We must never forget

Well it’s September 11th, again. What’s different is this year is this was my first real opportunity to watch more than an online video here and there of a non-American news source, alJazeera in this case, covering 9/11 on 9/11. And concurrently, too. Which helped. But what I think was most important was getting a better perspective — it’s the 10th Anniversary after all, they could have dedicated more commentary toward its implications, but I’m not complaining — on the event’s aftermath around the world. Objectivity counts. Today is about so much more than just America.

That said, I also rewrote both my About and Accessibility statements recently, too. I stripped out all the technical detail relating to the stuff I spend much of my time away from here doing. And the reason I’m choosing today, of all days to post this bit of shameless self-promotion, is how 9/11 has come to relate to the topic I wrote about in my revised statement concerning Accessibility.

We must never forget, or in the very least start acting like we give a shit about, how our actions affect others…

The Passion of the Christ

The Passion of the Christ Movie Poster

I finally got the opportunity to see The Passion of the Christ on Friday night. Well the first half anyway. Now my not having seen it, long before Friday of course, wasn’t necessarily a case of me not wanting or avoiding seeing it. As it was the opportunity never presented itself. And, by no means, did it hurt there are literally thousands of film makers film’s I’d rather watch before watching one from Mel Gibson. I digress.

Keep in mind I know next to nothing concerning Jesus Christ. Not that I necessarily have any issues with finding out. But I have priorities, and reading about the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth hasn’t ever ranked very high on a reading list for me. This is neither a historical or a religious commentary toward the significance of this film. This is merely a couple of first impressions from a piece of entertainment. Taken at face value…

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‘Someday it may come knocking on your door’

So with condemnation, and rightfully so, of John Galliano’s stupid anti-Semetic needle-dickery in the news this week, I can’t help but wonder why similarities, as in any, between Galliano’s bigotry and a recent US anti-Muslim rally, in Yorba Linda California, fail to be connected?

Elected Republican, Deborah Pauly, can be seen in this video from al Jazeera actually saying;

I don’t even care if you think I’m crazy anymore. […] I know quite a few marines who will be very happy to help these terrorists to an early meeting in paradise…

But I’ve taken her words out of context, you say? It’s quite possible I have. I can admit it. Not that I care. I’ve no idea where or why she was talking when the footage was shot that was featured in this piece. I guess it’s possible, like conservative Tea Party “activists” claim, she was speaking towards the “presence of speakers [that are linked, but not charged, in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing being] at the event.” Fair enough. Anything is possible. Even the validity, however unlikely, of some of the Tea Party’s extreme assertions. But, that said, it’s not like the Tea Party’s record against inciting reactionary ignorance is clean. But that’s not really my point…

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Can You Seriously Blame Haitians?

Just a quick note this morning, a purely reactionary one to a bit I heard on CBC this morning, concerning Haitian distrust over solutions (read: medication) to fight the raging cholera epidemic. And apparently Voudoo is getting the blame for that distrust.

However I do think the a much more relevant reason for why Haitians apparently distrust advice from people trying to help them is, remember, where this advice (read: “guidance”) is coming from.

The same people who have occupied their country since a Western backed coup of their democratically elected President, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, in 2004? The same people who have exiled him and continue to keep their President banished in central South Africa? The same people who refuse to let the most popular political party in Haiti, Fanmi Lavalas, to run in the upcoming elections. The same people who, arguably, brought this epidemic to Haiti, in the first place (apparently the strain of cholera making its rounds in Haiti right now is endemic of Nepal, not the Caribbean)? The same people holding back aid money that was promised to them after the January 12th earthquake? I could go on…

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