Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Seriously, We Have to Fight Back


Gagging the armed forces, gagging the public service and, now, sending minders to shadow government scientists at an international forum, this is too much.

We are ruled by a regime.  It has institutionalized the suppression of democracy in Canada.  It has done it for so long and so persistently that there's no reason to hope it will stop unless we stop it.

The Liberals did shite about it when they were the Official Opposition.   Will the NDP also fail the Canadian people?  Will they too choose not to fight back, to let Harper get his way with our  government, yours and mine - with us?

Harper has a majority, what can they do?   Plenty.   They can make a stink about this within Parliament every day it sits and outside Parliament every day it does not.

Here's something really simple they could do.   Armbands.   Black armbands, embroidered with a red maple leaf  worn upside down in the symbol of distress.   Wear them onto the floor of the House of Commons.   Wear them outside Parliament.   Get the public wearing them.  I'd wear one, wouldn't you?  Wear it in everywhere in public, wear it at the mall, wear it at work or at school, wear it in church if you're so inclined.

This Sort of Thing, Only a Maple Leaf

Let the armband symbolize resistance to an authoritarian, undemocratic and repressive regime.   That's a message people will get.

Let Harper know the government is ours, not his.   Let him know we're not going to be afraid of standing up to him and that he'd damned well better be afraid of us.

And I really believe we can start it with a black armband.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Funny that you mention the Liberals doing shite about it...

Johnny Cretin is up to his eyeballs in this sort of behaviour. Or has everyone forgotten the APEC protests and the simultaneous clampdown orchestrated by the PMO and the ever present attack dawg know as the RCMP -

BemusedLurker

Anonymous said...

The arm band is a great idea...why aren't you wearing one now since it is your suggestion?

Anonymous said...

March on May Day.
sm

The Mound of Sound said...

@ Anon 12:42. If you can't distinguish between the APEC fiasco and what Harper has been doing the past five years, you're insensate. Just move along.

@ Anon 1:00. Actually I have placed an inquiry with one supplier to get a quote. But, to be effective, the opposition would have to make a show of it in the House. If they all came in wearing it they would get enough publicity to energize a movement. Face it, that's about the most effective opposition they can run these days.

Dana said...

Tax revolt.

Sadly I think the majority of Canadians would be horrified at the very thought of standing up to their government in any meaningful way. We only stand up against the actions of other countries governments. We're as passive as tranquilized sheep when it comes to our own.

Anonymous said...

...or a square of red felt....

Owen Gray said...

An excellent suggestion, Mound. Let us know what the supplier says.

Willy said...

Keep it made in Canada mound. Let me know need an ecommerce site I a couple open.

Willy

karen said...

Hey MoS? I sew. I don't embroider, but maybe a patch could be made out of pre-printed fabric.I'm also a thoroughly pissed off BC girl. Can you get at my email through this comment form?

The Mound of Sound said...

Hi Karen. What I really need now is some Dipper to put me in touch with his party's upper echelons. To work, this has to be launched on the floor of the Commons. My familiarity with other movements convinces me of that.

I don't want this co-opted by the NDP. I would much prefer it be a loosely unified, progressive opposition effort. That's why I've chosen black armbands, mourning, rather than orange. That's why I've stuck with the traditional, red maple leaf. These armbands must be an act of defiance based, in part, on mourning for what Harper has done to our Canada and what lies in store until he's stopped.

I have tried repeatedly today to access the NDP's web site so I can forward this to them but I can't get it to load (the LPC site loads instantly).

I'm going to try to engage Elizabeth May and see if she can be recruited to be a less partisan co-ordinator for this concept.

If this turns into the standard Liberal versus NDP dogfight, Harper wins. If it is to have any chance of succeeding it needs to be something people can embrace without having to make narrow partisan choices.

The Mound of Sound said...

Hi Karen. No I can't get your e-mail through your comment. Yet I know that, as important as I believe this idea is, I'll never get this off the ground myself. I need people who are willing to get their shoulder behind this like you and Willy. I also need supporters who can advocate for this idea at the NDP and Liberal leadership levels. I've already sent a beseeching e-mail to Elizabeth May.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that, left to me, this idea is bound to die. That sort of makes it "our" idea now. What do you want to do?

Paul Morrison said...

I am trying out your suggested image on my blog - http://jpaulmorrison.blogspot.ca/ - what if a lot of bloggers did that...? Just a small step...

The Mound of Sound said...

That's awesome, Paul. Thanks.