One can only imagine what Stephen Harper is thinking as he watches Chief Theresa Spence getting weaker and weaker.
Is there even a flicker of sympathy in his cold dead eyes, or is it all false pride or cold calculation?
Is he appealing to the racism of his rabid base?
Sun News Network held a contest asking people to use one word to describe Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence, who is on day 23 of her hunger strike, and win a prize. Some of the words used, included: fat, oink, garbage, chief two-chins and hippo. Others couldn’t stick to just one word. One wrote, “Stop sucking Lysol.”
The low beast.
Or is he counting on our hapless MSM to absolve him of murderous indifference, and blame the victim instead?
The prospect of rational debate on this subject is slipping away — and may be lost entirely if Ms. Spence dies. Canada is facing a tumultuous moment in its history with its native people, such as we haven’t seen since the Oka crisis.
The point is the situation is much more nuanced than the simplistic picture being painted by Idle No More and Ms. Spence. That could have tragic consequences.
When in fact the simple truth is that if Chief Spence should get sick or die, Harper will be entirely to blame.
He created the crisis with his foul omnibus bill that not only made a mockery of our democracy, it violated treaties this country was built upon, and sold us all out to Big Oil and foreign interests.
And if he isn't stopped he will lead this country to disaster and disintegration.
Which makes their peaceful struggle our struggle...
And their revolt part of a wider revolt against the Harper regime and its dismal democratic and environmental record.
In 2012, the government’s environmental policies showed a commitment to pursuing short-term economic gain, even if at a great long-term cost. We need something better than austerity at the expense of the environment and obscurantism at the expense of democracy.
Which makes it even more important for progressives to support the Idle No More movement. For only by uniting can we hope to disrupt the Con agenda, and destroy them in the next election.
Only by showing our solidarity can we hope to save the life of Chief Spence, and the future of our beautiful country.
After all the Cons have done to Canada it was only a matter of time before Canadians got off their knees, and started to fight back.
That time is now.
Idle No More....
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Harper might be a sociopath and incapable of experiencing emotions such as empathy or sympathy. If so, and if the PMO polling shows that a visit to Chief Spence might be detrimental to his popularity numbers with his hard core base, then he will not meet with her.
ReplyDeletehi anonymous...Harper is a clinical psychopath so he is incapable of empathy. And it's true that his rabid base hates native people with a passion. But I think that Chief Spence's protest will leave him with no choice but to find some kind of way out, because even a psycho like him doesn't want to be called a murderer...
DeleteI would submit that these issues pre-date Harper by many years. Harper's attitude is merely a symbolic of a system that no longer works and a relationship (Native-non-Native) that has broken down. I do find the amount of racism I've seen on outlets like SUN News absolutely disgusting. Some people really need to get educated. I'm sure if they got out of the city and spent as much time on reserves as I have they would change their tune in a big damn hurry.
ReplyDeleteWhile I applaud Harper's apology to FN people earlier in his mandate it is only meaningless words if not backed up by sincere, meaningful action.
hi Way Way Up...all these issues have been festering for far longer than Harper has been in office. And as you know I consider that some things like bullying, child poverty, medicare, and the plight of our First Nations should be above partisan politics. But Harper is to blame for triggering this crisis with his callous disregard for treaty rights. So now he must do the right thing, show some class, and try to heal this land instead of inflaming it. As for the racists out there, nothing I could say could condemn them more than they condemn themselves...
DeleteThe racist garbage of Toronto Sun readers. Then they whine and bitch when the price of gas goes up by a penny.
ReplyDeleteStupid, useless shit-for-brains.
hi thwap...so I take it you won't be taking out a subscription to the Sun? ;) But yeah they are really scummy. If I was on a train, and I was bored out of my tree, and the only thing to read was a copy of the Sun, I still wouldn't read it. I'd be worried about what other people thought of me, it's that disgusting...
DeleteI suspect that Harper has received advice to meet with Chief Spence at such time as it becomes understood by the public that the threat to her health is approaching a point of no return. Then I predict he will meet with her with the sole stated intention of pleading with her to abandon the hunger strike. He will not discuss any of the issues that motivated her to take the action. The public will then be pleased that their leader has found it in his paternalistic heart to reach out to a self-destructive individual in an effort to save her from her own misguided intentions.
ReplyDeletehi John...I agree with you, that's exactly what's going to happen. But I think he will find Chief Spence a more formidable opponent than he imagines, and by focusing attention on the way he has scrapped environmental protections, the movement will not only put another dent in the Con regime, it will help the anti-Harper movement flourish...
DeleteCons don't care about the poor, including FN, because their propaganda machine sells them a phony dream that one day if they work hard enough, they can be Romney rich. But that is only if the 'socialists' don't prevent it by helping the poorest survive. The Cons would happily climb the company ladder, demanding tax cut after tax cut, at the expense of FN children living in cardboard boxes and tents. The thing about these greedy right wing assholes is that they truly would rather watch people starve than get 'hand-outs.' Look at our Great Coward Leader, who thinks it is more important to pander to his mud dumb stupid ignorant racist voter base than to talk to that brave Indian leader Spence.
ReplyDeleteOf course the only empire Harper will ever be 'defending' is the ludicrous Connie game-show in Canada, with stand up comedians like grease-ball loud mouth liar Pierre Poilivre, that King Steve's cultist insiders have dreamed up. Thankfully most Canadians aren't as dumb as the 30% CON base, who lap this crap up like there is no tomorrow.
The 30% base who represent one lying Con after the other, making up phony numbers about 'outrageous spending' and 'show us the books,!' too daft to know its all online. Gosh, so its one LYING Con or another DUMB one, after another, tripping all over each others racism and bigotry, not to mention ignorance and stupidity. Too stupid to know Ottawa's approval is required before any capital expenditures can occur on reserves. Or that INAC has to approve the numbers. Or that FN have to get permission before they can spend money. And have to get expenditure approvals, financial statements and audits approved by Ottawa before they can even qualify for a penny. Which is the fucken opposite of 'doing whatever they want' with it. Bands are micromanaged. Any claims that 'where did the money go' are ignorant and absurd, but the typical crap from Cons.
And Harper, who knows where every penny is spent because it is fucken VERIFIED, chooses to pander to the nation's nitwits, egging on their racist hatred, instead of BEING A PRIME MINISTER. Uncanny isn't it how these clowns, with absolutely NO CLUE, feel they have to weigh in on this issue. Every time they do though, it is an advertisement on how the Cons attract the STUPID vote. Honest to God these dumb Con clowns have absolutely no clue. No wonder Harper got elected. He feeds on stupidity, and then he spreads it around like shit manure on a farm field. Or on about 39% of them. Or better yet, on about 39% of 60% of them.
hi wazz...as I told Way Way up, I think the plight of the First Nations should be above partisan politics. It's our shame and we must all try to figure out a way to change a situation that simply can't be allowed to continue. But of course Harper can't see a historic opportunity if it hit him in the face, he's a Calgary School/Tom Flanagan clone, he will put his ideology before the needs of people, and he will pander to his ignorant and racist base. We need smart leaders with imaginative ideas and noble visions, but Harper is not one of them...
DeleteRight on Wazz. You have described Harper's ass kissing troll puppets to a tee. Bullies,Ignorant liars and basically Canada's Harper's misfits.
ReplyDeleteOnly a blind and dumbed down arsed hole could ever support an ass hole like their cult leader. That's the only explanation that make any sense.
Happy New Year Simone and friends. The rest can go to hell where they clearly belong.
hi marie...yes it's that bullying problem again. They don't respect our First Nations, they don't respect women, so of course they have no respect for Chief Spence. But she makes them look like a pack of drooling hyenas, so she will prevail.
DeleteHappy New Year to you and yours...
Hi Marie and Simon
ReplyDeleteHarper's troll puppets, as you call them are, unbeknownst to them, knuckle dragging examples of mud dumb Con stupidity. So they go out of their way to cheer-lead their sock puppet King Sting on as he and his band of criminals stick it to the poor; cutting money for heating, food, for programs that help them, for assistance to unemployed, disabled, infirm, marginalized etc. As they hand out BILLIONS in tax cuts to millionaires, billionaires and big corporations and especially oily big oil. They literally take food out of the mouths of the poor to give tax cuts to the rich and the polluters.
The Con goal simply is to keep the poor down while making another class richer. Fuck it it if FN kids sleep in tents in minus 35, some rich asshole who already hides his money in the Caymans anyway to avoid paying Canadian taxes, ‘needs’ a new fucken Mercedes for 17 year old daughter ‘Beckett.’ Because the more pretentious the name, the more she’s worth! Much more valuable a life than a FN kid shivering his ass off up in Attawapiskat sleeping in a crate!
The funny thing is, most of these dimwit Cons are too stupid to understand, that, since they are not in the uber rich category themselves, that they too are getting screwed blue. They think if they can get a measly tax cut to put in an extra $5 gas to top off their rusted out '86 Cavalier to get to their part time, low wage, no benefits, right to work, shit job on time, it's a GREAT DEAL and they GOT IT MADE and I WILL VOTE FOR THAT GUY! That's just how stupid these people are, the types attracted by Harper and Hudak. And greasy, slimey, and sleazy political predators like that prey on these dimwitted misfits, encouraging them through the bought off right wing media shit parade dailies (Sun, Quebecor etc) to tramp all over the ‘net repeating ad nauseum the latest Con buzzwords and bumper sticker slogans…and we often wonder about what drives all the bigotry, intolerance and racism … well there you have it. So bigoted, so intolerant, so hate filled and so mud dumb stupid that I have to wonder just how it is these idiots can even contain themselves from starting themselves on fire.
Harper is going in the right direction! Are all of you from Urban areas that have nothing to do with Indians and their issues? Yes I said "Indians" because that is what they call themselves to us friends and family in Rural Western Canada. Get real! The Indians who want to be Canadian and get ahead in life don't like this sensationalism. They want to be happy and part of every day life! Fighting No More!!
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