To put it concisely, owing to a sense of general disillusionment, I have been taking a break from my blog, a break that is likely to continue with some exceptions, as in the following.
A large number of news outlets have banded together under the name Covering Climate Now, their mission, to provide better reporting on the climate crisis. While I fear that this collaboration will only turn out to be a substitute for, rather than a spur to, action on the crisis, I plan to link to stories that suggest Americans are becoming increasingly aware of the dangers posed by it. And let's face it; unless the U.S. and other populous nations take this seriously, nothing substantive can happen to mitigate the disaster we are now witnessing on an almost daily basis.
The first story comes from NBC Nightly News:
They have a lot of catching up to do. Their audience, however, has been groomed to avoid critical thinking and unpleasant thoughts. You have to be tightly conditioned to elect a lunatic such as the guy they put in the Oval Office. The 'conditioned response' is to scapegoat, to blame someone else. Accepting personal responsibility, especially for the plight inflicted on little brown people from the poorest and most vulnerable Third World nations, is a stretch.
ReplyDeleteIt's good that the US media is turning a page but it will be tough to undo two decades of dereliction of their duty as journalists. Now that they're getting hammered - hurricanes, floods, droughts, sea level rise - they want to talk about it. Sort of like telling your passenger that you need to have someone look at your brakes as you crawl out from behind the air bags.
I read your post today about our own politicos and their avid export of bitumen without any regard to the developing world's fate, Mound. Clearly, we cannot claim to be occupying ground much higher than that of the Americans.
Delete.. here n there I mention the 'eyes glazed over' phenomena.. as well as the 'just don't care' or 'just too busy with life n kids' phenomena.. and in fairness.. I get it. Not all can or will dedicate the amount of time a Mound or Owen or yourself, a Norm Farrell or David Climenhaga among others will focus on Indy level dedication to Canada.. the careful crafting of message & care.. in new and evolving mediums (Marshall McLuhan done proud) ..
DeleteI believe we can get there.. I just don't know where 'there' is.. or as was eloquently written in All The Pretty Horses.. 'the gitten place'.. when the young gunslinger was probed by two observant cowboys on where he got the outstanding matched pearl handled guns and holsters.. and the obviously incredible horse and saddlery he had.
We need to be bullish on 'gettin there'.. and we need to comprendez where 'there is' .. it sure aint where politics is interested in gettin to. Politics is locked on the getting of votes.
I must refresh myself re Adam van Koeverden's recent quote.. re Politics vs Public Service.. its a breath of fresh air perspective compared to Lisa Raitt who he is essentially running against.. As I recall he basically said 'politics is just the way one gets to Public Service' .. Hardly what Ms Raitt seems to stand for.. which is shrill lip service for her riding while servicing her mean mouth partisan political schtick and waving her Cape Breton heritage from Oakville, Ontario.. Can you spell 'parachute'
It is beyond sad, Sal, that the notion of politics and public service now seems so antithetical to so many. I wish we could achieve a turnaround in that perspective, but we need to see some major changes before that can happen.
Delete.. how about
ReplyDelete'if you don't understand your job as an elected Public Servant
we will never vote for you again.. we will vote you out..
'Finito ! Sayonara ! And watch yer ass as the door slams behind you
I like the thinking, Sal, but the average voter needs to become more engaged for this to happen.
Delete