G20 Mayhem
LC bloggers weigh in on their experiences!

Ryan on the G20 Fail

"I was reporting on the G20. As such, I was actually in the vortex of both the peaceful and absolutely inane black bloc tactic “anarchists.” I took in both the police and protester violence firsthand. Now before people voice their opinions and presumably take their sides (protester VS. police), let me note something. What happened in Toronto over the weekend and past week (as I covered it all) was too nuanced to take a side. Nor is that the real issue at play. And if you weren’t there to see how both sides reacted, it is tough to make a strong argument. No really, it is. Because peace, civil liberties, justice, fairness, proper judgment and control were all lost. Absolutely lost. On my account, it was a saddening moment." Read more.

Marsha on Standing up!

"As I headed to downtown Toronto this past Saturday, en route to an appointment with my (hair) colourist, I had my iPod tuned to a “the best of” compilation by John Mellencamp. One lyric that got stuck in my head for the rest of the weekend was this: You’ve got to STAND for something or you’re gonna FALL for anything. I thought to myself, hmmm, there’s a lesson in there. It seems that John Mellencamp, like many of us in “the second half” (of our lives) have learned these lessons the hard way. (But at least we’ve learned!)" Read more.

Rebekah on attempting to be faithful during the G20!

"So as we stand witness to the G20 this week are we ,"the church", raging with life? I read the demands of the Summit of World Religious Leaders: governments must close the gap between rich and poor, prioritize environmental sustainability, end militarism and cycles of violent conflict, and put the Millennium Development Goals back on track. Of course I want these things! It is a very important thing to bridge religous boundries and discover what we agree on. It is very important to speak out and demand just governance and policy. But why are we asking the governments and corporations of the world to do our work! Isn't bringing about the Kingdom of God on earth our job? Shouldn't we also be looking at the gap between the rich and poor that we foster, the way we fail to prioritize environmental sustainablility, the way we perpetuate conflict through consumerism, and our lack of respect for women's right, GLBTQ rights, and indegenous rights? Where is our imagination?" Read more!

Janaki witnesses another siege in Jamaica

"I'm here for a few months, "visiting" from Canada. I'm staying with my mom in a home that is in "a good part of town". The windows all have grills on them - standard practice in urban Jamaica. The house is surrounded by a 10-plus foot wall. The wall has barbed wire on top of it. We have a large double-gated entrance to this protected property in this good part of town. It is operated by an automatic gate opener. We have a rottweiler (Paris) and a pit-bull (Toby) in the yard. All the grills have vibration sensors on them. In the night we set an alarm. We have panic buttons. If we think someone is on the property and press the button (or the alarm is triggered), a security company (whose services my mom receives for a monthly fee) sends armed personnel to our home. They have a key to open the gate. They check out the premises to keep us safe. My mom pays taxes in Jamaica. When I worked here I too paid taxes. By the time all the deductions are made, these taxes approximate one third of one's salary. This is in "a good part of town." But we are 'safe'." Read more.

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Damien on the G20 and pacifism

"It is because I work and pay taxes that I will personally subsidize the erosion of my personal rights as a citizen, and the erosion of my children's world by the consolidation of public wealth into private hands. I believe myself to be a pacifist, motivated by love. But it is only because I choose to remain passive that activities of violence occur in my name. As Howard Zinn would put it, "one cannot stand still on a moving train," but the apparent truth is that even when we all jostle, or wave picket signs, or convene in a park, or march down a street, we are unable to shift  the train's trajectory." Read more.

Ryan posted this picture he took to BlogTO. Someone had written: "G20: New World Order" in red paint on a streetcar shelter. Also, check out below Ryan's amazing adventures in Ecuador!

What the heck!? What's wrong with this picture?

This artists drawing represents the proposed setting for the media, removed from the Muskoka region to Toronto to report on the G8/G20 proceedings. It 'simulates' the Muskoka experience. Log on to our blogs or forum pages - or onto our Facebook page and tell us what's wrong with this picture!

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Me. Ecuador. 25 Kids. Rudimentary Spanish:
Ryan reports on Me to We in Ecuador!

"I recently ate guinea pig. It was quite chewy, speaking frankly. And slightly traumatizing as I had a pet guinea pig as a wee one. His name was Haro. He was fluffy and suffered from severe ADD, I believe. And now that I have your (unwavering) attention, I thought I would share some of my experiences from my recent trip to Ecuador with my company, Me to We. Since my profession allows me to play with words for a living, supposedly I can tell stories. Alas, this is my attempt." Read more.

Diane reflects on summer transitions

"A time of transition, expectation, and hope is what many anticipate. For many it becomes a reality and when September winds blow by many youth are able to look back with great gratitude to tell tales of their new adventures.
In these hard economic times though this reality is not so secure for all and these dreams can be squashed as the months of June come close and employment is still a yard stick away or the reality of taking a job with little or no adventure just to make money sets in." Read more!

Who should we love?:
Anna on Neighbourhood Interfaith

The so-called Golden Rule tells us to love our neighbour (Matthew 27:37-40).The really big question is who is our neighbour? Who should we love? Each year this evening does a better job of defining who our neighbour is. Over the 24 year course of this group’s history, the word neighbour has evolved both in this group and in the world. Neighbourhood used to mean the churches and synagogues in a specific part of the city of Toronto. Neighbourhood has evolved to include the various religions represented at the dinner and in the world." Read more. Read more.

Eco-Justice conference coming to Ottawa

The World Student Christian Foundation is hosting a conference in Ottawa to focus on the relationship between eco-justice and poverty. If you live in the region, check them out June 10 - 13. On their site, they write,
"In the WSCF, we often speak of being in "solidarity" with our fellow human beings in other parts of the world, when we hear of the violence, dehumanization, or natural disaster they have faced. This expression reflects the deep level of compassion we find central to the message of Christianity and the work of Christ, working for the liberation and dignity of all people. This conference will challenge us to express our solidarity with all living things." Check it out.

G8/G20 Summit - Make Your Voice Heard!

As Canada prepares to host the G8 summit, youth and concerned Canadians are making plans to make their voices heard! What can you get into? Come to this rally and to the public protest on Saturday, June 26th. Check out the poster here! The Canadian Labour Congress in association with the Sierra Youth Coalition and many other agencies are having a People's Summit June 18th-20th. Find out more! Also, join their petition to support universal access to HIV/AIDS.