The Mean Season
There is a definite chill in the air these days. Something feels very wrong.
Like many Canadians, I went to bed last night with the image of a State Execution running through my brain. Anguished, bloodcurdling screams...
They say it took 25 seconds from the moment the officers arrived, till the moment they tased him.
Like many Canadians, I spent last week worrying about Canada's reversal on the UN Declaration against the death penalty. And everywhere I turned, there were Conservatives sneering and taunting: even our Environment Minister, John Baird:
"You won't stand up for Canadians, but you'll stand up for murderers"
And, like many Canadians, I've been slowly--too slowly--bubbling and retching with shame over our complicity in the torture of Afghan detainees. February... April... July... August... October... November...
"We do expect these kinds of allegations from the Taliban...It is their standard operating procedure to engage in these kinds of accusations."
I can't cope feeling alone, inside my head with all of this rattling cruelty. I can't fix the rotten, vengeful souls who practise it in ALL of our names.
I can only speak its foul name. Demand justice for Robert Dziekanski. Demand an end to State Executions. Demand an end to Torture.
Like many Canadians, I went to bed last night with the image of a State Execution running through my brain. Anguished, bloodcurdling screams...
They say it took 25 seconds from the moment the officers arrived, till the moment they tased him.
Like many Canadians, I spent last week worrying about Canada's reversal on the UN Declaration against the death penalty. And everywhere I turned, there were Conservatives sneering and taunting: even our Environment Minister, John Baird:
"You won't stand up for Canadians, but you'll stand up for murderers"
And, like many Canadians, I've been slowly--too slowly--bubbling and retching with shame over our complicity in the torture of Afghan detainees. February... April... July... August... October... November...
"We do expect these kinds of allegations from the Taliban...It is their standard operating procedure to engage in these kinds of accusations."
I can't cope feeling alone, inside my head with all of this rattling cruelty. I can't fix the rotten, vengeful souls who practise it in ALL of our names.
I can only speak its foul name. Demand justice for Robert Dziekanski. Demand an end to State Executions. Demand an end to Torture.
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posted by Godammitkitty at 11:56 PM
5 Comments:
'K, Kitty, one good thing : you are so not alone in this. Even many of the law 'n order obsessed rightwing sites are outraged at this, possibly because it is so easy to imagine being in Robert Dziekanski's shoes here.
Many voices, girl.
We might not be able to fix the wretched souls, but we can damn well let them know their days are numbered. If any good comes out of Robert Dziekanski's death, I hope it's in the form of a wake-up call for all Canadians that those in power have a serious deficiency in the humanity department. We need to demand change, that something happen *now*.
What about the airport...no security cameras??? No one came to this man's aid...he was only there for 10 hours. Disgusting...absolutely disgusting.
In the video released...this man threw up his arms and turned away. He was then tasered in less than a minute upon the police arriving...why???
I am so ashamed to say this news is now all over the world. This did not have to happen.
Deidre
You're not alone Kitty. As horrific as that video is, it is a godsend. It is heart wrenching proof of what many of us had already suspected and many more now accept as humiliating and criminal behaviour from all those in authority.
What we need now is for one brave Canadian soldier to video tape what goes on in Afghan prisons. Unfortunately, seeing is believing for many.
Still, the public outrage over this state sanctioned summary execution is a very hopeful sign. Perhaps this is Harper's Waterloo.
Sorry I wasn't more clear---I know I'm not the only one who cares about this. What I meant was that I spend many nights unable to stop my brain from re-playing these horrible events in my head. That feels lonely, even though I know there are others experiencing exactly the same thing.
Thanks everyone for dropping by and reading.
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