I can't stay silent any longer.
Reading The Province, and the opinions of editors and contributors, is making my frustration intolerable.
Vancouver, Canada. The stronghold of economic security, fresh water, salmon, and self absorbed close minded ignorance.
Watching 2012 approach , the year which dramatic world (ending) changing has been promised to us by ancient civilizations,
I have an unnerving feeling that people aren't getting it.
Look back over the last two years, the world has seen more hurricanes, earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, asteroid near misses, toppled governments, civil wars, executed leaders, wars over oil, tsunamis, starvation, massive economical and nuclear meltdowns than ever before.
(Add examples of each) (Katrina, New Orleans, Japan, Iceland, Syria, Egypt, Iraq, Gadaffi, Hussein, Africa, Greece, Italy, FUKUSHIMA, Indonesia, etc)
Oh, it's all a big coincidence eh?
That, in my opinion , is Dangerously Delusional.
The World Is Changing, and fast.
Dear Vancouver - the papers read that most of you don't support Occupy.
And your argument is? :
1. Other groups want to use the site.
Response: Really? Who? What group could be more important than the one trying to save humanity? Please Name One Group that is ready to use that space.
2. It's a dangerous place to be. Response: So is the entire World !! Go hang out on east Hastings and tell me it's not dangerous. Who is shutting that down ? And really, how dangerous are a bunch of pot smoking hippies and activist anyway? USUALLY it's only dangerous when the POLICE START BEATING PEOPLE WITH CLUBS AND GASSING THEM.
3. There are drugs and people are smoking pot. Response: Everywhere I go there are drugs and pot. Everywhere. And I travel a lot. Get over it. and in my opinion smoking pot isn't "doing drugs".
4. Occupiers don't have a coherent voice, they don't know what they are protesting about.
Response: Thats because there are SO MANY ISSUES, that people are having a hard time communicating them all ! I will list a few: Americans are protesting the hedge funds that sold their morgages off and reposessed their homes in the biggest housing scandal of all time, which sent America into the biggest recession in history ! Unemployment is skyrocketing , and people are being forced into the streets. Detroit has declared a state of emergency, the whole city is collapsing ! The average price of a home in Detroit is 16,000$ . There is a Severe Oil Crisis. It is SO BAD, that America went into a Trillion Dollars into debt to get Iraq's Oil Reserves before the American (Dream) Economy Collapsed ( It might not have been worth it, and the collapse continues) . How about having an Offshore Federal Reserve which collects Taxpayers money to pay off ever increasing interest on Government Loans? ( The Privately owned Federal Reserve effectively Owns the American Government). Not to mention, that tax money goes into the pockets of International Bankers , making the super-rich richer , and erasing the middle class while sending the population head first into the slavery of Debt. How about the civil wars erupting around the globe? Syria, Egypt, Greece, Iraq, Libya, the list goes on. The world is being thrown into turmoil, and when / if the smoke clears, China will own most of it along with India. China already has its vaults piled high with American dollar bills. Trillions. Suicide is on the rise. . . and it's not hard to see why. The European Union is falling - Italy , the worlds 8th largest economy , is toppling over, falling onto Greece. The AMERO is still in the works, making a new dollar for Mexico, Canada, and the USA. Uh, is that a good idea? North Korea and Iran continue to make Nuclear Weapons. Halliburton has set up a pipeline, bunkers, and an "Embassy Fortress" in Iraq to secure the Oil supply. Next up, Libya - This time Canada is getting in on that action, Libya has an immense amount of oil. 1.37$ / liter. It's insane. The 99% can't afford the rising fuel costs, even if they have a job. Something has to give!
To the dissenters of Occupy Vancouver,
People are starting to stand up , for their rights, for the rights of others, for the rights of ALL of us.
And you have the audacity to label, judge, condemn, and complain about it? Shame on you.
Then I read an article today: They should be arrested? !? Really ? Arrest the people trying to help humanity as a whole?
Or did you mean arrest the police for smashing peoples heads in, shooting, and gassing innocent people? Surely that's what you meant.
Maybe you meant arrest the corporate fraudsters responsible for the Great American Housing Crash which decimated the American Economy and caused 3 MILLION PEOPLE TO LOSE THEIR HOMES.
Or did you mean arrest the 1% for their greed driven takeover of the entire world?
Surely you didnt mean arrest the poverty stricken, brave protestors trying to bring equality to the masses and effect positive change for us all.
However, the complaints continue.
And the latest complaint in the paper: Tent pegs will penetrate the underground vault . Seriously? Who brought up that as an issue? Oh, a Lawyer. Figures.
Just because its so nice here in Vancouver, doesn't erase the incredibly serious issues facing humankind in the next year/s .
This is serious. Start acting like it. Stop your whining about your food cart losing it's spot, or the pot smell in the air. Smoking pot makes you hungry anyway, your business is probably better than it was before!
Occupy is bigger than any one of us realizes. The protestors are standing up for YOU, even as you judge them on your way to work.
Some humble pie and kindness will go a long way here, so lets all try some.
Thanks for your time Vancouver,
Sincerely,
Shawn Kisielius
Whistler