As Plato said, everyone has opinions, but few have knowledge. It is important that we keep that in the back of our minds, if not the fore. Two levels, there are, in everything: there is the question of how to live, and how to construct a society that is just,
Continue readingTag: democracy
Writings of J. Todd Ring: What Must Be Done
Open letter to friends of freedom: Hi folks, People are beginning to realize that we need a different attitude and view with regards to how we see nature, life, humanity, and ourselves. Very few get past rudimentary first steps, however. Since this shift in paradigms and consciousness is essential and
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Conspiracy Theory Revisited
We should remember that the cult of authority, the cult of obedience, and the cult of conformity, are profoundly anti-intellectual, anti-science, anti-empirical, and anti-democratic, as well as extremely dangerous. And these three cults now reign supreme across the Western world, as Western societies close down, having imported the authoritarian model
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Evening Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Christo Aivalis rightly points out that the NDP needs to be a party of labour and fight to ensure workers’ needs are central to Canada’s political discussion, rather than amplifying the rhetoric of the exploitative corporate lobby even when it’s in the
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: From Bankers Ruling The World, To The People Ruling The Bankers
(And Rebuilding And Healing The World In The Process) “I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies.” – Thomas Jefferson “I pray we shall crush the moneyed aristocracy in its infancy, for already it bids defiance to our laws and seeks a contest
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Seven Virtues To Liberate and Heal The World
The following is a seed thought, a note to myself, for further elaboration in the future, and it is a note I will share with others, because it is a seed thought which is powerful, healing, and liberating. I will not go into any lengthy discussion, meditation or exposition of
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Freedom & Power
I am, for the record, perfectly comfortable with where and how I have positioned myself. I am passionately and steadfastly in favour of freedom, democracy, constitutional rule and human rights; liberty, equality and solidarity; and of course, as a result, I am passionately and steadfastly in favour of freedom of
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Canada In The 21st Century: The Path Ahead
This short essay was written as a response to a YouTube video on the CaspianReport, titled, Geopolitics of Canada. At some point I may re-write it to be more in the form of a stand-alone essay, or a stump speech; but considering I am back-logged with 96 finished essays and
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: Does Canada Need a Head of State
From Twitter Adrian Harewood @CBCAdrianH 23 Jan Why in 2021 is a Canadian Prime Minister, the leader of a #G7 nation, still reporting to a #Queen who doesn’t live in his country and has never lived in his country? #JuliePayette #JustinTrudeau
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Democracy and mass delusion
I have always been intrigued by people’s tendency to believe what they want to believe rather than what the facts are telling them, to believe what their innate biases desire rather than what is true. I do it myself, of course, although I hope that for the most part I
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: What Albertans Can Learn From the Attack on the Capitol
Federal Judge Damon Keith said democracy dies in the dark, but as we’ve learned over the last four years, it can also die in broad daylight if it is abused by power-mad leaders like Donald Trump and, it should be noted, equally determined leaders like Jason Kenney. Trump tried to
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Trump Tries Coup, Fails, Gets Twitter Ban Finally
It took almost 2 days following the attack on the US Capital by GOP terrorists, but Twitter banned the ring leader Trump from their platform, after first only giving a 12 hour suspension. After close review of recent Tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and the context around them we have
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Plague Update: Racists Rally Against Science
Could you imagine being Dr. Shahab right now?After standing alongside @PremierScottMoe through this health crisis and then following a racist attack, Moe refuses to condemn the attack by pussyfooting around it. How betraying. You are unfit for leadership Moe. Pathetically. https://t.co/222fr8tBrj — BLAKE BERGLUND (@blakeberglund) December 13, 2020 In case
Continue readingThe Maple Monarchists - Blog: Democracy Watch combines Good Intent with an oddly poor understanding of the Canadian Constitution to Ill Effect
Democracy Watch Logo Recently I learned that an organization called Democracy Watch was going to sue the New Brunswick government over its decision to call an early election back in September. Now, suing anyone is risky but more so when that organization has limitless funds to mount a defence. So if nothing else I commend their bravery. Sadly, the bravery has a
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Russia, Fascism & The West
Whatever problems Russia has, and every country has problems, as does Russia, two things are clear: Russia is not trying to take over the world. Davos and Washington are doing that. The West is in no position to criticize any nation over human rights. We have imported the Chinese totalitarian
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Murdoch challenged
The most powerful man in the Anglosphere is, I submit, Rupert Murdoch, the world’s most influential media mogul. Yes, even more powerful than the president of the United States. Presidents come and go but News Corp, Murdoch’s media empire, goes on and on. Indeed, Murdoch can make and break presidents
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: A State of the World Address (In under two minutes)
It seems to me that the ecological crisis is at a critical stage, as is the war on democracy, with the billionaires and corporations having taken over the planet, and Davos, or the New Palace of Versailles, as John Ralston Saul called it, effectively ruling the world. It would be
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: What I learned from Trump
Up until four years ago I assumed that democracy was not only strong, it was invincible. At least in the Anglosphere. Why wouldn’t I? During my lifetime, democracy had survived the Great Depression, the Second World War complete with Fascists and Nazis, and the Cold War against a totalitarian state.
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Compromise or Collapse
The elite always do the same thing. They have repeated the same failed patterns for millennia. They never learn. They could be wealthy and powerful, virtually in perpetuity, or at least, for a very long time – if they were willing to compromise. They are not. Instead, they fall into
Continue readingNorthern Currents: It’s an American election dumpster fire: Canadians need to be vigilant too
Share this article: The American democratic experiment is stuck in gridlock. It has become clear that Joe Biden will be the next president with a lead of over 4 million votes. More importantly, Biden has passed the 270 electoral vote threshold needed to win. However, Trump-style politics are still in
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