January 26, 2013 was the first Human Library Day, but the Human Library, also known as the Living Library, has been around for several years. The idea is to assemble a diverse group of people to be “books”, then invite an audience to “borrow” the books by engaging them in
Continue readingTag: bigotry
Montreal Simon: The Unspeakable Horror of Sun News
You have seen them on their grubby channel assaulting the decency of Canadians.Attacking the weak and the vulnerable, like a pack of filthy cowards.Smearing native people, Muslims, the Roma, even those who would defend bullied children in our schools.Now they're begging for money, trying to force the CRTC to make
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Kathleen Wynne and the Gay Kids
I haven't written about Kathleen Wynne becoming Ontario's first woman and lesbian Premier, for a couple of reasons.One, I hate writing the words "openly gay." You're either gay or you're not. And two because at this point in the 21st Century I didn't think it should be a big deal.But
Continue readingMontreal Simon: How To Stop the Sun News Money Grab
Golly. Call me Nostradamus eh? Almost three years ago I wrote this about the outhouse gang at Sun News Network aka Fox News North:They don't have the money, or the infrastructure, or the talent, to compete for even a small part of that tiny news market. Or even to be
Continue readingwmtc: jimmy carter: we are calling on all leaders to challenge misogyny
Jimmy Carter: This view that women are somehow inferior to men is not restricted to one religion or belief. Women are prevented from playing a full and equal role in many faiths. Nor, tragically, does its influence stop at the walls of the church, mosque, synagogue or temple. This discrimination,
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Why We Should Thank Idle No More
I was glad to see that Idle No More's Day of Action took the movement's message to Canadians.Loudly but peacefully. From downtown Toronto to Vancouver Island, protesters ramped up weeks of demonstrations to another level, still peaceful, stopping traffic on busy highways and major rail lines, forcing Canadians to stop and
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Idle No More and the Bigot Bullies
Once upon a time when I thought about the plight of our First Nations, I used to think that George Bernard Shaw was right:"The worst sin towards our fellow creatures is not to hate them but to be indifferent to them. That is the essence of inhumanity."But now I see
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Idle No More and the Bigot Voices
As Chief Theresa Spence enters the 16th day of her hunger strike, with Stephen Harper still refusing to meet her, I see his inaction is causing some old Canadian demons to take flight.Flying out of their internet caves like bats, and emitting bigot sounds.Read more »
Continue readingwmtc: what i’m reading, children’s books edition: # 2
How this series works: I write about one or two older books, offer an my opinion on whether the book will be relevant and accessible to children today, and suggest a more contemporary equivalent. I also recommend two additional children’s books. * * * * Still Classic? My Side of
Continue readingwmtc: follow-up memo to children’s aid: we told you so. happy christmas.
Back in May, I blogged about a family in my area who faced a nightmare: social services had threated to remove their child from their home. Both parents have disabilities, and although they had proved themselves completely capable of taking care of a baby, Children’s Aid said they must hire
Continue readingMontreal Simon: The Missing Women: The Sorrow and the Horror
And so it's finally over. So many years after they went missing, were murdered by a monster, and all but traces of them destroyed.The police have apologized, again, for not catching the killer sooner. And an inquiry has told us what we already knew. Read more »
Continue readingChadwick's Blog & Commentary: America’s Intolerant WBC Fundamentalists
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when I watched this. laugh because Russell Brand* just runs circles around these guys from the Westboro Church and they don’t seem to realize when they are being mocked. Fish in a barrel, I suppose. Cry … Continue reading →
Continue readingwmtc: greenwald on "both sides are wrong", hedges on the world as gaza
There are always at least two sides to every story. Long ago, in the American West, some pioneers and cowboys were killed by “Indians”. More recently, Iraqi “insurgents” have killed US soldiers. When I was growing up, Vietnamese “guerillas” – I believe…
Continue readingwmtc: this is what jason kenney’s canada looks like: family deported to libya, father is tortured, court cites bias and lies
A family that was ordered to leave Canada by Jason Kenney’s IRB was – as they predicted – separated and detained, and the father was tortured by Libyan authorities. The Benhmuda family lived in Canada for eight years, and included two children born in …
Continue readingwmtc: it’s open season on wyoming wolves: please help end the slaughter
Please watch this 45-second video, then sign a letter a to Ken Salazar, US Secretary of the Interior. Your click may or may not save the lives of wolves. But not clicking will surely allow the killing to continue. Sign here.
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: America The Ugly
With friends like this Romney doesn’t need enemies: It’s enough to make an atheist want to believe in god so we can call on him to save us from them, but as they tell us, and so fervently believe, he is on their side, their vengeful hateful god.
Continue readingwmtc: first they came for pride: city of toronto vs free speech
Last week, I blogged about the ongoing pattern of harassment and discrimination against people who express solidarity with the Palestinian people. This isn’t in the same universe as the oppression endured by Palestine every day; nonetheless, it’s a violation of our own civil liberties and rights, and raises a huge
Continue readingwmtc: illegal detention abroad, censorship and media propaganda at home: solidarity with palestine under attack
As you may have heard, the ship The Estelle, sailing in international waters, was illegally boarded by the Israeli navy, and its occupants taken into custody. Among those being held are Jim Manley, a Canadian, and a former New Democrat MP. The Estelle is part of the Freedom Flotilla movement,
Continue readingCanadian ProgressiveCanadian Progressive: Canadians to Conservative MP Kelly Block: We Disagree With Racism
by Obert Madondo (@Obiemad) In Canada we hardly confront racism by political figures. As a consequence, Prime Minister Stephen Harper‘s government and Conservative MPs are having a field day practicing racism and creating resentment towards minority groups dominated by persons of color. Earlier this year, Harper’s immigrant-bashing minister of Immigration and Multiculturalism, Jason
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On contrasting treatment
BigCityLib comments on the Cons’ hasty backtracking over Helen MacMurchy. But I find it particularly interesting to note the contrast between their treatment of MacMurchy and their handling of John A. MacDonald. Remember that MacDonald’s fervent commitment to an “Aryan Canada” and racial purity was publicly noted just as the
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