First, let me begin this column by letting everyone know that I wave no flag of any political party. I do not wish to be called a Democrat nor Republican nor any of the political parties in Canada.
I choose the side or nominee that best represents myself, my concerns with conservation and where I come from socially and ethically. So please, don't call me left or right, as placing one's views in a pigeon hole fails to reflect the full spectrum of beliefs and concerns which is ever changing, such as our planet.
One million people marched in the historic Women's March on Washington on Saturday and more than 15,000 people marched in Vancouver on Saturday to protest President Donald J. Trump.
Activists were voicing their concerns ranging from the rights of the LGBTQ, labour rights and the rights of women, to climate change.
The moment Trump was sworn in as the 45th president of the United States at noon on Friday, the LGBT, climate change, health care and civil liberties pages disappeared from the website of the new Trump White House.
During Trump's campaign, he repeatedly said he would "Kick Wall Street out of politics."
His cabinet picks claim otherwise.
Trump named a former Goldman Sachs executive and co-investor with hedge fund billionaire George Soros to spearhead his economic policy. Can you see a revolving door at this point?
Installing a secretary of state who is the CEO of Exxon, who has sued the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency - you know, the ones who made laws about having safe drinking water and air) as many times as possible.
The Arctic reached temperatures this past fall 20-30 degrees Fahrenheit above normal.
Secretary of Labor nominee Andrew Puzder, CEO of fast food chains Hardees and Carl's Jr., is best known from his TV ads of half-naked models eating fast food (whom are probably diagnosed with bulimia nervosa), is against raising minimum wage and is against paying overtime and giving fast food workers breaks. Thoughts of the comedic movie Idiocracy come to mind after hearing this.
Tom Price is to lead the department of health and is against gay marriage and abortion and says abortion gives women breast cancer and believes AIDS does not come from HIV, whom also bought stock in a company that makes hip implants then a week later introduced a law that benefited companies who make hip implants.
Betsy Devos is to be the secretary of education, a Michigan multi-billionaire who never attended public schools, nor did her children, but says schools should not ban guns because places like Wisconsin may need them to defend themselves from grizzly bears.
Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) questioned her if she was willing to pledge to uphold Obama's reforms related to sexual assault on college campuses. DeVos said it would be "premature" to make any such promises. The education of a generation is the most powerful and important thing a leader can do for its people, but it can be also done in a manner that can destroy a people's ability to voice concerns for mistreatment. One can look to the residential school system for confirmation on this one.
I could go on about other reasons for the Women's March recently. I don't have the time nor column space to do so.
The next several years will be uncomfortable for most but I urge you to stay united, stand against the wind and thunder and remember, destruction (I am not inciting anarchy here) is a form of creation and that every great society is born on the ashes of the last tragedy, but do not be caught fiddling as Nero while Rome burns.
We are no doubt at a precipitous point in the story of mankind not simply because of the Donald but of what he represents during our global struggle with the importance of industry over the environment that supplies us with our means to survive, our struggle of equality of men and women, of differing races, differing religions as well as the LGBTQ community.
Do not carry on as usual. You are responsible for the shaping of the world you want.
Raise your head from your cubicle/buncher feller/taxi/oil rig and ask yourself, am I contributing to the betterment of a place for my children and grandchildren? With each new day, there is new opportunity to inspire, motivate and shake things up.
