Segacs's World I Know

On Charlottesville and Trump

by segacs on 08.14.17

Godwin’s Law doesn’t apply when you’re talking about ACTUAL FUCKING NAZIS.

I’ve tried to think of something coherent to say about Charlottesville, and my rage just keeps getting in the way.

I’m a white person who benefits from structural racism every single day, and if I keep my mouth shut about it, I’m just perpetuating it.

I’m also a Jewish person who knows my history. When the shit hits the fan, time and time and time again, I know that we’ll be out there, first against the wall. The canary in the goddamn coal mine.

I can’t wrap my head around how people voted for the likes of Trump. I can’t wrap my head around how people keep defending him. And, most of all, I can’t wrap my head around how any of those people could possibly be Jewish.

How the HELL does any Jewish person — even one ignorant about the most basic facets of history — vote for someone who puts the likes of Steve Bannon in the White House? For someone who refuses to condemn Nazi white supremacist pond scum, because he’s too busy tweeting about Meryl Streep? For someone whose campaign stops were eerily reminiscent of Hitler Youth rallies? For someone who, like every bully in history, bolsters himself by targeting those people who are most vulnerable?

I’m not naive. We’re not immune in Canada. These pond scum racists exist here, too. The difference is that our current leaders doesn’t fan those flames. Trump does. He’s either a racist himself, or enough of a cynic to use racism to his benefit. It doesn’t much matter which. The effect is the same.

First they came for the Muslims. The Mexicans. The Haitians. The African Americans. The Native Americans. The trans people serving in the military. The climate scientists. The journalists. The judges.

And always, the Jews. We must never forget that, as much as we think we can hide behind white privilege and a feeling of relative comfort and security? But when push comes to shove, they’ll turn on us too. They already have.

#WeveSeenThisBefore. We know how it ends.

If you’re thinking, oh, it’ll all blow over? #WeveSeenThatBefore, too.

Time to get our collective heads out of the sand. Time to say enough. Time to say Never Again. And mean it. Because the stakes are too high.

{ 0 comments }

Markov leaves Habs, heads to KHL

by segacs on 07.27.17

It’s the end of an era: After sixteen years and nearly 1000 regular-season games with the Habs, Andrei Markov won’t be back next season. He’s heading back to Russia to play for the KHL, it seems.

Markov has spent his entire 16-year NHL career to date as a member of the Canadiens. Narrowly missing the 1,000-game milestone with 990 career games under his belt, the Russian rearguard sits sixth on the franchise’s all-time leaderboard for games played. He has also suited up for 89 postseason tilts during his time with the Habs.

Since making his NHL debut in 2000, Markov has racked up 572 regular-season points, including 119 goals. He finished his final Canadiens campaign tied with Hall-of-Famer Guy Lapointe for second place in team history for points by a defenseman, and is ranked third for goals from the back end.

Thanks for your years of playing your heart out for us, Andrei. You’ll be missed.

{ 0 comments }

Trump bans trans Americans from the military

by segacs on 07.26.17

There are no words for how disgustingly angry this makes me.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday morning that transgender people are not allowed to serve in the U.S. military.

A Pentagon directive under the administration of former President Barack Obama was going to allow transgender men and women to start serving in the military over the summer, according to the Military Times. The ban was lifted in June 2016.

Trump never served in the military and wouldn’t know honour if it hit him in the face. That could do this to the transgender Americans who have served for decades with honour and pride is, well, I want to say shocking. But alas, not much about Trump shocks me anymore.

This man is a disgrace to the office of President and to all humankind.

{ 0 comments }

Payette named next Governor General

by segacs on 07.15.17

Former astronaut Julie Payette has been named Canada’s next Governor General, taking over from David Johnston in September. And of course, the internet is all abuzz, because a woman is doing a job that has clearly was made for a man… even though Payette is exceptionally qualified, will be the fourth woman to hold the post in Canada, and is representing the Queen (who, y’know, is also a woman).

Once again, The Beaverton nails it:

“It only took a master’s degree in engineering, knowing six languages, playing classical piano with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, being a mother, and maneuvering a space shuttle payload into the International Space Station to convince the man that Payette has what it takes to be the Queen’s symbolic representative in Canada.”

(HT: Liesl, who has basically become one of my primary sources of content lately.)

{ 0 comments }

Trump’s lack of discipline: It’s not a good thing

by segacs on 07.01.17

Nope, nope, nope. All due respect, Michelle Goldberg, but I disagree with you on 100% on this one.

If there is the barest sliver of consolation, it’s that Trump appears almost as miserable and anxiety-ridden as we are. He’s losing the tiny bit of control he had. It’s better for Trump to show us all who he really is than to let his lackeys pretend he’s remotely worthy of his office. Every time he tweets, he reveals his presidency as a disgusting farce. Let’s hope he keeps doing it.

Trump feeling emboldened to make these kinds of brazen statements? That’s not refreshing. That’s terrifying.

USIRELANDPOLITICS.jpeg.CROP.promo-xlarge2

Society only works when people recognize that there are lines you don’t cross, things you don’t say out loud. It only works when people react in horror to these things, as they ought to.

But Trump’s supporters aren’t reacting in horror to what he’s doing. They’re cheering him on. They’re feeling increasingly emboldened to make similar pronouncements themselves, free of any kind of societal disapproval. Meanwhile, even his detractors are reacting with a kind of numbness, as we lose our capacity to be shocked by the sheer volume of excrement coming out of Trump’s mouth (or, as it were, Twitter account).

The more he does it, the more it becomes normalized. That’s how societies break down, all throughout history.

Trump’s not breaking down. The US is. And if he “keeps doing it”, shit’s only gonna get worse. Because there’s nobody out there who seems inclined or able to stop him.

{ 0 comments }

Canada’s First Nations relations: An open letter to Justin Trudeau

by segacs on 06.30.17

Dear Justin Trudeau:

There’s a LOT to criticize about Canada’s relationship with our First Nations, both past and present. So, two thoughts about this statement:

1. Words matter. Tone matters. On this, I will commend you for your words and for attempting to strike a real dialogue for perhaps the first time in Canadian history.

2. But actions also matter. And your government has been in power for nearly two years now. Indigenous women are still going missing or being murdered at alarming rates, while law enforcement turns a blind eye. Indigenous communities still suffer from a lack of clean drinking water, services, schools, healthcare, resources, and opportunity. A young person in a First Nations community is more likely to end up in jail than to graduate high school. Indigenous land is still being destroyed to accommodate oil companies. And so on, and so forth. The litany is endless. And this isn’t the past. This is 2017.

In short, these protest are urgent and necessary. And visiting the protesters with open ears and a willingness to engage in dialogue is a good first step. But honestly? Talk’s cheap. It’s time for action. Not only because you promised, But because it’s right.

Canada turns 150 this weekend, and plenty of people will be celebrating. There’s lots to celebrate in this great country of ours. But we have to acknowledge that we built this country by trampling over the rights of its original inhabitants. And that they deserve not only truth, but true reconciliation. As in, making shit right.

Actions. Not words. Get to it.

Sincerely,
A Canadian citizen.

{ 0 comments }

Quebec economy in pretty good shape

by segacs on 06.19.17

This is getting buried in the news cycle. But it’s actually a pretty big deal, and a sign that Quebec’s economy is in its best shape since before the ’95 referendum:

U.S. bond rating agency S&P Global has boosted Quebec’s credit rating to AA- – helping the province surpass neighbouring Ontario for the first time.

The agency says over the next couple of years it expects Quebec to keep its budget in the black and its debt ratios in decline thanks to strict cost controls, growing tax revenues and prudent fiscal policies.

Quebec Finance Minister Carlos Leitao tells The Canadian Press his province hasn’t reached this level with S&P, which was formally known as Standard and Poor’s, since 1993.

A little bit of political stability can go a long way, it seems.

{ 0 comments }

Cuba-US relations: One step forward, one giant Trump leap back

by segacs on 06.16.17

When I visited Cuba in December, the Cubans and Americans I met were all optimistic about the continued thawing of relations between the two countries following Barack Obama’s historic easing of restrictions.

15732378_10154421664658305_3838989827810057611_o

But, leave it to Donald Trump to make that one more thing on the list of everything he is massively screwing up:

Trump said Cuba had secured far too many concessions from the U.S. but “now those days are over.”

Trump has ordered tighter restrictions on Americans travelling to Cuba and a clamp-down on U.S. business dealings with the Cuban military.

He said penalties on Cuba would remain in place until its government releases political prisoners, stops abusing dissidents and respects freedom of expression.

This makes me really sad on behalf of everyone affected.

{ 0 comments }

Gender and stereotypes: What Obama got wrong in his Montreal speech

by segacs on 06.09.17

Barack Obama gave a widely-anticipated speech in Montreal today.

I watched online and, for most of it, Obama was in fine form: Eloquent, respectful, inspiring. But then there was an odd section, late in the speech, about gender equality and advancing the cause of women. Which included this line:

“I did conclude at a certain point that if you just put women in charge of every country for just about two years, the world would make a huge leap forward and just be better off generally. And that’s why I do think you guys (women) are a little better.”

With all due respect to Barack Obama — and he deserves a lot of respect — that statement goes way too far.

It’s one thing to encourage more gender parity, and better representation for women and minorities in politics at all levels. On this we agree entirely.

It’s another thing to assign false stereotypes to female politicians and assume that because of them, women would automatically make better leaders than men.

Marine Le Pen. Theresa May. Sarah Palin. Indira Gandhi. Imelda Marcos. Eva Peron. Dilma Rousseff. Margaret Thatcher. Kellie Leitch. Pauline Marois. I could go on here.

Women aren’t automatically more compassionate, wise, nurturing, caring, insightful, or resistant to corruption. I suspect that we have these qualities in roughly the same proportion as men do.

And politics inherently elevates the ruthless, the corrupt, the power-hungry and the populist, while chewing up and spitting out the idealistic, the competent and the well-intentioned. Most of the corrupt, terrible leaders have been men, but that’s just because most leaders in history have been men, period.

If and when the glass ceilings disappear, I suspect we’ll have just as many terrible female leaders as we do male ones. We may be hoping for a Michelle Obama, and end up instead with an Ivanka Trump. Or, for that matter, a Claire Underwood.

That’s not to say those glass ceilings oughtn’t be shattered. Of course they must. But we must demand better from ALL our leaders — male, female or otherwise.

{ 0 comments }

Macron wins in France

by segacs on 05.07.17

Thanks, France, for voting for the only sane option and bucking the populist demagogue trend.

Macron, 39, a former economy minister who ran as a “neither left nor right” independent promising to shake up the French political system, took 66% to Le Pen’s 34%.

His victory was hailed by his supporters as holding back a tide of populism after the Brexit vote and Donald Trump’s victory in the US election.

This also makes me wish our political systems in Canada and the US had run-offs. How many Harpers, Marois or Trumps could have been avoided this way?

{ 0 comments }

Next Posts Previous Posts