April Reign

Speak your mind even if your voice shakes

Politics

Conservatives Really ARE Dinosaurs!

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According to two Cornell University studies if you are the squimish or queasy type you are also more likely to be politically and socially conservative.

Participants who rated higher in disgust sensitivity were more likely to oppose gay marriage and abortion, issues that are related to notions of morality or purity. The researchers also found a weak correlation between disgust sensitivity and support for tax cuts, but no link between disgust sensitivity and the other issues.

And in a separate study in the current issue of the journal Emotion (Vol.9: No.3), Pizarro and colleagues found a link between higher disgust sensitivity and disapproval of gays and lesbians. For this study, the researchers used implicit measures (measures that have been shown to assess attitudes people may be unwilling to report explicitly; or that they may not even know they possess).

Interestingly, despite the ‘bleeding heart’ and other monikers denoting ‘wussiness’ it seems that Conservatives not Liberals are the ones ruled by emotion;

Liberals and conservatives disagree about whether disgust has a valid place in making moral judgments, Pizarro noted. Conservatives have argued that there is inherent wisdom in repugnance; that feeling disgusted about something — gay sex between consenting adults, for example — is cause enough to judge it wrong or immoral, even lacking a concrete reason. Liberals tend to disagree, and are more likely to base judgements on whether an action or a thing causes actual harm

Disgust was meant as a protection from things that could cause harm or disease not to pass laws or judgements on the choices or morality of others. Being more evolved it behooves us to help our Conservative brothers and sisters to …. oh wait they also don’t believe in evolution…. never mind.

Source

Thank you Conservative Party of Canada

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Those of us with children know that there are times when they come across bullies. And we often tell them that bullies are people who having such a terrible life, or being inept at things or feeling badly about themselves seek to hurt others in order to make themselves feel good. Never has such an example been made of this theory than has been made with the Conservative attack ads.

It started with the attack on Dion being shown during the afternoon on a children’s programming network. I blogged about how upset my son was about this. He still talks about it and wonders why such an ad would appear among the anti-bullying ads the station often runs.

Having seen the seemingly constantly running attack ads on Ignateiff his opinion of Conservatives has dropped even lower.

So I would like to thank the Conservative Party for not only showing what sad sad people bullies are but also ensuring that my children will never in their lifetimes ever vote Conservative and in fact are eager to do what they can even at this age to defeat them!

Notes from Away

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Well ok I haven’t really been away just so immersed in web design it feels like I’ve been away.

Catching up it seems Harper is still hell bent on being an accessory to war crimes and in giving Canada a reputation as the only country who welcomes the torture of it’s own.

Canada’s Supreme Court has ruled that the discredited Guantanamo military tribunal process under George Bush “constituted a clear violation of fundamental human rights.” Indeed, that’s what the United States Supreme Court found.

U.S. President Barack Obama wants Guantanamo shut down.

And last week Mr. Justice James O’Reilly of Federal Court issued a strong and welcome ruling ordering Ottawa to seek Khadr’s return.

[snip]

Harper’s stonewall response has been to shrug off the order and ponder an appeal.

THE STAR

Harper having previously and continuing to side with war criminals should be grounds for his immediate dismissal as PM.

Locally and ironically commencing during Earth Week, the Tim Horton’s on the corner was torn down to be rebuilt as a drive through. Because if there is one this area needs more of it is cars and the pollution of idling cars. No longer having any indoor seating the new design will not cater to pedestrians in any way thereby making the sidewalks and corners even more treacherous.

The collapse of capitalism is creating some interesting fallout as workers are being asked to scale back wages and benefits while CEOs continue to rake it in, taxpayers money is being given to corporations while taxpayers are being told there is no money to save their pensions or allow them to collect the money they paid into IE or strengthen existing social programs let alone create new ones. Apparently as long as socialism comes from the bottom up it isn’t so bad after all.

Add to this the fact that Ontario women are being fired for becoming pregnant.

What’s especially stunning, they say, is how brazen some bosses are, almost 50 years after Ontario enacted the Human Rights Code to prevent such discrimination.

“We actually have an e-mail from one employer saying, `Sorry, but with your little bundle, I don’t think we’ll be able to (re)hire you. We want a permanent solution,'” says Consuelo Rubio, manager of client services for Ontario’s Human Rights Legal Support Centre, an independent agency funded by the province to provide free legal services to people experiencing discrimination.

The firings are in all sectors: “It’s happening to women in senior positions and women in minimum-wage jobs,” says Katherine Laird, executive director of the centre, who says she hasn’t seen this level of discrimination through two previous recessions and 30 years in the human rights field.

THE SPEC
Hey here’s a great opportunity for the anti choice gang. They can have an adopt a pregnant fired worker campaign and make up the money these women are losing. Michael Coern is still an idiot. Coren supports the troops by denigrating the work of our female soldiers, at least the young attractive ones, presumably the rest are on their own.

Does it ever occur to Coren that in most places in the world women are just as involved in the wars as the soldiers male or female, but they have the added disadvantage of having no weaponry?

Coren says “So Canada sacrifices another victim on the altar of equality.” His piece shows that he and the Sun are willing to sacrifice decency and journalistic integrity on the alter of sensationalism and sexist insensibility.

The viral nature of the Susan Boyle video brought to the fore the nasty realization that many have incorporated the attitude that starvation diets, boob jobs and make equal talent. So an average looking woman has an outstanding talent and the world is taken aback. What a sad commentary on the world.

“I will be heard – one way or another.”

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More than half a century ago Paul Robeson, one of the greatest men who ever lived, was forbidden to enter Canada not by Ottawa but by Washington, which had taken away his passport. But he was still able to transfix a vast crowd of Vancouver’s mill hands and miners with a 17-minute telephone concert, culminating in a rendition of the Ballad of Joe Hill. Technology has moved on since then. And so from coast to coast, minister Kenney notwithstanding,

If you are enraged by this fascist action by the Canadian Government please join me in posting this video. Show Ottawa that the democracy of technology overrides their tyranny.

Big Tent Shouldn’t Only Be For Those That can Pitch One

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Grit insiders say the federal Liberals are unlikely to nominate one-third female candidates in the next election and that the new Liberal leader’s main focus is finding winnable candidates rather than focusing on gender.

Sen. Smith said the leader will retain the ability to appoint candidates, however he prefers “proactive encouragement” to get viable women to run.

“If you have an open nomination, which most of our nominations are, they’re level playing fields. Where you’re sometimes proactive is encouraging women to jump in and go for it, whereas without encouragement, some of them might not have. I think that’s a legitimate and totally bona fide thing to do, but once you’re in a race then it’s a level playing field,” said Sen. Smith.

A level playing field? Sen. Smith is either badly out of touch or deliberately falsifying the facts. A woman is much more likely to face obstacles in relation to family, finance and fairness. One only has to look at the way Hilary or Palin were treated to see that there is a very different aspect to the way media and politicos alike react to female politicians. There is much more emphasis on style, on aggressiveness [seen as a negative in women of course] and ability/experience. A green female politician is somehow seen as greener than a male politician.

A male candidate is much less likely to have to consider such things as childcare both for running and after a potential win. And a male politician is unlikely to be told to stick to his knitting or to go see a ‘doctor’ when forcefully pushing the opposition on bad policy.

While I agree with Ms. Hall Findlay on quotas, “Personally I’m not a fan of quotas,” Ms. Hall Findlay. “It’s difficult for me as a woman to say that because there are a whole lot of people who feel strongly about quotas, but my focus is on getting more women to run period. I don’t need a number to tell me that, and I don’t need a number to tell me we don’t have enough.” it is hardly a level playing field. Much more needs to be done to ensure that more women are able to and have the desire to enter the political arena.

h/t Challenging the Commonplace

Story Hill Times

“Give her a Pill”

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This is why I didn’t not blog on IWD. I wanted to. I felt I was letting people down by not blogging. That I was not showing solidarity. And yet there comes a point when one is so satruated with all injustice, ridiculousness and governmental opposition to equality it just seems too big. Unfortunately it isn’t getting any smaller.

of the 9 year old impregnanted by her step father the church proclaims

The accused stepfather is not being excommunicated from the Church. Said ArchbishopJose Cardoso Sobrinho, although the man allegedly committed “a heinous crime … the abortion – the elimination of an innocent life – was more serious.”

Shorter church; stealing a young girls innocence YAWN, saving her life criminal

This disgust and hatred of all things female is not something in which only the catholic church indulges. Our government is pretty good at it too.

I print this in it’s entirety

On March 9th, 2009, the President of the Treasury Board, Vic Toews, mocked me in the House of Commons during question period stating that I was “whining and whining and yelling” while he was answering a question on pay equity.

I was in fact objecting to a statement that the Conservative government’s pay equity legislation reflects the recommendations of the Liberal Task Force report when, in fact, there is absolutely no resemblance between the two.

Later in that same question period, Minister Toews looked directly at my colleague and seatmate, Dr. Hedy Fry, MP, and said “Please give her a pill.”

This kind of chauvinist attitude should not be accepted anywhere in our society, let alone, where we debate the laws of this country. The fact that this was done only one day after International Women’s Day shows this government’s lack of respect for women and women Parliamentarians.

I watched as the entire front bench of the Conservative government could not control their laughter as the Minister told me to take a pill.

The Minister went on to say, “I do not know what the problem is. Maybe someone with other expertise might be able to determine what the problem is.”

Attempting to hold the government to account should not be reason for degrading another Member of Parliament and saying that she is only whining and that she should take a pill.

Over and over again, women MPs have had to listen as this Conservative government has shown a complete lack of respect. I say enough is enough. Why would more women want to be Members of Parliament if this is the kind of behaviour waiting for them in the House of Commons.

I say to this Conservative government, argue policies against policies – do not insult Members of Parliament simply because they are doing their job and holding you to account.

The Minister’s behaviour showed no respect for Parliament or for women.

Hon. Maria Minna, P.C., M.P.
Beaches-East York
Official Opposition Critic for Labour
Chair, National Liberal Women’s Caucus

I urge everyone to contact Vic Toews, Harper and their member of Parliament and demand an apology not only to Ms. Minna and Ms. Fry but also to the women of Canada.

Parliament once erupted in laughter over the issue of violence against women. It appears those sorry days may be returning.