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of mine that if we forget about the seasonal changes how much more we are inclined
to forget about the distasteful and sometimes uncivilised behaviour of times only
a few decades ago.
So before we forget, let us do a quick refresher on some things we should definitely
remember.
- WW1 essentially a commercial conflict between German
and Western Europe where hundreds of thousands died in a futile conflict that resolved
nothing.
- "Night of Crystal" Hitler blamed the Jews
for economic conditions and launched the "final solution" extermination
of Jews, mentally deficient people, Gypsies and other undesirables.
- US senate investigation into "un-American activities"
a political purge in North America where "commies" were hunted down, exposed
and deprived of a living, it was not confined to the US as the backlash to the cold
war was standard political fare for us as well.
- The treaties, in order to obtain economic and political
control of North America the government of Britain signed treaties for
all time with the aboriginal people of the land, agreed to terms and conditions.
In return peaceful European settlement took place in British North America but by
reneging on the terms of the treaties the consequences to the aboriginal people was
not unlike the fate of German and other European Jews The Jews were murdered, the
Indians robbed of their self esteem, language and culture now facing extermination
from alcoholism, poverty, lower life expectancy and massive incarceration.
- Universal Medicare, invented in Saskatchewan then
adopted by the Trudeau government for the whole country, intended to pay for medical
care not control it yet provincial and federal governments have lost sight of it
as a means for paying for medical care and use it instead as a means of rewarding
and punishing the electorate as politicians and administrators have all but destroyed
basic health care nationwide.
- Canada's Charter of Rights, battered and abused
by government and police, constantly under attack as there is one crisis after another
that demands that additional powers be given to police to combat individual conditions
as they arise: gang crime, mass murder, drugs, terrorism, separatism. Police powers
have grown in Canada to the point that death squads operate with immunity in Saskatoon
and in Regina the police routinely (twice in the past thirty days) execute people
using pepper spray. With armoured vests and nineteen shot semiautomatic weapons,
the police are far more dangerous to your safety than any possible criminal.
- The Dirty Thirties, a massive economic and financial
crisis in October of 1929 coupled with a serious drought in the North American prairies
resulted in a depression. Unemployment grew until there was fear of insurrection
in US and Canada. The remarkable collapse of the capitalist system was the cause
of the event and also the reason conditions did not recover. The depression ended
only when government interceded directing and controlling the economy so that World
War II could be fought. Massive government intervention paid for the amazing effort
of the war but also launched a huge post war economic period of prosperity lasting
until the late sixties.
- The five Day Work week, Canadian railroad employees
went on strike bringing industry and trade to a halt for just over three weeks in
the early fifties. This strike resulted in the country wide acceptance of a forty
hour work week. Wage earners at that time earned enough to support a family so that
one of a married couple worked while the other could devote full time and attention
to rearing and caring for the children in the family. Unemployment at the time was
less than 5% and the economy was booming. Corporations paid taxes and there was more
leisure time for everyone than ever before or ever since.
- Albert Einstein, a Jewish scientist who left Europe
to avoid persecution and must be considered the genius of the twentieth century.
Not only did his quest for understanding lead to the most devastating weapon ever
developed by mankind, but also his work opened the window on the universe, limitless
energy and his name comes up at least once a month as new discovers affirm the man's
theories.
- Free and universal public education. Democracy is
a costly and complex form of government but is contingent on the participating voter
having a well rounded education that will afford him or her to make reasonable and
rational decisions. Society is in danger of losing sight of why we have our public
system and it is being modified to serve industry and the corporate world gradually
divesting itself of the elements of creativity, social values and quality of life
appreciation. Dogmatic capitalistic politicians are undermining and under funding
it in a deliberate effort to further their political agenda. Charter schools, home
schooling, funding of private schools, are all clear attacks on a system to replace
it with pre-eighteenth century feudal conditions.
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