aowgweekly-blog

[aowgweekly-blog]

SEPTEMBER 23RD, 2018

President Ben Franklin; A Warning

On Friday night I watched Michael Moore’s new documentary Fahrenheit 11/9 in the theatre. The film struck me, and got me thinking about the current political situation in the United States. Admittedly, Moore is not known for neutrality, so the arguments he provides should be taken with a grain of salt. Nonetheless, even if half of his documentary is truthful and accurate, alarm bells should be going off in American’s heads.

The current political climate in the United States is not normal. It should not be accepted. There are forces at work beneath the surface of the political scene that are being put on full display by the circus that is the Trump administration.

These forces have been operating for decades in the shadows, behind the clever competency that American Presidents have required for the job up until 2016.

To put it diplomatically, what these past two years have demonstrated, is that the United States’ self-proclaimed status as a haven for democracy is in serious jeopardy. Yes, elections are generally conducted in a relatively fair manner, save the gerrymandering and suppression of minority voters that takes place in particular regions across the country. Yes, elections follow the rules set out by the constitution.

But ask yourself this; is a system that allows voters choose the colour of an oligarch’s bandana really a democracy? The answer is no.

It must be acknowledged that there are fundamental differences between the Republicans and Democrats. There are endless examples of that. That being said, if one examines the policies put in place by both parties over the past thirty years, I would argue that the thing both parties have done the most consistently and efficiently is make the wealthy wealthier.

Obama bailed out the big banks with taxpayer dollars and slashed regulations after they kamikazed the American economy, sinking the middle class. Bush convinced America to invade Iraq, pumping billions of dollars into the US military industrial complex, and putting the United States in control of the nation’s vast oil reserves. Clinton gutted America’s social safety net and cracked down on crime, resulting in overcrowded prisons, which forced many states to privatize correctional facilities to lessen the burden on the taxpayer.

I would argue that a political party should be defined by its most regular actions. If we examine both the Democrats and Republicans using this logic, they’re not polar opposites after all.

“But why? Surely all politicians aren't inherently evil,” you say.

Well it’s pretty simple, and don’t call me Shirley. Campaign donations have been growing at absurd rate since the 1990’s. The 1992 presidential election had candidates spend 300 million dollars all-together when figures are adjusted for inflation. By contrast a total of 2.4 billion was spent in the 2016 election according to investopedia. To put it bluntly, no person or organization donates millions of dollars to a campaign with no strings attached. Thus, a president is always loyal to the donor instead of the voter.

As the American middle class has been worn down, discontentment has been brewing among the masses. Donald Trump is simply a result of their misplaced rage. He is but the head of the dandelion, nothing more. If you mow it, the next day another one will spring up seemingly out of nowhere. In order to eradicate the weed, you need to attack the root.

The fact that voters are so disillusioned that they elected Donald should speak to how dire the situation is. American institutions have not been this threatened since the civil war. The people are divided, and hence are a snake biting its own tail. Liberal America blames Trumpland for the situation; Trumpland blames immigrants and minorities. Both sides have every right to be angry, but they are directing their anger the wrong way.

Americans need to wake up. The current situation is beginning to mirror the 1930’s. People are polarizing, using scapegoats to explain their plight. Racism, hatred, and protectionism are rearing their ugly heads in the way of a hydra.

The constitution did not protect the Jews when Adolf Hitler was elected to power. It is but a piece of paper, a blanket for comfort. Paper and blankets will not stop bullets.

North Koreans are told that they are free. They are told that their country is the greatest in the world. It is only after they catch a glimpse of life outside that they learn these to be lies.

Wake up America, because we are but seconds away from it being too late. This is not normal. It should not be accepted.

Do not normalize the toxicity of 2018.

To the rest of the world: get involved. Had the West dealt with Nazi Germany when they invaded Czechoslovakia, 9 million mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers could have been saved.

Dare to be on the correct side of history.

[aowgweekly-blog]

Toronto the Good Under Fire

CONTENTS: SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2018

1. What’s Going On: Top Stories from Each Corner of the Globe

2. Opinion: Toronto the Good Under Fire

3. For Your Earholes

What’s Going On: 

Top Stories from Each Corner of the Globe

The Centre of the Universe:

Toronto Election Chaos - Premier Doug Ford is plowing ahead with the passage of controversial Bill 5, which will shrink City Council from 47 to 25 members just a month before the election. While an Ontario Superior Court judge recently struck a nearly identical bill down, citing that it violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Ford is utilizing the rarely exercised Notwithstanding Clause to exempt this legislation from judicial review. The city has instructed it’s lawyer to “exhaust all avenues” in fighting the bill.

More Gun Violence - A 16 year old boy was shot dead in the city’s east end on Friday evening. Toronto has faced record-breaking levels of gun violence this year, this being the 77th homicide of 2018.

North America:

NAFTA Negotiations - Mexico and the US have informally agreed on a new framework for NAFTA, which will be dubbed the United States-Mexico-Canada agreement as a result of a Trump rebranding scheme. Canadian and American negotiators are still partaking in ongoing talks in an effort to maintain the trilateral nature of the agreement. Trump has, and continues to threaten that he will move forward without Canada if the Trudeau government is unwilling to make satisfactory concessions. Congress must approve any agreement, so the midterm elections on November 6th may shake things up if the Democrats manage to take the House and/or Senate.

Hurricane Florence - Hurricane Florence is railing the Carolinas, and thus far has left 12 dead along with extensive damage to property. A disaster was declared in North Carolina on Saturday, as heavy rain and further flooding are projected in the coming days.

Latin America:

Venezuelan Crisis - Economic travesty in the South American nation continues to force millions to flee into neighboring countries. Venezuelan leader Nicolas Mauro has reached out to Chinese President Xi Jinping for assistance.

Chaotic Brazilian Election - Jailed former left-wing leader Lula pulled out of the Brazilian election, appointing Fernando Haddad as his replacement. To add to the drama of the campaign, right-wing leader Jair Bolsonaro was stabbed at a rally. He has soared in polls since the incident and is presently recovering in hospital.

Europe:

Russian War Games - In the eastern part of the nation, Russia, China and Mongolia coordinated Russia’s largest military exercises ever.

Right Wing Movement - Far-right groups continue to gain popularity across Europe. This week, the right leaning interior ministers of Italy and Austria demanded that the EU hold asylum-seekers at sea until their claims have been processed.

Africa:

Rwandan Opposition Leader Released - Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, a prominent opposition leader was released from prison along with 2,100 other wrongfully imprisoned inmates.

Cholera Outbreak in Zimbabwe Capital - 25 people have now succumbed to cholera in Harare, while 3,766 cases have been confirmed according to Health Minister Obadiah Moyo. The WHO warns that the disease is spreading rapidly, putting the more than 2 million people that call Harare home at risk.

Asia:

Typhoon Mangkhut - A category 5 typhoon slammed the Philippines, killing 14 people. Landslides, flooding, and extensive damage have been reported across the island of Luzon.

Chinese Detainment of Uighur Muslims - Analysts estimate that up to 1.1 million people have been placed in internment camps in China’s western province. Chinese officials claim that these are education centres, but escapees tell tales of violence and abuse.

Oceana:

Protest of Aussie Anthem - A 9 year old girl named Harper Nielsen made headlines when she protested the Australian national anthem by refusing to stand for it in school. Nielsen based her stand on the notion that the anthem is racist for ignoring the Indigenous history of Australia.

Opinion: Toronto the Good Under Fire

Toronto the Good - an endearing, often sarcastic nickname for the city that derives from it’s high brow history. Although the term is commonly used ironically, I would argue that it has come adequately represent it, especially when you compare the state of Toronto to American cities.

The Greater Toronto Area is of similar approximate size to the Boston, Philadelphia, Houston, and Dallas metropolitan areas. Yet, it has significantly lower crime rates, and far less poignant inequality.

Why could that be?

I’ll get to that answer in a minute, but for now it must be pointed out that the current wave of gun violence sweeping the city is threatening Toronto’s status as a safe place that is seemingly immune to the growing pains that American cities usually go through; and not in the way that you would expect.

Obviously there is a direct correlation between gun violence and safety, I’m not trying to deny that. Yes, there is presently a higher risk that you’ll get shot walking around popular areas of the city than normal.

What needs to be acknowledged though, is that with each shooting, calls to ‘crackdown’ on crime by increasing police presence, and introducing stricter sentencing grow. Herein lies the real threat.

If political leaders cave to these demands, we risk following the same path that has been taken by countless American cities, countless times. To decrease gun violence you need to use the carrot and not the stick, though the stick is a natural reflex.

First, simply increasing police presence does not necessarily result in a decrease in crime. In fact, a 1972 Kansas City experiment doubled patrols in several areas, and stopped them in others to test this very idea. They found that this had no significant effect on crime rates in any of the districts. Admittedly, other studies have found a correlation between more police and less crime, but this pattern can usually attributed to more effective policing methods, rather than more police.

Additionally, there is an overwhelming academic consensus that introducing stricter sentencing does not curb crime. What both of these things undeniably do though, is cost taxpayers dearly.

Contrary to one’s natural reaction, the violence gripping the city should be viewed as a cry for help that rises from marginalized communities struggling to get by courtesy of Toronto’s increasing lack of affordability.

Rather than marching through neighborhoods with guns and armour, we should be extending a proverbial loving hand. This can be done by dealing with affordable housing issues, providing more opportunities for lower-income families, and investing in community infrastructure such as sporting facilities. When dwellings in Toronto’s worst-off neighborhoods are converted from houses to homes, where people have a future, violence will inevitably decrease.

To all the doubters I say this; the reason that Toronto is so much safer than American cities, is because of a better social safety net. Thus, to fix the gun violence problem, we need to modernize the social safety net so that it meets the demands of modern Toronto life.

A law enforcement crackdown will only divert funds from going where they are needed.

For Your Earholes: Tunes for the week.

Bassackwards - Kurt Vile

Pretty Thing - Dizzy

Passed Out - Pkew Pkew Pkew

Better - Khalid

Squeeze - Lou Phelps

She Ain’t Gotta Do Much - Classified

THANKS FOR READING & COME BACK FOR MORE NEXT WEEK!

[aowgweekly-blog]

Toronto the Good Under Fire

CONTENTS: SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2018

1. What’s Going On: Top Stories from Each Corner of the Globe

2. Opinion: Toronto the Good Under Fire

3. For Your Earholes

What’s Going On: 

Top Stories from Each Corner of the Globe

The Centre of the Universe:

Toronto Election Chaos - Premier Doug Ford is plowing ahead with the passage of controversial Bill 5, which will shrink City Council from 47 to 25 members just a month before the election. While an Ontario Superior Court judge recently struck a nearly identical bill down, citing that it violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Ford is utilizing the rarely exercised Notwithstanding Clause to exempt this legislation from judicial review. The city has instructed it’s lawyer to “exhaust all avenues” in fighting the bill.

More Gun Violence - A 16 year old boy was shot dead in the city’s east end on Friday evening. Toronto has faced record-breaking levels of gun violence this year, this being the 77th homicide of 2018.

North America:

NAFTA Negotiations - Mexico and the US have informally agreed on a new framework for NAFTA, which will be dubbed the United States-Mexico-Canada agreement as a result of a Trump rebranding scheme. Canadian and American negotiators are still partaking in ongoing talks in an effort to maintain the trilateral nature of the agreement. Trump has, and continues to threaten that he will move forward without Canada if the Trudeau government is unwilling to make satisfactory concessions. Congress must approve any agreement, so the midterm elections on November 6th may shake things up if the Democrats manage to take the House and/or Senate.

Hurricane Florence - Hurricane Florence is railing the Carolinas, and thus far has left 12 dead along with extensive damage to property. A disaster was declared in North Carolina on Saturday, as heavy rain and further flooding are projected in the coming days.

Latin America:

Venezuelan Crisis - Economic travesty in the South American nation continues to force millions to flee into neighboring countries. Venezuelan leader Nicolas Mauro has reached out to Chinese President Xi Jinping for assistance.

Chaotic Brazilian Election - Jailed former left-wing leader Lula pulled out of the Brazilian election, appointing Fernando Haddad as his replacement. To add to the drama of the campaign, right-wing leader Jair Bolsonaro was stabbed at a rally. He has soared in polls since the incident and is presently recovering in hospital.

Europe:

Russian War Games - In the eastern part of the nation, Russia, China and Mongolia coordinated Russia’s largest military exercises ever.

Right Wing Movement - Far-right groups continue to gain popularity across Europe. This week, the right leaning interior ministers of Italy and Austria demanded that the EU hold asylum-seekers at sea until their claims have been processed.

Africa:

Rwandan Opposition Leader Released - Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, a prominent opposition leader was released from prison along with 2,100 other wrongfully imprisoned inmates.

Cholera Outbreak in Zimbabwe Capital - 25 people have now succumbed to cholera in Harare, while 3,766 cases have been confirmed according to Health Minister Obadiah Moyo. The WHO warns that the disease is spreading rapidly, putting the more than 2 million people that call Harare home at risk.

Asia:

Typhoon Mangkhut - A category 5 typhoon slammed the Philippines, killing 14 people. Landslides, flooding, and extensive damage have been reported across the island of Luzon.

Chinese Detainment of Uighur Muslims - Analysts estimate that up to 1.1 million people have been placed in internment camps in China’s western province. Chinese officials claim that these are education centres, but escapees tell tales of violence and abuse.

Oceana:

Protest of Aussie Anthem - A 9 year old girl named Harper Nielsen made headlines when she protested the Australian national anthem by refusing to stand for it in school. Nielsen based her stand on the notion that the anthem is racist for ignoring the Indigenous history of Australia.

Opinion: Toronto the Good Under Fire

Toronto the Good - an endearing, often sarcastic nickname for the city that derives from it’s high brow history. Although the term is commonly used ironically, I would argue that it has come adequately represent it, especially when you compare the state of Toronto to American cities.

The Greater Toronto Area is of similar approximate size to the Boston, Philadelphia, Houston, and Dallas metropolitan areas. Yet, it has significantly lower crime rates, and far less poignant inequality.

Why could that be?

I’ll get to that answer in a minute, but for now it must be pointed out that the current wave of gun violence sweeping the city is threatening Toronto’s status as a safe place that is seemingly immune to the growing pains that American cities usually go through; and not in the way that you would expect.

Obviously there is a direct correlation between gun violence and safety, I’m not trying to deny that. Yes, there is presently a higher risk that you’ll get shot walking around popular areas of the city than normal.

What needs to be acknowledged though, is that with each shooting, calls to ‘crackdown’ on crime by increasing police presence, and introducing stricter sentencing grow. Herein lies the real threat.

If political leaders cave to these demands, we risk following the same path that has been taken by countless American cities, countless times. To decrease gun violence you need to use the carrot and not the stick, though the stick is a natural reflex.

First, simply increasing police presence does not necessarily result in a decrease in crime. In fact, a 1972 Kansas City experiment doubled patrols in several areas, and stopped them in others to test this very idea. They found that this had no significant effect on crime rates in any of the districts. Admittedly, other studies have found a correlation between more police and less crime, but this pattern can usually attributed to more effective policing methods, rather than more police.

Additionally, there is an overwhelming academic consensus that introducing stricter sentencing does not curb crime. What both of these things undeniably do though, is cost taxpayers dearly.

Contrary to one’s natural reaction, the violence gripping the city should be viewed as a cry for help that rises from marginalized communities struggling to get by courtesy of Toronto’s increasing lack of affordability.

Rather than marching through neighborhoods with guns and armour, we should be extending a proverbial loving hand. This can be done by dealing with affordable housing issues, providing more opportunities for lower-income families, and investing in community infrastructure such as sporting facilities. When dwellings in Toronto’s worst-off neighborhoods are converted from houses to homes, where people have a future, violence will inevitably decrease.

To all the doubters I say this; the reason that Toronto is so much safer than American cities, is because of a better social safety net. Thus, to fix the gun violence problem, we need to modernize the social safety net so that it meets the demands of modern Toronto life.

A law enforcement crackdown will only divert funds from going where they are needed.

For Your Earholes: Tunes for the week.

Bassackwards - Kurt Vile

Pretty Thing - Dizzy

Passed Out - Pkew Pkew Pkew

Better - Khalid

Squeeze - Lou Phelps

She Ain’t Gotta Do Much - Classified

THANKS FOR READING & COME BACK FOR MORE NEXT WEEK!