Saturday, November 10, 2012

Stadium Trumps Platform Issues

Good afternoon my friends, my family and my followers (some of you are all three in fact). I've been contemplating about what to write about today. Tomorrow being Remembrance Day would have been an easy topic but too much of my time recently has been spent on doing media interviews on the Occupy Nova Scotia eviction last year (not that I mind, media folks, I don't; I appreciate your interest and your time) so I've decided to go in a different direction today. Yesterday I came across this article about the new Mayor of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Mike Savage and his decision to champion for a stadium; yes, champion.

First off I want to say that I like Mike; yes, corny but true. Like many I had and still have some pre-conceived notions about him but I would be lying if I didn't say that after meeting him that some of those notions have been shattered or changed for the better. Time will tell if he lives up to the title of career politician (whatever that might mean to you) or if he will shatter stereotypes and bring some much needed change to HRM.

So, back to the stadium and some thoughts. The first thing that struck me was the fact that this was even a conversation. As a candidate in the election I feel I was pretty well informed on the election and I do not recall a stadium being mentioned during any campaigning (except from some rather entertaining Twitter followers @Seahawk17). You can imagine my surprise to see that this is now not only a priority for our new mayor, but he intends to champion it! What happened to all those platform issues? How about the OurHRMAlliance's Seven Solutions? Where is the discussion on tax reform? When will the loss of downtown businesses become a priority?

I want to take a minute to address something before getting too far into this post; I am not opposed to a stadium (not necessarily supportive of it either). A stadium will do for HRM exactly what I expected Mike to do for HRM: create economic prosperity. Mike is no stranger to business or to politics and his experience in both bode well for such a venture. The prospective economic gains for the municipality are real when it comes to a stadium and I think Mike has the business sense and the political connection to make it happen and make it work. Dexter is just mad that the Federal government probably likes Mike Savage more than they do him; you screwed up Darryl and people just don't respect you anymore and the NDP are on the way out in the next provincial election. 

Back to the issue, the stadium. Where did this come from? Was I in the dark somehow? I like to think of myself as well informed but yet here we are. Our new mayor and council have not even had their first official session yet and here we have Mayor Savage championing for a stadium already. People didn't ask for a stadium, they asked for transparency; they didn't ask for entertainment, they asked for arts and culture. I think a stadium is the wrong item to be championing for before you've even sat in council.

Like I said, I'm not opposed to the stadium, I see the positive benefits that it will bring to the economy and to HRM in general. My problem is that this is the first big 'issue' to be championed for by our new Mayor. A sport stadium trumps accountability, transparency, homelessness, poverty, income disparity, affordable housing, tax reform, transit and infrastructure, arts and culture and every other major and important platform that Mike and his counterparts ran on. How did a stadium become more important than governing?

I'm a little disappointed that this is the first big move to be looked at and to garner media attention. I'm not quite ready to write off Mayor Savage yet; I won't let this (perceived) error in judgment of what is important to the residents of HRM define the next four years; I give you the benefit of the doubt Mr Savage because, as I said, I like Mike and I want to believe that you're not going to live up to that terrible stereo-type of career politician; I want to believe you believed in those crucial and important issues you 'championed' on to become our new Mayor. 

Monday, November 5, 2012

Series: Love Letters

The second letter in a series of real love letters I wrote to the only woman I have ever fallen in love with at first sight; not the only woman I've ever loved. Love is a passionate and blinding emotion; one I hope you've all experienced for better or for worse. The first letter in this series can be found here. Please remember that this is but a glimpse, the tip of an ice burgh of a situation that spans a decade, that unfortunately has since come to an end, but nevertheless lacks context here. Perhaps some day I will share the story and provide you with some.

"September 3rd, xxxx

Xxxxx, my love, I'm sitting here alone and I am watching you smile at me; for me. I finally turned on the video I made of you and Yyyyy and to my surprise I do not feel like crying. It reassures me to see you when you break into that smile; the smile you make out of your love for me. I'm sorry that my fears have been getting the better of me recently but like I've said, every good thing that's ever been part of my life has been stripped from me and I was helpless to stop it from happening. I trust you with my life because when I gave you my love, I also gave you my life. I am as naked and exposed before you as I was the day I entered into existence and sometimes it scares me to be so vulnerable. I try not to let it, but it sometimes finds it's way inside my head. I know you love me; I know you'll wait as long as it takes for me; and I know that you are mine yet somehow those thoughts find their way inside my head. It bothers me and I feel guilty because you shouldn't be made to think I doubt or question your intentions; your loyalty; or your love for me. It's not fair to you and believe me when I swear to you that I do not ever doubt those things. I'm sorry if I've ever made you feel as though I did. I never have and nor will I ever. Someday, we will have the life together that we both deserve; and we both deserve it. I'm watching Yyyyy right now and it would be a lie if I said my heart wasn't aching about missing her too. I know most of the time I only talk about how I'm feeling about you and I don't want you to think that anything is different about the little miracle that is your daughter. I miss her little hugs; her little laughs; her sweet happiness. I know you love her above anything else in this life and you want to protect her from any and all hurt and I guess I don't talk much about her because I'm afraid of how you might take it. I know you don't want her being hurt in any way and to be honest with you Xxxxx: I am far beyond attached to Yyyyy. I'm pretty sure you've heard me say I love her, and I do, and when I've said it I immediately kind of wished I hadn't said it. I'm not sure if you ever caught me saying it because I look to you expecting you to have a look telling me I went too far but I wouldn't say it if it weren't true.There are other things I think and feel but I don't know if I should tell you or if they are inappropriate; though I'm sure they will surface at some point. It means so much to me when you get her to talk on the phone to me. My heart melts with joy. I love you both so very much. Our time is coming; our time to be together. Oh, how I wish things were different and I wasn't stuck here, but this is our test; our test of love; of loyalty; of dedication; of strength and when we get through this, and I assure you we will, what we will have will be something the world has never known. Our love will be the envy of the entire world because they will know what love really is when they look at us and they will be envious. This last phone conversation has really helped put my mind much more at ease, though I can still feel some apprehensiveness creeping around up there. Just understand that it's dwindling rapidly with every passing moment. I love you with all my heart and soul and I want to spend the rest of my life with you; loving you and you loving me. I miss you dearly.

Love,

John"

"Remember, remember, the 5th of November..."

Good morning my friends! Today is a very special day; a very special day indeed. Today is a very important day in history that I have only come to awareness about last year but it is one I will celebrate each year for any that remain to me. It is today that Guy Fawkes, a lone Englishman, tried to burn down parliament with a shit ton of black powder; he was caught before he could light it up and was subsequently tried and executed.

I'll provide you with the poem and a little background to the day. Although the poem was meant to remind us that treason is never forgotten, it has taken on a new meaning for this generation. It is now a symbol of freedom and justice thanks to the movie V for Vendetta (which I HIGHLY recommend watching). If you have your Guy Fawkes mask, I encourage you to wear it out today to remind people that it only takes one person to start a revolution. You are free, don't let them take that.

Remember, remember the fifth of November,
gunpowder, treason and plot,
I see no reason why gunpowder treason
should ever be forgot.
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes,
'twas his intent
to blow up the King and the Parliament.
Three score barrels of powder below,
Poor old England to overthrow:
By God's providence he was catch'd
With a dark lantern and burning match.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, make the bells ring.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!
Hip hip hoorah! 

While this is not the complete version, I will provide a link here to the full version. You can go here to see this copy and some of the information that will follow.

"Words of "Remember Remember" refer to Guy Fawkes with origins in 17th century English history. On the 5th November 1605 Guy Fawkes was caught in the cellars of the Houses of Parliament with several dozen barrels of gunpowder. Guy Fawkes was subsequently tried as a traitor with his co-conspirators for plotting against the government. He was tried by Judge Popham who came to London specifically for the trial from his country manor Littlecote House in Hungerford, Gloucestershire. Fawkes was sentenced to death and the  form of the execution was one of the most horrendous ever practised (hung ,drawn and quartered) which reflected the serious nature of the crime of treason."


Saturday, November 3, 2012

Occupy Nova Scotia: An Open Letter To Mike Savage

Good morning my friends! Today I am going to share a letter that I wrote but have not sent. It is my own letter and not meant to be misinterpreted as representing the voices of any of the people charged last November 11th, nor to represent the Occupy movement or Occupy Nova Scotia; these are my own words and represent myself and my involvement with the movement. I would seriously like to see this issue addressed and will be working towards applying pressure and pursuing avenues to make it happen. So, without further adieu, here we go.

"Mayor-Elect Mike Savage,

I would like to start this letter off by congratulating you Mr Savage, on being elected to the mayoral seat in the Halifax Regional Municipality. Although my own run was not nearly as successful, I am looking forward to being actively engaged in municipal politics over the next four years and seeing what positive changes you will be bringing to the people of HRM.

Though it should be noted that you will see at times that I might criticize you and your decisions, after having met you several times over the course of the election, I believe you have honest intentions to better this city and the municipality as a whole. The onus will be on you to demonstrate the strength of character I believe I saw in you. Despite my personal opinion of your personal character, which is a positive one, we will disagree on political matters and this is nothing against you or your character. Who knows, perhaps I will find nothing to disagree with but this is, however, politics. 

On that note, I would like to bring up a political issue to which you will soon have the ability to address. As mentioned, I have met you several times and I also followed your campaign and have heard your disdain for the treatment of the Occupy Nova Scotia movement last year. As you are aware, and asked me of a few times, I was a member of the Occupy Nova Scotia movement. It is about this issue for which I am writing this letter.

You are, as many others, aware of what happened that day, the ensuing media frenzy and of course the charges laid on 14 of the protesters that day. After months of delays and push-backs, last May the charges were withdrawn by the prosecution (the HRM) due to lack of evidence to convict. There was some brief media coverage and the matter has since remained quiet however it is far from resolved. I will take a moment to explain myself.

The charges, as mentioned, were withdrawn. What does that mean? It means that HRM could, at any time in the future, decide to reopen the case and proceed with the charges again. In a metaphorical sense, this is an admission of guilt of wrongful arrest without having to acknowledge it, say it or accept responsibility for it. We were given the option of accepting Adult Diversion as a plea and I, like most of the others, rejected this offer because we felt strongly that we would win our court battle; apparently so did the prosecution. It was shortly after this rejection of their offer that our charges were withdrawn.

I am writing you to ask you to address this situation. I stand by my actions from that day and no court of law, regardless of evidence or illegal charges will ever convince me otherwise. This is what I would like from you, as my new Mayor and someone in a position to do something:

1) Have the charges officially dropped. I am not asking for an official apology, though it would be nice, but I would like to have closure. With charges being simply withdrawn it is as though they are being held over my head all the time; following me, and 13 others, wherever we go; living with the fear and knowledge that our lives can be turned upside down at any moment. Drop them and let us be free of our chains of burden that we carry still to this day; almost one year later.

Bring closure to this despicable act of deceit and violence. You have met me and you have commended me for the work I was doing; you showed me respect and you have seen, as I have shown many others, that I am a competent, informed and passionate individual. Again, I'm not looking for an apology from you, from City Hall or from the HRPD (though again, it would be a nice gesture); no, what I want is that part of my freedom back. My rights were violated that day and a part of my freedoms locked up with me in a jail cell; I have since been released, but my freedom still rots in a cell.

I urge to please consider this request on my behalf and on behalf of the 13 others who carry this unnecessary and unjust burden upon their shoulders everywhere they go. Give us back the freedom that was so wrongfully and painfully stripped from us.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

John Thibeau"

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Blog Series: Love Letters

Welcome to my new Love Letters blog series. Another blog series with no set posting schedule; for sharing as I am able. These are real, actual letters I have written over the years; the first number of posts are actually over the course of a few months to the only person I've ever fell in love with at first sight; yes I believe in love at first sight and true, endless, romantic love. You can call me a dreamer...love is real. I have done my best to hide any indication of real people and/or places to maintain the privacy of other people. I doubt she'll be reading this anyway & that most of you will not have an indication as to the recipient(s). Enjoy.

"September 2nd, xxxx

Hello my Love. I just finished talking to you on the phone and it's only been hours since I saw you last and already my heart is heavy with sorrow. It feels as though a thousand years have passed and that thousands more await me before I can see your pretty face again. I feel so very lost here without you. I feel so incomplete. I'm not sure I can do this so far away from you. My heart is crying out in anguish and I feel as though I have betrayed myself by leaving. Since my son died I have never been capable of being happy; of being complete; of being myself, yet with you I have regained much of that person I used to be. I can look at myself in the mirror and not hate the person I see staring back at me. I can face each new day with such a feeling of invincibility and perseverance that it's as though there were nothing beyond my reach; everything but you that is. I want to leave right now to come home. That's what you called it; home. I'm not sure if you know just how much that means to me. My heart overflows with joy to think that you consider my home there with you. I cannot begin to explain to you just how touching and emotional this means to me. You are everything I will ever need or desire out of this life or the next. You told me I could come home anytime I wanted and though I am already prepared, there is a reason I am here like there is a reason we have found one another. When I understand my purpose here or when I know that my reason for being here is gone, I will be gone in the same heart beat. Something, the same force which has reunited us and given us this love, has brought me here and I cannot leave until I know what it is I'm doing here. I can only pray that you will have the strength to endure the pain that we both are going through right now, but I also know I don't have to pray because that same force tells me that we will be together. Sometimes I think maybe my purpose in being here is to make us both realize just what we mean to one another; to make us understand and truly appreciate this blessed love we have found in one another. I can only wait to know for sure. I know that it won't be long before we are together again, as brief as it may be, yet my heart longs for the comfort of holding your body against mine. You are the light that shines ahead of me so as to make sure I am not led astray. You are my love, my life, my every desire. I won't be here to finish my xxxxxx, of this I am aware. It's something I think I've known for some time or perhaps it's a decision I made without conscious thought; i don't know. What I do know is that for now, it is here that I must remain, no matter how much I feel my heart is breaking, because that very same heart is telling me I must. The heart does not lie and it will not commit treason against itself. In this respect I know that even though my heart longs for you and that with all my heart I love you, it has brought me here for something and as it brought me here, so it will return me to you so that it may become complete once more. I love you with all my heart and soul and I would gladly give my life for you. You belong to me as I belong to you and there is nothing will keep us apart or stifle our love. This was meant to be; we are meant to be. You can call it what you may but I have to to acknowledge it as fate and you cannot stop fate; nobody can. I miss you so much it hurts but fear not and keep your head held high for it won't be long until we're together again like we belong; like we are meant to be. I love you.

Love,

John"

Next

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Canadian 'Justice': You Call This Rehabilitation?

Good morning Cyberspace. It has been some time since I've had the time necessary to sit down and write a blog. To fill you in briefly, my bid for City Council did not end with my election. Although I did manage to garner a respectable 11% of the vote for my District! I am looking forward to 2016 when I will be more prepared and more established for a better result. However, if that is to happen, I have to find a job and that what has spawned this post: my job search.

As some of my readers are already aware, I have a criminal record. I was charged with Driving Under the Influence under the Criminal Code of Canada in 2006 when I was still suffering from my substance abuse addiction. In fact, it was that accident that ultimately set me on my course to overcoming my addiction and raising myself out of the abyss. It was no easy task and not one I could have accomplished without a strong support network of family, friends and community; I truly am fortunate for not every addict I have met along the way has had my good fortune. 

Over the last year, the Harper Conservative majority government passed a crime Omnibus bill. Included, in particular, in this bill was the removal of the official Pardon process for people who have a criminal record into what is called a Suspended Sentence. Although this will be a very general statement, I encourage you to find out more about Suspended Sentences; you can easily Google the information. Basically a Suspended Sentence is just putting your file in a different pile than those with criminal records who have not been given a Suspended Sentence. It is not a Pardon. In fact, anyone who is no longer eligible for a Pardon (such as myself) can NEVER go to the United States because their law does not even recognize the Suspended Sentence. So how does this tie into the blog theme? Let me rant.

You see, I just graduated from my program in Advanced Public Relations and received top honors with an Achievement Award of Excellence for my program for the year. I am very well skilled in my field, even prior to attending the college, but am aware of the obstacles facing a recent graduate when seeking employment; not always the easiest search. With a loss in the election, I must find employment to afford to remain in the great Halifax Regional Municipality; if I don't, it's back to Yarmouth, with my parents, trying to struggle to get by.
Achievement Award of Excellence in Public Relations

So what's my beef? Well, Canada claims it's criminal justice system is based upon rehabilitation and not incarceration; that we work to re-integrate those who've faced troubled times, made bad decisions but are ready, willing and able to get the help needed to return to being active members of society. I call absolute bull shit on the system. It's a lie and it's a sham; I can prove it because I'm living it.

I am having difficulty finding a job in my field because I am inexperienced on paper; I am struggling with getting jobs that I am essentially perfectly qualified for because they require a criminal background check; I cannot get hired for a job that I'm overqualified for that pays above minimum wage (even though my skills, training, experience and education say I should be earning above that) because that requires a criminal background check; I am now back to looking for a job that pays minimum wage, if I'm lucky it's not a three month entry level training wage.

How is this rehabilitation? How is this restorative? In what way is this going to encourage me to remain a productive member of society? I made a mistake; a big one which I have paid dearly for but I paid my dues; I served my time; I paid back my debt to society both morally and legitimately through the legal system. I have remained clean; I have stayed out of trouble; I've committed no crimes; I have followed all the rules and yet, here I sit, writing this.

I want to share something with you, this, what I am facing, this is what turns people back to that lifestyle; this is what keeps criminals, criminals; what keeps the poor living in poverty; what spurs on substance abuse and violence; it is a complete disregard for the humanity of really good and decent people. I want to tell you something, fuck the justice system; I am a GREAT person and I do not deserve to be treated in such a manner. Why is it that I continue to suffer despite having done all that was asked of me to pay for my mistake?

If I declare bankruptcy (regardless of the amount owed, dollars to thousands to millions), my record is clear in five to seven years; five to seven years! I could owe people hundreds of thousands of dollars and opt out on it, declare bankruptcy and regardless of my behavior, in a few years it will be as though it never happened. I understand why we maintain criminal records but this is far too counter-productive to be called rehabilitation. I may not be in jail but I am hardly a free man.

Unless we do something to correct this, every good person who finds themselves in a situation where they have a momentary lapse in judgement and make one poor decision will forever struggle their entire life through unless, through some miracle of chance they are given an opportunity; that's what I'm looking for, my opportunity but the government, the justice system and Stephen Harper obviously do not believe I deserve to  have that. Why doesn't my criminal record become 'silent' or 'ghost' after five to seven years if I remain out of trouble, remain a productive member of society and continue to follow the rules? Why should it be a monkey on my back, regardless of getting a Suspended Sentence, for the entirety of the rest of my existence? Why did I plead guilty? Why did I pay my fine on time? Why did I get help? Why did I bother with any of it when I was just going to be slapped in the face for doing it? If I were the man I was a few years ago, I'd already be off down that dark path again given the difficulties in simply finding a decent paying job; even one I'm highly overqualified for.

So, what are my options? Why should I be forced to work a minimum wage job, live in poverty and struggle every day of my life to make ends meet for a mistake I have long since payed for both figuratively and literally? I'm sharing this so you know because most people who will read this know me and think highly of me and my abilities. I have gained their respect through persistence in good, noble actions and by being respectful of them. I have earned the right to have the freedom to pursue my dreams; my future; my desires; yet I don't.

Rehabilitation? No. Preparation for a life of crime, a life of poverty or a life of struggle. I'm tired of struggling. I have worked extremely hard and faced many trials over the last six years to arrive where I am today. I have fought many battles and come out, scarred, but ahead. I have earned the right to pursue my own happiness regardless of my past mistakes; why then, am I being forced back down into the abyss?

Thursday, August 16, 2012

One Year Later...

Good morning Cyberspace! It's nice to be back here with you writing out some thoughts and ideas. It's been some time since I really took the time to write a real blog entry. My last blog entry on breastfeeding in public seems to have found a certain level of popularity over the internet. By far it is my most successful blog post to date. Today I've got a little bit of time to spare (not really) and decided that I would write a little something for you; but perhaps more for me.

I've been thinking recently about my life; most especially how it has changed over the last year. I suppose I should start at a year or so ago from now. At this point in my life I was living off of an unemployment check which served to support myself, my girlfriend (she received a small income) and her little girl. Things were not so well. Being poor tends to create stress and divide in relationships; ours was no different. By the time September rolled around our relationship had reached a tipping point. Financially, things had improved slightly however the strain of the previous months had, unbeknownst to me, taken its toll on us.

September rolled in and as it was closing I was leaving my family behind. The two girls were staying in Yarmouth, both going to school, and I was moving to Halifax to attend school. This wasn't the first time I'd dealt with a long distance relationship. In fact, the first year of our relationship I spent in Newfoundland studying Philosophy & Political Science. Somehow I felt that this time around our bond may not be strong enough to hold us together.

With school starting and October rolling in I had my main focus on attending school and trying to salvage what was left of my five year relationship. Then, completely by surprise, something incredible (incredible to me) happened: the Occupy movement. I won't go into great detail about Occupy itself or the Occupy Nova Scotia to which I was a member and am still a supporter because I have covered much of this is previous posts. Occupy is one of the single events in my life that has carried with it some of the most far reaching impacts on my personal self I have ever experienced. It opened my mind up to so many new ideas, new ways of thinking and introduced to entirely different perspective on reality. I cannot stress enough how grateful for that experience I am. 

By the time December rolled around, the ONS movement was losing much of its steam. Personally, the stress and anxiety had taken a toll and so I retired to the solitude of my former life: focusing mainly on school and family. I continued to spend much of my online time sharing information regarding the ideas presented and expressed to me while actively participating with ONS. I brought to light injustices to friends, family and acquaintances that those responsible tried to keep from peering eyes. I did and continue to share knowledge and information to educate others on the realities of certain situations.

Then the Ides of March arrived. I know this day because it is the day I was meant to return to Yarmouth for a week's vacation with my partner and her daughter except fate had another plan. As it turns out, all that strain on our relationship had been, as suspected, too much. We mutually dissolved our relationship just a few hours before I was to leave. Ordinarily, as shown from past experiences, I would have been emotionally devastated; even returned to masking emotion with addiction but not this time. This time I was no longer the person I had been for the 30 years prior; this time I was more complete; balanced; harmonized.

I dealt extremely well with the sudden loss. I now had but one place to focus my energies: school. So that's what I did. I became entrenched in my education; more specifically the social media side of it. I began to spend more time exploring social media, connecting with new and interesting people, learning from others from across the world. For almost two months this was my life; well besides spending the occasional afternoon at a random protest, rally or with friends having open discussion. Then little coincidences began to occur which would inevitably lead me down an unseen path.

Around the beginning of May, ONS received an injection of energy when our legal charges stemming from our Remembrance Day eviction were dropped. With the sudden influx in energy and a revitalized sense of bringing change I dove back into the Occupy movement. It was rather short-lived. Despite having been given another opportunity to revive ONS to its once former strength, it was to be for naught. Within two weeks, this injection of hope had begun to fade. I began to question myself and my actions: had I wasted my time? What do I do now? How do I move forward as the person I had become? How could I continue to work towards change? Then the answer came in the form of an offhand comment made half in jest, half with the utmost seriousness: politics.

Having spent almost a year living in my new home, Halifax, I had come to understand a lot of the municipal issues and community issues that the people shared. Things like urban sprawl/over-development; an over-abundance of secret council meetings; property taxes; financial over-spending by city hall; a decreasing usage and disillusionment of our public transit system and several other important points. At a local social gathering with some friends from Twitter, I was told I should run in the upcoming Municipal election. Never in my life have the bells in my head rung so loudly and reverberated so deeply within myself. This, this is what I knew I had to do.

I quickly gathered together some friends, most that I had met through ONS and created a small campaign team. We went over many concerns, plans and ideas. In the end, as you can see here, I moved forward with the idea. At the onset I had many fears and anxieties about how I would be received; I should not have. From the beginning I have received such positive feedback and encouraging support that I have been reassured almost completely that I am following the right path. This brings us to our present day here in August; less than one month from the day I settled in Halifax.

What a year! From a stable family home to being alone in a city; from a narrow vision of direction to a broad spectrum of opportunity; from passive political criticism to spokesperson of one of the largest global activist movements in modern times; from the pursuit of an education to the journey towards bringing positive change to the people of a city of 400k+ people; from a scared, confused little boy to a matured, wiser, balanced human being. The one thing that has been constant throughout this past year, each one that preceded it and all those to come is change.

My life has continued to change. From my personally held spiritual beliefs to my friends, my family, my knowledge and my goals. I am constantly changing because the Universe and reality in which I live is always changing.  I think that perhaps learning to accept this constant, uncontrollable (in most cases) change has been one of my great accomplishments this past year. What will the future hold for me? Well, with the municipal election in less than two months as well as my graduation and the fact that my former partner and I are attempting to resolve our differences, it should be interesting to look back and see what my life will look like...one year later.

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Sunday Afternoon Poetry #22

Good morning Cyberspace! It has been some time since I published any poetic content. As it so happens, I awoke particularly early on this Sunday morning. For no particular reason that I am aware, I was awake bright and early. Therefore I have found myself with a little extra time on my hands and felt a desire to suddenly publish a new poetic post. I have had a yearning lately to return to writing in my blog so I am starting simple and hoping to ease back into more frequent writing. I hope you enjoy today's entry and I'm looking forward to writing for you again. Enjoy your day as you can.

Today

Today is a beautiful day.
For what reasons, I cannot say.
Maybe it was the clear blue sky;
Or clouds floating up above so high.
Perhaps it was the warming of the sun
Whose course above is almost done.
Whatever reasons made my day so bright,
They leave me better into night.
Will tomorrow bring me this much joy
And make me though a younger boy?
For now I'll worry not about the dawn;
Dusk is coming, day almost gone.
But as the sun sets down beyond the sky,
I thank the gods to be alive.

-John Thibeau 22/April/2003
Sunset on inukshuk

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Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Breastfeeding: Are We Really Talking About This Still?

Good morning my friends. I had no intention of writing a blog this morning when I got up but several news stories have really got me worked up and I thought it best that I write out my frustrations rather than carry them around all day. So let's get this show on the road before I have a brain hemorrhage and my head explodes.

It continues to amaze me how intolerant and ignorant some people can be. The human race has been around for thousands of years (tens of thousands depending on what you believe) and yet still we continue to struggle with something so very simple as respect. You thought I was going to say equality, equity or some other idealistic achievement of human tolerance didn't you? Well I'm not because it isn't about those things because they mean nothing without a certain level of respect. Tolerating me because I'm gay (I'm not) and not liking me is nothing more than lip service which leaves the door open for more hate. Equality cannot be achieved without some form of respect and understanding.

My beef is breast feeding. Why is this conversation even happening? Why do I have to sit here and waste my energy and emotions on something that is more natural than most everything else we do as human beings? Let me explain to you how this process works. A woman has a child, the child needs food, the female body, coincidentally, produces food (really high quality, nutrient rich milk)...is any of this making sense? Good; it's supposed to. So what, in whatever God's name you worship, is the problem? Even if you're a hard core extreme religious zealot you must acknowledge that this process is God's plan but yet yesterday I had to deal with a Twitter feed for over an hour that was a debate on breast feeding in public.

Have you turned on the television lately? How about surfing through YouTube? Maybe you're one of those rare people who actually reads magazine's still? What do you see? Continued sexualization of women. Women used as sex objects to sell products or services; using the beauty and grace of female sexuality to convince people to buy this or do that. It's almost sickening; especially nowadays that we're doing it to our women younger and younger (go see what Miley Cyrus looked like as Hannah Montana when she started but I'm sure you know exactly what I'm talking about). All this constant bombardment and use of women as purely sexual creatures to be used and exploited but whip out a nipple to feed a starving baby and suddenly you are an affront to humanity? Sometimes less than human...where are our principles? What happened to them? Sex sells I suppose and maybe that's the problem.
Two people sharing Intimacy

Sex is not a marketing tool. At it's most basic roots it is nothing more than a means to an ends; a function of survival to propagate the species. More expanded from this root is the emotional and psychological side of  sex. Sex began as instinct because that's how primitive humans survived: instinct. We are no longer that primitive people; we have grown, we have evolved, we have gained in knowledge and thus our perceptions have changed. Sex is no longer a means of survival, it has become something much more. It has become an intimate act of the physical manifestation of attraction and emotion felt between two human beings. It's purpose is for pleasure, love and expression. It is the unity of two people in a single moment that melts away all reality around you. It is a sacred and holy bond shared between two human beings that unifies them together in euphoric bliss, culminating in an orgasmic explosion shared between the physical and the mental. Sex is not for sale; it is for sharing (that's metaphorical; see what you will).
More people sharing Intimacy

Selling sex for profit? Good. Sexualizing women for profit? Good. Breast Feeding? Bad. Seriously, I think that it is time that we as a species take a huge step back from our own egos and think about where we are going. When war, death and fraud are commonly accepted practices; when the exploitation of women for profit is considered commonplace; when sex becomes a platform for advertising instead of an expression of true emotion (I believe EVERY sexual experience is meant to be a shared physical and emotional experience); and finally, when the natural process of our nature is considered wrong, shunned and in some cases (just ranting here; not based on fact) I am sure it is probably outlawed I think we may have misread our moral compass. 

So what do we do? Well, for starters we can start showing some respect to women; some equity and equality would probably go a long way to making things a little bit better but the best thing that can be done is to consider how you may inadvertently promote gender inequality in your own life. I use language that is predominantly male-oriented and I make a conscious effort to change it. A small step, but it's a step. I also do not buy products or services that use women and sex to sell to me. Don't get me wrong, I love intimacy as much as any man and women are the ultimate beings of sexuality, but it should be their choice to express it.

And women, if you want to breast feed in public, do it. Don't let the ignorant and narrow-minded people try to pressure, force or shame you into feeling guilty for doing what nature intended of you. You are all beautiful and amazing creatures of life and love; without you, none of us would be here. Thanks for putting up with our shit for all this time; I love you.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Did I Really Just Hear That?

Greetings and salutations my friends! I apologize for the sudden and abrupt end to my regular postings. As I mentioned in my last post I have made the decision to run for city council in the Halifax Regional Municipality municipal elections this fall. However, while sitting at today's Regional Council session, one of the current councilors made a statement which furthered my resolve to pursue this course.

"Councilor's can override the will of the people. They have that power."
"Sometimes a councilor must make a decision that is contrary to the will of the people because it is best for the people even if they don't know it."


I'll let those words sink in for a minute. Now, I am working from memory and those may not be exact quotations but they are pretty damned close. There is so much wrong with these two statements that it frightens me to consider their true, deeper meaning. Before I get to that, let's just examine them one at a time and I'll explain my concerns; concerns that you should have as well.


"Councilor's can override the will of the people. They have that power."

This sentence is extremely alarming. Elected representatives, also known as public servants, can at their whim, ignore the will of the people. I was not aware and received no memo alerting me to the fact that elected officials had supreme authority. The very meaning of representative means to stand in place of. Public officials do not have power over the people but rather, power of the people. They have been authorized by the citizens who elected them to speak on their behalf. It was my understanding from the source of this statement that city councilor's in Halifax have the right and the authority to make decisions contrary to the demand of their constituents. Frightening.

"Sometimes a councilor must make a decision that is contrary to the will of the people because it is best for the people even if they don't know it."

Firstly, no elected representative, at any time should be making any decisions that are contrary to the will of the people. The very position is defined by the fact that you are the people. Contradictions do not exist and for any representative to act contrary to the demand of their constituents is to act contrary to themselves. This cannot possibly be. Your public servants are not servants at all by this creed, they are masters. Let's move on to the second portion of this statement shall we?

Even if they don't know it? What do you take the public for? If you or all those who did not oppose this statement spent some time with your constituents you would have thought twice about saying something like this. What a terrible, terrible insult to the intelligence of the people. During my work with the Occupy Nova Scotia movement I bore witness to a number of very cunning ploys that some people attempted to throw over the heads of the General Assembly. Each time, my fears were embarrassingly relieved as that same public saw the ruse and promptly discarded it. Embarrassing because I too once underestimated the people but let me reassure you good councilors, they are not to be. They are quite intelligent and as it stands, they are quite annoyed. And with statements like this, who wouldn't be?

I made a promise to myself that if I ever entered any political arena that I would do things my way; my right way. And my right way involved some old, very old, traditions that have been forgotten. The most important of which is Honesty. Another is trust. But one that was as equally important was my integrity. I am running to be elected to represent the people because it is one of the greatest honor's I think a person can be given. It is a sacred duty and privilege to serve in the name of the people. That is why I have made it my mission to not talk negatively about my opponents or any specific candidates. This isn't a race; it's an application. The last time I checked, employers wanted to know about me and not about other people being interviewed. With that in mind, I will not however refrain from expressing my concerns or opinions regarding comments, statements and actions by the current governments at any level (excepting perhaps Stephen Harper, I'll call him out for his insanity any day).

I'm sharing this today because I think it's important to understand the psychology at play here. The deeper, scarier meaning to these statements is that it came at the Municipal level. This is the bottom tier of authority when it comes to governance here in Canada. It is grassroots and though it is important due to its impact on day to day life, it is definitely nothing as glorified as provincial or federal politics. That at this level of governance, our elected representatives know what is best regardless of the public will and can exercise that knowing with supreme authority is just frightening. I dare not imagine how provincial or federal politicians see themselves...inconceivable to consider how his Holiness Supreme Chancellor & King of Canada, Stephen Harper views himself...

It was nice to be able to write for you. I wish it had been something a little cheerier however this was weighing deeply on my mind. I want to thank those who've been checking in every so often to see if I've posted. I promise I will try to do a little better but a political campaign is no picnic but definitely worth it for the opportunity to be the change.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

John Thibeau For City Council

Good morning friends, followers and family! I guess it is pretty apparent from today's blog title that I have come to a decision on running in the Municipal election here in Halifax. For those who didn't know I was considering it, please feel free to go back and read my original post on the idea, Seeking Council

Over the last few weeks I have been seeking feedback from all those close to me and sought out specific individuals who I felt would have a positive impact on a campaign. After much deliberation and discussion, I finally reached the decision that I would indeed run for City Council in District 10.

There is much work to be done between now and then. For starters, there is much to learn about the processes of council, regulations, policies and procedures I must understand. Then there are the various committees and community council meetings that take place which I will be investing much of my time in over the next few months. I realize that I do have some inexperience working against me however what I may lack there I more than make up for in my passion, desire and strong ability to learn and understand.

On top of all of those administrative type meetings to attend, there are also a plethora of community organized events or community group events that are happening. I aim to attend as many of these as possible; and not just the ones isolated to District 10 (though I will give those precedence). I am asking for the trust of the people from District 10 and the city of Halifax as a whole to represent their voice at City Council. I've already taken part in a number of really great events and assisted in many different social causes. Some of these include the MS Society of Canada (Atlantic Division), the Human Library at Mount St Vincent, the Diabetes Association of Canada, Clean Across Nova Scotia, LGBTO communities of Halifax and several others. I'm looking forward to participating in many more.

So, I am really excited this morning despite my press release not really being picked up by the media. That's perfectly fine. I have a really excited and dedicated team, a growing wave of support from friends, family and followers and there is still so much time between now and the election. I am really looking forward to getting out and meeting more of the people from District 10. I've met a small group of them already; some are classmates, some are friends and some are professional connections. If you want to know more about how my campaign is going, what I'm doing or want to offer advice or opinion, please check out the links below.

And most importantly, be prepared to get out and vote! Your vote is your voice and I will make it count.

Twitter - John_Thibeau

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

The Fresh "Prints" of Agricola

Good morning my friends from around the globe! I recently noticed a few new countries popping up on the analytics: Lithuania, Israel, the Philippines. Very exciting! Today's post is going to be a little more localized however. I want to take a moment to do what little is within my means to pay back to a special group of gentlemen who recently gave their time and work to a very worthy cause.

The Fresh "Prints" is actually Fresh Prints, a local business that specializes in customized shirts. I have to be completely honest, until I gave my time to volunteer to help an instructor at my college and her MS Walk Team, I had no idea they existed. I'd only ever seen one other store like it in the city. After helping her with her fundraising event, I stayed on to help her raise sponsors to pay for shirts for the team. 

A few weeks before the walk, things were not looking well. Angela nor myself had had much success in raising any sponsorship money. She had received one 50$ donation from a lawyer firm, Ritch Durnford Lawyers. One other sponsor was also going on the shirt, Kelly St-Pierre Photography, as Kelly had donated her time and resources to photograph the Play Date With A Purpose event. Things were not looking very promising and with 14 team members, 50$ was not going to cover the cost. I felt terrible, she felt dejected. Then a wondrous thing occurred. 

I asked Angela for one more day; I would just contact Fresh Prints and see what could be done. Now the internet is not a medium for trying to visualize people through language when one has never officially met. I received a reply quite quickly from a very professional gentleman named Nigel. Nigel was one of the most helpful people I have met. He was very courteous and beyond that courtesy was a generosity and genuine interest in the people of his community.

I explained to him the complete situation, the small budget we had to work with, the brief time before the walk and other details about who we were and why were talking to him. To my absolute surprise and delight, Nigel and his staff not only took on the project but went above and beyond. I cannot express how amazing it is to have experienced first hand a sense of community. They could have easily dismissed us, as other businesses had done for one reason or another, but they didn't.

Nigel and his staff not only donated their time but they donated all 14 tee shirts as well as the time and resources needed to put graphics on them. How absolutely fantastic is that? But wait, because to me this story gets better because it made me realize something very important. I'll get to that in a moment though. I just have to add that on top of all of that generosity, due to some design flaws a final product was never able to be finalized two days before the event. They did not operate on weekends. Nigel and his staff went in, on their own time, their only time, and made up 14 simple tee shirts that brought something very grand to someone who deserves it: Joy. Thank you Nigel; thank you Fresh Prints. What you did for strangers from your community made all the difference in the world.

Now, onto what I learned. I never met Nigel through our correspondence. It was all done electronically through email. I never actually met Nigel until the day before the walk. I went to Fresh Prints on the Saturday to pick up the shirts and met him for the first time. Something struck me when he came out of his office:

How fantastic it was to see someone taking such a strong investment in their community by producing and selling local goods; and doing it independently. Being an entrepreneur is no easy task. It requires a lot of hard work, dedication and ability to suffer through tough times. Having worked for several various franchises, I know it is much easier for an established and large business to absorb such losses. This is not always so easy as an independent entrepreneur; which makes the contribution all the more meaningful. Nigel, you're a class "A" gentleman and a great professional. 

So I urge you, if you're looking to be a little more creative with your next shirt purchase (they do more than just tees) then contact them down at Fresh Prints. While I was there I sifted through two of the five or so binders with suggestions and ideas for shirts and I took a look at some of the pre-made shirts on the racks and walls. Some really great designs but you'll have to go down and see for yourself! On top of that, I believe that they can even work with submitted graphics but you should talk to them about it. 

I'm not an official agent or anything. I'm just a member of the community who reached out to it and got a response from an outstanding business, with an outstanding staff who have a deep sense of charity and good will. It is a kindness that the whole world needs more of. Even the smallest of stones makes a ripple in the lake. Fresh Prints, you've just started a ripple that I'm helping to pass on here. Thank you. Truly.


Sunday, June 3, 2012

Sunday Afternoon Poetry #21

Good afternoon my friends! Welcome back for another weekly edition of Sunday Afternoon Poetry. I hope that as the week concludes that you have much to look back on and be grateful for. Today's poem is another one similar to last week; a little off the wall but sometimes that's the way we need to express ourselves: outside of the norm. Thank you all for continuing to return and read my posts; it is truly appreciated. Enjoy your day, wherever you are and may the Universe conspire to see you find happiness.

Being Of North

As I walk along the thin red line
On the borders of my mind
A bird it swoops beneath the ground
The mice are meeting at the pound
To fight against the roach and bug
Who're stuck beneath a throwing rug
The geese will come to sing and play
There will be no rest today
And as for bees who've gone to swim
Or oceans boiling at the brim
A rat will come to see them all
The trees won't stand there quite so tall
For as the mountains run for cover
A cloud is searching for a lover
Lightening strikes upon the sky
Another carcass slowly dies
The birds will never fly on time
And I will slowly lose my mind

-John Thibeau 24/Feb/2002



Friday, June 1, 2012

Reminder: Clean Across Nova Scotia...the World

Good day my friends! Firstly, I'd like to apologize for yesterday's missing post and perhaps several missing posts that may occur over the next few months. There are some personal things going on in my life that are going to require a lot more of my time and energy. Don't worry, nothing could keep me from writing indefinitely; it means too much to me on many levels. I will of course fill you in on everything when the time is right; until then, however, things may become a little sporadic and I ask you to please bear with me through this time. Now, let's move to today's topic.

Last month I wrote a blog entry on a global event that was happening. Though I did discuss the actual global movement, Let's Do It: World Cleanup 2012, my primary focus was on the local event happening in Halifax and the province of Nova Scotia. I also tried to encourage other people from across Canada to join in as Nova Scotia was the only province participating at that point. Today, that event date is drawing ever so near; just seven days left and it's not too late to be a part of something great.

Originally, the blog post idea came as a request from Clean Across Nova Scotia; today, this is not the case. No one asked me to write another blog about it; my first one quickly became my number one most viewed entry and continues to receive daily hits. No, today I am writing a reminder post because of the importance that I feel this event should be given and why.

You see, this event is more than just about picking up visible litter. It has a broader goal and more important objective: to bring people and communities together. Often I find myself spending hours upon hours a day, in front of my computer, alone in my room drifting through the never-ending vastness of cyberspace (sometimes as much as 12 hours). I am not alone in this; I see some of you on there as often as myself. We are disconnected; all of us. Though we could blame technology, it is only part of the problem. The root is ourselves because we choose it.

There is nothing wrong with technology or the internet or using them. There is something wrong when that becomes your main method of communication. When you spend more time on a keyboard or cell phone than you do having conversation with people face to face (and though work can provide this, it is not the kind of social activity I mean). This is when you disconnect; you forget; you become apathetic and desensitized. This event, and others based on goals like it, is trying to help you, me and each one of us to reconnect.

Like I said, it's more than about cleaning up; it's about rediscovering ourselves and our communities. Here in Halifax we have such a diverse amount of people and cultures that live outside of one another despite living in the same community. Events such as the Clean Across Nova Scotia initiative aim to bring these people and groups together; to give them a common interest; a shared goal and show them that they have more in common as people than they do differences as cultures.

Here in Halifax, the event is gaining in popularity. One of our mayoral candidates, Fred Connors, has accepted an invitation to participate and as I said the first time around, I also have registered for the event as well. As the event day draws near, I get a little more excited. I know many of the people attending two of  the cleanups I am going to try and make it to but there are more I don't know. Those are the one's I am looking forward to meeting; new people with new stories to share and to connect with.

I do my best to be consciously aware of the time I spend away from the real world while I'm hanging out in the online world. I make it a point to make plans to spend time with friends even if it's just over coffee so that I must leave the digital world behind and get back to reality. So today, I encourage you to do the same in the form of joining the growing number of people around the globe participating in this amazing, environmentally and socially conscious event.

Together we can make our communities a more beautiful and greener place to live in. At the same time, reconnect with your community and your neighbors. They are your friends; they are your family; they are your community. You have all, each one of you, an investment in it's upkeep and it's future. Share it together; share ideas together; grow together. Life is a lot more joyful when you have others to share your love with.

Have a wonderful day. Love Each Other.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Something I Fear...

Good morning, good afternoon or good evening depending on where you are at this moment in time. I was pondering different thoughts on what I could write about today. I had several ideas that promised to be quite interesting but when I sat down to write, something different decided to be written. I guess I will save my other discussions for a different rainy day (it's raining here). Today, I am going to share with you one of my biggest secrets and darkest fears. I say this with the utmost of seriousness. What I am about to share is deeply personal and has had a negative affect on my life and personal happiness many times. One of the things that frightens me most is success.

Please don't laugh. Please don't think it selfish or childish or so Western of me. It is honest to goodness truth. I'm afraid of achieving my goals even though I am, under most circumstances, more than capable (in some cases beyond what others around me are capable of) of obtaining my goals; occasionally with little to no effort on my part but I'm afraid each time I do. I have, or at least I think I have, some of the strongest self-confidence of most people I know; I am aware of my limitations, my flaws but also my abilities and strengths. I know myself; at least the left brain me. 

I am not afraid of judgement nor of failure. I have had both happen to me more times than I can count. I reserved to myself long ago to never let the judgement of other people affect who I am. I am always grateful for constructive criticism, debate and discussion and those may change me but only through conscious volition. What I mean by judgement is personal attacks, verbal assaults, empty accusations and uninformed opinion. People who critic others because they lack their own happiness. No, those types of judgement do not bother me. Nor failure as you may have guessed given my confession. When you purposely or inadvertently cause yourself to fall short of your goals you tend to encounter failure often.

I've thought often and lengthy about this. I have missed out on some potentially amazing opportunities in life as a result of this fear. My current running theory is that it comes as a result of "bullying" due to my academic successes in school; from Elementary until High School. I remember arriving to a point where I hid my marks from the class and purposely failed or did poorly on tests to deal with it. I was afraid to get good marks because at the time, I was lonely and wanted to fit in more than anything. I guess even writing it out now...well, it's kind of sad. I'm sad. Wow. I know it's not really possible to convey unless this was a video but there has been some significant pauses in the writing of this paragraph...

I haven't shared a lot about it before because I've always felt guilty about having a fear of success. I mean, there is so much fear in the world and much of it, for many people, is all too real a threat to their actual lives. Yet here I was, in the land of milk and honey afraid of reaching out to the shelf to get some for myself. I'm still afraid to touch it but now it's for a different reason: I'm not sure I want it can handle it. I want to know that I am capable of maintaining my integrity; my honesty. I say that I am and I am. So maybe it isn't success I fear, maybe I'm afraid of myself.

When I say success, I don't mean financially or in terms of social status; though they are possibilities that come with success. I am strictly speaking about reaching out and achieving goals, no matter how big or small, successfully. I'm not sure why I'm really all that afraid. I know myself. I am confident in myself. Therefore I am confident that I know myself and that I am capable of achieving success, of any nature and yet even sound in this knowledge, as I acknowledge it in my head, the fear remains. Sometimes when my mind strays I think of the myriad of possibilities that have long since passed, the ones that sit before me and the ones I am sure to encounter in the future and I wonder...I wonder just how much potential I have and how far it could take me...and then I snuff out the fire in the blink of an eye.

But I'm not hopelessly enslaved to the fear. Of the things I mentioned I am, I am also a resilient and strong individual (when the occasion calls for it I am also humble and sentimental). I am reborn through defeat; given new life through failure; draw the essence of my true self from knowing that others think a thing impossible for me to do; the more the doubt, the greater my strength. This is another possibility to my fear. I am not exaggerating the true nature of the inspiration and passion I receive in the manner mentioned and perhaps part of my fear is that I will not find that same thing once I have achieved the impossible...or highly unlikely. I'm afraid to lose my passion; my purpose; my essence of love of life. 

So it's out there now. Whoever you are, wherever you are, you are now privy to a fear that has haunted me since childhood. A painful reminder of every lost chance and every missed opportunity each time I pass up another. I loathe (really do) myself in those moments, however briefly they may last (and they are brief) and I am disgusted with my wasted talent and it is that anger in those moments that I am building my new foundation of attack. I am holding on to that hate towards my weakness and waiting. Waiting until it has built up so strongly and fiercely that it stabs in my mind like a splinter; that it becomes so intense a distraction that I can think of nothing else. I will let it manifest and then I will do as I always do when confronted with any seemingly insurmountable objective: I will be reborn with the greatest strength I have ever known and I will overcome one of my personal life's biggest challenges: fear.


Tuesday, May 29, 2012

5000 Readers & Counting...

Good morning friends, followers and family! The sun isn't physically shining in the sky, but it is in my world. I hope it is in yours as well. Today's blog entry is going to be a little bit briefer than normal. Last night I posted a longer than normal blog posting that I really enjoyed writing. As many of you who read my blog do so during the daylight hours of where I live, I'm sure that many of you are just discovering it now. I will provide a link to it at the end of this entry in case you missed it. I particularly enjoyed writing the rant.
What I want to share with you today is yet another milestone in respect to my blogging. Sometime today, one of you amazing readers will click on one of my links, somewhere out there in cyberspace, and you will become my 5000th page hit!! That's just absolutely incredible!! I know there are lots of sites out there that are getting in the tens of thousands of hits a day and that 5000 hits isn't that much in the grand scale of things; but it is something remarkable to me.

5000 people, most likely not 5000 different people, have found their way to my blog at least one time. My words, my ideas, my thoughts have been absorbed 5000 times. 5000 times I have influenced someone in some way; regardless of whether they are aware of it or not. I know this because any interaction with anything automatically changes us; influences us in some way; however small it may be; whether we recognize it or not. I've always wanted to share with others and getting up this morning and seeing just how many people I have begun to reach just leaves me in awe. I am truly humbled and grateful.

So today, though the sky is greyed with storm clouds deciding on if they should release their cargo on us or not, the sun is shining in my soul. Knowing that that many times my words have been read makes the effort of creating something new every day all the more worth while. Thank you for bringing a little joy and sunlight to my life.

Love One Another.

Last night's random rant.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Democracy: A Rant By Chance

I was just outside having a cigarette when inspiration struck and now I have to share it. It’s about the world; well I guess it’s more about Canada; even more so about Democracy. In Canada, unlike a fair amount of other places in the world, we live in a democracy. We have the luxury of voting for the government officials who are meant to represent us and work towards our best interests. I know that these days this is no longer the case; well, the illusion of it still exists anyway. The representatives of the people have transformed into some obscene beast we call politicians. Gone are the days when our elected officials were actually representatives. It used to be that the government was an agent of the people; somewhere along the way, we got lost and the roles were reversed. Today, our government tells the people what to do and no longer abides by the desires of the people. Who is to blame? The rich old white man’s club? How about Stephen Harper? Maybe the Conservative party in general? No, let’s blame those who are really at fault and I don’t mean the politicians, the bankers or the CEO’s. No, for a change let’s put the blame where it belongs: on us, the people. 

This is where my inspiration came into play; an epiphany struck me. In the last federal election there was a less than 50% voter turnout. That equates to 10-12 million Canadians, many not much unlike myself, who didn’t bother to vote. Here in Halifax in the last Municipal election that voter turnout percentage was even lower. Why? Apathy. No one cares because no one has reminded anyone that they do hold power. Well, I want to remind you that you do, you do have some power. We still live in a democracy and believe me, like you I am fully aware of how flawed it has become but right now we still have an opportunity to fix it and then improve on it. I’ve been involved with social activism for eight months now and in that time I have seen many governments at all levels pass laws and bills faster than one can blink an eye. Not a single thing has changed with my social activism; at least not my approach. So this is my new one. Use the system to get back what belongs to us all: our Country and our freedom. If you want to see change then you need to take responsibility. Tired of seeing rich old men with personal agendas elected to office? Get off your ass and go vote for someone else. These politicians get elected by narrow victories and sometimes uncontested. How many of that 50% of apathetic voters do you think it would take to overthrow these career politicians? I tell you not much. Look around at the world you live in; look around your town, city, province and country. Do you like what you see? Is this the great country of Canada you were told about? Is this the Maritime pride we claim to all possess? No. It isn’t. Nobody ruined anything; we allowed ruin to happen but we can fix it. 

We can take back control and we can decide. Don’t like anyone running in your riding for whatever level election? Do it yourself. It’s a ton of work, a lot of dedication, plenty of frustration and endless amounts of stress but that’s what it means to truly serve your community, city, province, state or country; because that’s what being a representative of the people is: a service; a duty; a responsibility. It isn’t a job or a career. So I’m taking the time to remind you; to remind you that it isn’t too late. All it requires is that you remember. Remember that you are a person; remember that you have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; remember that others have this same right; remember that you live in a democracy, broken as it may be, and that means you have a voice; remember that your vote can count but it’s going to take more than just one. We can change the government; we can replace them all; we can demand it and we can do it. There are 33 million citizens in Canada, surely among them must be those with impeccable character who can lead the people safely and in good conscience? Women and men who are able to lead but do so because it is necessary and not for celebrity status as is now the case. Find them; encourage them; help them. Come together in your communities and volunteer together. Find your own candidates and participate in democracy. Why? Because right now it is your only option. 

When protest and demonstration; freedom of expression; freedom of association; freedom of speech; personal privacy are all outlawed by our governments at the drop of a hat, it can only get worse. Young and old, female and male, you are the last hope; the only hope. If you crave change then you must act. You can no longer afford to be apathetic as it is quickly leading to your permanent imprisonment. I cannot express to you the urgency and importance of finding that memory of power; that faint, glimmering knowledge that you are not a slave; not a resource; not a number but that you are a human being damnit. Like I said, democracy is broken but not beyond repair. Capitalism is killing the planet and killing us. A new alternative must be found but it will never, ever be found so long as things continue in this direction. We are all going to die and I’m not speaking metaphysically. Any idealism that is based on infinite consumption of a finite resource is destined for extinction. We are most probably the only living beings in the entire Universe (that we are aware of) that are knowingly working towards our own extinction. We’re committing the largest act of suicide ever dreamed of and not only that, but we don’t seem to care enough to do anything about it. 

I understand whatever excuse or rationalization you can come up with for surely over the last 13 years or more I have used them all. No more. What has my inaction given me? Everything I put into it: nothing; in fact I’ve even lost as a result. But make no mistake, I’m as guilty as the next apathetic voter because that is the world that we’ve permitted to be created around us but it doesn’t have to be this way. Look around you. Just look. Is this really the best you think that humanity as a species can do? With all of our knowledge, scientific and spiritual, can you honestly say that this is it? I call shenanigans because that’s what it is. There is so much more to be accomplished yet we don’t because the governments we watch apathetically get elected (if you can even call them elections anymore) don’t represent our views; our desires; our needs; our wants. They represent a very, very, very small minority. You cannot blame corporate greed or the lobbyists who work for them either. Our inaction has led to the environment in which these things are acceptable. Whoever has the most money makes the rules; it’s a simple setup that’s been created. 

Again, it doesn’t have to be this way. Use the system they have warped and polluted against them. Find individuals who would not ordinarily find themselves in a position, nor necessarily inclined to run for representation. Individuals who have an investment in local community and national growth; people who see the long and the short term; those who have little interest in making money and a great interest in creating a sustainable, eco-friendly, equitable place for people to exist in harmony; free from worry; free from strife; free to pursue their own happiness’s in this life. And this life is short, my own perhaps nearing the half way mark in a few short years and I have waited far too long to live. Now that I have learned how to live, I find that the world in which I exist doesn’t want me to be alive, it wants me dead. It wants you dead. So I implore of you; I beg of you; for the sake of tomorrow and the future of tomorrow’s generations, find your voice; find your power; find yourself. 

Democracy can work; it can work to get those who would see us work to our own deaths for the benefit of themselves out of positions of power but you, me and everyone else must find the hope to try; at least one more time. Don’t give up yet. Come together, away from technologies, in halls, parks, churches or gyms, anywhere and talk, discuss, debate. In other countries, thousands of rebels fight and die to overthrow their tyrannical, uncontrolled government. Our one last and fading luxury is that we can still peacefully overthrow our uncontrolled, tyrannical government. Do not make the mistake of thinking things will get better because they have to; they won’t. Get informed; see past what the television, the newspaper and the internet is telling you. Question everything and always seek the truth. Do your best to piece it together for truly, the truth is never found in one story. Reclaim your right; reclaim what it means to be a citizen; reclaim your humanity. It isn’t perfect, but it is enough to get the ball rolling on something new. 

Remember that the role of a representative of the people is to represent the people who have elected them. When someone becomes a public representative of the people, elected by the people that make up that public, the personal opinions, ideologies and beliefs of that representative cease to matter; those of the public they represent take precedence; after all, the representative has put all that away and assumed the role of ‘the public’. At all times, regardless of personally held convictions, a representative must do that which they have been elected to do: represent as the people; be there for the citizens who have elected them so that they might be free to pursue happiness, safe in the knowledge they have a voice. Find those people; those who would sacrifice self-interest for altruism; give up their own pursuit of happiness, for a time, so that others, many others, may pursue their own; those who would recognize the supreme responsibility and humility of what it means to be chosen by the people, for the people.