Comments have been made about Hezbollah and Israel, and political positions have been resigned because of this. Here is my take on terrorist organizations and politics.
All governments exist to exert power. This power is used to defend itself or to promote itself. This power is used to control its people or ensure a level of freedom. At the root this power is coercion. There are times when dialogue is used to try to meet certain needs but, as any promoter of the power of war will attest, appeasement did not work with Hitler. This was because Hitler was not willing to give up his ability to utilize his power and the power of the German nation.
Terrorist organizations exist for a reason as well. For the same reason – power. They use the power of terror and sometimes use dialogue. It would be impossible to negotiate a cease-fire of any kind without dialogue.
As such both groups utilize something called politics in their discourses – even if the message is painted on a missile or a bomb.
Because this is true both groups – governments and terrorist groups – are political entities. Terrorist groups are not recognized as political entities because other recognized entities have not recognized them. The only way to become a “legitimate” group other so-called “legitimate” groups must “legitimatize” them.
Some nations, such as Canada and the US, have lists of illegitimate groups. As such it is impossible to consider the ideals and values of these illegitimates as being of any worth. This means that we cannot hear them out or consider their point of view.
The reason for keeping such terrorist groups on a list which perpetuates their illegitimacy is because they use fear and terror as their main sources of coercion. The interesting thing is that governments, such as the US and the old USSR, did the same thing. They tried to strike fear into the hearts of their enemies to ensure a level of peace.
While this did work, to a degree, it is, nonetheless, fear and terror. Likewise with any negotiations. Either a country agrees or there will be reprecussions in the form of economic embargos, decreased aid, or war and any other unimaginative action. It is the power of coercion.
This power is used by any group wishing to make any sort of political statement or gain. It is this power which either legitimatizes or de-legitimatizes all groups.
If the Canadian and American governments are legitimate then Hezbollah is as well. If Hezbollah is a terrorist organization then the ruling parties in Canada, the US and, yes, even Israel are in the same league.
Cheerleaders for war and coercion of any kind are cheerleaders for death and destruction. This death includes the death of the enemies, civilians and their own soldiers and fighters; their sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, aunts, uncles as well as those on the opposing side.
I say we legitimize the whole lot and see what that changes. Likely nothing, but it would be more difficult to kill a group of people that are deemed to have some value.
There were things I was going to do this weekend that I did not and could not do: a football game, for one, and camping with my extended family, for two. But when life gives you a migraine you:
That’s right. I am a nerd on a scooter who bakes, does laundry, cleans, takes out the trash, reads, cares for family and friends, and likes things to smell nice. I also get migraines.
Oh, and girls, I also am single. And, right now, am a bit lonely.
Where is everyone?
I am tired. It is 4:45am. I have slept the day away with a fabulous migraine.
I watched the Da Vinci code. It took 3 downloads. The first was compressed using a propriatory format. I could not crack it. The second had sub-titles for the french parts in another language I don’t understand. Then I got it.
And my mind started its churning (much to my body’s agony). Religion, because that is what the movie is based around, can perpetuate a falsehood even if its origins were fighting that very falsehood. Jesus died on the cross to grant forgiveness for all. His death and resurrection provided access to the divine never before permitted.
But the heirarchical structures of the church eliminated that access. Merely the presence of the structure demands that access is granted by the structure. Consider the Catholic church. Consider liturgy. Consider all of the dogmas, rituals, and demands that the church places on believers in order to merely have a hope that salvation waits beyond the grave.
“On this rock I will build my church.” What does that mean? Does this mean that the church will be centred around the figure to whom the “rock” is referring? Or does it mean that the person will be instrumental is beginning the church?
The church is a propriatory format. It demands dues to be paid, in whatever form, in order for access to its contents.
The bible was, for a long stretch of time, unreadable to the laity. The bible still is a foreign language to many. This is because it too is propriatory information. What exists in the bible as being deemed “from God” is blessed by human hands. Does God speak in this one form alone? And why did such speaking quit?
I say do away with the structure of the church. Do away with the the canonical bible. Rid the world of liturgy and prescribed prayers. Destroy the heirarchy. Ignore those who make demands alms and prayers for your safe sanctuary in heaven.
The church was based on Jesus. Not on Paul. Not on Peter. Not on Mary. Not on any other mortal human.
Get rid of heirarchy. Begin living for self; for humanity; for peace and good will. Stop living for church; for masters; for structure; and for ideologies that do not work.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
By the way, the Da Vinci code is a story about two incredibly one-dimensional, boring, undeveloped, bland people who are seeking the Holy Grail. It is a story based on a myth. Ripe with conspiracy. Complete with false-hoods, half-truths and inaccuracies. Assumptions drive the plot. The plot is dull and unconvincing. All that remains is the problem of symbols. Symbols are decoded and yet the story produces its own symbols. We are left nowhere. Nothing has been gained. Nothing will be learned.
There is no mention of Jesus in the story. He is a casualty of the conspiracy. Christianity is not truly harmed by this were it be true. If Jesus did have a child and his blood line continued then what difference would it make? His body is never sought after. And what good does the knowledge of a descendant make for those who belong to the Priori of Sion?
It is a story. A myth. Another verse for a song by which we dance around the fire that is life. Another symbol to be made into a Christmas Tree ornament.
It must be part of my heritage.
I am an Anabaptist only insofar as then name describes my heritage. I have been baptised once but not at birth. Therefore I never have been re-baptized. I digress.
I am a Mennonite. Particularily true in my love and passion for the highly addictive cuisine. But, even more importantly, this is true of my values if not my religious beliefs entirely.
I value people, life, love, compassion, care, friends and family. These ideas I cherished to the end of the earth and will to the end of my life. These are the roots of my pacifism. These are the reasons why I could never belong to anything but a Peace Church. And I could like the many, many non-peace-churches (more accurately deemed anti-peace-churches) but I won’t. They know who they are even if they don’t admit it.
Mennonites were persecuted and, rather than resisting only to kill and be killed, they moved. This repeated itself a number of times. Fighting for what is right is a different story than fighting to the death for what is perceived as right.
Helping the sick, the elderly, the differently abled, the poor, the stranger, and everyone else is important and valuable. Killing the killers does not stop conflict it just changes the course of conflict. Repetition is the key ingredient for war-mongerers, governments, haters, murderers, and all who promote military action. Repetition of a failed theory. A theory that will continue to be tested and will continue to fail. A theory where the only “success” case is WWII. A theory where the events following any “test case” are ignored.
But I have travelled far enough away from my opening intention.
It must be my heritage which is telling me to move on. Move out. Get out. Get on with something wonderful.
The hell of the last two weeks is forecasted to continue for the next two. If this is the case then I need to move on. Somewhere where the climate affords year-round scooter driving weather. Or at least more than six to seven months.
This hell exists partly because what I do – what I am – is, at present, nothing more than a product pusher for something which creates no sense of self-worth.
Somewhere someone is looking for me. Somewhere somehow we will meet up and I can fulfill the needs of that one. Maybe here is not the place. Maybe there is no place.
I think there should be. I want to create such a place.
Every night I check the weather. I double check it in the morning before heading out. And everyday there is more.
Winnipeg has set records in July for weather. And this is not weather in general but particular aspects of weather. Mainly the temperature. The average temperature was 29.8 degrees or 85.64 degrees fahrenheit. fahrenheit is for losers.
Two years ago it was so cool there was no summer. Then it rained and rained last year. Now we have the opposite of both of those. Hot and dry. Breaking records for heat. Breaking records for lack of precipitation – a record set in 1875, by the way.
And then there is Ontario. They are using record levels of power. A record which is garnering up warnings. But it seems that energy is something that Conservatives just do not give a damn about. It is their god-given right to power things and, most importantly, to power things their way. Cars, the A/C, propaganda machines. These should all be powered by the most idiotic, mindless, wasteful, and dangerous methods possible. Nuclear power and gasoline. One power that can fight wars and one to start the wars to be fought.
Gas prices, by the way, are still rising. And the prices have not reached the summit. The climax is not to be seen. And the words “plateau” and “decrease” have disappeared from the lexicon.
Rather than finding safer, cleaner, and renewable ways to power vehicles, homes, businesses and so on, we look to the tar-sands. Tar-sands which pollute and are expensive. Even if that were not so, there are other costs. Digging up that shit will continue to deplete the remaining 50% of the caribou population and destroy 13.8 million hectares of land or 53 282 square miles. Miles is a stupid unit of measurement. That amount of land accounts for 21% of the province. Imagine Florida (America’s penis) being destroyed entirely (a sex reassignment surgical operation?)
The problem is not necessarily individual projects. Alberta energy evaluates every project on a one by one basis. The problem is the collective issue. If there is a forest fire it will be dealt with. But forest fires are not considered on an individual basis. The cost is considered as a collective whole. Altogether forest fires are a huge issue. Individually they may not be that bad. But there is no plan in place to deal with the firestorm that the oilsands likely are producing for the environment. (Not to mention what will happen when the oil is refined and used.)
But for now we can stop thinking about the things we do to cause weather from happening and hope that next year will average out this year. Unless, of course, this year brings the average up.
Soon we can call 511 to see if weather is happening.
And if none of this is of interest to you then you can divert your attention to the news that really isn’t news. A meteorite fell in Canada 40 years ago. What does this mean? I guess it proves that stuff in space, when it hits our atmosphere, burns up and follows the laws of gravity. Just like anything else.
