I’m only publishing one blog post this week. I was hoping to do a detailed reportback of the events of the weekend — all the protests and counter protests and the 2019 Toronto Anarchist Bookfair — but in truth, I’ve been having trouble writing it. After a frustrating couple of days of starting and stopping, I’ve come to realize why: It’s difficult to write a summary when the events feel like they’re still ongoing.
Continue reading “The Mohawk College Protest”Delayed Post
Just a quick note to let everyone know that today’s scheduled post will be delayed due to an unexpected emergency.
Of course, if the emergency could be expected… and so forth.
It’s half written. Hopefully I’ll get it up tomorrow.
Three Arrows
Four days ago, shortly after I published my previous blog post, we got word that a political event of considerable importance — and one which is dear to my heart — occurred. No, not that one, but rather that Major League Soccer had lifted the ban on the emblem of the Iron Front.
Look, the President getting impeached is important. I get that. But a ban on whether you can publicly display anti-fascist symbols? That hits me very close to home. And somewhat to my surprise I’ve become a rabid Timbers and Thorns fan and, over the course of the summer, have genuinely come to care about the struggle against creeping fascism in a city in another country on the other side of the continent which I have never visited. Perhaps it’s because I recognize and can sympathize with the challenges they face.
Continue reading “Three Arrows”Mobilizing on Church Street
This coming Saturday, September 28, a self-proclaimed “Christian values” group has announced that they will march through the centre of Toronto’s “Gay Village”, the Church and Wellesley neighbourhood. The group, which calls itself “Christian Positive Space,” claims that they chose Church St. to march on only because of the traditionally-Christian connotations of the word “Church”… and therefore, according to the group’s spokesperson David Lynn, are only be promoting Christianity and not homophobia.
I have only two words to respond to that claim: Bull. Shit.
This march comes after months of so-called Christian street preachers — including the same “Brother Phillip” of the hate group “ServantHOODs” who incited attackers during the June 2019 Hamilton Pride event — showing up in the Village and harassing the LGBTQ+ community on the streets. This harassment has been to the point where police have arrested David Lynn himself (although, alas, not charged him) for disturbing the peace.
Continue reading “Mobilizing on Church Street”The Blackface Scandal
This turned out to be a very brief post today. I’d thought to write about the “Blackface Scandal” currently enveloping the Canadian federal election… but the truth is I’ve got nothing to contribute.
Oh, I can share my personal experience of shock and dismay, but that’s not much different than every other white person’s reaction over the past couple of days. I can express my concern that this will impact the election (which of course why the images were released; this is textbook ratfuckery) and that we might end up with a Scheer government but that seems crass and political. I can even say “I love and support my PoC friends and they shouldn’t have to suffer this” which is true… and in fact so true that I shouldn’t have to say that. It should be one of those self-evident things like how awful it is to dress up in fucking blackface.
But frankly, none of that breaks new ground; it’s not helpful, it doesn’t present a radical new angle, and it isn’t even particularly relevant. The last thing this scandal needs is another white pundit interjecting his opinion into the situation. So what I’m going to do is use this platform I’ve got to amplify the voices of people of colour.
Continue reading “The Blackface Scandal”