Dear America

When I came to this continent I met Ralph Waldo Emerson

and society as a home built by friendship 

and barns built by community.

Jobs for and with people — but you were awed by capitalism 

the transcendence of economy above sentiment, 

fantastic things, celebrity, the remaking of men 

and woman — a toy to play with

that only a few souls could influence.

The universal church of screens, talking heads and red lips, 

new words for new meanings, crash and bang 

you made it up and presented us with Jesus the superstar 

and Trump the christ — in the new world anyone can be 

a balloon floating on air and who needs real people 

when you can turn it on and turn it off again

but we cannot escape the meaning of this wizard who replaced 

shamans, kings and emperors with prisons for profit.  

Let them eat candy floss.

While the great fascists of Europe were fed oil and gas

you were singing in the rain and loving Lucy and we 

lapped it up like cream and sugar allowing Albert Einstein 

and Hannah Arendt to teach truth which nearly caught on
until the next economist came out with new puffs

and by then we were marshmallow chums

singing kumbaya around the campfire

more fun than British Bulldogs

(bobby sox were not for the stiff upper lip)

and those hippies knew how to put an end to war

until the neo-liberal economy crossed out

every living thing from the Amazon Forrest

to the orca whale and all that remains

is the lizard brain and far-sighted raptor.

Neo-nazi’s, I suspect,  are supported by two camps 

those afraid the people will create a new future

and those traumatized before they met tenderness.

Now the continent must be returned

to the earth and its inhabitants

or wordless bonfires without borders

will finish the game.

How to escape the mess we are in

George Monbiot expressed it so well.
Is it reasonable to hope for a better world? Study the cruelty and indifference of governments, the disarray of opposition parties, the apparently inexorable slide towards climate breakdown, the renewed threat of nuclear war, and the answer appears to be no. Our problems look intractable, our leaders dangerous, while voters are cowed and baffled. Despair looks like the only rational response.

The mess is the outcome of a long social and political fantasy - that dictates man must be in control of nature. This false assertion has disabled his ability to reflect on his relationship to the world. He cannot allow himself the vulnerability of feelings beyond the will to power. 

Every decade he invents more gadgets, weapons, and things to believe in, to possess, to give his life meaning, and every decade he creates new problems, new crises, wars, inequality, prisons, punishments and propaganda - to avoid the realization that he is not in control.

This torture has created the normalization of a mental illness, a game of elevating the self, competing with others for a fleeting sense of power. It demands that everyone exhibit the same values, the same mental illness, the same obsessions.

They are measured in new ages, new conceits and fashions - but ultimately it is about bringing an end to life - because life cannot submit to the game.  Life does not worship power over itself, unless man kills everything that refuses to submit to his will. 

The fantasy is that the eternal ruler will be the one who destroys everything else, including his own life.  The fantasy is that the narrative will be written in the barren rocks, fields and oceans.

It began with patriarchy, when men had to prove they were superior to women by overcoming their senses, by replacing their flesh with armour. Then having to keep those muscles in place by "discovering" other places, building temples, boats and doctrines. The mind had to be fought, wrestled into submission too. 

Masculinity removes man from nature, from the land, to that Zulu sentence-word that means "over there where I cry mother I am lost." Man must be broken in, taken from the protection of a loving family, from the comfort of his own nature to be the robotic soldier, the king, the executioner. 

Giving birth, love, nurture, compassion, healing, reflecting - all are dismissed as feminine, sissy, and wimpish. Death is for glory and life is for wimps.

The mess we are in is the breakdown of our own nervous system, our own eyes, our own hearts. The hatred we are asked to express is the contempt for our selves projected onto the other.

The way to escape this mess is by loving ourselves and through compassion for the suffering of others.

Quilt of Belonging A Place for All Documentary

Thanks to Germaine Kovary who introduced me to this  documentary which lasts 47 minutes - it is a good description of who Canadians are.

League of Canadian Poets -- chapbook to spotlight work of Black poets

The LCP Chapbook Series is now accepting submissions for a chapbook which will spotlight the work of Black poets, to be published in 2020. In celebration of contemporary writing in Canada, the chapbook will amplify Black voices that continue to enrich, question, and propel literature in Canada, playing a part in doing-away with single-thread narratives of the Black Canadian experience. We specifically encourage writers with intersecting marginalized identities to submit.  Poets may submit 1-3 poems for consideration. Guest editor Chelene Knight will select 1-2 poems by 10 poets. Chelene wants to see writing that pushes the rigid boundaries of form and writing that’s infused with an unapologetic voice.  The chapbook will be designed and hand-sewn by Nicole Brewer, the League’s Administrative Director and one half of the words(on)pages team. Contributors will receive payment of $25 per published poem plus 3 copies of the chapbook. There is no submission fee.  The submission deadline is October 31, 2019. The chapbook will be published during Black History Month (February) 2020.  Submission guidelines:  Poetry submissions may consist of one to three previously unpublished (print or online) poems in any style (including prose poems).Hybrid forms are highly encouraged by the editor.  Length is flexible, though poems longer than 2 pages will be considered only if they are of exceptional quality and no longer than 4 pages.  All submissions should be in doc, docx, or PDF format.  Include a cover letter with your name, email address, and a short (100 words or under) bio. If you would like to identify yourself as belonging to an equity-seeking group, please mention it in your cover letter.  All submissions must be sent to info@poets.ca.  We accept simultaneous submissions. If your piece is accepted elsewhere, please notify us immediately.  Submissions are open to members of the League of Canadian Poets. With this project, the League aims to create space and facilitate representation for marginalized poets and we recognize that folks holding marginalized identities may face barriers to access in gaining membership to the League. We are committed to working with those folks facing barriers, specifically financial barriers, who have an interest in participating in this project. Please email info@poets.ca if the cost of membership is a barrier to your participation in the League. For more information: http://poets.ca/lcpchapbookseries-blackpoets/

New Political Party starting now

Planet Earth Party

According to the Beaverton "OTTAWA – Elections Canada is issuing a special warning to all advocacy groups that they should not issue any scientifically verifiable facts during the election that would interfere with Canada’s democracy."

After reading about the ban on climate change discussions at Election debates I have started a new Political Party.  It's called Planet Earth Party.

I am currently looking for people to join and someone to lead the party. If you are interested send me an email here: Planet Earth Party.  State your manifesto, your name and your experience as a citizen of Planet Earth.

The first point on our mandate will be to make it illegal to talk about anything that does not relate to a sustainable future on this planet.

This may sound extreme but we believe that any politics that does not benefit all of humanity is dangerous.

We do not care how you dress, what language you speak, the colour of your skin, where you were born, whether you are skinny or fat, or even if you can hold an argument.

A manifesto will be written and publicized soon.

If we get elected we promise to care more for this planet and all its sentient beings than any other issue, and we shall make decisions based on that value.

We must end neoliberal capitalism before it ends us

"... the corporate power elite and the governments that do their bidding implicitly understood that there would no longer be any toleration for political ideologies whose goal was to brutally repress human beings. So, the question for the latter was always how to ensure that the right class continued to be in a position of control and dominance, while at least providing the appearance of freedom and democracy for everyone else." 

Fred Guerin, 

Truthout

People Values vs. Political Will

"Close to 80% believe wealthy Americans should pay higher taxes. Nearly 60% favor raising the federal minimum wage requirement to $12 an hour. Sixty-one percent, including 42% of Republicans, approve of labor unions. Sixty percent of Americans think “[i]t is the federal government’s responsibility to make sure all Americans have healthcare,” and 60% of registered voters favor “expanding Medicare to provide health insurance to every American.” Nearly 60% favor free early-childhood education, and 76% are “very concerned” about climate disruption. Eighty-four percent support requiring background checks for all gun buyers. Fifty-eight percent of Americans believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases." Chris Hedges, Truthdig.



In New Zealand:

A Wellington train conductor has been hailed as a hero for literally stopping a train in its tracks after a racist taunt between passengers turned nasty last night.

The train had left the Wellington Railway station for Upper Hutt but came to a halt after the conductor overheard a passenger racially abusing another for speaking Hindi on his cellphone.

One of the passengers on the train, who asked not to be named, said the incident unfolded at around 8pm last night.

"A young girl, about 16, was yelling at a passenger and saying 'go back to your country, don't speak that language here'," she told Checkpoint.

"She said she was getting off at the next stop, and the conductor said 'no you can get off at this one, I'm not putting up with that nonsense'" www.rnz.co.nz. Driver Stops Train Demands Racist Passenger Get Off

From National Observer - How to Spot Fake News

https://www.nationalobserver.com

1 CONFIRM THE SOURCE
If you’re unfamiliar with the media outlet or author, read their about and contact pages to learn more about who they are and what they do. Most trustworthy media outlets will make it clear what they are about (including disclaimers on satirical news sites). Still not sure? Some fake news sites will go so far as to copy legitimate outlets. If the URL, logo or design looks strange, if may be worth a closer look.

2 CHECK THE FACTS
When something catches your attention, see what other news outlets are saying about the story and who their sources are. Take note of any similarities or differences in facts. Still not sure if the story is true? Try fact-checking sites like Factscan.ca and Snopes.com. These sites are dedicated to finding the truth.

3 QUALITY COUNTS
If the content you are reading is messy, riddled with typos or grammar errors, or full of exclamation marks and all caps, it could be fake news. Most legitimate sources follow strict style guides and only publish clean, edited content. The same goes for images and videos - pay attention for signs of doctored footage.

4 READ BEFORE YOUR SHARE

Deceptive sites often use sensational headlines to hook readers and generate clicks. Before sharing a story, do your due diligence and read it in full. Most legitimate news outlets will include attribution and quotes from trustworthy sources as a way to add varying viewpoints to the story and enhance credibility. Chances are if you are reading a story with no sources, you are either reading an opinion piece or some form of fake news. Take heed.

5 SPEAK UP

Media creators and consumers are responsible for fighting fake news. If you see fake news, or questionable content, reach out to the person who shared it and start a conversation about why the content doesn’t look credible. Sharing what you know can help others avoid falling into the fake news trap.

SHARE THE GUIDE

We Are on Trial In the Court of Humanity

Reading various posts, social media, news outlets and opinions I wonder what to believe, what to read and what to ignore.

I could decide to ignore everything published that does not come from one specific news outlets.

Or not believe anything that has no scientific proof.

Or not read anything that does not come from the Christian Bible.

Nothing that comes from sources that I don't know personally like my family, friends and neighbours.

Or anything that comes out of the mouths of politicians who are in parties I do not support.

I could be protecting my own ego, my own sense of right and wrong, my own sense of intelligence.

But in all this wrestling all I am doing is protecting my self, not the society I live in. 

How much does it matter what I believe? As compared to what I do to make others feel at home. How do I keep community functioning to the best of its ability.

Belonging

Many conversations in news media write as though the trends toward fascism are chosen by the people. But the media writes as though it includes democratic activity yet it doesn't. It writes about catastrophe even though it seems normalized. So I want to note here some things reveal we are not stupid, selfish and greedy.

David Leonhardt, of The New York Times, writes of Florida's Amendment 4, a ballot supported by a majority of voters to restore voting rights to 1.4 million people convicted of a felony in their past but who could not, because of poverty, pay off their fines. But the state legislature, controlled by Republicans passed a bill that undermined this amendment and the Governor signed that bill. This is a case of the legislature rescinding the wish of general voters.

Last night The Lions Club of Gabriola put on a show, Concert on the Green, to raise funds for social programs that help families and children. Hundreds of people attended. Hundreds volunteered to put this show together. We enjoyed the afternoon and evening together celebrating community.

I tell myself to remember that big institutions like government, media, business — may preach theories of what people want but it doesn't include all people. It includes those who are trying to survive in a constructed community who have lived on the theories created to affirm their views. 

Media must make a profit to survive and so its headlines will come from its own needs — sensational to win readers. Governments must win the most votes to be in power but once they are, the voters needs will be replaced with whatever they think will keep them in power.  These are constructs of self-interest not public interest.

Yes we need governments and media, but mostly we need community. Mostly we need people who care and who are willing to let their members of parliament know.

Rebecca Solnit - Says so much in one article

"We are a country at war, but who that “we” is – in a nation where so many have been so disenfranchised – should be central to the conversation. There are more guns in the US than people, and the rhetoric of gun rights has been used to defend the rights of these killing machines to spread everywhere – classrooms, Walmarts, public places, homes where children have access to them." Rebecca Solnit, The Guardian.

The Way to Understand White Nationalist Terrorism - New York Times

"It is not enough to dismiss mass shootings as horror beyond our comprehension. It is our duty to understand their meaning and confront the movement that relies upon them." The Right Way to Understand White Nationalist Terrorism - The New York Times By Kathleen Belew