Jesus was a refugee

— 01.29.2017 08:55 AM

In the past year or so, in this space, nothing has enraged the so-called “Christian Right” more than my suggestion that Jesus Christ was a refugee. 

It rendered them apoplectic. It enraged them. Some days, I spent lots of time blocking these “Christian” trolls who would go on to vote for Trump. 

Trump, who is the closest thing we’ve had to an anti-Christ in my lifetime. Trump, who is the literal antithesis of Christian philosophy. 

Anyway. After the week we had – and this being a Sunday – I want to reassert that view. Namely: Jesus of Nazareth was truly a refugee. 

The unstoppable force of refugees fleeing to Europe has in various places hit the immovable object of an attitude that there is no room at the inn. Spaces are filled. Migrants should be kept out, in order to preserve jobs, health and welfare services. In an environment of austerity, where economic cuts have hit people hard, this cold-heartedness in part derives from a deep sense of insecurity.

At this time it is worth remembering that Jesus of Nazareth is in the Bible presented exactly as one that would be rejected by such European countries: a refugee child.

The reason these “Christians” so vehemently oppose the notion that Christ was a refugee?

Because they’re not really Christians. 


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War

— 01.28.2017 11:46 AM

…is coming: that’s still an opinion. But Trump’s nation will be fully alone when it is waged: that’s not opinion – that’ll be the fact. 

Full story here.

China military official says war with US under Donald Trump ‘becoming practical reality’

War with the US under Donald Trump is “not just a slogan” and becoming a “practical reality”, a senior Chinese military official has said.

The remarks were published on the People’s Liberation Army website, apparently in response to the aggressive rhetoric towards China from America’s new administration.

They communicated a view from inside the Central Military Commission, which has overall authority of China’s armed forces.


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This is our government – acting (finally) like a sovereign government

— 01.27.2017 08:12 PM

Here:

Canada will increase its funding to international organizations that provide abortion-related services after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order blocking American funding for those services.

“Women’s rights is too important for us to make a compromise on that.” – Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister for International Development, on whether the Trudeau government is fearful of angering Trump.

In an interview with As It Happens guest host Helen Mann on Friday, Minister of International Development Marie-Claude Bibeau said the Liberal government would support a Dutch-led initiative to fund international programs supporting women’s reproductive health.

“I think that restricting the access to abortion does not reduce abortion. It only increases the number of unsafe abortions and it endangers the lives of women,” Bibeau said.


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Holocaust remembrance day

— 01.27.2017 12:10 PM

Is today. 

And, today – more than on many other such days – remember that the Shoah began with hateful words, first. 

And then – as now – too many said nothing, because they didn’t want to attract the anger of the Beast. 

“Never again” should mean just that. 


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Wherein Gary Mason writes the column I wrote, but gets to publish it before I got to publish

— 01.27.2017 09:08 AM

Here.

There is an enormous danger associated with this strategy. By remaining mum, Mr. Trudeau and his global counterparts are normalizing this man’s behaviour. Mr. Trump is a classic bully, and bullies thrive on the silence of their victims. No one should ever be afraid to stand up to this man, to denounce actions that deserve to be denounced.

Certainly no one should ever be disparaged for doing so.

Most will recall the now-infamous tape recording that emerged during the presidential campaign of Mr. Trump making horribly deplorable statements about women. Asked at the time to comment, B.C. Premier Christy Clark properly characterized his remarks as “absolutely disgraceful.”

Earlier this week, Ms. Clark was ridiculed by a commentator on The Tyee, a left-of-centre online news magazine, for having earlier made her views public. According to the author, in criticizing Mr. Trump, the Premier had needlessly risked the jobs of thousands of people in her province whose companies do business with the United States. Imagine: being excoriated for decrying behaviour that is by any measure is execrable. Isn’t that what we want our political leaders to do?

It seems absolutely bizarre to be chastising Ms. Clark because Donald Trump is now President. But it speaks to the broad uneasiness that has descended on the world in the wake of his victory. People are afraid, including our politicians. Few seem to have the backbone to stand up to him.

Look how easy it was for Mr. Trump to say he wanted to renegotiate NAFTA. It seemed to take all of three seconds for Canada to say okay, and throw Mexico under the bus in the process. This is the kind of influence the U.S. President wields. He knows it and isn’t afraid to use it. Mr. Trump is also aware his fellow leaders are going to act in their nation’s own self-interests. And if that means not doing anything to provoke a notoriously thin-skinned president, so be it.


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