Canadians Condemned Bush Jr's America; So Why Do We Want Bush Jr's U.S. Here?

I came across this article in the Globe and Mail a few days ago and surprisingly, this author wrote exactly what I had been noticing as of late: More and more Canadians have swung to the Right. Not just right of Centre: Old progressive Conservative Right; but extreme right. War mongering right. Capitalist Greed Right. Far less compassionate, more self-centered. Also very self-contradictory.


This has been proven over the past decade. I'm not even sure Children are being taught to share  anymore. 


They bitch about paying taxes for social programs and other things to ease poverty either in Canada or internationally, they bitch about paying more tax to help environment, they were happy not to pay taxes for programs like the Court Challenges Program. Yet, they have no problem supporting corporate welfare, that trillions upon trillion dollar war in Afghanistan, Porky Puffy Duffy's expense account which in three months, exceeds that of an annual salary of most Canadians, and of course, the conservative court cases subsidized by the Canadian Constitution Foundation.


Any explanation for this?


Attitudes Toward Poverty


Most no longer care about helping their fellow man, Kathy Shaidle even comes straight out to say that she hates the poor and we should do nothing to help them. Repugnant? Absolutely, but, to her credit, at least she comes out to admit this. No doubt, most conservative Canadians share this attitude towards the poor today but instead of admitting this, they skirt around the issue trying to dismiss the so called looney left. 


One example of Canadians now really wanting to distance themselves from the poor is employment. I have noticed that if an employer finds out a candidate has drawn welfare in their lives, their application is treated like that of an ex-convict and thus never hire such people.


Donations to charities like food banks and others helping poor families  or various shelters have gone down over the years. We can blame the recession all we like, but that trend started before the recession.


I have heard some of the right winged pundits in the blogosphere from both the U.S. and Canada say they know poor families who don't want any help; that they're too proud. This, of course is a cop out and something they tell themselves so they can let themselves off easy without guilt. I don't doubt that these 'proud' families exist, but every one needs a hand up once in awhile to move up somehow.


It would seem that the only thing most Canadians care about now is the free markets and paying way fewer taxes. To have less government, they don't seem to ming the cut backs or all out elimination of government services with perhaps the exception of health care. 


While most still want to maintain our single payer health care system, more Canadians, particularly those where the most health care cut backs took place like Alberta, B.C. and Ontario are bitching more and more about single payer and are starting to long for private for profit even if (and it does, due to NAFTA) means the American Health care system.


War in Afghanistan


Our military had been known as peace keepers who help with rebuilding war torn nations. This, of course, is no longer the case since Afghanistan. Canadians don't seem to mind. In fact, they think we're just not militant enough. 


When Chretien refused to allow Georgie drag us into Iraq, Stevie was disappointed (yah, so was Iggy, but he wasn't even a player at the time, and he is right of centre; even more right leaning than Paul Martin). I remembered the opinion pieces and letters to the editor back then: many were disappointed about us not showing solidarity with our 'friends' the U.S. 


We hear of Afghan prisoners of war being tortured and in some respects, the Geneva Conventions not being respected. Not only do most Canadians not seem to care, but they go in so far as to say they deserve to be tortured.


When  we heard that Afghan prisoners were going to potentially receive the H1N1 vaccines, again, we heard outrage to the point where Agluquack ranted about not knowing how this happened and that they would not get it. Again, breaking the rules of the Geneva Conventions. P.O.W. s are supposed to have health care.


H1N1 Crisis


Speaking of H1N1, this last crisis perfectly illustrated how Canadians were being self-centered. They were queue jumping.  A lot  even went in so far as to whine about the homeless population or the prisoners getting their vaccines earlier than most. A lot even bitched about anyone getting that vaccine before they did. 




Gun Control


The Long Gun Registry is all but scrapped and most are thrilled about it. Nobody seems to care that this is leading down the path to no gun control whatsoever. I was talking with someone recently who flat out told me everybody should be allowed to tote a gun on the streets just like in the U.S. His co workers agreed whole heartedly. I have even seen comment boards on various pages posting about the subject reflect as much.


Immigration and Bigotry


Well, it seems most are in favor of Jason Kenney's new citizenship handbook illustrating basically that a good Canadian citizen is a war mongering, gun loving, WASPy who votes Conservative.


In the past,  we welcomed Vietnam draft dodgers with open arms. We sympathized with their plight. 


Now, we don't want to take in anybody escaping the wars, including the illegal war in Iraq. Most seem to be hell bent on sending Pte Bethany Smith back to the U.S. in spite of knowing what her fate would be should she return. 


Also, let's not forget how many oh so many Canadians were celebrating the victory of Marc Lemire, the holocaust denying, homophobic  white supremacist who won his right to say whatever the hell he liked even though the things he says are just what incites violent acts like defacing synagogues, gay bashing, and other violent acts. I remembered that being a dark day for me. I couldn't believe that Canadians were so festive on those comment boards. I honestly thought I had stumbled into Klu Klux Klan Territory.


Environment


Stevie and Prentice clearly don't care about the environment. Stevie's ol' wait and see if other countries will partake and the fact that he was a no show at U.N. climate talks reflects this much. Stevie has basically said that the Kyoto accord was a socialist scheme to suck money out of wealthy nations. Nowadays, he and Prentice think it's more important to protect the tar sands in Alberta. Another example of how the west, mainly Alberta are all that count for Stevie.


I have observed from most Canadians that they don't believe in Global warming any more the way they used to. They wish to do nothing to help the environment, thus, they don't think our gov't. should neither. Instead, they want to continue driving their big-assed  gas guzzlers, not recycle, not choose more environmentally friendly products. Remember how all whined when a carbon tax was proposed before the 2008 election by Stephane Dion?


As much as this disheartens me, the reason behind the lack of concern for the environment is because of making changes to help the planet are just too much work for most. Al Gore's movie did indeed have the most appropriate title. The truth about the environment is inconvenient due to the work and concessions everyone would have to make.


Media


Most of mainstream media is right leaning and very Harpercon friendly: Asper papers, Globe and Mail, Maclean's magazine, Astral Media Talk/News Radio Stations and their hosts and of course, CTV. It seems the only remotely progressive media outlets in Canada would be the Toronto Star and that's starting to be right leaning with the likes of Chantal Hebert and  a few others. The other would be the CBC but that is struggling due to lack of funds: Cuts by Stevie and the Harpercons. Even the CBC is widely read by the Right: just look at their comment boards.


Self Contradictory Conservative Canadians


As that Globe and Mail article pointed out: most Canadians loathed Georgie and were glad to see him go. Most loved Obama. That may have been true once upon a time, but not as much today.


Do most Canadians dislike Georgie as much as they said they did? I'm not so sure about that.  Why are Stevie's numbers within majority range? Clearly, he aspires to Georgie's America for Canada. His video behind closed doors in front of his Harpercons in Sault Ste Marie last September proved as much. it is a reminder (or at least, it should be) that Stevie has not really centered himself in any which way.

"America, and particularly your conservative movement, is a light and an inspiration to people in this country and across the world," - a speech Stephen Harper made eight years ago to a conservative American think-tank. 

Here is where a lot of Conservative pundits, journalists and bloggers are self contradictory: they all say that Iggy is American and has no understanding of Canadian values or of Canada as a whole. While this may well be true, most of these same people are failing to discuss or mention Stevie's love for all things Bush era conservative. None even mention Stevie's obvious disdain for Canada (or their own for that matter). This piece from Buckdog illustrates Stevie's feelings of hate for Canada and love for Georgie's America very well.


Why the self contradiction? Is the real reason they criticize Iggy for being Americanized is jealousy? We know Stevie is an American wannabe. How about his supporters? Do they really believe that Stevie represents Canadian values? Or do they know we're going toward a Bush Era American way of doing things and this is exactly what they want but don't talk about it?


Most of these Canadian Conservatives are even cheering for Sawah for Pres in 2012 and criticize everything Obama does or doesn't do.


There are even Canadian Birthers; Followers and supporters of Orly Taitz.  I can introduce you to one of them. I'm ashamed to say I have known such an individual since childhood. 


They even overuse and misuse the the word Socialism the way the Americans neo-cons do. One of my neighbours has those American pictures of that 'socialist clown' in joker make up' in their window. Scares the hell out of me when I pass that house.


Why?


While the U.S. is trying to move forward, somehow trying to claw its' way out of the mess Georgie and Dickie left; that train wreck that pretty much cynched the recession, Stevie seems to be hell bent on driving Canada toward a Georgie and Dickie style of America here in Canada.


Clearly, over time, it has been proven that this type of Capitalist greed, deregulation and Free market system have proven to not work. It didn't work in Margaret Thatcher's Great Britain (especially not in the 80s) neither did Reaganomics.  The deregulation of Wall Street proved to be a failure. Finally, it took Georgie and Dickie to hammer the final nail on the global economic coffin. 


Nevertheless, folks are still hell bent on having that same system here in Canada and somehow think it will work. 


Why would this be? 


Globe and Mail Article Possible Explanations for Trend


The article does suggest a reason among others for Stevie's popularity is that while the Right winged parties merged, there are too many parties left of Center (article included the Green party, although, I would hardly call Elizabeth May Left winged). The left is too fractured. Even this author of a right leaning newspaper remotely hints at a merger of the parties left of center. I always thought that was a good idea and I still do. Strength in numbers.


However, I don't believe that's the main reason for Stevie's numbers remaining within grasp at a majority in the next general election. 


A lot of the Progressive bloggers might disagree with me on this, but I really do think Canadians are more ultra right winged conservative, just like our Tea-bagging neighbours.


I guess the only way to really find out if more Canadians are neo-cons than not would be to merge the parties left of center before the next general election.


Can this trend end? Can we go back to being Canadians? The type of society that distinguished us from the American Neo-cons once upon a time?

 

Mr Gay and Right: How can you, Of All People, Condemn This Poor Girl?

I came across this sad story of  21 year old Private Bethany Smith at Gay and Right's page. For those who don't already know, Bethany Smith was a Private in the U.S. army who went AWOL and fled to Canada in September, 2007. She was being threatened and persecuted by her fellow soldiers simply because she is a lesbian. Apparently, she was outed by a fellow soldier who saw her walking hand and hand with another girl in a shopping mall.


Originally, the Refugee Board's decision was to deport her but today, she was granted a reprieve. Judge Yves de Montigny said the Refugee Board made an error and they must reconsider her case because it unfairly dismissed evidence suggesting that gays face harsher treatment in the American military justice system.


"I am of the view that the board's failure to explain why this evidence was rejected was material to its decision," the judgment said.


The judge also said the board didn't even consider the fact that the military base, Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where Smith served is also that same base where Pte. Barry Winchell, a gay American soldier who was beaten to death with a baseball bat almost a decade ago.


Private Smith has said she has received threatening notes daily, including death threats, superiors giving her extra work and of course, good ol' daily harrassment since being outed. 


She did try to legally get herself discharged from the Army under the "Don't Ask Don't Tell policy". However, they simply shrugged it off and told her that discharge paperwork would not be ready until after her next deployment to Afghanistan. 


That's real helpful! Yeah! Let's send her to Afghanistan or Iraq, any of these war torn countries where life is chaotic for all.  Her fate would definitely have been sealed and more than likely, she would have come home in a body bag.  Her death would no doubt be passed off as 'killed in the line of duty', when in reality, she probably would have been killed by a fellow homophobic soldier or sent into dangerous situations by equally homophobic superiors.


Here are the details of Private Bethany Smith's case.


Now, Mr Gay and Right, how in the hell can you, of all people, condemn this girl? We should all offer her compassion, but you, sir, why are you so callous? 


You've never suffered at the hands of homophobic rednecks? You've never been tormented? Beaten up? Left for dead? How about your partner? If you say nothing ever happened to you or your partner after coming out, you must be very lucky.


What if it were your partner going through what Bethany Smith is going through? Wouldn't you do everything you can to protect him as he would protect you?


Are that gung-ho gaga over the Military and the wars in the middle east or are you just trying to impress your buddies over at Romper Room (blogging tories)? 


It must be hard being an oddity in Romper Room; I read the comments at your page; hard not fitting in, isn't it?


At least, you only have to contend with some ignoramous red neck bloggers over at that board. 


This poor girl must contend with far worse with nowhere to turn. It must be a terrible lonely feeling.


Oh and to appeal to your conservative sensibilities; it's  not like the girl is sitting at home collecting welfare. She is working at a call centre in Ottawa.


I hope this girl gets to stay in Canada or if she must return to the U.S., she can get her discharge. Everyone deserves to feel secure. She deserves our compassion, not condemnation.