Prorogue this
January 24th, 2010
I went down to the anti-prorogation rally on Parliament Hill. I stayed an hour or so, got myself counted, took some pics.
I don’t know who this is. I thought they had a good face. This will be my Pic of the Day.
(Weird photo note: As I was taking this picture, I wasn’t sure if the person was a man or a woman. No offense intended if they happen to see this — it’s just the softness of their features. But it’s obvious from the picture, which has more detail than my eye could see.)
My feeling about Stephen Harper is that he’s like the smartest kid on the high school debating team. He’s found a loophole in the rules that lets him win every time, and he’s going to use it whenever he feels like it. He is deeply cynical, contemptuous of human processes and lesser minds.
If only he could find something to engage his energies, he might become a useful citizen. But that seems unlikely. There’s something dark and angry in him that prevents it. Sort of like a neo-con Lex Luthor.
It’s hard to take pictures in a crowd. Sometimes the only things that stand out are the signs people have made.
Heart break
Back to work
PSAC was out in force
Democracy called
The dishes
Intrepid blogger Zoom the knitnut was there… nice hat zoom!
And so was Milan. (I know you like to see the faces behind the blogs.)
Here’s King Harper with his monkey caucus on his shoulder.
The mood at this demonstration was kind of jovial. Nobody really seemed angry. It was as if people were just glad that anybody showed up. I think demonstrations are great and this one was important, if only to legitimize facebook as a vehicle for political change; but the thing is, all the people who didn’t come to the demonstration are going to have to vote against the Conservatives next time. It’s the only way to get rid of Harper.
And I don’t know if they will. I think they kind of like the asshole. They like it that he pulled a fast one on Parliament, stuck it to Democracy.
Now if only we could get some new voters.
A year ago today:
Pic 345
Red Cap
January 24, 2009
Two years ago:
Pic 25
Yellow
Jan 24, 2008
January 24th, 2010 at 2:11 pm
Harper has got many convinced that Parliament is a game. They care not to look any further than Question Period where the atmosphere is so adversarial, equating the MPs as game show contestants, that people actually forget this is our country at play here, not one-up-manship and certainly not a game. This translates into how they feel about the Parties and the Leaders as well. The prorogation is “tactically” a good move so, without giving the underlying issues of democracy and power too much thought, anyone predisposed to cut-throat politics or anyone with a strong Harper Party bent, cheer this (or discard it as unimportant) as a winning move. What they don’t see, either by design or lack of depth, is that by giving the Prime Minister’s position the power, they actually lose theirs.
January 24th, 2010 at 2:28 pm
There were a lot of young faces in the crowd; maybe these are our new voters. I can only hope.
And, yes, that is a lovely hat Zoom!
January 24th, 2010 at 8:59 pm
Yesterday was happy (I thought)…perhaps “We are The Beaver” that got spirits up. I was one of those folks that was relieved to see such a large gathering. Stephen needs to take his “talents” elsewhere. I think the National Debate Coaching association is looking for help.
January 25th, 2010 at 9:38 am
It will be interesting to see what the next election will bring. Harper’s inspired so many protests, been in the dog house with so many people for so long and yet he keeps getting re-elected. I think as long as the people with the big money and influence like him and as long as the liberals have nothing substantially better to offer, people are going to go with the devil they know. (Good post)
January 29th, 2010 at 6:56 pm
I wasn’t (able to be) at the demonstration but I will certainly vote against the Conservatives next time. As I always do. I am glad to know that a good number of people showed up.