Miscellaneous thoughts on Sunday

1. The National Post has an article about trade with China. Shouldn't we be pushing trade with India which is a democractic society without China's lack of human rights issues? Trading with India is trading with a friend. Trading with China is trading with a country with some values and objectives that we do not agree with and which we might be unintentionally supporting by trading with them.
2. I just read "The friends of Meager Fortune" by David Richards. It is a good novel about tough loggers in Nfld. Read the first 150 pages and then flip through the rest. Most novels like this one says everything it has to say in the first 100 pages.
3. I saw the movie Summer hours (it is French with subtitles and now playing at theatres). It is about the distribution of an estate - no conflicts but the end of a generation - It is sad but excellent.
4. For a good book on how to live your life, try Stephen Sims, "River of Awareness" published by Novalis. If you can't find the book, which is likely, you can reach the author at steve.sims@iasis.ca
5. Have a good beautiful day

U of T programmes

I just received the following. I hope people look at it and protest. Why does activism mean anti-establishment activity? There are lots of political activity that students could engage in that is positive and beneficial. In addition the emphasis here is undoubtedly a one-sided look at the problems of Palestinians and with colonialism. Surely events should be balanced and fair. The object of a university is to teach students to think about both sides of questions, not to propagandize, brain-wash, and support victimization politics.

Disorientation 2009 – Shoot Me! I’m Political- is a week of events being organized by the U.T.S.U and OPIRG-U of T. This week will focus on engaging the student body in political activism through an introduction to anti-oppression and social justice work being done on and off campus.
As students we recognise {sic} that our university is part of a larger community and that it is our social responsibility to engage with that community in order to have a learning experience that empowers us to take action against oppression.

Some workshops we will be hosting during the week:
Anti-War and Tamil SolidarityPalestine SolidarityWorld PovertyLocal PovertyJustice for MigrantsQueer RadicalismColonialism 101Indigenous Solidarity

Some events we will be hosting during the week:
Campus TourFree Commuter MealScreening of “Walk-out”The really, really, Free Market: Block party!Words of Resistance – Performance NightScreening of “Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance” at Philosopher’s WalkFree BBQ
Free Iftar meal for those observing Ramadan

Letter to the National Post - re TIFF

The protestors refer to the "Israeli propaganda machine". This is funny for it is really the Palestinian propaganda machine that is targetting Israel. There are 23 other barriers in the world, but none come under fire like Israel's. There were thousands of refugees but none are maintained by the UN and the Arab countries like the Palestinians. There is prejudice throughout the world, but no other country is accused of being apartheid. It is the Palestinian propaganda machine that is causing the problem and brain-washing our politically correct and vulnerable liberal idiot-savants. The Israeli politicos are just defending themselves from false and destructive Islamic and Palestinian rhetoric

Letter to the Star - Sept.4 2009

It is interesting that Norway's Pension Fund has discontinued its investment in the Israeli company Elbeit Systems because it participated in building the wall and because the Internatioanl Court ruled that the barrier violated the law. According to Wikipedia, there are 23 other separation walls in the world, 22 built by countries, including the U.S., Saudi Arabia, India and Pakistan, and one built by the U.N between Iraq and Kuwait. The legality of these other walls has not been taken before the international court. Why not? If the Norway fund has "ethical concerns" about Israel's wall, separating it from the West Bank, why doesn't it also have "ethical concerns" about all the other separation walls? Perhaps Norway is just succumbing to political pressure from its Islamists. However it is more likely that Norway is following the current politically correct agenda to be anti-Israel. Doesn't equivalency or at least common sense kick in here somewhere?

Letter sent to Prime Minister Harper - Aug 3rd 09

President Obama recently held a dinner to honour Ramadan and the contribution of American Muslims to the United States. I suggest that you, as Prime Minister hold a similar dinner to honour the contribution of Canadian Jews to Canada on the upcoming Jewish New Year. Canadian Jews on a per capita basis joined the WW11 effort in greater numbers than any other group. We have participated in politics, the economy, the military, and all other facets of Canadian society. As a whole, we have adopted Canadian values and become an integral part of Canadian society. Such a speech would give you an opportunity to emphasize Canadian values, values based on Judeo-Christian morality. It would give you an opportunity to emphasize the importance of a good family life, which Jews are known for, our terrific English common law which is based on the best of biblical law, and our values of religious and racial equality.

A would suggest that you also hold a similar function this upcoming Christmas. We hear much about the contribution of minorities. The contribution of the majority population should also be addressed and appreciated.

Freedom of speech supporting bigotry

Accusing those you hate of suppressing your freedom of speech is now common. Obviously the best defence is an offence. Freedom of expression is now the usual defence in support of the freedom to hate and defame and to support these freedoms with lies. It is political correctness gone too far and used against us by our enemies. We are in a double bind of not "offending" Muslims while allowing them free speech to offend us. Perhaps we should claim that their hatred offends us as well. Offending someone seems to be considered worse nowadays than vilifying someone.

Letter to the Globe - Sept 1, 2009

More Swedish neutrality - Swedish newspaper's anti-semitism

Just as the CEO of a company is responsible for all the statements of personnel in a business, so the Swedish government is responsible for all that happens within its jurisdiction. The reason for the government's silence might well be fear of Muslim violence, but if so, cowardice does not justify their neutrality on the issue. Denying responsibility is equivalent to agreement. They owe Israel and all Jews an apology.