We now return to our normal programming

... Including those long-ago promised pictures from my redecorating, pictures from my friend's bridal shower that I hosted, pictures from her bachelorette that I hosted, pictures from our deck that is currently getting redone (due to falling apart in the middle!), and other normal posts.

Evil begets evil

While I welcome the news that a certain bad man is no longer able to be bad. He was considered the mastermind of one of the modern era's darkest hours in an attack on my neighbouring country, resulting in the death of many people of many nationalities. (Many of my countrymen - I would say the majority of us - consider an attack on our allies as an attack on us, too.) I was not shocked that the bad man was in the country he was in (it starts with the 16th letter of the alphabet), in spite of that country insisting he was next door in their neighbour's country (that starts with the words used to describe a charming colourful blanket).

(I'm avoiding names and locations so this post doesn't come up in random searches because I'm not interested in being a political blogger.)

I was shocked to see westerners (in many countries, but not surprisingly predominantly in the country most affected by this bad man) dancing on the streets and cheering the bad man's death. Certainly, it was good news, but to dance and sing in the street? Didn't we westerners shudder when we saw the people of the Middle East burning effigies of western politicians, burning the main religious book used by the largest religious group in "the west", shouting death to my neighbours to the south, and doing similar "uncivilized" behaviours? Didn't we say to ourselves that we were educated and above such lowly behaviour?


A wonderful friend pointed out the following, said by one of the greatest of my neighbours to the south:


"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."




Martin Luther King Jr

The world is changing

I am somewhat political. I don't have an identified party. There are 3 parties I alternate between, depending on the election, their platform, and other factors. In Canada, we have multiple parties, and the 3 main ones are the Conservatives (right-wing), Liberals (centre-left), NDP (left-wing). Then there's the Green Party (left-wing with an environmental focus), who just won their first seat. There's also the Bloc Quebecois (who only run in Quebec and want Quebec to separate from Canada). And there are weird parties like the Animal-Environmental Alliance, two Communist parties, the Marijuana Party, the Rhinocerous Party, and the Pirate Party. (These parties only run candidates in a couple ridings, so they won't be able to govern, and they basically never win.)

So what's the point of my rambling? Well, other than disappointment in the result, it means it's just one thing that's been adding to my consumption of things non-blogging

I voted in my riding, in spite of it being a foregone conclusion that the Conservative would win by a landslide. Voting is a duty to me, and I have voted in every election since turning 18.

(Just one more explanation. Harper, the Conservative [equivalent of an American Republican] got a majority, meaning he can do whatever he want unopposed. Our checks and balances are not particularly strong, so as a majority they can pass any law. They're only accountable to voters in 4 more years, although accountability to voters isn't such a bad thing.)