Politics

Knit Wits

06/06/2008 by Debra

Image via WikipediaThe NFCA has their yarn in tangle after misinterpreting this quote;

“She endured criticism with grace, accepted praise with humility. We know her work is not done. Her struggle will carry on, we hope on the world stage,” Wasylycia-Leis said. “One thing we know for sure is that she will not just stick to her knitting.”

as saying

“What we do know is she didn’t just stay home and knit!”

Now of course we know she didn’t stay home and knit, she is/was a politician and had her career in a different sort of house.

Image via WikipediaThe NFCA are trying to spin this as evil pinko feminazis dis upstanding holy guardians of the future. When in fact the quote was made by a fellow right winger [Peter Mackay] and if anything proves that the men they think of as their protectors cast them in the light they are accusing Judy Wasylycia-Leis of shining.

Here is the quote from Mackay;

McDonough and MacKay were sparring about constituency races in Nova Scotia. When he said she was using her reputation to drag NDP candidates across the finish line, she defended the NDP candidate running in his riding.
“We’ll just see what happens,” MacKay replied. “I think you better stick to your knitting and win your own riding.”

I was/am a stay at home mom to six. Not once did a person of feminist stripe degrade my work at home. In fact they were much more likely to say things like, taking care of kids is the hardest work or I don’t know how you do it, or any other of a number of supportive comments.

However, I have been disrespected, ridiculed and ignored by traditional types who thought that stay at home moms knew nothing except how to cook and clean and change diapers and who had no respect for those skills.

The The National Family Childcare Association would do well to reconsider who their friends are.

American Life League quashes multi-family affordable housing project

06/04/2008 by Debra

Image via WikipediaPlanned Parenthood in Florida was required to prove the presence of multi-family housing in order to get zoning permits. In an effort to meet the requirements and be good American citizens they contacted Habitat for Humanity and offered to sell them the land for 10 dollars. Habitat agreed and a deal was struck.

Now most people would think that affordable housing for Floridian families was a good thing. Not so the American Life League. No the ALL feels that once out of the womb you’re pretty much on your own.

And so they started their hate campaign and encouraged other vagina police to put an end to this project forthwith. Known for their creative use of polls one can just imagine the number of repeat phone calls, letters, emails etc that HH received. Unfortunately the Sarasota Habitat for Humanity saw caving to religious extremists as more important than providing housing for needy families.

In his email touting this “victory” as a good thing, Michael Hichborn says of ALL

It is the largest grassroots Catholic pro-life organization in the United States and is committed to the protection of all innocent human beings from the moment of creation to natural death.

From the moment of creation, eh? So we can look forward then to enormous prayer protests against their god for allowing all those miscarriages and therefore being the largest abortion provider of all.

Natural death? Again we will look forward to seeing the ALL out protesting the war, the NRA, the neonatal units trying to keep extreme preemies alive, and no doubt they will support anyone who finds themselves in the same situation as Terri Schiavo’s husband. All those tubes and breathing devices are certainly not natural.

Of course that will not happen. What Michael meant to say was that the American Life League is committed to policing women’s vaginas and forcing pregnancy and supporting rights ~~for all life~~..~~for all people~~.. for eggs and fetuses.

Hold your heads proud no-lifers and don’t even think of all the families who lost out on housing. Hell if they wanted housing they should have stayed in the womb, then ALL would give a shit.

The Overlords always liked you best!

04/27/2008 by Debra

Yes the TTC strike is going to cause disruption. Strangely the that is one of the points of striking.

Yes those who depend on the TTC to get to work, especially those in poverty, will be more harshly affected. In fact it is possible that some may fall behind enough to lose their shelter or phone or….. And it is easy enough to place blame at the door of the evul TTC union for engaging their right to strike and thereby making your morning more difficult.

The real blame does not lie with the union, however, the real blame lies with governments and those who support it, who have allowed poverty to run rampant. Who have allowed a situation where people spend inordinate amounts of their monthly incomes on housing leaving little for anything else.

Image by Pixeloflight via FlickrSupport for workers involves supporting them even when you actually have to make an effort to do so. Even when it actually affects YOUR life. Even when it’s more than just sitting in your house in front of your computer typing how progressive you are.

I admire those who are thinking of the poor, but can’t help but wonder where they have been! Where was this interest and concern during Raise the Rates campaigns. End the Clawback campaigns. Where was the support for temporary workers?

This callus disregard of situations that don’t affect you are exactly what those in power count on. They are also well served by worker pitted against worker in an ever increasing battle to own the crumbs from the masters table.

Use that new found concern for non-union workers. Use that anger and generate it to do something useful for your poorer neighbours, friends and Ontarians. Demand legislation that cares for citizens over corporations. Or sit and whine and bitch and complain and find ways to fuck over your fellow workers. No doubt your government will thank you…or at least laugh.

Give your poll more confidence!

03/15/2008 by Debra

Are you tired of voters laughing when you show them your poll? Would you like to regain confidence in your election?

oops that was the spam file.

Again and again we read of the unwillingness of Liberals to actively participate in the actual process of politics. It seems they have decided that whinging about the current government while voting for their neo-con agenda [or refusing to participate at all] constitutes opposition.

Anyone who listened to the Liberal election call of ” a vote for the NDP is a wasted vote” must be wondering if in fact a vote for the Liberals is not only a wasted vote but a vote for the conservatives [not your fathers conservatives].

Partisans do love their polls. [oops thought I deleted the spam file] In an effort to educate the Liberals on how the voters feel I am conducting a poll right here.

Why do you feel the Liberals won’t force an election?

You may choose up to 3 answers.
[poll=3]

Stop the sale of CANADARM & RADARSAT

03/12/2008 by Debra

Radarsat-2 was developed through a partnership between MDA and the Canadian Space Agency, with Canadian taxpayers paying $445 million or about 85 per cent of the total cost. In return for its investment, the Canadian government was promised large amounts of imagery as well as “priority access” to Radarsat-2 in emergencies. These might include floods, forest fires, oil spills — or a suspect vessel entering Canada’s North.
Once Radarsat-2 is sold to Alliant Techsystems, the United States will likely replace Canada as the country with licensing authority over it. I have sought to confirm this with several officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs, including in the minister’s office. All of them claim not to know what will happen to the license.

Link

Sign the Petition

Say NO to Violence against Women

03/07/2008 by Debra

Here is an action to help deter violence without perpetrating another violent act.

Your signature brings $1 to help end violence against women:
The UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women will receive $100,000
from the United Nations Foundation for 100,000 signatures
65361 people have already signed up
Meet the challenge!

http://www.saynotoviolence.org/