for assassination, hoping to stop the Revolution in its earliest forms. Che spent much time with Pombo and his family and the bond between the two men grew firm. Anderson points out that Che, a fanatically driven man who put all his adult efforts and energies into a "revolutionary ideal", had no time to foster close friendships. That fact that Pombo and Che became friends speaks volumes as to the loyalty and devotion Pombo had for the famous guerilla commandante.
The only time that Pombo did not accompany Che in a campaign was during Che's failed expedition to the Congo. Che's reasoning was that, as an Afro-Cuban, Pombo would not be distinguishable from the black Congolese. Che felt that the Congolese needed to know who the Cubans were, in order to benefit from the leadership, expertise and revolutionary knowledge of the Cuban Communists. Pombo and other Afro-Cubans would blend in too much and the Congolese would not be able to learn from them. One today would think that this logic is counter-intuitive, and that the Congolese would be more willing to learn from fellow Africans, but Che was firm in his strategy. Pombo must have been hurt by not being included in the campaign, but was spared any humiliation when the campaign failed miserably.
Pombo accompanied Che on all other missions, both military and diplomatic. Through his association with Che, this simple Cuban farmer got to see much of the world and met several world leaders. He distinguished himself as an able commander, who led many of Che's columns in jungle warfare. Pombo was a member of Che's final campaign in Bolivia in 1967. He and Che and several other guerillas attempted to foment a Revolution among the peasants of Bolivia, but their efforts were fruitless and they were relentlessly persued by the Bolivian army, supported by the CIA. When the Bolivians closed in to what was left of Che's forces, Che insisted that Pombo and two others try to escape the noose that was being tightened on their positions. Pombo initially refused and insisted that he stay with Che; he then attempted to convince Che that it was possible for all of them to slip through the Bolivian positions. Che refused, insisting that the Revolution would only succeed if there were no surrenders, but he ordered Pombo to try to escape in order to get reinforcements for Che's guerillas. Pombo did get through, but it took him almost a year to get home, travelling around the world in secret, avoiding capture by the CIA several times. Pombo was one of the last Cubans to see Che alive, and his arrival back in Havanna confirmed Che's assassination at the hands of the CIA.
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To assume that Pombo was merely a sidekick to Che, a type of "Sancho Panza" to Che's "Don Quixote" is a tempting analogy, but it is inaccurate. After Che's death, Pombo rose through the ranks of both the Cuban Communist Party and the Cuban army. He led the Cuban forces in the Angolan insurrection in the mid 1970's, achieving great military acclaim and fighting the anti-communist forces to a virtual draw. He published many books on the subject of revolutionary and guerilla warfare and has been considered one of the formost experts on that topic, second only to Che himself. When Pombo retired to private life in Havanna, he was accorded two high honours: he was made a "Commandante" of the Cuban forces, a rank only held by the elite; Fidel and Raul Castro, Che, and Camillo Cienfuegos. And, after his retirement, Pombo was declared a "Hero of the Revolution" by Fidel himself. That status is the highest anyone in Cuba can aspire to.
Harry "Pombo" Villegas died in Havanna on December 29, 2019. His passing was noted in many obituaries around the world, but in Cuba, his passing was mourned by the nation. He was one of the last surviving members of the Cuban Revolution. And he is the enduring symbol of the good and loyal friend, a man who would be identified by many as a confidante of one of the most significant figures of the 20th century. The living links with history eventually all pass away. Only Raul and a handful of others remain of the "glory days" of Cuban independence. Eventually, they too will pass, leaving Cuba with a more tenuous hold on the very revolutionary ideals which, for half a century, defined them as a country. Pombo would hope those links will never die: time will tell.
Rest in peace, Pombo.
Johnny Laxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03183800403490386820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357287091753914108.post-35406939428286803982020-08-14T06:05:00.001-07:002020-08-14T06:07:29.843-07:00I'M BACK BABYAfter a significant time away, I'm happy to say that I'm back on this blog site. I have noticed some changes to the format, so I'll have to get used to them. But most importantly, I'm back.
These past few months have been a challenge for all of us. We are slowly starting to emerge from the cocoon of pandemic isolation. I've actually been to a patio for lunch with a buddy of mine .... once. And we've had friends over to our back deck for socially distanced drinks .... 3 or 4 times. Not normal.
We also have reconnected with our extended family and went to a cottage in late July for a holiday. It was lovely and we had a wonderful time in beautiful weather.
Will we continue to emerge from the cocoon ? Will life ever get back to "normal" ? Or perhaps we'll create a new "normal" during these next few months. Or maybe the pandemic will come back, full force, in a "second wave". Time will tell.
Anyway, it's good to be back. See you soon.Johnny Laxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03183800403490386820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357287091753914108.post-86196410978544623012020-06-30T16:48:00.001-07:002020-06-30T17:10:55.356-07:00WARTS AND ALL ....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Time was, I had an absolute blind crush on Canada. Like most, I came to adore my northern land, confident in its goodness, superior morality, and Dudley Doright-like honesty. That was the myth we were raised on back in the halcyon days of the 60's. We were the children of Centennial Year, Expo, the Leafs winning the Stanley Cup most years.<br />
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We had just created our new flag. And we had a prime minister that was young, cool, stylish and brilliant. We were a young country, we were told, and the future would belong to us. We were not stodgy old England, or corrupt France, or violent America. We were the new kids and we were going to create great modern things. As Pierre Berton later called it, it was "The Last Good Year." <br />
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The mythology, as John Ralston Saul describes it, was in full force. We still had all the stereotypes and institutions that our ancestors created. We venerated these stereotypes and believed that they were unquestionably true.<br />
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The Mounties always got their man.<br />
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Maple syrup ran like liquid gold from tall and stately maple forests.<br />
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Our trains, mighty and unstoppable, criss-crossed the continent, taking those things we hewed or drew from the earth to markets around the world. <br />
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The winter brooded, dark and deep for half the year or more, toughening us and defining our solid if unspectacular nature. <br />
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These were simple concepts, and we could all believe in them because they were pleasant, easy, charming and precious to us. <br />
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We gave the world two of the toughest sports in the world, hockey and lacrosse. We knew, of course, that lacrosse was a gift of the Indigenous people, but they were "our" indigenous people, so that counted as "Canadian." <br />
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Those games were not wide-spread in the world, which made them more characteristic of us. Unknown, subtly violent, "manly" and carved from the forest and frozen ponds, anyone in foreign countries who knew of them knew that they were "Canadian" and best left to the semi-wild inhabitants of that northern land. <br />
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And there was the land itself, the biggest myth of all, one we could sink our teeth into. Western mountains, vast oceans of prairie grassland, the never ending forest, our own version of "old Europe" in North America, and the charm of Atlantic villages perched defiantly on the ocean's craggy shore. It was immense, unknowable, unfathomable. It staggered the imagination of those from the "old world" and exhausted their imaginations. And it was ours, all of it … owned by we few, we happy few, who had dominion over all the land and all it contained. It was the crowning glory to our lovely little myth. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlZgRzYLXV2AhNgCQ54Ip6Z8i2bPG3dnvz8ibe-B9SdyM5VvpYLnaz06gdAWxOgM4Ulj-Dj2qCYxXQJPdHgN9jTcpslkQw5BY2uNFm9ZuqeivrOmYsejeDNMXMPQgN_xEruMSDj4k9_s4/s1600/atlantic+canada.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlZgRzYLXV2AhNgCQ54Ip6Z8i2bPG3dnvz8ibe-B9SdyM5VvpYLnaz06gdAWxOgM4Ulj-Dj2qCYxXQJPdHgN9jTcpslkQw5BY2uNFm9ZuqeivrOmYsejeDNMXMPQgN_xEruMSDj4k9_s4/s200/atlantic+canada.png" width="200" /></a>We have all grown up since those halcyon days. The world has become old, cynical, and harsh. Myths die hard, but die they must. And new realities come forward with startling clarity. We now see our Parliament buildings, once the architectural symbol of our connection to glorious histories, as the home of partisan politicians and avaricious lobbyists who seek to line pockets instead of building a nation. We see our police in a new light, flawed and sometimes all too human, mostly good but occasionally horribly bad or ineffective. We see our huge and gorgeous land now scarred and dirty, old before its time and robbed of its youth and vigor. We see our countrymen and women now as strangers and aliens, with startlingly different ideas and goals. We have been rocked by scandal, horrendous crime, violence, inept leaders, and racism and bigotry that we never knew existed in our previously peaceable and lily-white kingdom. We have been shaken to the core by a pandemic that has tested our resolve and willingness to be kind to one another. And we have been found wanting.</div>
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Still, we try. We know now that we have committed many grievous errors towards the Indigenous people who first arrived in this land. We have so far to go to make things right, but we have started. We still have natural wonders to delight the soul. But we also know that we have to become better stewards of the land, and the air above us, and the water we need for life. We still create filth, but we now feel guilty of it and try to reduce our impact. We know that Canada has different faces among us and different beliefs and ways of life, and we are becoming more accepting of this truth, although some still resist and show intolerance. And we know that the future will not necessarily be bright and cheerful and happy, but it could be better despite the challenges if we begin to make sensible decisions. We have a long way to go. And the best thing we have is our people: all of us.</div>
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We are a great country, warts and all !</div>
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Johnny Laxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03183800403490386820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357287091753914108.post-14381325988034274912020-06-11T12:51:00.003-07:002020-06-11T12:51:54.472-07:00THE NEW SPARTA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's a part of most kids' history education in Ontario. The grade 11 "Ancient and Medieval History" unit on classical Greece. And one of the most popular aspects of that unit was a survey of Sparta. The legends were attractive: a society based on values such as courage, fortitude, strength and sacrifice. The Battle of Thermopylae, the stand of "the 300" under the inspired leadership of Leonidas, defeat only through betrayal and deceit. The kids seemed to enjoy it and I certainly enjoyed teaching it. <br />
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The reality, of course, is much more nuanced and complicated than a unit in a high school history course. Sparta's reputation in the modern mind is unsullied. Sparta's reality in the study of serious history and scholarship is full of controversy and flaws. We know that, unlike contemporary Athens, classical Sparta was no democracy, nor was it a center of art, architecture, literature or philosophy. Spartans referred to themselves as "Laconians" and the modern word "laconic", meaning dull, inexpressive and even anti-intellectual is derived from this ancient term. There are no gleaming marble temples, columns, or statues left behind by the Spartans. No lyric or epic poetry. Only the legends of military endeavor.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYi2JrisAyynrpBZX1winqFZAYJymCHtpDJOnm5ORzMTZpg30V9pHhYZDvYR5y0f6CuAtZjq1-CmgpXvB1quQjXKVWXz4AaMuBiYrzcW_-Kap3dhnRjUiPTjRA4swsH7DTnMb2P0aRpGY/s1600/spartan+social+structure.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="177" data-original-width="284" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYi2JrisAyynrpBZX1winqFZAYJymCHtpDJOnm5ORzMTZpg30V9pHhYZDvYR5y0f6CuAtZjq1-CmgpXvB1quQjXKVWXz4AaMuBiYrzcW_-Kap3dhnRjUiPTjRA4swsH7DTnMb2P0aRpGY/s320/spartan+social+structure.png" width="320" /></a></div>
Sparta was an oligarchy. The social structure of Spartan society is probably well known to most readers, so a only a brief summary will appear here. Like most societies, Sparta can be represented by a pyramid, showing the relatively small number of true citizens, the "Spartiates" at the top, and the enslaved "Helots" at the bottom. The helots were the largest component of Spartan society and were used to do most of the labour, certainly the menial jobs that always need to be done. Because they were enslaved and enjoyed few if any rights or freedoms, there was always the risk that the Spartiates could be overwhelmed by the sheer number of helots, should the slaves ever decide to throw off the yoke of servitude. Indeed, a helot uprising in the 5th century BC almost succeeded, which, the legends say, caused the Spartiates to create the intensely military-based society that ensured the survivability of the upper class, but also ensured the absence of all the characteristics of a truly "civilized" society discussed in the preceding paragraph. All true Spartan citizens dedicated themselves to the pursuit and education of martial arts, discipline and stoic adherence to a code of fortitude and service to the state that endures in our imaginations to this day.<br />
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In modern times, there are disturbing trends that indicate that a return to the Spartan ethos is not that far away. Recent events in the United States creates concerns that that country is heading in that direction. A direct comparison is often helpful, but we must also be aware that there are so many differences between the two societies under investigation. Having said that, the following items are offered for the reader's consideration.<br />
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Like most societies, ancient and modern, the social system in the US can be shown graphically as a pyramid structure. In the case of Sparta, as discussed above, it was necessary to have this structure because of the large number of slaves who did the majority of the work and the small number of citizens who controlled them. In the US, there is an economic oligarchy, small in number but rich in power and resources, who occupy the small upper echelon of the pyramid. Lower echelons denote the other economic classes: upper middle, lower middle, working, working poor and underclass. In this chart, the suggestion is that the lower middle class and working class are the vast majority of the American population. There could be some debate about actual numbers and even about nomenclature of these classes, but most people would agree that this a fairly accurate representation. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTd0uMcv_f-qnV_za84w75g2x76GcHR8U67qamlnPPPGgBA8ReznTMb1UXo_4cq9D-NL9D8OAdbK5IeH6bXsJMrPlpF35s9ycUfMruH75MRGxWYLnf7ku-PSyWi0QSLgTdvqpAFl7cDqo/s1600/us+class+structure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1207" data-original-width="1308" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTd0uMcv_f-qnV_za84w75g2x76GcHR8U67qamlnPPPGgBA8ReznTMb1UXo_4cq9D-NL9D8OAdbK5IeH6bXsJMrPlpF35s9ycUfMruH75MRGxWYLnf7ku-PSyWi0QSLgTdvqpAFl7cDqo/s200/us+class+structure.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
The pie chart on the right gives an approximate breakdown of the percentages of the membership in the economic classes in the American population. With only 3.6 % of the American population being in the upper class, there is a vast majority that do not control much of the wealth, power and resources of the country. The big difference, of course, is that there was no middle class in Spartan society. In the US, the middle and working classes enjoy some of the benefits of the prosperity of the country, and can exercise a vote in elections to hold some political power. In Sparta, the "inferiors" and "perioeci" had little power. In both cases, however, the upper class had little to fear from these middle groups. But the lower classes were and are a source of some interest. Thus, as in ancient Sparta, modern American society shows a society where power, wealth, influence and prestige is concentrated in a small number of people. Those at the top are, undoubtedly, concerned about the masses below them and what threat the masses pose to them.<br />
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Demographically, the lower classes in the United States, like that in Sparta, are increasingly made up of people who are ethnically different from the dominant or middle classes. In Sparta, the helots were largely made up of slaves who were captured in battle and came from other areas inside and outside of Greece. They were not true Spartiates. In the United States, the same ethnic situation arises. In the not far distant past, the population of the US was overwhelmingly white, with small pockets of Indigenous or African-American people on the periphery. Today, the white segment of the US population is still the largest, but segments of non-white people are growing. The chart on the left shows this. With an approximate 60-40 % split, white people in the US are realizing that it will not take long for the "ethnic" portions of the country to supplant them as the majority and perhaps even become larger segments of the population. <br />
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The potential "threat" to the upper echelons of the US population are perhaps shown in the chart to the left. A disproportionate amount of both the African-American and Hispanic populations live in poverty. That's not to say that all of those segments suffer economic hardship: but those who do suffer and are members of the working poor or poor tend to be black or brown and less so white. This is a problem that ought to receive attention, inasmuch as poverty itself is a problem. But when ethnicity is added to the mix, the potential for tension arise. White Americans tend to make up the bulk of the upper and middle classes in the United States and could possibly see the "other" ethnic segments of the population as threat. Recent events in the US, showing systemic racism and excessive use of force against minority persons, especially African-Americans, seems to indicate that white America is prepared to maintain their dominance by force, and are preparing to do so.<br />
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Spending on law enforcement in the United States is growing. The chart at left shows that approximately 4% of the Discretionary spending in the US budget went to law enforcement. Forbes Magazine reports that the amount is approximately $100 billion US on law enforcement, with a further $80 billion US on incarceration. Scenes on television and online of squads of heavily armed police, with body armour, Kevlar vests and helmets, shields, tear gas and rubber bullet launchers, automatic firearms and armoured cars create the atmosphere of a paramilitary army of occupation, ready to inflict maximum force to maintain the social status quo upon its citizens, mainly of lower social and economic classes. <br />
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The information is not completely conclusive as to the complete similarity of the modern US to ancient Sparta. But the trends are interesting to contemplate. Certainly, the increased use of paramilitary force to keep "the mob" in line sounds very much like the perceived need of the Spartiates to maintain a military superiority over the lower classes in order to prevent rebellion and overthrow, which would replace the old order with a new.<br />
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Just how far the US intends to go to crush dissent, prevent assembly of citizens seeking redress, and punish those who seek to re-distribute power remains to be seen. But heavily armed US police are looking more and more like the hoplites that became the pride of ancient Sparta.<br />
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<br />Johnny Laxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03183800403490386820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357287091753914108.post-19775749055479258432020-05-01T12:56:00.000-07:002020-05-01T12:56:16.905-07:00COOL, MAN !When I was a kid, I wanted desperately to be like a couple of the leading figures of the 60's and early 70's. Young kids are engaged in a struggle to establish an identity for themselves and often look to role models for guidance. Family members and friends are usually not good for this, for the simple reason that they are too familiar, too close and too readily available. <br />
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For me, I wanted to be just like John Lennon. Not just the John Lennon of the early iteration of the Beatles, but the John Lennon of the last few years of the band, when he set himself apart from the others as the rebel, the "bad boy" of the group. To be sure, all the Beatles were in some ways "cool" but Lennon was the acknowledged leader of the group and, thus, the most "cool." His style, his manner and, most of all, his music made him the object of my admiration. While Paul McCartney was writing lovely songs like "Hey Jude" and "Let It Be", and George Harrison was developing his art with "My Guitar Gently Weeps", Lennon was rocking his way through "Revolution" , "Dear Prudence" and "Happiness is a Warm Gun". These were songs that were edgy and ones that your parents were sure not to like, while they would hum along to the McCartney tunes.<br />
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Thus, the search for "cool" began when I was around 13 years old. What is "cool"? One could consult the dictionary and find a formal and somewhat stodgy definition that helps in the beginning of understanding of cool. Part of it is a certain rebelliousness: Lennon had that in droves. I wanted that.<br />
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But later, I discovered another guy that helped me define the term. Around age 16, I discovered the music and style of Cat Stevens. Now, this was a guy who I definitely wanted to emulate, mainly because a girl I liked back then was in love with him. I really liked the image of Cat. The beard, the long flowing hair, the dark mystery of him … and, of course, so much musical talent, although it was not really like Lennon's. There was not much edgy or rebellious about Stevens' music. But it was very introspective and philosophical, which was part of his "cool". As I grew older, I tried to mimic Stevens. I learned the guitar mainly because of him, I tried to grow a beard ( successfully, in my 20's ) and let my hair grow longer. But, while Stevens was dark and brooding, my beard was Celtic red and my hair was straight and somewhat thinner than his leonine main. Oh well, it was a good try.<br />
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My search for cool expanded beyond music in my later teens. I became a huge fan of Pierre Trudeau, our first and, really, only "cool" Prime Minister. There was a certain ice water in the man's veins. He was a coldly rational and pure intellectual man, which I admired. But there was also a steely toughness about him. My two favourite cool Trudeau moments were when he was accosted at the St Jean Baptiste parade in Montreal in 1968 , when objects were hurled at the reviewing stand where he was seated. His security detail wanted to get him out of there for fears of the growing Separatist and FLQ threats and mounting violence and agitation of that night. Trudeau refused to show fear or weakness and toughed it out, dodging bottles and rocks thrown at him and he chided his guards, telling them to leave if they wanted to, he was staying. Man, that's balls. <br />
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The second example of Trudeau cool was during the height of the October Crisis in 1970, when the FLQ kidnapped two people, murdering one of them. Trudeau called in the army through the War Measures Act and went eyeball to eyeball with the terrorists. But that wasn't the cool part. One day, Trudeau was confronted by a reporter on Parliament Hill, challenging the implementation of the War Measures Act. Trudeau stood his ground with the reporter, giving back to the man, and actually making the reporter look and sound stupid. When the reporter asked the PM just how far he'd go in this showdown with the terrorists, Trudeau famously replied, "Just watch me." That was badass.<br />
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In university, my search for a cool icon branched out, depending on what I was studying. When I was studying English lit, I looked to a whole raft of heros: Shakespeare, Marlowe, Chaucer, Byron, Cervantes … the list was endless, but the problem with these figures was that they were long-dead and there were only imprecise images of them. Only their words, their fantastic words, made them cool. But of more modern writers, Leonard Cohen was unmistakably cool. His poetry and music were terrific and, again, he was unbelievably popular with women. He wrote few novels, but one of them, "The Favourite Game" was, and still is, a novel I enjoy. The protagonist was a thinly-disguised Cohen : confidence bordering on arrogance, bravado, love of music, wine and women … it sounded like a recipe for success to me.<br />
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When I studied history, though, it was undoubtedly Ernesto "Che" Guevara as my cool icon. In my many visits to Cuba, I have become fascinated with the man, mainly because of the legend of this quixotic revolutionary, tilting at windmills and courageously beating against the stream. The truth of his life is somewhat less romantic, but no matter: after Corda's famous photograph of the idealistic revolutionary "commandante", gazing into a wondrous utopian future, Che's true life story didn't really alter my view of him. Like Cat Stevens, Che had the "look" that I wanted to emulate because women loved it. Only recently have I broadened my knowledge of the man: I still admire him, but I no longer idolize him. He had his faults, massive faults …. who doesn't ?<br />
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In more recent years, Barack Obama has held a fascination for me. I completely have a "bromance" going for the last good President. His sweeping intellect, his poetic speeches, his breadth of knowledge on so many diverse topics make him attractive. But, more than that, his class and elegance speaks volumes. While President, Obama had to endure some of the most outrageous slurs, attacks and charges against his character, his family, and his policies. And he fought back with intelligence, charm, wit, humour and patience. I don't know how he did it. If it were me, I'd be slinging the mud back at my detractors harder and with more fury than they hurled it at me. And, in the age of Trump, his voice and timing are appreciated more than ever. He doesn't go after Trump repeatedly or viciously, as Trump goes after him. Obama waits for the right moment, then unleashes the right words, delivered with grace and dignity, but clearly critical of the buffoon who currently holds the office of President. "Elegance" is the word that best defines Barack Obama. <br />
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And in my own family, I had a cool role model as well, although I didn't see him as often as I would've liked. My mom's younger brother, John Day, my Uncle Jack was always a cool guy to me. Good looking, good-humoured, a fine family man, stylish and suave: that was my Uncle Jack. He had an appreciation for nice cars ( Jaguars, mostly ), boats, good food and drink. And he was a genuinely nice guy, always with a smile and a good word. We lost Uncle Jack this past March, a very sad thing indeed. But I will always consider him one of the coolest guys I've had the pleasure of knowing.<br />
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So, after all that, how does one define "cool"? I guess the safe answer is that there is no one, single thing that sets a person off as cool. For me, it's a combination of all the things described above. A "cool" guy has to be smart, elegant but not showy, confident without arrogance, a slight swagger to him, rebellious but not dangerous or foolish, talented in many ways, appreciative of the good things in life but not overtly materialistic, quiet but able to converse intelligently on a variety of topics, willing to admit when he's wrong or does not have a certain knowledge, willing to learn new things, and, above all else, have charisma. <br />
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And the most important thing I've learned: you can't acquire cool, you have to be born with it. Johnny Laxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03183800403490386820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357287091753914108.post-87326869926730689022020-03-31T12:22:00.001-07:002020-03-31T12:26:26.085-07:00THE POST-PANDEMIC WORLDIn the previous blog, I recounted the history of "The Beveridge Report", a landmark document that shaped the way Britain re-organized itself after the chaotic life-or-death struggle of World War Two. The Report was truly one of the greatest endeavours in the twentieth century, although it is little known today: in fact, it was probably little known at the time. In my blog, I expressed a hope that, in the midst of the existential crisis in which we now find ourselves, someone somewhere is preparing a type of Beveridge Report to re-create our world after we emerge from this pandemic.<br />
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My version of what this Beveridge Report would look like would encompass many good ideas from other people. It is clear to me that the pandemic is not just a single phenomenon, or a stand-alone issue requiring maximum effort and a single solution. Like the Second World War, the pandemic has many fronts and presents many symptoms of problems that our society needs to address as an organic whole, and not piecemeal and in an ad hoc fashion.<br />
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The pandemic has exposed many weaknesses in our global, unregulated capitalist economic system. The most glaring weakness is in the fragility of the free market. Stock markets react like paranoid schizophrenics to the slightest challenge. Supply chains are extended so far around the world that shortages emerge at the earliest outset of trouble. Corporations and small businesses that extoll the virtues of capitalism and entrepreneurialism cry for government assistance when things get tough. We have seen the rise of less regulated business in the last 40 years or so, and this crisis, along with previous prove that unfettered capitalism is not desirable. A return to a more interventionist and more heavily regulated economic system must be part of the new Beveridge Report. Stock markets must be shut down at the start of a clearly defined crisis. Supply chains need to be tightened up and sourced more locally. And governments must not be afraid to step in and put corporations on shorter leashes. More red tape? Fine, the tape is applied for a reason.<br />
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Along with this, the pandemic has forced all of us to reevaluate our definition of and appreciation for work. Prior to the pandemic, there was an unofficial but clearly understood hierarchy of labour. Certain jobs were held high in esteem, usually associated with levels of academic education. Other jobs, involving manual labour or done by large numbers of people, were held in lower esteem: indeed some jobs were the subject of sarcasm and derision by the "higher-ups". That must end now. We have seen how people such as grocery store cashiers, stock handlers, and food preparers are necessary to our society. We see how garbage pickup and recycling sorters are needed. We miss our bartenders, baristas, servers, cooks, dishwashers, cleaners and busboys/girls. We now pay attention to those behind the scenes who keep the drinking water flowing, the sewers working, the electricity coming on at the flip of a switch. We are now singing the praises of truck drivers, postal workers, delivery and courier people, transit workers, dockyard workers and air crew. <br />
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The hope is that, after the pandemic, we don't just slide back into our complacency and old ways. What's needed is a plan to ensure that ALL workers earn a decent wage, a wage that will allow them to take care of themselves and their families, that will put food on the table, a roof over their heads and clothes on their backs, take care of their ageing parents and allow for a better future for their children. There must be expanded health, dental and pharma care for ALL people, to keep us all healthy. There must be expanded pensions for ALL citizens beyond the meagre scraps we now hand out to our seniors.<br />
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One of the ways that this can be done is though the concept of the Guaranteed Annual Income ( GAI ) that has been proposed by many, including Martin Luther King Jr., and one of the last truly "Progressive" Conservative thinkers and political leaders in Canada, Hugh Segal. Segal was a minister and bureaucrat in the governments of Brian Mulroney, and, in his later years, has advocated for the GAI as a means to eliminate poverty in the world. The GAI would ensure that things like EI, welfare, and pensions would be more efficient. It would establish a figure that a person needs in order to live a good, healthy and productive life. It does not ensure that people can do nothing and live like a king, although there will undoubtedly be abuses and abusers out there, just as there are now. People who work and are paid decent wages will not draw on the GAI unless their wages are below the established figure. And, when a person is sick or doesn't work for legitimate reasons, the GAI kicks in and ensures he/she is comfortable, fed, healthy and has some money to buy necessary products, keeping the economy going. The GAI needs to be part of the new Beveridge Report. Who pays for this ? You will.<br />
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The pandemic has also exposed failings in our health care system. Despite our prior beliefs, this pandemic has stressed the system to the breaking point and has shown just how unprepared we are for such things. We don't want to believe that pandemics are possible: we just too clean, too safe, too advanced and too superior for such things to happen. Well, they do and they will again: the next pandemic is just around the corner, ready to explode on us when some unknown virus decides to mutate and look for hosts. <br />
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Clearly, the need to get rid of any notion of private, for-profit medicine has to go. The United States is the poster child for for-profit health care and it has suffered badly in this pandemic. That's not to say that countries with a socialized health care system has fared much better: look at the disaster in Italy. But a need to put patients first, before profits, must be the top priority in the new Beveridge Report. And, as stated above, the inclusion of dental and pharma care in the health care system is a must.<br />
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But along with this, there needs to be a large, well-funded and dedicated "force" whose sole job it is to prepare for and deal with pandemics, epidemics, and mass casualties. It must be a separate entity from the conventional hospitals and clinics we now have. Thinkers like Robert Reich in the US have advocated for this type of service. Call it the "Pandemic Force" if you wish. The Pandemic Force ( or PF ) would exist as a medical paramilitary entity. Just as the military is composed of personnel, equipment, and bases to train for and deal with the next war ( and eating up billions of public dollars for such an eventuality ) so the PF would be a sizeable force of well -trained and well-equipped professionals who act independently of conventional medical workers. The PF would have its own facilities for housing and training the professionals and for treating the victims of the next pandemic. Plenty of large unused building dot our landscapes: old factories, schools, stores and malls: they could easily be re-purposed for such a use. When there is no pandemic, the PF professionals would be constantly training and re-evaluating their procedures. There would be strict protocols in place for when the PF would be used and how they would supersede conventional medical practice. And they would have the ventilators, medicines, masks and gowns, diagnostic equipment, cleaning and sterilizing equipment, food and nourishment they'd need to exist and do their jobs. The military gets billions of dollars for similar needs: so too, the PF should get what they need, because as previously said, we know the next war is coming: so too, the next pandemic.<br />
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In a similar vein, we need to re-think our approach to mental health. We have been in the midst of a mental health crisis in Ontario ( and, I suspect, other jurisdictions as well ) long before the pandemic hit. We don't know how to deal with mental health issues. As a result, we have too many people struggling with REAL problems alone and unsupported. Addiction to alcohol, drugs, gambling and sex have ruined lives and torn families apart. People with serious mental health problems are often dealt with by the police with , despite better police training and good intentions, tragic consequences. People with mental health issues are often placed in correctional facilities, left to languish and get sicker, with no hope for a better future.<br />
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As I advocated for the so-called PF, there needs to be a separate entity to deal with mental health patients. I have seen how certain outreach programmes are helpful for people living on the streets. These outreaches are small and dependent on funding or donations and, largely, volunteers with little or no training, just good intentions. We need to create a "rapid response force" similar to police, firefighters or paramedics, whose job it is to respond to those who are in a mental health crisis, who are trained in how to deal with such people without resorting to lethal force, and who can administer mental health "first aid". As a second part of such an entity, mental health hospitals should exist exclusively for such patients, separate from conventional hospitals. Anyone who needs mental health services, as out-patients or who need to be checked in, will be allowed to use such facilities. In doing so, we can eliminate the stigma of needing mental health help, and create an atmosphere where real research and development, training and mental health practice can occur.<br />
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Many might wonder, if we create these new facilities, what would be the role of regular hospitals and regular health care professionals ? They would be free to practice conventional medicine: accidents, injuries, trauma, acute illness ( heart attacks, strokes, etc ) and chronic illness ( cancer, autoimmune, etc ) , pediatrics and geriatrics. In other words, our conventional hospitals, doctors, nurses and support staff can practice medicine as we expect them to do. <br />
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Finally, the Report should deal with environmental and climate change issues and initiatives. Why? This issue was the burning issue of the time immediately before the pandemic hit, and the international conversation revolved around whether there was a need to exert maximum effort to curtail the effects of man-made climate change and environmental degradation. Proponents of such an effort called the issue an "existential crisis", but those opposed could not see the immediate or long-term effects of the change. Now, with the economy slowed down substantially because of the pandemic, we are experiencing improvement: better air quality readings, cleaner water, wildlife returning to old habitat, fewer vehicles choking highways and roadways, fewer jets soaring overhead. The pandemic can be thanked for this opportunity to see what large scale cutbacks in our profligate ways can bring. Now is the time to bring about the end of the gasoline and diesel engines: now is the time to bring more solar, wind, hydro and geothermal generated power: now is the time to expand transit to make the roadways clearer. And internet conferencing removes the need for corporate workers to fly to international destinations as much for face-to-face conferences, although these traditional conferences will undoubtedly still need to happen: just not as frequently.<br />
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There are many other things that can be re-thought after the pandemic: retail commerce, travel and tourism and education come to mind. The possibilities are endless. We have a unique opportunity to create a better world from this chaos. There will be those who oppose such changes, mainly because they don't like change itself. Other reasons for opposition will undoubtedly come from those who see a reduction in entrepreneurial gain. Others will react badly to the higher taxation which will be needed to fund these new initiatives.<br />
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My solution to the problem of naysayers and doubters and opponents ? Shoot them. Line them up against a wall and shoot them. All of them. And do it in front of their family and friends <em>pour encouragez les autres.</em><br />
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OK, I'm kidding about the above paragraph. There will be opposition, just as there was to the original Beveridge Report in post-war Britain. Atlee, the Prime Minister at the time, merely brushed criticism aside, or ignored it, and forged ahead with the reforms, opposition be damned. That is what we should do here. Ignore it. Treat it for what it is, which is mostly whining by people with limited vision, lazy aspirations and a willingness to let their own interests and greed override the common good. <br />
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Thus, I submit my Report. Read it slowly, thoughtfully and more than once. And agree with it … don't make me buy a gun !! ( just kidding, I hate guns …. archery ? )<br />
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<br />Johnny Laxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03183800403490386820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357287091753914108.post-219430984182647202020-03-25T14:11:00.001-07:002020-03-26T08:09:27.407-07:00HOPE AFTER THE VIRUS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In the early days of the Second World War, Britain was in the fight for its life. All of Britain's European allies had been knocked out of the war by Hitler's Germany. In the Pacific, Britain's possessions and dominions were under threat from the advancing Japanese empire. Britain's own empire was sending help in the form of troops, ships and supplies, but they were not enough. The Soviets were engaged in a life-or-death struggle of their own with the Nazis, and the United States did not enter the war officially until late 1941, but did not ramp up enough men and materiel until late 1942. Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister, held Britain's war effort together almost literally with his own two hands, and the survival of that island nation was nothing short of a miracle of luck, tenacity and courage.<br />
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A second miracle, interestingly, was also happening behind the scenes. While Britain was preoccupied with the war effort, a commission was enacted that would dramatically shape the post-war world and, in no small way, alter the way Britain and many other countries defined their societies and how people would interact with each other. And, most importantly, this commission re-invented the role of government in a way that would be profound and long-lasting.<br />
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According to Churchill's biographer, William Manchester, the Prime Minister knew that Britain would have to change after the war. The suffering, the privations experienced by most of the population, the entire way of doing things needed to be put right. Amazing to think of such foresight from a man who was one of the most privileged in Britain, a true blue-blood aristocrat. But he had lived through the turbulent times of the rise of Britain as a world power in the late 19th century, only to see it shattered in the bloodbath of the First World War and the terrible economic uncertainty and upheaval of the 20's and 30's. He knew that the nation would not stand for a return to the status quo after the Second World War. He knew that the whole social structure of class and privilege must come to some type of re-ordering … to ignore that would lead to a possible revolution resembling the Bolshevik experience in Soviet Russia.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sir William Beveridge</td></tr>
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Or so Manchester would have us believe. In reality, this great change came about at the behest of Churchill's health minister, a man named Ernest Brown, who realized that the system of insurance, particularly health insurance was in need of an overhaul. It was a rather clumsy, outdated and inefficient system. Churchill, immersed in the war effort, agreed with Brown that such an overhaul was needed. Brown gave the assignment to an accomplished but little-known man outside of politics called Sir William Beveridge. Beveridge took on the assignment with relish and, while bombs rained on London and the population was transfixed on surviving the existential threat of Nazism, Beveridge and his team created one of the seminal works of social planning, the so-called Beveridge Report.<br />
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A summary of the Beveridge Report here would take up much space. The reader can look it up for him/herself. But the nub of the matter is this: not only was Britain's insurance sector reformed, the entire health and welfare system was as well. Churchill, when he saw the Report's final copy was dumfounded by the breadth of the reforms, but Manchester insisted that Churchill would've enacted most of it. Alas, Churchill and his Conservatives were turfed out of office in the post war election of 1945: the British people needed his bulldog spirit during the fighting, but wanted nothing to do with him in peacetime. The new Prime Minister was Labour's Clement Atlee. Atlee endorsed the Beveridge Report whole-heartedly and saw, correctly, Churchill's defeat as a signal that the British people wanted fundamental change. Atlee and his colleagues set about creating, for better or worse, the modern post-war welfare state, with all its social safety nets and programmes.<br />
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While Britain languished economically in the 20 years after the war, it can be argued that the working classes in that nation were healthier, better cared for, and paid more fairly for their work. I remember having a conversation with my old Grandad, a Cambois coal miner, about Britain from the end of the war until the late 60's. I never knew if he was a Labour supporter, but he told me, in no uncertain terms, that conditions for working people in Britain improved greatly.<br />
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We are now living through a period of great turbulence in the world. The current Covid 19 pandemic is perhaps the tip of the iceberg: we have been enduring a 40 year period ( since the days of Thatcher and Reagan ) where the social safety net has been whittled away, and rampant capitalism has been allowed to flourish. Working people have seen the purchasing power of their wages deteriorate. Power and wealth is more securely concentrated in the hands of a few. Democracy is under attack from human and cyber sources that distort the truth and bend things in the favour of the wealthy. And now this severe pandemic has hit us and made us think of our society and how things are being done, and how they ought to be done.<br />
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An enlightened government should, in this time of crisis, endeavor to create another Beveridge Report. While we are all preoccupied with surviving this terrible virus, and while we watch thousands of our fellow citizens fall ill and even die, someone should be working on "The Plan" for the world post-pandemic. There are so many things that need to be re-thought, re-purposed, and re-prioritized. This is the perfect opportunity.<br />
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I'd like to believe such a government exists. And I'd like to hope that someone, somewhere, is willing to take on Sir William Beveridge's challenge. Who will plan the brave new world that will be born, kicking and screaming, out of this pandemic? Who has the vision and the guts ?<br />
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We need that person NOW !Johnny Laxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03183800403490386820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357287091753914108.post-67316978307392914462020-03-16T13:33:00.003-07:002020-03-16T13:37:08.796-07:00NOTES ON A VIRUSIn 2003, Lou and I visited Heron Island, a small outcrop on the Great Barrier Reef off Queensland in Australia. We booked a few days at a small resort on Heron at the end of a wonderful but tiring tour of Australia, thinking it would be a nice way to relax and recharge before returning home. It proved to be just that, and, as we usually do, we made some new friends at the resort. They were all farmers from New South Wales and were having a small holiday of their own during the Aussie winter after a hard year of raising cattle and growing rice on the driest continent on earth. Our conversations spanned many topics, and I was amazed to learn of their efforts to grow what I thought was a crop that needed wet conditions in such a dry place. From there, the conversation touched on how humans could manage to do amazing things by altering the environment to meet their needs. Most of us nodded our heads in approval to such modern-day alchemy.<br />
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One farmer, however, was noticeably silent. His friends knew him well and knew what was coming of course. He took a pull on his pint of beer, shook his head and began a quiet but well-measured and well-thought dissertation on how all of this was going to be the ruin of all of us. His friends smiled and quietly chuckled: they'd heard this before. But Lou and I listened with great interest. I don't recall his exact words, these 17 years later, but his final offering has stuck in my mind ever since. "Well, it is obvious, isn't it? We're the plague. We're the ones who are ruining things. There's too many of us."<br />
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That year, 2003, was the year of SARS. I remember that, as our travel date approached, we were worried whether Australia would let us enter the country. Toronto was one of the epicenters of SARS, and we thought our Canadian passport would open up a world of difficulty for us. It turned out not to be the case. We entered with no difficulty whatsoever, although a couple of Aussies offered some commiserations to us for being the last ones left alive from Toronto to carry on. <br />
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Now, we live in 2020 and the word "Covid-19" has taken on the same worrisome connotation as SARS or the Black Death from medieval times. We are, as of this writing, in the process of shutting down the country, with extraordinary measures enacted for the first time since warfare, or since the last major pandemic, the Spanish Flu of 1918-19. We have seen the best of humanity ( such as the selfless and tireless work of people in the health care professions ) and the worst of humanity ( the hoarding and panic buying of basic supplies, and the mindless racism of those who just need a flimsy excuse to hate). We practice "self-isolation" and "social distancing" in order to "flatten the curve" of the statistics of new cases, proving that, if nothing else, our modern times is clever in the invention of catchy phrases.<br />
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But the Aussie farmer's words …. " we are the plague" …. ring true most of all. There are just too damned many of us on this planet. We number around 8 billion …. how many other organisms number this many? Insects, yes, and bacteria and germs without a doubt. Maybe fish in the sea or birds in the air ? Maybe. But large, intelligent, social and rapacious animals ? No, we're the highest number. And the results have come home to us in a hard way.<br />
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Our numbers have seriously altered the planet on which we live. We take and exploit what we need to maintain our modern lifestyle, and we don't bother to put anything back. We live cheek-by-jowl in huge and ever-growing cities. We breathe each other's breath more than we care to know. We depend on food and other materials from far-flung corners of the globe, just to keep us comfortable, fashionable, over-fed and over-medicated. And we just don't care about the cost whether it be environmental or in our collective and individual health.<br />
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The Aussie farmer was commenting directly on the environmental price we humans are exacting on the planet. And that price is going up steadily. Until the advent of Covid-19, the hot topic was climate change and environmental degradation, and it certainly stirred up a lively debate and actually some effort to solve the problem. But it took a new version of the Black Death to make us actually pay attention to our spend-like-a-drunken-sailor ways. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNJBs22a-uVlK3TJtU96d3rLR7jn2MmiLFgv7jf39fjE3tobbMS-fNxgjwJ2Ny7oSz6YeS4esrI5b8MNi0EssDYCtmBwm1xq23qBurzgP_J0TNuAsxNN8JWJ_G0gaB4XBhclz7rYr6YmA/s1600/black+plague.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="198" data-original-width="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNJBs22a-uVlK3TJtU96d3rLR7jn2MmiLFgv7jf39fjE3tobbMS-fNxgjwJ2Ny7oSz6YeS4esrI5b8MNi0EssDYCtmBwm1xq23qBurzgP_J0TNuAsxNN8JWJ_G0gaB4XBhclz7rYr6YmA/s1600/black+plague.jpg" /></a>Only when things begin to affect ourselves in a personal way, only when the existential threat of death by sickness, only when we realize that family and friends are in imminent danger of becoming incapacitated and ill, do we take this seriously. Climate change ? How does that affect me? I like warm and sunny weather. If Canada becomes more like Florida, that'd be great ! Wait, what ? I might get sick and die soon? Hell, we'd better do something about it NOW !<br />
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There's no doubt that self-isolating and social distancing, along with good handwashing and staying home from work or school will ultimately stop the exponential rise of Covid-19 cases. And soon, there will be a vaccine for it. But, before the cure happens, millions will be affected, and many of them will die.<br />
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Will we learn from this ? Will we make a determined effort to lessen our numbers and our impact on the planet. Let's hope we have the time to tell.<br />
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Johnny Laxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03183800403490386820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357287091753914108.post-66796707322530876102019-10-19T10:36:00.001-07:002019-10-19T10:40:17.840-07:00CRINGEWORTHY? HELL, YEAH, HE'S CRINGEWORTHY.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Many people find him off-putting. They call him and his wife cringeworthy. And he is, without a doubt. His trip to India a few years ago, complete with family dress-up as a well-to-do Indian family going to a wedding was, frankly, embarrassing. He has a tendency to smile too much, to pose for selfies with people, to sound giddy and over-joyed when conversing with others. His speeches, especially in the early years of his government, were often too much laced with hyperbole and over-praising ( remember his toast to the Queen in year one of his government?). Opponents take these things and claim that he is too child-like and just "not ready" to govern.<br />
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Recent incidents are more serious. His "brownface" photos, taken 18 years ago when he was dressing up for a costume party, were offensive to most. He shouldn't have done that, but I won't say more at this point for risk of becoming a hypocrite myself. And the SNC-Lavalin affair was a very serious mistake, although to call the incident a "scandal" is far too extreme. ( If it is scandalous, let the RCMP investigate and bring charges: hasn't happened yet. ) The departure of high profile female cabinet ministers and a MP didn't help his cause.<br />
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He flipped on the issue of electoral reform. He infamously claimed that the 2015 election would be "the last under the First Past The Post" system. Then, he dropped electoral reform like a hot potato without much explanation. People have, quite correctly, pointed out this as a serious error in judgement. He should not have said what he said, but, when the phrase was out there, he should have at least had the pretense of investigating electoral reform instead of shelving it completely.<br />
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And his government claims to be in favour of action on climate change and the environment. Yet, his government bought the floundering Trans Mountain pipeline project, in which an existing pipeline would be doubled in capacity. Environmentalists and many First Nations howl with anger at this, claiming that he can't be serious about climate change and still own a petroleum pipeline. <br />
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All these seem to suggest that this man should not get any support in this upcoming election. We should not vote for him. We should send him packing. <br />
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I say that this is utter nonsense. He should be given one more chance. We should vote for him and his party. Why? Let me explain.<br />
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On the issue of his cringeworthiness. Yes, it's embarrassing, but so what ? Others dress up to try to curry favour with various groups at various times. Have you seen photos of the other politicians at the Calgary Stampede ? Or when they are being accorded a high honour by a First Nation ? Or attending an international conference or summit. Trudeau tends to be a bit over the top, but that's because he likes costumes. How many of you like costumes? Sure, there's a line to be drawn and he's gone over it, but that's not enough to hang him. And smiling and selfies ? Come on …. he's friendly and a "people-person" … nothing wrong with that. In fact, that's a strength.<br />
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On the issue of his "brownface" photos. They were apparently taken in 2001 … 18 years ago. He was 28 years old, not a kid to be sure, but still a young man. He probably only had a vague idea that he was going to go into politics back then, and probably didn't have a firm idea that he would eventually become Prime Minister. He was determined to win a costume party contest. He was single and posed with several nice looking young women: was he hoping to get laid? Without a doubt. Attitudes toward such costumes weren't as firm almost 20 years ago as they are now. I did it back in the 70's with the same intent as Trudeau probably had. Was he ( and I ) trying to provoke some white supremacist agenda? Hell, no. Should he ( or I ) have done it back in the day. Also, hell no. But he ( and I ) did and apologies have come out and embarrassment has been registered. Will it happen again ? Hell no, it won't. So, move on.<br />
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On the issue of the SNC-Lavalin affair, I have already written. To summarize, he did something that has been done before ( trying to get a "deferred prosecution agreement" ) for SNC in order to help that company stay in Quebec and preserve jobs. Should he have pressured his Attorney-General to assist in getting the dpa ? Well, no, although I suspect that this has happened before and will happen again. What role did Jody Wilson-Reybould play in the subsequent embarrassing situation ? A HUGE role, and I assert that she and her friend Jane Philpott and others did so with Machiavellian political motives to upset and replace Trudeau as leader. So, again, we must move on …. unless, down the road, there's an RCMP investigation. More will be written later, perhaps.<br />
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On electoral reform. This one is something he'd like to have back for sure. Any kind of electoral reform must surely have some amendment to the Constitution, and every government since Pierre Trudeau has learned NOT to open up the Constitution again, for fear of every wing-nut with a cause or issue to come forward and demand that it be included in any Constitutional consideration. As Mulroney learned, to his cost, with Meech Lake, try this at your peril. Trudeau promised too quickly and then had to backtrack, a correct move, but handled clumsily. Again, we move on.<br />
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On the issue of the pipeline, and the environment in general. The pipeline, first of all, is NOT a new pipeline. It already exists. This initiative is twinning the existing pipeline in order to double its capacity of delivering Alberta crude to tidewater for export. It makes sense, even though it is very expensive and potentially damaging to the environment should a spill take place. But Trudeau killed all new pipeline plans … also correctly. And his government has stated that, while environmental reform is necessary, it simply can't proceed as quickly as people like Elizabeth May have suggested. We need time to make the transition. Meanwhile, other pro-environmental initiatives move forward. Trudeau's Liberals have a good, not great plan, and unlike the Green plan, it will work. Will it work in time ? We all have to hope so. And, unlike Andrew Scheer and his colleagues, Trudeau has a plan. Scheer does not. <br />
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Relations with First Nations are strained. They always have been. They always will be. I say this without being cynical. First Nations are NOT one homogenous group. There are several First Nations, each with their own agendas, each with their own demands, all legitimate. And the First Nations are skilled negotiators and skilled in public relations. Progress must be made, but, like the environment, progress is painfully slow. Trudeau has acknowledged the Report on Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls … has Scheer ? No. Trudeau has pledged to continue to work on Indigenous issues. Scheer has not. <br />
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In his favour are several things: first, the economy is moving along nicely. Unemployment is down to historic lows. Real estate continues to move along nicely. The stock market is performing as "normal", whatever that means. How much credit should Trudeau take? None, actually, but no other government should either, but they all do. So, he gets to claim that the economy is doing well under his watch. Secondly, he delivered on his pledge to legalize the sale, distribution and ownership of marijuana. The roll-out in Ontario has not been smooth, but that's a provincial error, not Trudeau's. Third, he said he'd move ahead on doctor-assisted death, a sensitive issue, but one which most Canadians wanted, and he delivered. Third, he has moved to assist in the settling of refugees in Canada, a noble and justified act. Many don't like this, but that's another issue that reflects more on the critics than it does on Trudeau. Despite the critics' fears, there's been no parade of ISIS fighters down my town's Main Street, and I doubt it's happened in yours either. In other words, we HAVE NOT been "swamped" by these people. We can take them in and help them. We're a big, rich country. Fourth, he was blind-sided by the madman who occupies the White House on the issue of NAFTA. Trudeau was handed a difficult and time-consuming assignment: negotiate a new NAFTA that somehow appeases Trump, but doesn't harm Canada. His government did so, with patience and class. Great credit goes to Chrystia Freeland for this, but Trudeau was the Prime Minister, and nothing happened without his knowledge, input or permission. He did well. Finally, despite what Jody Wilson-Reybould and Jane Philpott claim, Trudeau IS a feminist, and he supports equality of the genders in government as far as he is able and espouses feminist causes internationally and domestically. He walks the walk.<br />
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Therefore, he deserves a second chance at being Prime Minister. It may be because the alternatives are not palatable or possible. That's fine. Better the devil you know. But it is also because Trudeau has, despite his many flaws, a good track record and will continue to have one.<br />
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But, because of his flaws, he now has a short shelf-life. If he wins, even a short minority, he has to govern wisely. And then, he has to leave. No third term for him. His flaws have made him less "sunny" to Canadians. <br />
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And the next Prime Minister has to be female. No if's, and's, or but's. It has to happen.Johnny Laxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03183800403490386820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357287091753914108.post-51701610887957107032019-10-18T14:50:00.002-07:002019-10-18T15:00:32.763-07:00THE BIG TENT ?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Trying to understand Canadian Conservatives today is a lot like understanding an iceberg. You see some of it clearly and above the surface and you think, "yeah, that's it … I've got it. I understand what an iceberg is." But, of course, most of the iceberg is below the surface, menacing, dangerous and beyond what we can see. I'm pretty sure the captain of the Titanic thought he understood icebergs before that fateful voyage in April of 1912: how did that work out for him?<br />
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Conservatives like to refer to themselves as a "big tent." The meaning is pretty clear. The big tent has plenty of room for everyone, no matter who you are. It sounds inviting, doesn't it ? Lots of nice people, gathering together, keeping warm, sharing some stories and laughs. Rather like a great big sleep-over. <br />
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Well, let's open the flaps of this big tent and see who's inside.<br />
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The notion of the "big tent" began to take shape in Canada with the merger of the old Progressive Conservative party and the upstart Reform Party in the 1990's. The former party was fairly traditional, popular with many Canadians, mostly because of its rather oxymoronic name. How you could combine "progressive" and "conservative" into one phrase defies logic, but somehow, the PC's managed to make it work. It was the party of John Diefenbaker, Robert Stanfield, Joe Clark, John Robarts and Bill Davis. Bland, dull and steady, they formed governments that, mostly, worked well. But they weren't conservative enough for many in western Canada, who were tired of the PC's losing more than they were winning. Hence, the birth of the Reform Party of Preston Manning, Stockwell Day and Stephen Harper. But there was a problem: as long as two conservative parties ran candidates in federal elections, the Liberals cleaned up. So, conservatives did what they do best: they had a nasty internal civil war in which the Reformers beat up the PC's and created the new and quite successful Conservative Party of Canada (CPC), inviting Reformers and PC's and anyone else who wanted to join their "big tent". Who came in?<br />
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Traditional capitalists and the business class are in there. No surprise here: going back to the days of <br />
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Sir John A. Macdonald and the original Conservative Party, the business class has had their interests looked after by politicians on the political right. Business favours politicians who don't rock the boat, who are steady and unchanging, and who generally believe that government should get out of the way of business and let economy chug along unhindered, or at least with a minimum amount of political interference. Yes, capitalists are in the big tent.<br />
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But look ! Alongside the business class are rural Canadians, those noble folk who till the land and tame the beasts and provide us with our food. Living out in the hinterland, they have always been conservative in nature out of suspicion of city slickers, fast talkers and flesh merchants. Actually, rural Canadians have legitimate grievances against their urban cousins, mainly because they are outnumbered by the city folk, and because they feel urbanites don't pay attention to their concerns. Farmers have always been in the big tent, and they always will be.<br />
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Let's see … who else? Ah, religious fundamentalists are here too, mostly Christian, but not exclusively so. Well, God and Jesus must've been conservative, right? Well, not Jesus surely …. a bit of a radical. Oh wait, we're not talking about the actual Jesus of the New Testament, we're talking about the Jesus of evangelicals. Those who don't need any intermediary to understand the will of God because God actually talks to them. Evangelicals have a complete monopoly on morality and proper behavior and shrink away from liberals, intellectuals and non-believers as though they were Satan himself. Gays and transgendered people are obviously sinners and the spawn of the devil. Minorities are inferior because they don't look like the pictures of the Jesus that THEY see: pale white skin, blondish hair, blue eyes, smiling despite the wounds. Yep, religious fundamentalists are in there all right.<br />
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And lookee this ! Xenophobes are here. Like their evangelical cousins, they don't like people who don't look, sound, act or think like them. Forget about the possibility that other ideas or cultures might be rich and beautiful: if it's different, they don't want it. They don't understand how people can be different. Xenophobes do NOT want minorities to be in the big tent, but understand that some of them have to be there because they might vote conservative for various (mostly economic) reasons: just keep them in a different corner of the tent, please.<br />
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There's something moving in the darkest corner. Ah, we can see them: militarists, gun lovers, militia members, lonely men who can't get laid, violent video game players. There they are, skulking in the shadows of the tent. Why are they here? No one else would have them, and they can't stay in their parents' basement forever. The big tent has mostly males anyway, so, as long as they don't have to interact with the few women or minorities, they're happy to stay there and play until they get really angry and decide to shoot something: hopefully, just on their video games.<br />
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Are there any women in the tent? Well, look around and you'll see …. lots of men. Wait, there's a <br />
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woman …. and over there, another one. Oh, and a few more scattered here and there. Hmmm, they don't seem happy somehow. More like "content" to be here. As long as there are strong, wise men, these women are content to be here, making about 80% of the money the men make, letting the men decide all the nasty stuff regarding reproductive rights because these women hate their own nasty bodies and don't want to get upset having to decide all that stuff. Besides, the tent needs some hostesses to serve drinks and food, right? <br />
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Who else do we have ? Well, over by the big group of capitalists are workers who look up to their bosses because they believe that, one day, these workers will be bosses too, or at least rich when their stock portfolios finally pay off. No unions for these folks ! And even if they don't become the next Donald Trump, it doesn't matter: they've got jobs and are just thankful to have them. Um, they still have jobs, don't they ? Oh, the jobs are going oversees ? Or taken over by machines ? Ah, who wants to work anyway? Their stock portfolios are just about due to come in big. <br />
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Hmm, we've seen enough of this. Time to get out of the tent and get some air. Why?<br />
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Because modern Canadian Conservativism isn't a big tent after all.<br />
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It's a hot mess. Johnny Laxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03183800403490386820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357287091753914108.post-69570762341879596172019-08-26T09:45:00.001-07:002019-08-26T09:45:57.097-07:00BEST FOOD IN ONTARIO<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Many years ago, Lou and I were given a wonderful gift. We had an opportunity to attend a special tasting session at DISH café and cooking school. The evening featured a multi-course meal prepared by the young executive chef David Chrystian. Chrystian was something of a wunderkind in the culinary world of Toronto in those days. He had, in his twenties, become the executive chef at Accolade Restaurant, in the old L'Hotel on Front Street. From there, he went on to cook at the Drake Hotel, Victor Restaurant and was a contestant on Top Chef Canada. When we attended his evening at DISH, he was just starting out.<br />
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It was a fun evening, as I recall. Chrystian was accompanied by a sommelier from Accolade, and the two of them provided an amusing and informative running commentary all the way through the event. There may have been 10 of us sitting around a circular countertop, overlooking the cooking area and we watched intently as a master craftsman went about his task. There were about 5 courses in all, and we not only watched and interacted intently with him, but we devoured the food that was presented to us. It was absolutely delicious and we had so much fun. But what I remember most of all was this.<br />
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At the height of the main course, which was a delicious rack of Ontario lamb, wonderfully garnished and roasted to absolute perfection, Chrystian was asked a question as to what he considered to be the best food experience and value in Toronto. We were visiting in mid summer, with ingredients and choice at their height, so we listened intently for his answer. He thought about it for a moment and then said, "The best value and the best food for flavour right now is an Ontario barbeque." We were a little amazed and surprised by this answer …. I guess we were hoping for some miraculous pearl of wisdom, some inside information on a new restaurant or dish, some brand new cuisine to be shared. But a barbeque ?<br />
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In the years since that visit, I've thought about Chrystian's words carefully and have come to the conclusion that he's absolutely right. In the height of summer, why would anyone pack themselves off to a restaurant to enjoy someone else's cooking and food when the bounty of our rich province is literally at our fingertips? Take a little drive to any local farmers' market and just look at the variety and seemingly endless supply of fresh, colourful, absolutely delicious food. Buy some. Take it home, prepare it carefully and then do your best at the barby.<br />
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I've taken Chrystian's words to heart. I love to cook and consider myself to be a pretty good amateur. A few years ago, I got rid of my gas grille ( I refuse to call it a "barbeque" ) and got a simple Weber pot charcoal barby. And the results, if I say so myself, have been pretty good. I always barbeque on Sundays in the summer, and we invite my mom over. Last night's menu was simple, but pretty darn good: barbequed pork chops, pureed sweet potato, roasted heirloom carrots ( oiled and herbed ) and fresh steamed green beans. That was followed by wonderful Ontario sweet yellow corn. Strawberries ( from an "ever-bearing" bush ) with maple walnut ice cream and some whipped cream was our dessert. <br />
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We're lucky to live where we do. Ontario is blessed with some of the best farmland to be found anywhere in the world. The only problem is that our growing season is relatively short. But that makes it more worthwhile when it's available.<br />
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Do yourselves a favour: forget the restaurants until the fall, winter or spring, or unless you're travelling. If you're home, get to the farmers' markets, and dust off the barby ….. and get cookin' !!Johnny Laxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03183800403490386820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357287091753914108.post-84014483613321971822019-08-17T13:54:00.001-07:002019-08-17T14:01:59.426-07:00AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I follow many people on social media and one of those whom I respect a great deal is Robert Reich, an American academic, author and political figure. Reich's facebook page and twitter account is a rich source of humour and insight, particularly on the current political, social and economic situation in the United States. I find Reich's views to coincide with my own: hence, my appreciation of his ease in expressing these views and the accuracy of his observations. I'm not suggesting, by any means, that Reich is completely correct in his musings, but I agree with most. <br />
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Reich's credentials are impressive. He has degrees in law and economics from some of the most prestigious universities in the world. He served as Secretary of Labour ( Canadian spelling mine ) under President Bill Clinton, and has served in advisory capacities to President Obama. He is a regular contributor to some of the best publications in the world and on television. And, as mentioned above, is a regular contributor on social media.<br />
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Today, Reich tweeted a satirical piece directed to the people of Denmark, apologizing for Trump's recent musing about the purchase of Greenland from the Danes and ending with the phrase that most Americans "care deeply about the world." I came to that phrase with a jarring thud and quickly composed a polite and careful rebuttal on the thread, in which I expressed my view that, while Reich and his twitter followers may indeed "care deeply about the world", the vast majority of Americans did not. I cited my own experience with American travelers in several countries and of American travelers visiting Canada. If you log on to Robert Reich's twitter or facebook accounts, you can read my comment for yourself: I was pleased to have inspired a lengthy discussion, all of it quite civil and most agreeing with me and apologizing for the American attitude to the world, and some disagreeing, but in a most polite and interesting way. I enjoyed the discussion.<br />
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But the discussion has got me to thinking. Why do I and so many others believe that Americans have a woeful lack of knowledge of the world ? Why do Americans have the general perception that the world is, as I described it, "droll … amusing … inferior" in comparison to the United States? Why do so many Americans not bother to get passports and go to explore other parts of the world? Why do Americans fear the world so much? The answer to these questions lies in the concept of "American Exceptionalism."<br />
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American Exceptionalism ( hereafter cited as AE ) is a concept as old as America itself. The earliest settlers to America were largely Puritans, whose beliefs and world view was very Calvinistic. The framers of the US Constitution were influenced by a belief in AE. But the term really gained significance in the mid 19th and early 20th centuries. Alexis de Tocqueville used the term to try to explain why the emergent American nation was so different to most of intellectual and enlightened Europe. Later, Joseph Stalin was credited with using the term in order to describe why the United States would never be a convert to Marxism. And, most recently, President Ronald Reagan used the term several times in an effort to give voice and vision to the "Reagan Revolution" sweeping America and lasting into our present time. <br />
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Reagan's vision was taken from Lincoln and many other writers and thinkers. He was fond of using phrases like "a beacon of hope", "a shining city on a hill", and "the world's last best hope" in describing what America was and what its mission on earth was to be. It swept him into office and kept him there for two terms, and allowed for his successor, George HW Bush, to be president for one more term: an astonishing 12 years for the "Reagan Revolution" and AE to take hold. So popular and so pervasive was AE that even more liberal or moderate presidents, such as Clinton, Bush Jr. and Obama, have cited AE as a reality.<br />
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The modern interpretation of AE is as follows: America is NOT simply another nation among many on earth. America is NOT just one member of the international family of nations. It IS, in fact, the best of nations. It does more, it creates more, it thinks more than any other nation. It is inherently greater than all other nations. Its opinion matters more than any other nation. It's strength is unrivalled by others, and others must fear its power and wrath. It is a belief in the almost infallible nature of American thought and deed. And it has a divinely inspired mission to convert the rest of the world to its belief system and way of life.<br />
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That, of course, is a very broad stroke with a heavily opinionated brush. But there are those who will, I'm sure, nod their heads in full agreement with my description. In fact, my former students might remember a unit in a course I taught at GL Roberts. The course was the old ELI or English Literature course at the OAC level. One of the units in that course was entitled "The Wilderness and the Promised Land." It featured a general survey of the so-called "Covenant Theology" pervasive in American Literature as it originated from the Old Testament and in early Puritan Colonial writing right up until the modern period, with novels such as "The Great Gatsby" and "The Grapes of Wrath." I was inspired to teach this unit because of two sources: first, a course I took as an undergrad at the University of Western Ontario taught by the wonderful professor Dr. Geoffrey Rans. And second, as a collaboration with my colleagues at Roberts, notably Larry Simpson ( from whom I stole the title of the unit ), Ross Garnett and the late Geordie Guile. Those fine teachers helped my formulate the unit, and, as most young teachers do, I ran with their ideas and added my own.<br />
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Essentially, the unit's thesis was that Americans, right to the present day, consciously or unconsciously, subscribe to the notion of Americans being exceptional, indeed "chosen" for greatness. The AE allows Americans to advance, exploit and rule. They become rich, they become powerful, they become admired because of this AE. Or so they think.<br />
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There's no doubt that America has done and created many marvelous things. They are, indeed, a great nation. But they are not the only great nation on earth. And they are not the only ones who have done and created marvelous things. The world tends to shake its head when it hears Americans speak of their AE. And, in these charged times, AE has never been louder, never been more brash, never been more of a threat to the peace and stability of the whole world.<br />
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Thus, Robert Reich's promise that most Americans "care deeply about the world" rings hollow. It's interesting that Mr. Reich himself has not commented on the thread on his own tweet or facebook post. It would be most interesting to hear what he might have to say about all this AE stuff. And I would be immensely flattered if he had something to say in response to my post. I respect Mr. Reich very much …. but even he is victim of the AE.<br />
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Johnny Laxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03183800403490386820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357287091753914108.post-86215458660750816402019-07-29T08:02:00.000-07:002019-07-29T08:04:50.910-07:00BORROWING BEAUTY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the most popular musicians of the 80's and 90's died recently. Johnny Clegg was a co-founder and performer in the South African bands Juluka and Savuka. Clegg gained international fame with his music, which was a fusion of modern pop and rock with traditional Zulu "konga" music. The blend was musically catchy, but, more importantly, the lyrics contained in the songs were significant. South Africa was in the last throes of apartheid, and Clegg was on very shaky ground with South African officials. His first band, Juluka, was formed with his good friend Siphu Mchunu, a Zulu. Just associating with Mchunu and being seen in the largely Zulu townships was breaking the law. Juluka was a multi-racial and multi-gender band and could not get air play in South Africa. It wasn't until the world became aware and offened by apartheid that Juluka's music gained popularity, particularly in the UK ( where Clegg was born ) and in North America. I remember listening to "Scatterlings of Africa" and being enthralled and impressed by the music. Juluka began to tour internationally, with Clegg and Mchunu performing traditional Zulu dance with the songs. When Mchunu left the band, Clegg formed another fusion band, Savuka, and continued to tour until illness forced him to stop two years ago. Cancer claimed him at age 66.<br />
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Clegg was not without his detractors. Early in Juluka's success, the noted African jazz musician Hugh Masakela referred to Juluka as "poppycock" because it was not genuinely African. From that moment, Clegg had to constantly fight off criticism of "cultural appropriation", a new phrase that heaps scorn on those who borrow elements of another culture to produce art, literature, music or fashion. Clegg's critics pointed out that Clegg was not born in South Africa, although his family emigrated there when Clegg was a boy and Clegg had South African citizenship. Critics wondered why an "Englishman" wanted to lead the fight against South African apartheid. Worse than this, however, was the fact that Clegg and many of his bandmates were white, but dressed in traditional Zulu warrior attire and wrote, sang, performed and danced to Zulu music. Critics also blasted Mchunu and the black bandmembers for allowing this appropriation to occur and called them stooges of the white majority. Without doubt, those criticisms stung and may have been a contributing factor in Mchunu's departure from the band.<br />
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In Canada, the author Joseph Boyden came under heavy fire for cultural appropriation for his highly successful novels, the most famous of which was "The Orenda". In Boyden's case, the appropriation was problematic because Boyden claimed to be a mix of white and Indigenous ancestry, and tried to be an advocate of Indigenous causes. It later came out that his claims of Indigenous ancestry were highly doubtful and he has changed his explanations many times, walking back Indigenous claims. Despite all that, his novels are enjoyable to read, extremely well-written and historically accurate, to a degree common with all historical fiction.<br />
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The cases of Clegg and Boyden raises some troubling questions in the discussion of cultural appropriation. The main question is this: "how far does one go in attempting to create art with elements of a foreign or different culture to one's own." Clegg and Boyden are modern artists and, it goes without saying, that we live in highly charged times, with sensitivity to such things reaching extreme levels. Clearly, in Boyden's case, he was misrepresenting himself as Indigenous and trying to speak on Indigenous issues as an Indigenous person. He was wrong to do so. But his literature is wonderful to read. And his intentions were and are good. Clegg's case is similar. He did not claim to be Zulu, but claimed, rightly, to be African even though he was born in the UK. He spoke out against apartheid, an evil system widely condemned. And he could claim, with merit, that his international success hastened the end of <br />
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the ugly system that entrapped and demeaned millions of people in his adopted homeland.<br />
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If we apply a rigid standard of cultural appropriation, then who is safe from it ? The noted American contralto Marion Anderson, hailed as one of the greatest operatic voices in history, should never have studied opera. She should have restricted herself to singing the spirituals that were the staple of music in the Philadelphia black neighbourhoods where she was born and grew up. Opera is a European cultural achievement, and Anderson and other black artists were "appropriating" it for their own creations. Similarly, one of the greatest conductors in the history of classical music is the Japanese maestro Seiji Ozawa. Ozawa was born in modern day Manchuria, which was under the occupation of the Japanese before World War Two. He studied piano until an injury forced him to study composition and conducting. His long career ( including a stint as the artistic director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra ) has earned him accolades, all well deserved. But his native Japan has its own musical forms and, as we know, classical music is a European creation.<br />
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There is no doubt that some forms of cultural appropriation are indeed demeaning and insulting: at worst they are blatantly racist. Sports nicknames such as Redskins, Indians, Eskimos, Seminoles and others are completely unacceptable because in some cases they are obviously pejorative. And dressing up as an "Indian" or using blackface at Hallowe'en is wrong. These are obvious and generally agreed infractions.<br />
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But borrowing from other cultures to create art must be seen as acceptable. Anderson and Ozawa are among the great gifts to the world, even though they created in art forms not original to their own cultures. Where would we be without Elvis Presley or the Beatles or the Rolling Stones, who essentially sang rythmn and blues, a product of American black culture? Golf fans the world over celebrate and admire the achievements of Tiger Woods, a mixed race sportsman playing a Scottish game. Denzel Washington has played Shakespeare, and Eminem is still considered a master of hip hop.<br />
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Are these people wrong to do these things? Of course not.<br />
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The world hungers for beauty. Art, literature, music help provide beauty in our often harsh lives. And artistic creation is still considered one of the highest things to which people can aspire. If beauty can be borrowed with respect and reverence, then it should be borrowed and used.<br />
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For that, we should all be grateful to the late great Johnny Clegg …. may he rest in peace.Johnny Laxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03183800403490386820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4357287091753914108.post-1224825280275204222019-06-08T13:15:00.002-07:002019-06-08T13:15:35.720-07:00THE CULT<em>And the world, the world drags me down ….</em><br />
<em>Inside her, you will find sanctuary ..</em><br />
<em>She sells sanctuary.</em><br />
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In 1979 and 1980, two seemingly unrelated events changed the course of the world for the last two decades of the 20th century and into the first two decades of the 21st century. In 1979, Margaret Thatcher emerged from the internal chaos of the UK's Conservative Party. In 1980, Ronald Reagan won the presidential election in a landslide, heralding the start of the "Reagan Revolution." Neither Reagan nor Thatcher were particularly well known or well thought-of before their accession to power. But their time in office spawned a dramatic shift to the right, politically and economically, that gave rise to the lunatic fringe of right-wing politics and social attitudes of today. In many ways, the current iterations of this right-wing revolution has taken on the characteristics of a large and well-entrenched cult.<br />
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In the UK, Thatcher was a hard-line conservative who scorned her colleagues in the Conservative Party led by Edward Heath. Thatcher found Heath and his colleagues too weak, too eager to compromise with unions and Europeans. When she became Prime Minister in 1979, she made it a personal crusade to "bring Britain back" from what she saw as the chaos of the post war years and through the 60's into the 70's. Britain was going through a prolonged experience of rising unionism, culminating in the Coal Miners' Strike led by Arthur Scargill, and many Britons, who saw the rise of the welfare state begin crumble, feared that civil authority was being replaced by a type of workers' revolution led by the coal miners. Thatcher saw this as the cause of the wide-spread economic malaise that plagued Britain for decades after the war. She pledged to stop it, and enough Britons felt that she deserved a chance to establish order.<br />
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In the US, Reagan was seen by Americans as a folksy, pleasant, quiet-spoken man who represented a vague idea of "old" American values. The US had been badly shaken by the experience in Vietnam, and by the "counterculture" of youth, drugs, rock music, hippies, civil rights and feminism that had characterized the 1960's. As in Britain, a type of fatigue had set in because of the rapid pace of social change that made mainstream Americans look for a leader to establish order. Added to the failure of the American war in Vietnam and the loss of international prestige and leadership, this yearning for a strong leader became visceral. The assassination of John Kennedy, the failure of Lyndon Johnson, the corruption of Richard Nixon with Watergate, and the too-nice and ultimately weak persona of Jimmy Carter made the election of Reagan inevitable.<br />
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Together, Thatcher and Reagan found each other as types of "soul mates" and began to imprint their vision of how the world should be on the two leading countries in the English-speaking world. They both espoused "supply side" economics, and a belief that government should get out of the way of the business class and allow business people to create wealth, with many benefits "trickling down" to the masses below. De-regulation, union busting, tax cuts ( particularly to corporations ) followed. As Thatcher broke the will of the coal miners in the UK, Reagan took on air traffic controllers in the US when a strike broke out there. Reagan refused to back down to union demands and beat the unions, who mistakenly believed that because of the perception of unsafe skies the US government would eventually give in to their demands. Both union defeats bolstered Thatcher's and Reagan's approval with a general public that, again, was fatigued with the strenuous and far-reaching of the previous efforts to enact social change. And a cult was born.<br />
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Over the next almost 40 years, the world has seen the effects of Thatcherism and the Regan Revolution. Two generations have grown up in this environment. Attitudes are entrenched and the way of life envisioned by Thatcher and Reagan have become a stone-cold reality. To be fair, many nations have turned to more centrist or even left-leaning governments in this time, but those governments are often seen as being either one-offs, or a temporary break from the more "natural" governments of the right-wing. Mitterand, Clinton, Blair, Obama and others have come and gone, only to be replaced with the Chiracs, Camerons, Bushes, Mays and Stephen Harpers of the world. <br />
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The pendulum has swung far to the right. But, as with all pendula, it only goes so far before it begins to swing back. The election of Obama in the US, Emmanuel Macron in France, and Justin Trudeau in Canada have signaled the beginning of the swing back. And this is where the cultish aspect of the right wing becomes most noticeable.<br />
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Obama's win in 2008 frightened conservatives to the core in the US. Those conservatives saw the swing to the left as the onset of socialism and an all-out assault on their more "American" values and beliefs. The rise of the Tea Party, and the hijacking of the established Republican Party by the Tea Partiers signaled that the right wing was becoming more narrow, more entrenched against the swing of the pendulum. The rise of political figures with extreme, evangelistic, xenophobic and ultra capitalistic views was striking to see: Sarah Palin, Sean Hannity, Dick Chenney, Mitch McConnell, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and the ultimate personification of this entrenchment, Donald Trump, became a parade of populist leaders, full of bombast and strident pronouncements against those who quickly morphed from political opponents to full-blown enemies. They found a core of supporters who similarly morphed from voters to followers. The cult had arrived.<br />
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In Britain, the full expression of resistance to the emerging swing to the left of the pendulum found its voice in Brexit. The fact that Britain is still in the existential throes of the Brexit conundrum shows that the leftward pendulum swing was more advanced in Britain than the US, but the likes of Nigel Farage and his followers keep the xenophobic forces of pro-Brexit alive and well.<br />
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In Canada, the resistance to the left swing of the pendulum found its most active voice in the western provinces, particularly in Alberta and Saskatchewan ( ironically the birthplace of Canada's version of socialism, the CCF party which became the left-leaning NDP). In the prairies, a populist voice was heard in the person of Preston Manning and his disciples Stockwell Day and Stephen Harper. As the Tea Party did in the US, Manning's Reform/Alliance party hijacked the more moderate Progressive Conservative party of Joe Clarke and Brian Mulroney to create the much more hard line right wing Conservative Party of Canada, led by Harper and now Andrew Scheer. The CPC has similar iterations across Canada: the so-called "Progressive" Conservatives of Mike Harris, Ernie Eaves and now Doug Ford in Ontario; the United Conservative Party of Alberta led by former Harper cabinet minister Jason Kenney ( which emerged from the infighting between the very conservative Progressive Conservatives of Alberta and the very, very, very conservative Wildrose Party); the mayoralty in Toronto of Rob Ford; the emergence of the Saskatchewan Party of Brad Wall and now Scott Moe; and many other examples.<br />
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What becomes clear in all of this, from the days of Thatcher and Reagan until the current time of Trump, Harper, Scheer, Ford and Kenney, is that there are common characteristics of the leaders, the parties, the supporters and their beliefs. Consider the following commonalities:<br />
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1) <strong><em><u>BOMBASTIC WORDS AND PHRASES</u></em></strong><br />
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While Reagan and Manning were given to speak in a rather pleasant and "gentlemanly" fashion, <br />
most of the others are given to angry, inflammatory and simplistic words and phrases. The worst example of this is Trump, but others are close to his style. Saying words or phrases in an angry tone, or being constantly offended by the effrontery of the "others" is a hallmark of this style. Threatening harm or violence to the "others" is the most extreme example of those like Trump. <br />
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2) <strong><em><u>REPETITIVE SLOGANS AND UNTRUTHS</u></em></strong><br />
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It has become necessary and commonplace to track the words of Trump, Ford and other right-wing leaders to discover where their words are deliberately misleading. And the common slogans ( "Make America Great Again", "For The People", "Britain Out of Europe" ) are easy to project and easy to hear and believe. Slogans are catchy and require no elaboration or intellectual justification: hence, they are fodder for those who want to believe and those who see the efforts to enact social change as evil. Any effort to engage the cult in rational discussion is met by stock talking points, false equivalencies, denials, and ridicule. <br />
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3) <strong><em><u>ACTIVE CREATION OF ENEMIES AND DEMONIZATION OF THOSE WHO ARE NOT IN THE CULT</u></em></strong><br />
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This takes many forms. If you don't look like the leader or most of their supporters, you are not in the cult. If you question the authority of the leaders, you are a trouble maker. If you attempt to confront the lies or partial truths of the leaders, you are a rebel and dangerous ( the media is particularly "at fault" here ). If you disagree with anything the leader or his followers stand for, you are an enemy. And there are now so many enemies ( journalists, academics, scientists, women, minorities, non-believers ) that the cult members close ranks more vigorously to protect their values.<br />
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4) <strong><em><u>AN EVANGELISTIC ZEAL TO FIGHT FOR AND SPREAD THE CULT'S BELIEFS</u></em></strong><br />
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Because there are so many "enemies" out there, the members of the cult must be devoted to two things: their own ideals and the destruction of the ideas and activities of the enemies. Thus, people on the other political or social side are derided as being "kooks", "lefties", "dummies" and being weak, effeminate, brainwashed by the writings of intellectuals, and thieves who are determined to take the hard-won wealth and values of the cult members and distribute them to the less-deserving "lazy" elements of society, the people Thatcher once derided as the "underclass". And the devotion is often cloaked in religious terms. Pastors and televangelists are often eager to discuss politics and policy, or economic trends as they are to discuss their faith in God or Jesus. Their flocks are persuaded not only to do good Christian works, but to strive for wealth and vote for the leaders who embody these beliefs. The link between church and state is firmly and completely cemented by this.<br />
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5) <strong><em><u>MEMBERS OF THE CULT MUST WORK TOGETHER AND AUTOMATICALLY SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER</u></em></strong><br />
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Thus, Stephen Harper can show up at the annual Ford Family Barbeque and speak of a "hat trick" of him being Prime Minister, Rob Ford being mayor of Toronto, and everyone working to make Tim Hudak the Premier of Ontario. ( It didn't work, but came close ) Or Donald Trump can endorse Boris Johnson to be the next Conservative Prime Minister of Britain. Or Trump can speak fondly of Vladimir Putin or Kim Jung Un. Or Duterte, Bolsinaro or Orban can look to Trump as a model. Or Doug Ford, Jason Kenney, Scott Moe and others can work to make Andrew Scheer the new Prime Minister of Canada, ending the cursed reign of the weak, effeminate, flighty and left-leaning Justin Trudeau. It is partisanship carried to absurd lengths. It's why Fox News and Rebel Media and the Toronto Sun exist. It is now a never-ending war of victory for the right wing, and the complete and utter destruction of the left and its views of progressivism, inclusion, equity, empathy, and distribution.<br />
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Thus, the emergence of what I call the "modern CONservative". The letters "CON" are deliberately capitalized to denote that the beliefs, strategies and activities of this group is a colossal con. It is the effort of a devoted and disciplined cult to define itself, promote itself, recruit new members and win. That's the only thing that matters to the modern CONservative: winning. Governing is actually a boring, convoluted and threatening thing, something that might actually make the cult begin to see that their values are wrong or destructive. Win an election, gloat, run down your enemies and plan for the next election. Lie, deny and obfuscate. <br />
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We can only hope that the rest of society can see past these cult members. And we can only hope that the pendulum will continue to swing back from the narrow deception of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan.Johnny Laxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03183800403490386820noreply@blogger.com0