How Can I Help?

As I get inundated/inundate myself with much of the news that’s being discussed around water coolers, gyms, dinner tables, and Facebook walls throughout the world relating to the new Trump administration, I am often sitting here thinking to myself, “how can I help effect change?”

How can I make life safer for my community of amazing people around the world, and in the US in particular?

Being in Canada, how can I lend a hand and show solidarity to those in the US who I love that are part of the black community, the Muslim community, the First Nations community, the LGBT+ community, the community of women, the community of teachers, the middle class and the unemployed, and all the other countless amazing communities that are out there right now who are hurting, crying, afraid, and desperate? 

What can I do, beyond my deluge of social media posts, to bring about awareness and social change to those who may not agree with me but are willing to listen?

I’m honestly asking here, because I simply don’t know.

I feel exasperated and hamstrung in my ineffectiveness. I have signed petitions that have led to nowhere but made me feel good for a minute.  I have engaged with trolls (and those who are in a quasi-trolly mood, but aren’t really trolls, they’re just feeling like they’re not being heard so they act like trolls which make people not want to hear them and so they act MORE like trolls) in the comments section.  I have donated to various causes.  I have cheered on my friends who have put jobs/friendships on the line to protest this tyrannical administration.  I have done all of this from the comfort of my home.  I haven’t actually DONE anything.  I just clicked a few buttons, tapped a few keys, and mentally patted myself on the back for being a good person.

There was a vigil today to grieve with the local Muslim community in the wake of yesterday’s mass shooting in Quebec.  Mass shootings are an anomaly in Canada; they happen so rarely happen that the entire nation is rocked to its very core (this is the fourth mass shooting since 2014).  Sadly, it wasn’t until after the vigil ended that I found out about it so I wasn’t able to attend.  There’s a subsequent one on Saturday that I will be out of town for, so again, I can’t attend.  So again, I sit here frustrated in my inactivity. 

I see way too many parallels between this new Trump administration and the rise of the Nazi regime and it scares me.  Not in the *excuse me as I attempt to type like Kim K sounds* “like, omg those poor, like... people” kind of scared.  But in the “Holy shit, maybe those crazy Preppers are on to something, and we need to seriously consider making a bug out bag.” kind of scared.  I genuinely fear that we are witnessing Nazi Germany 2.0 in the making, and I am equally terrified that as loud as everyone is about speaking out against this horrific scene developing, we aren’t being loud enough.  The poem “First They Came...” has been running through my head in a constant loop for over a week now. 

I want and need to speak for the Socialists, and the Trade Unionists, and Jews... because soon, someone will need to speak for me.  I am terrified that the meager things I have done have amounted to nothing, and I as good as silent. 

I need to go look at puppies and baby sloths, because...

 

I feel my zen coming back a bit...

OMG they’re in a bucket!

How is he even real <3

Awww, he’s tired

Let’s just end this here
http://www.kittycatcam.com/

So check this out...

My partner, a PoliSci Honours grad from UBC, has made a few posts that will help inform you of the candidates in certain ridings.  Check out the following links to see if he's written up a summary for your riding.  If he hasn't, he has been known to take requests... just saying.

http://cowmanx.blog.friendster.com/tag/federal-election/  This also includes some general Federal Election posts.

Below are links, broken down by riding:

New Westminster/Coquitlam
Burnaby/New Westminster
North Vancouver
Victoria Also: Victoria Update
Vancouver South Also: Why Meena Wong isn't a serious candidate and Ujjal Dosanjh voted for HST

Now, if you wish him to write up one for your riding, please bear in mind that he has a full time job and a family, and the election is coming up shortly, so you may not get one, or get one in a timely manner.

People are dying for the right to vote.  Don't disrespect those people by not getting out to vote.  Advanced voting is available tomorrow, April 25th, 2011 from 12 - 8 and general voting is May 2nd from 7 - 7.  If you haven't yet registered (why haven't you?), go to www.elections.ca to find out how.

Better Know A(n Electoral) District: Vancouver South

I was going to write my own post about why Ujjal Dosanjh is the only vote for the Vancouver South riding but my partner, CoW_mAn - Ba(Hon), a political scientist, has a reputation for writing up great posts for specific districts about the various candidates which sums them up quite nicely. Below is his latest post:

Background (or why should I bother voting?): A recount was ordered for the 2008 election results. Dosanjh led Conservative challenger Wai Young by just 33 votes, which automatically qualified for a judicial recount. After the official recount, Dosanjh’s margin of victory dropped to 22 votes. However, Young appealed the results on the basis that only 28 of 184 ballot boxes were recounted. Dosanjh won by 20 votes after a second full recount in what became the longest recount in Canadian history.

Conservative – Wai Young
The issues section of her website contains exact copies of the issues pages of the Conservative Party website – she clearly doesn’t think for herself or have any specific issues that she thinks are important. And given the way that Harper has shoved the HST down our throats by buying off the BC Liberals with taxpayer dollars I don’t see how completely hanging your hat on the Conservative Party is enough to convince informed people to vote for you. A vote for Wai Young is a vote for Stephen Harper who drops funding for the arts, is a disruptive influence at environmental conferences, shows contempt for the laws the affect him, wants to rename the Canadian Government “The Harper Government” and tries to control and limit the media. If you like art, breathing, freedom, or democracy don’t even think about voting for this empty suit in Harper’s army.

Liberal – Ujjal Dosanjh
Ujjal has a law degree from UBC, he taught ESL at VCC, and he founded the Farm Workers’ Legal Information Service which led to the formation of the Canadian Farm Workers’ Union. He was elected MLA in 1991, re-elected in 1996, held cabinet portfolios as Minister of Government Services, and Minister of Multiculturalism, Human Rights and Sports. In August 1995, he was appointed as the province’s Attorney General. He became Premier in 2000 and was the first Premier to appear in the gay pride parade and before leaving office implemented tax cuts which I personally benefitted from. After losing his bid for re-election he returned to practicing law. In 2004 he won election as MP and was appointed Minister Of Health in the federal cabinet, he was re-elected in 2006 and was appointed National Defence Critic, later becoming the Foreign Affairs critic. I know the man – I’ve met him on several occasions and watched carefully his role in both provincial and federal politics and I can’t think of a time when I found myself in disagreement with him. Particularly as Premier and Health Minister I felt he was passionate about protecting key aspects of the Canadian identity such as universal health care and equality. I find him to be reasonable, rational, well informed, intelligent, and I find his policy stances agreeable. Recently he has been defending health care against Harper’s efforts towards privatization (see Tim Horton’s Health Care).

NDP - Meena Wong
Meena Wong doesn’t have an official website as I am writing this. She only has a LinkedIn profile. She works at Vancouver Coastal Health – her public life has been focused exclusively on the Chinese community. Traditional media is convinced that she isn’t on the ticket as a serious candidate in the riding but rather was nominated to help NDP candidates in OTHER ridings. The argument is that her strong ties in the Chinese community will bring out Chinese voters for the NDP in other ridings. I haven’t seen a single lawn sign or any other public show of support for her in the area. Personally I hate identity politics – don’t vote for someone just because they look and talk like you, vote for someone with good ideas, experience, and integrity (see Ujjal Dosanjh).

Green - Jodie Emery
Not a serious candidate. I think the Greens want this riding to go Liberal after the close call in 2008.

Conclusion
If you care about the Arts, Health Care, Freedom, Responsibility, and Democracy there is only one candidate: Ujjal Dosanjh. In fact as far as I’m concerned he’s the only serious candidate no matter what you care about – he’s the only voice of experience, education, and reason on the ticket.