This article, 1980 Summer Olympics boycott echoes today, is far too interesting to let go without some sort of acknowledgement. “Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony.”
“Let’s hope that the media gives some airtime to this historical parallel, lest the Games become just another prime-time venue to uncritically tout Canada’s military engagements abroad…”
I recommend reading it…
Today I received a ZNet Nightly Commentay, Bill Quigley’s piece, Haiti Numbers – 27 Days After Quake. Makes me think about what we think we’re doing, what we’re told is being done, and what is actually being done. The reality is absolutely maddening…
Yesterday a “high profile cabinet minister,” Conservative Agriculture Minister, Jerry Ritz, made light of the recent Maple Leaf Listeriosis tainted meat scandal. In as much as he wished a Liberal MP from PEI death by a thousand cuts. “A thousand cold cuts.” OK it wasn’t phrased quite like that but you get the gist. But when what he said was leaked to the press, buddy, apparently, “scrambled” and hid in the Ottawa airport from reporters.Â
Then Transport Minister, also a Conservative, Lawrence Canon’s “personal assistant” said to a group of Algonquin constituents within the boundaries of his responsibility to expect Larry for a visit if “you behave and are sober.”
Not to pick on the Conservatives (though they more than deserve it), I realize problems delve much deeper than them, but is being an inappropriate needledick a prerequisite before running for, or working in any sort of political office today? Shit!
I had, not one, but two completely different, yet strangely compelling email conversations with a couple of long time friends yesterday. Both about politics. One was a general chat regarding generic foreign policy issues and the other about a more specific state of Canadian politics.
The subject of both really was inconsequential. I wasn’t that comfortable adding anything, of relevance, to either. Which kind of bothered me. It seemed I was a little “timid” about not knowing more about either subject.
Which inspired me, at least on the side of Canadian politics, to find out more. Continue reading Conversations