The lessons of Afghanistan were purchased at a bitter cost: the war claimed more lives, more years, and more money than any other campaign in NATO’s history. Unless the alliance takes those lessons to heart, a war in Syria and Iraq to extinguish D…
Continue readingTag: Peace
Writings of J. Todd Ring: The Paris Attacks In Contex
Propaganda, hysteria, ultra-violence and imperialism, as usual “A people unaware of its myths is likely to continue living by them.” – Richard Slotkin I have been too horrified by the predictably violent and insane reaction of the Western pow…
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Bernie Sanders would win – if US elections weren’t controlled by big money….. But he just might win anyway, and he is well on his way
The Independent Senator from Vermont, and US Presidential candidate, Bernie Sanders, is riding a fast-growing wave of popular support across the United States. Sanders is getting ten times the turn-out for rallies as any other candidate, and the momentum continues to build. Bernie Sanders is getting higher turn-outs to rallies
Continue readingThings Are Good: Artists Bring Peace to the Streets
Street art about peace is getting special attention in London these next few weeks. Artists from all over the world are going to explore the idea of ‘peace in our streets’ and what it means to them. It looks like it’ll be a great exhibit. If you’re in London you
Continue readingPostArctica: Bob Dylan, Hiroshima, Great Balls of Fire
From an article at CommonDreams. “What gets in your blood?” the editor asked. “The whole culture,” Dylan answered. What do you mean? What are you saying? the editor asked. He kept pushing Dylan to explain where rock and roll came from. Finally, when push came to shove, Bob Dylan gave
Continue readingPostArctica: Bob Dylan, Hiroshima, Great Balls of Fire
From an article at CommonDreams. “What gets in your blood?” the editor asked. “The whole culture,” Dylan answered. What do you mean? What are you saying? the editor asked. He kept pushing Dylan to explain where rock and roll came from. Finally, when push came to shove, Bob Dylan gave
Continue readingThings Are Good: White House Planning to Close Guantanamo Bay’s Infamous Torture Centre
Guantanamo Bay on the beautiful island of Cuba sounds like a great place if you don’t know anything about it. We do know what happens there and it’s immoral and likely illegal (probably even worthy of investigation by the International Criminal Court which the USA hasn’t ratified). The USA has
Continue readingPaul S. Graham: Stop Bill C-51 #StopHarper
Introduced into Parliament on Jan. 30, 2015, Bill C-51 is an omnibus bill that will undermine constitutionally protected rights and freedoms of Canadians in the guise of combating terrorism. Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s bombastic, saber-rattling YouTube video, published 2 days before the bill was tabled, set the tone. Essentially, Canada
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Tuesday Afternoon Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading. – Shannon Gormley points out that human rights are meaningless in the face of a government which claims the entitlement to strip people of their humanity – which is exactly what the Cons are setting out to do: (W)hen Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration
Continue readingPaul S. Graham: Video – Dancing Tragedies and Dreams
From the video “Dancing Tragedies and Dreams.” Photo: Paul S. Graham Art, culture, dance and politics blended seamlessly in Winnipeg on September 21, 2014, with the performance of Dancing Tragedy and Dreams, a production of the Canadian Palestinian Association of Manitoba, at Prairie Theatre Exchange. Dancing Tragedies and Dreams featured
Continue readingPaul S. Graham: Lest we forget
Sixteen million people died as a result of Word War One. Of these, as many as 64,990 were Canadian. One of them, a Manitoban named Sidney Halliday, was recently identified as being among the remains of five dead Canadians located in Hallu, France in 2006-07. One suspects the efforts of
Continue readingPaul S. Graham: Video: The war in Eastern Ukraine and the New Cold War
In April 2014, the government that had come into power two months earlier in Ukraine launched what it termed an “anti-terrorist operation” against the people of Eastern Ukraine. The easterners were opposed to the government’s plans for economic association with Western Europe and were demanding a greater voice in central
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: #GlobalNoDrones: First global day of action against surveillance and killer drones
On Saturday, October 4, 2014, thousands of people around the world are expected to protest the burgeoning use of drones for surveillance and extrajudicial killings. The post #GlobalNoDrones: First global day of action against surveillance and killer drones appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingThings Are Good: The Country That Does The Most Good
Many countries claim they are making the world a better/safer place, but how which ones are actually making the world better? Simon Anholt asked himself the same question and came to a conclusion that to me was unexpected. I won’t spoil it for you.
Continue readingThings Are Good: USA to Stop Landmine Procurement and Production
Unfortunately not every country has signed the Ottawa Treaty banning anti-personal land mines. Recently the largest producer of armaments, the USA, has opted to stop production of landmines. The army has also committed to not purchasing new landmines. “Our delegation in Maputo made clear that we are diligently pursuing solutions
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: On hummingbirds and genocide
I was going to write a short thought on seeing an amazing little creature in my garden just now – a humming bird no bigger than a bumblebee, which made me almost shudder with joy at the sight. But then I read more on the genocide being waged against
Continue readingPaul S. Graham: Winnipeg – Gaza Solidarity
Winnipeg, July 19, 2014: Winnipeggers march in solidarity with the people of Gaza. Photo: Paul S. Graham July 19, 2014: Several hundred Winnipeggers rallied in front of the Canadian Human Rights Museum in solidarity with the people of Gaza who are enduring yet another murderous invasion by Israeli forces. The
Continue reading350 or bust: Making The World A Better Place Is Your Joy
Shift happens. A movie made by a movement. * TheShiftMovie.com *
Continue readingToday is the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers
Fifty-eight years ago, one of Canada’s most honourable contributions to the international community was born. The first armed UN peacekeeping mission, an emergency force formed to deal with the Suez crisis, was created, largely due to the efforts of then Canadian Minister of External Affairs Lester B. Pearson. Pearson was
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Thom Hartmann discusses how Reaganomics were designed to crush the U.S.’ middle class – and have succeeded in that goal: Progressive taxation, when done correctly, pushes wages down to working people and reduces the incentives for the very rich to pillage their
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