A couple nights ago I was wading about the web, waiting for sleepiness to find me when I came across this video. It exhibits the most beautiful project I’ve seen to in a very long time. On the surface, it is a colossal exercise of empathy and caring for those
Continue readingTag: suicide
The Canadian Progressive: DISGUSTING: Rehtaeh Parsons case: Posters ask community to “support the boys”
By: Obert Madondo | The Canadian Progressive: Canada, we’ve a big problem! “Friends, family and supporters of the four boys allegedly involved in the Rehtaeh Parsons case have taken their voice to the streets of Halifax,” the CBC reports. They’re distributing bright, multi-coloured posters urging the community to “speak the truth” and “stay
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Rehtaeh Parsons: Top Liberal strategist asked Anonymous to intervene
By: Obert Madondo | The Canadian Progressive: On Friday, hactivist collective Anonymous announced it had a confession from one of the boys who gang-raped Rehtaeh Parsons, the 17-year old Canadian girl who committed suicide last week. Anonymous’ involvement in the case undoubtedly pressured the RCMP, politicians and other authorities to get serious about
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Rehtaeh Parsons: Anonymous Says It Has Rape Confession
By: Obert Madondo | The Canadian Progressive: Rehtaeh Parsons, a 17-year old Canadian teen, committed suicide last week after being gang-raped and shamed online. Anonymous says one of the three boys involved in the assault has confessed and is willing to name his alleged accomplices. The hactivist collective issued the following statement on Friday: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Official statement from Aaron Swartz’s family and partner
The official statement from the family and partner of Aaron Swartz, the Reddit co-founder, Internet activist , programmer and extraordinary hacker, who committed suicide Friday night: Our beloved brother, son, friend, and partner Aaron Swartz hanged himself on Friday in his Brooklyn apartment. We are in shock, and have not yet come to
Continue readingDeath By Trolley: The Grad School Gospels: On Professional Baseball, Academia, and My Shared Experience with Dirk Hayhurst
In The Bullpen Gospels, author and former professional baseball player, Dirk Hayhurst, takes readers through his lived experience in the cut-throat world of professional baseball. As I read Hayhurst’s story, I find myself impressed by his talent as a writer, sympathetic to his hardships as professional baseball player, and connected
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: Preventing Bullying of Amanda Todd Just As Important As Preventing Her Suicide
Amanda Todd’s death has put the focus on bullying but in only attempting to solve half of the problem, we’re barely solving any of it. Bullying has plagued every generation, social media, however, in fostering a detached schoolyard mentality, has only made things worse. Current programs to combat bullying are
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: The Persistence of Misogyny
It has been fashionable for as long as I can remember for bitter males, along with a few reactionary female allies, to claim that the feminist movement not only succeeded in eliminating the traditional gender power structure, but inverted it. Women, they complain, are now on top, occupying the positions
Continue readingCanadian Progressive: Canadians Put Politics Aside for Suicide Prevention Day
by Amelia Wood Whether you identify yourself as a conservative, liberal or something in between, there’s no denying the fact that you or someone you know has likely been affected by the tragic epidemic that is suicide. Recognized as one of the biggest issues plaguing modern Canada today, suicide is
Continue readingOPSEU Diablogue: How we die in Canada
Statistics Canada maintains a snapshot of how Canadians die. The chart not only gives an indication of how nearly a quarter million of us cast off this mortal coil each year, but suggests where we are making progress and where … Continue reading →
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: Religious Bullshit and Assisted Suicide Law Struck Down
If you are a religious person you know that life is sacred and only god can decide when and how you will die. You also know that god has a plan for you and works in mysterious ways. So he might decide that you will die quietly in your sleep
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: Assisted Suicide, Discrimination, and the Constitution
Suicide is a difficult case. I do not believe that people, under most circumstances, have a moral right to unilaterally kill themselves. An individual’s life is not the sole property of the individual; it belongs also to her or his loved ones, to all who are deeply affected by such
Continue readingOne Town’s War on Gay Teens | #uspoli #lgbt
One Town’s War on Gay Teens | Politics News | Rolling Stone: “Asked on a radio program whether the anti-gay agenda of her ilk bore any responsibility for the bullying and suicides, Barb Anderson, co-author of the original “No Homo Promo,” held fast to her principles, blaming pro-gay groups for
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Remembering the Blogger Bruce McDonald
A reader reminded me tonight that it’s been a year since the gay Progressive Blogger Bruce McDonald killed himself. How time flies. Although I never met Bruce, his blog Canuck Attitude, inspired me to begin blogging. And since he died, I’ve written several post about him. But this will probably
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Parliament In Review: October 31, 2011
Monday, October 31 saw a study in contrasts as two matters were debated in the House of Commons: a private member’s bill which understandably saw broad agreement, and an opposition motion which should have but was instead met with a painful level of denial from the Cons. The Big IssueThat
Continue readinggay persons of color: Laughable Canadian Conservatives It Gets Better video
The ruling Canadian Conservative government managed to turn the It Gets Better project into a meaningless, insincere folly last Thursday when they released their own version of the campaign in the wake of the suicide of Ottawa teen Jamie Hubley, an ope…
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Parliament In Review: October 4, 2011
Tuesday, October 4 was an opposition day, featuring a motion from Bob Rae on a national suicide strategy that provoked somewhat more agreement than usual. But that doesn’t mean there wasn’t plenty worth debating.The Big IssueWhile all parties naturally…
Continue readingknitnut.net: Jack is not his real name
I’ve known Jack (not his real name) a long time. We were room-mates when I was still in high school and he was in university. He was never a shining example of robust mental health, but he always maintained at least a half-hearted grip on his sanity, despite his contention that sanity was over-rated.
I used […]
Continue readingknitnut.net: Saying goodbye
The art-making party for Elmaks was wonderful and fitting, and the service the next day was lovely.
I don’t usually say funerals are lovely, but this one was. His art decorated the room, and several pieces from the art-making party the night before were there too. (Not mine. I’m still working on mine.)
There was […]
Continue readingRed Tory v.3.0.3: Dept. of Unintentional Irony
Interim Liberal leader Bob Rae speaks out on the issue of suicide prevention as an important public health matter.
Needless to say, committing suicide is a topic about which the Liberal Party of Canada has considerable first-hand knowledge and exper…
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