I’ve wanted to write about these two books for a long time, but adequately summarizing them is a daunting task. I just want to say to every activist and organizer: READ THESE BOOKS. I don’t want to represent the authors’ ideas, I want you to read them yourself. No Shortcuts:
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Accidental Deliberations: New column day
Here, on how Donald Trump is just one of far too many politicians trying to undercut needed counterbalances in the media, political systems and civil society. For further reading…– Rem Reider’s story offers a few examples of Trump’s attacks on the press.– Althia Raj reported on Bill Morneau’s complaints about
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder
I finally got to this pocket-sized book, which is full of lessons passed down from my folks that I’ve been saying for decades, and many others that I’m hearing over and over in the past year. It’s nothing new, but it is good to be reminded. From a thorough understanding of history,
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: The FCC’s plan to repeal net neutrality threatens democracy everywhere
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai’s proposed plan to dismantle net neutrality threatens democracy and the free exchange of ideas and information via the Internet. Even if the FCC votes to repeal net neutrality this week, the fight to save the must continue. The post The FCC’s plan to
Continue readingwmtc: why i write for rights and how you can too… redux #write4rights
Trying to compose my annual Write For Rights post, I thought I would recycle a good one from 2014… only to learn I had already recycled it in 2015! And here it is again — slightly edited, with new cases linked below. Tomorrow, December 10, is Human Rights Day. The
Continue readingEarthgauge News: Earthgauge News – Nov. 12, 2017
Edition #6 of the Earthgauge News podcast for the week of Nov. 12, 2017. A weekly Canadian environmental news podcast featuring stories from across Canada and around the world. Join me here every Monday or subscribe in iTunes or your favourite podcast catcher. On the show this week: The COP23
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Tuesday Morning Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading. – Yves Engler discusses how Justin Trudeau is now the face of the exploitation of poor countries and workers by the Canadian mining industry. And Penny Collenette writes that governments and business should both bear responsibility for human rights – though it’s worth
Continue readingPaul S. Graham: Revolutionary Fecklessness
Have you ever noticed that the people who are the most vociferous proponents of radical social change are often the least competent in providing for the everyday needs of the people around them? By everyday needs, I’m talking about the goods and services that glue a society together, like building
Continue readingMy journey with AIDS…and more!: National Coming Out Day 2017
It’s October 11. In the United States, at least, it’s National Coming Out Day. I know of no such celebration in Canada but we’ve been ahead of the pack inn most ways having to do with lgbt-2 liberation. For me, Coming Out Day was sometime in February of 1981. I
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week. – Rachel Sherman writes about the steps taken by wealthy Americans to hide how much they spend to paper over income inequality: Over lunch in a downtown restaurant, Beatrice, a New Yorker in her late 30s, told me about two decisions she and her
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your Labour Day reading. – Ed Finn offers a reminder of the rights and benefits we now take for granted which were won only through labour organization: Look back at Canada’s 150-year history, and you’ll find that many of the basic rights and benefits we all enjoy
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: On Antifa Methods
It’s not just Tina Fey who’s getting lambasted for promoting this position, “I really want to say, to encourage all good sane Americans, to treat these rallies this weekend like the opening of a thoughtful movie with two female leads: Don’t show up. Let these morons scream into the empty
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Leadership 2017 Links
The latest from the federal NDP’s leadership campaign. – Evidence for Democracy has released the candidates’ responses to its questions about science in Canada. And Canadian Dimension offers replies on key issues facing Canada’s left, while Drew Brown suggests that the leadership campaign should be focusing on bringing the NDP
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Amira Elghawaby comments on the loss of empathy in Canadian politics – particularly due to a disproportionate focus on the perceived self-interest of a narrow group of upper-middle-class swing voters, rather than speaking to and about the people with the greatest need
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday Morning Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – Stephen Metcalf discusses the meaning and effect of neoliberalism: “(N)eoliberalism” is more than a gratifyingly righteous jibe. It is also, in its way, a pair of eyeglasses. Peer through the lens of neoliberalism and you see more clearly how the political thinkers most
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: On Fascist Movements and Free Speech
Some people are upset because Ryerson cancelled a panel discussion featuring Faith Goldy, of Rebel Media, who openly expresses the belief that Muslims are a problem in our country. A Ryerson spokesperson said, “After a thorough security review, the University has concluded that Ryerson is not equipped to provide the
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: Inconceivable! His Dinner with Chomsky
Wallace Shawn sat down for a chat with Noam Chomsky, and here’s what they talked about – slightly abridged and loosely quoted (for clarification purposes) with links. It’s a great recharge for activists! Shawn – Many people are shocked to see the president is now a cruel, brutal, greedy type
Continue readingwmtc: join the ndp and vote for niki ashton: deadline aug 17
The deadline to join the NDP and vote for Niki Ashton is August 17. Last night I saw something that shocked me, and today I did something I’ve never done before: I joined a political party. And I did it so I can cast my vote for Niki Ashton for
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Louis-Philippe Rochon discusses the need for monetary policy to be better coordinated with fiscal policy to ensure both sustainable economic growth and a more fair distribution of wealth: Monetary policy has been a failure. It has failed to encourage growth, as has been plainly
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday Morning Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – George Monbiot examines the history of James McGill Buchanan, Charles Koch and others who have used massive amounts of time and money to ensure that wealth wins out over democracy in shaping U.S. policy – and how their influence will sounds familiar elsewhere
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