Let's start the Political section with a bit of a bang...shall we?

This past week has shuffled in many upon many activists in to my city. All claiming, nay shouting ferociously for a boycott on Bejing in the face of the Olympics based on the whole Tibet-fiasco. I have to say here that freedom of speech is my favorite of all the freedoms that I am privy to... however, I have a few gripes with activism.

I think it's great and it's a great outlet for common social frustrations when it's peaceful however I feel strongly that people should know what it is that they are protesting about. Let's start with Tibet shall we?
Chinas side: Tibet has always and will always be a part of Chinese territory

Tibet's side: No, That's totally erroneous. They are a totally different ethnic and cultural entity. Always have been, always will be. Love it or Leave it..pref. Leave it.

The stance of some activists, including those who sloppily stuck the Tibetan flag on their bumper sticker: "Free TIBET! Give Tibet their INDEPENDENCE"

The stance of the Dali Lama, the exiled spiritual leader of Tibet (and Tibetan Buddhism) and more notably, good chum to Richard Gere: He asks for AUTONOMY for Tibet, not independence. He asks that he be allowed to head the parliament as a spiritual leader but remain under the jurisdiction or Chinese authority… like a dominion almost… like a Canada where the Queen actually exercises right to rule.

Do you see where there is a disjunct in the knowledge sharing? Where maybe the activists on the ground are not totally in tune with the cause that they have oh so nobly decided to champion? Because, here in lies my issue with activists.

Now here's a mind bender for you: Imagine Utah asking for governing autonomy from the united states… Imagine the Mormon Polygamist Sects rising together and asking foreign leaders to help protect their religious freedom rights and govern themselves according to their doctrine. How d'ya feel about them apples?

Next: speaking of passive protests… which we all know aren't always the case: Case in point, I had a friend in my first year of university who was arrested for chaining his own neck to the fences of the British embassy in protest of George W.'s visit. ……but y'know… isn't it nice when a group of people come together in an act of solidarity and show their disapproval for something while standing peacefully side by side? Ya, it's great… let's take a second and look at the forefather of peaceful protests and pacifists actions: Nelson Mandela.

Oh Nelson. He's a good man. No one can deny it. Oprah said it was an ominous experience standing in his presence… and if Oprah is wow'd, I can only imagine I would be too. But let's take a second to take a look at the actions behind the pacifism. The reason that for some reason THIS MANs unjust imprisonment and passive hunger strikes were headline news worlds over…when the other 175,000 inmates who claim innocence every second are un heard. Let's look at the woman behind the man: his first wife: Winnie Mandela. Whaddya want out of the first wife of Nelson Mandela?

I'm thinking empowered speeches… Martin Luther King Jr styles… I'm seeing visions of a strong and beautiful woman single handedly crusading in all available media outlets for the release of her beloved husband.

WRONG. Girl was out setting people on fire. She ("allegedly") ran with a group of thugs that would kidnap, torture and set alight in the form of burning necklaces (when you douse a car tire in gas and stand the person in the middle and set it ablaze). She forced a nation to stand behind her husbands cause through fear of what would happen if they didn't. She even said in a speech which, I can only assume was intended to entice excitement for her cause, rather than fear in her enemies (I like to give people the benefit of the doubt): "with our boxes of matches and our necklaces we shall liberate this country".

Oh ya and in the post Apartheid government, she was even given an appointment… but fired not even a year later when she was accused of corruption… hmmm…sounds so out of character for this woman. She's not even allowed in Canada to this day... Canada! I mean, Canada lets anyone visit. A lot of people consider her the "Mother of the Nation." And, you just can't forget that almost every country in and out of Africa has blood on its hands but… maybe we should think about the other fractions of history that go into the making of such a notable and historical ledgend such as Nelson Mandela who was imprisoned form 1963 until 1990…. Interestingly enough, Winnie and Nelson were married until 1996. …. Just some food for thought.

As a small side note and afterthought: I can see the sirens calling to the sailors here for someone to seriously condemn my even questioning the amazing and beautiful nature of Nelson Mandela, and I want to pre-emptively say that I am not. I'm just saying that sometimes it's not a one man journey to righteousness... sometimes there are other factors at play which promote or deter that rise to the platform of the righteous, with or without their consent, or conscious knowledge. But, I can't help but wonder what people would say if the roles were reversed... what is Mother Theresa had a boyfriend who owned or sat on the board of a capitalistic corporate entity which employed the same children that she helped feed in a nasty sweat shop. Would people be as quickly to separate the two as individuals, or would the actions of the female be wholly undermined by the actions of her male companion.... (Blasphemy AND politics all in one post!). Also, I'd like to note that Nelson Mandelas current wife is one of my idols... if for no other reason that to slightly redeem myself in the eyes of ....well......you.

Oh, and it's widely acknowledged that Ghandi beat his wife. (Redemption taken away)

My Philosphy on Being Single

proclamation on being single/ Reasons I don't want your man!An Open letter



To whom it may concern;


Yesterday was Valentine’s Day: a holiday generally noted for the excessive coupling that occurs in restaurants nation, nay, continent wide: A holiday which many singles fear and loathe, often dividing in to two opposing camps. Those who stop dating mid-January to avoid the Valentines day awkwardness, generally brought on by a newly formed couple (or the pressure to not call it quits for fear of being ‘that person who dumped someone a week before valentines day) OR there is the camp of people (generally women, but some men as well) who flock to online dating sites or hit up friends for blind dates, simply doing everything and anything they can to find a date so that they aren’t left at home watching hopeless romantic movies on there own come D-day….errr I mean V-day. I belong to neither of these camps. I am single, and I love Valentines Day: This holiday does not serve to make me feel lonely and desperate, nor does it make me ‘awkwardly aware’ of my lowly social status. Any holiday that offers a wal-mart full of chocolate and candies that will go 50% off come the 15th is O.K. by me. This year, however, Valentines Day served to make me slightly upset, and only slightly (as in enough to be up at midnight writing this letter). This year I had three people ask me out on Valentines Day dates after my plans to drink vino and go out for dinner with my friends fell through due to weather conditions. Each time, I declined. Each time I got a similar response: “But no girl should have to be alone on valentines day,” a sentiment often whined to me by single friends of the past who are now in dauntingly boring relationships that I would rather stab my eye out than be forced to endure for one evening let alone the rest of my godforsaken life.I have said it before, and I’ll say it again: I like being single. In case you feel that this may be a case of “Me thinks she doth protest too much…” Let me provide you with some reasons:1. I’m independent: You can’t just come and go when you’re tied to someone. I, as a general rule, spend one weekend a month, if not more in another city. I move on a whim and I apply to random internships (for instance in Africa) for no apparent reason, with every intention of going. I like this. You can’t just come home to your hunny and drop, non chalantly, into a conversation that you applied to go to Kenya for the summer. People expect an explanation. They want to be included. I want to not have to explain myself to anyone. I want adventure.2. I really enjoy my friends: It took me alotta years to get to the point where I could say that the people I surround myself with are the people who I admire most and make me the happiest to be me. I don’t need some guy to walk in with a complex about how much time I spend with the girls, what boys I choose to drink beer with and how he should be my best friend because that’s how “real relationships work.” News Flash: you are not my best friend. It took me years and years to forge the friendships that I have and only a handful equate to being “the best,” and baby… they were there long before you, they’ll probably be there long after you. Deal with it.3. I’m comfortable hanging by myself: I actually enjoy living alone, and I enjoy doing things on my own…even in public. I’ll go to a movie on my own, if it’s one I really want to see… I’ll even do that in the afternoon so that I can see another movie I really want to see with my date that evening. Don’t laugh. I’ve done it.4. I have goals and plans… These are mine. I don’t expect someone to take them on; in fact I don’t want someone to take them on. It took me years to create these, and they are still malleable enough that they may change. They are important to me, and they are my focus. If someone comes along that I am madly in love with who happens to fit nicely into these, then rock on! Bringing me to my next point…5. I believe in love and commitment: In case you feel like these are the ranting of a cynical single girl who has been hurt and is thus against men in general…. Think again. I believe in love. I believe in true love and I believe in commitment. I don’t believe in being in a relationship for the sake of being in one, and I don’t believe in being in a relationship until someone better comes along. Love and Commitment are very really and very hard…. That’s why I’m not in either of them.Now that you see why I enjoy being single, understand this: I am not alone. I have many-a-friend who feel the same way. The next time you hear that your friend is single or doing the solo thing for a while, don’t pout at them and say “awww don’t worry, you’ll find the right guy soon.” Look, it’s not like I lost my keys or my wallet… I’m not on some profound journey to find my soul mate… I’m not looking in every nook-and-cranney, falling into bed exhausted from my day of searching for the relic of a man like the single, female version of Indiana Jones. Instead, try this: “Alright…. Get your best dress and dancing shoes out, because we are tearing up the town…” and then… and only then, my poor, unfortunate, coupled friends, will you understand that our lives are not hollow and sour without someone to tell what we ate that day: instead, we’re having a friggin blast.