Pride
June is Pride month, a time when we recognise some of the glorious human diversity in the world. We celebrate being able to be openly who we are, and specifically,…
human rights
I Have A Dream
I Have A Dream: surely, and unquestionably, that great speech by the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., is one of the most important, and most beautiful, uplifting, empowering, ennobling,…
Kudos to Maria Ressa
Among the numerous seriously unpleasant men leading countries in the world today, Rodrigo Duterte, president of the Philippines, must be included. Perhaps his most odious policy is his support for…
topsy-turvy land: u.s. states make protest illegal and driving into protestors legal
It seems that state lawmakers in several U.S. states need a refresher course on the First Amendment. It’s a very simple amendment, really. Amendment I Congress shall make no law…
george floyd + 1,000 others annually: justice is not possible, but accountability might help
Derek Chauvin, the police officer who murdered George Floyd, was found guilty on all charges. At long last, after millions protested around the country and the world, a police officer…
wondering what to do with all that privilege and surplus good luck? try #write4rights 2020
Here we are in the middle of a global pandemic, and I feel (to paraphrase my favourite baseball player) like the luckiest person on the face of the earth.* I’m…
robert fisk, rest in power
I was very saddened to hear of the too-young death of Robert Fisk, veteran war journalist, author, and truth-teller. Fisk was often criticized for “politicizing” war reporting, or for not…
Wednesday Afternoon Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Dimitri Lascaris argues that while Donald Trump has lost the presidential election, the unfair society which allowed him to take power in the…
Saturday Morning Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – Alisha Haridasani Gupta discusses how the anti-mask movement has developed from a culture of toxic masculinity. And Umair Haque points out the economic…
Sundre hospital renamed to honour MP Myron Thompson, long-time foe of equality for same-sex couples
“They’re trying to take away our culture, they’re trying to take away our history,” Donald Trump complained back in 2017 about activists who call for the removal statues of Confederate…
international safe abortion day: abortion is healthcare
September 28 is International Safe Abortion Day, a day to reflect on how many women around the world do not have control over their reproduction — that is, do not…
which side are you on: the unprecedented strike by nba players is a watershed moment for justice
First of all, it’s not a boycott. It’s a strike. And a wildcat strike to boot. When the players on the Milwaukee Bucks chose not to play in the NBA…
the deadliest organized-crime and terrorist enterprise in the history of humanity: the catholic church
In the entire history of human beings on this planet, has there ever been a criminal enterprise more devastating — to as many people, over as long a period of…
wmtc "what i’m reading" posts to celebrate black august 2020
I thought Black August was something newly created by Black Lives Matter, but it turns out it has existed since the 1970s. I’m sorry I haven’t heard about it sooner,…
what i’m reading: how to be an antiracist by ibram x. kendi
How To Be An Antiracist is an important, powerful, thought-provoking book. With unflinching precision, Ibram X. Kendi defines the roots of racism and explains how we can work to eliminate…
Female Genital Mutilation in Canada and the Limits to Criminalization
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a harmful, and at times life-threatening, practice that violates the human rights of girls and women. Photo by Meeri Koutaniemi. COVID-19 has disrupted the global…
Monday Morning Links
Assorted content to start your week. – John Nichols writes about Pramila Jayapal’s recognition that mass unemployment is a policy choice – and her plan for wage supports to make…
“Unprecedented” – Reality vs Delusion
Every year a tragic event happens. 300,000 to 500,000 people die globally of the flu. Most are very old, very ill, or immune compromised. In 2020 fewer people have died…
The Pandemic’s Unflattering Glare: How the Crisis Is Affecting Care Workers and Prisoners
A prisoner inside the Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre (also known as Barton Jail) tested positive for COVID-19 in late-March. Photo courtesy of the Hamilton Spectator. Multiple and concurrent disasters are unfolding…
Averting Fascism
Fascism is rising – here is how to avert it. A short video talk, linked below, sparked these thoughts, which I will share. May they bless us with the courage,…