Wise up to the disinformation and the fashionable problematization that's giving Putin's oligarchy the advantage. Solidarity, unity and morale are important. Hearts and minds matter. Ukraine matters.
There are so many "bad guys" in this story, it's hard to keep track. Having read your warnings about the rise of the Authoritarian Class for many years I will trust your insight here, but not without reservations. My concern, aside from the real tragedy unfolding in Ukraine, is that the "West" has decided that being 7/10 on a scale of undemocratic authoritarianism is reasonable, as long as they're not 10/10. If Putin and Xi are the benchmarks to be just slightly below, are we really that democratic and free? When I look here at home at a government that simultaneously virtue signals about "defending democracy" while introducing (repeatedly) Internet Censorship bills, vaguely worded "harmful content that could cause vilification" laws, vaccine mandates (for a treatment that doesn't prevent infection, transmission or illness), and other hypocrisies too numerous to list, I can't help but worry about the future of our country. You, more than most and far earlier, know the infiltration of our powerful institutions that has taken place in Canada. If the spectacle that is unfolding, at great human costs to the Ukrainians, is being hijacked to continually move the bar towards more authoritarian control of our democracy, the tragedy gets multiplied. This is certainly not intended as "whataboutism", but the "frog in the pot" analogy certainly seems apropos. Enjoy your time off.
Agreed all through. Canada gets cut lots of undeserved slack. I have a long, long list I won't bore you with. This is important too, that Freedom House finding: “The global order is nearing a tipping point, and if democracy’s defenders do not work together to help guarantee freedom for all people, the authoritarian model will prevail.” For "all" people. It may take a long hard yaw to windward to get this damn thing back on course, but you never know. Sometimes the wind changes, out of the blue, and it ends up doing all our work for us. Who saw the Arab Spring coming? Who saw the Berlin Wall about to fall? Who saw Kazakhstan in January? So you never know. But yes, we start out home, and sorting out all the grubby kleptocrats enablers in power would be a really good start.
Terry this is an excellent in-depth article of what is happening to Democracy and who is going to Step up and Protect it! I stand with Ukraine! I am a paid subscriber too! Enjoy some rest!
There are so many "bad guys" in this story, it's hard to keep track. Having read your warnings about the rise of the Authoritarian Class for many years I will trust your insight here, but not without reservations. My concern, aside from the real tragedy unfolding in Ukraine, is that the "West" has decided that being 7/10 on a scale of undemocratic authoritarianism is reasonable, as long as they're not 10/10. If Putin and Xi are the benchmarks to be just slightly below, are we really that democratic and free? When I look here at home at a government that simultaneously virtue signals about "defending democracy" while introducing (repeatedly) Internet Censorship bills, vaguely worded "harmful content that could cause vilification" laws, vaccine mandates (for a treatment that doesn't prevent infection, transmission or illness), and other hypocrisies too numerous to list, I can't help but worry about the future of our country. You, more than most and far earlier, know the infiltration of our powerful institutions that has taken place in Canada. If the spectacle that is unfolding, at great human costs to the Ukrainians, is being hijacked to continually move the bar towards more authoritarian control of our democracy, the tragedy gets multiplied. This is certainly not intended as "whataboutism", but the "frog in the pot" analogy certainly seems apropos. Enjoy your time off.
Agreed all through. Canada gets cut lots of undeserved slack. I have a long, long list I won't bore you with. This is important too, that Freedom House finding: “The global order is nearing a tipping point, and if democracy’s defenders do not work together to help guarantee freedom for all people, the authoritarian model will prevail.” For "all" people. It may take a long hard yaw to windward to get this damn thing back on course, but you never know. Sometimes the wind changes, out of the blue, and it ends up doing all our work for us. Who saw the Arab Spring coming? Who saw the Berlin Wall about to fall? Who saw Kazakhstan in January? So you never know. But yes, we start out home, and sorting out all the grubby kleptocrats enablers in power would be a really good start.
Also thanks kindly for subscribing.
I truly can't think of anything more worthwhile, no lie.
THANKS
Terry this is an excellent in-depth article of what is happening to Democracy and who is going to Step up and Protect it! I stand with Ukraine! I am a paid subscriber too! Enjoy some rest!
Thanks very warmly. Within an hour or so I expect to be on my Bonneville roaring out the west coast road. It's a sunny day. I really need this.
Hope you got out on the road and the Bonneville did her thing. You certainly deserve the break.
Thanks. The Bonnie's purring. Perfect weather. Wasn't out long, but still.