This week @ rabble.ca: Why we march on February 14
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- Published on Friday, 14 February 2014 21:00
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s17 r18.
14 Feb 2014
Hey rabble readers!
Our winter donation drive is ending this weekend, just after Valentine's Day. We love the support we've gotten and our goal of $20,000 is in sight. We are soooo close to getting there, with under $2,000 to go. Can you help put us over the top with your donation?
Every February 14, Indigenous women lead Women's Memorial Marches to protest the forces of colonization, misogyny, poverty, and racism and to celebrate survival, resistance, struggle, and solidarity. This year, we're featuring Why I March? -- a special blog series bringing voice to the personal experiences of the women who work tirelessly in their communities to address violence.
When is militant action the ethical choice, and when is it not? Philosopher and author Stephen D'Arcy shares his thoughts February 19 at his... Toronto book launch for Languages of the Unheard: Why Militant Protest is Good for Democracy.
You've read the excerpt on rabble from the new book Letters Lived: Radical Reflections, Revolutionary Paths edited by Sheila Sampath, now you can win the book! We have a couple of copies courtesy of Three O'Clock Press. To enter, send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line "Letters Lived contest" by February 18 and we will draw winners (Canadian residents only please).
Left alone? Find love at rabble.ca! This Valentine's Day, we're launching Left in Love, a dating column for progressive daters who give a damn. Each month Meghan Murphy will be matching couples on a quest for radical love and documenting the dates. You can see the very first column, and find out how to take part, here.
This week's top news
Imagine going to bed, then waking to find your mother missing
February 14 marks the Annual March for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Remember why we must stop this violence with this thought-provoking piece from Krystalline Kraus.
By Krystalline Kraus
Black History Month from Negro History Week to African Liberation Month
Black History Month should be the month that we re-double our struggle against imperialism and white supremacy and the slave trade and colonialism.
By Norman Richmond
Trio of Supreme Court cases to test the limits of freedom of association
Over the course of the next six months, we're going to find out how far freedom of association extends -- and the results are going to have big impacts on the labour movement.
By H.G. Watson
White square, dark times
A new campaign provides a simple way to show opposition to the Quebec Charter of Values: the white square.
By Leila Marshy
National Council of Canadian Muslims sue PMO for libel
The National Council of Canadian Muslims delivered a Notice of Libel to the PMO for defamatory remarks equating the NCCM to a terrorist organization.
By Haseena Manek
Russia, Rob Ford and homophobia: Why it's important to talk about fear
Rob Ford ordered the removal of the rainbow flag, raised in solidarity with the LGBTQ people in Russia, and subsequently unleashed a wave of fear and anger at what the Ford regime could do next.
By Roy Mitchell
This week's top blogs
Do you read bell hooks? Because I find you intersectional. Best #ActivistPickUpLines on Twitter
Earlier this week, Twitterer Suey Park accidentally went viral by coining the hashtag #ActivistPickUpLines. The contributions were poignant, sexy and hilarious. What's yours, comrade?
By Michael Stewart
Harper's government is flailing and lashing out
The 2014 federal budget has been generating serious conflict among the Conservatives' own ranks and beyond. But as bad as it is, the "Fair Elections Act" still rings far worse.
By Karl Nerenberg
February 14 Women's Memorial Marches: Not forgetting the legacy and honouring through action
This year the Native Youth Sexual Health Network (NYSHN) continues to participate in February 14 Women's Memorial March events.
By Native Youth Sexual Health Network
How to be a cisgender ally to trans* folks
Trans* activists are making their voices heard -- see how you can use your cisgender privilege to amplify their stories.
By Steffanie Pinch
Young workers left behind in budget 2014
Recessions are always harder on young workers, but we are nearly five years out from the end of the last recession and there is still no recovery in sight for young workers.
By Angella MacEwen
Recognize Aboriginal rights and say 'no' to the First Nations Education Act
On Friday Prime Minister Stephen Harper and National AFN Chief Shawn Atleo announced "re-tooled" education legislation. What did First Nations actually get from this announcement?
By Pamela Palmater
This week's top columns
Forget government corruption, it's raining Olympic medals
Forget about snooping, forget about corruption and secret deals, and forget about cuts in the federal budget. Canadians are happy, and for that Harper and Marois have Vladimir Putin to thank.
By Monia Mazigh
Left in Love: Will Chris and Nichole choose collective action?
This Valentine's Day, we're launching Left in Love, a dating column for progressive daters who give a damn! Follow our first couple in their quest for radical love.
By Left in Love
Evidence shows: Unions and collective bargaining reduce poverty
Differences in collective bargaining coverage explain about one-third of the differences in relative poverty across most of the industrialized world.
By Jim Stanford
Hacking NBC's credibility: Web fear and Russian cyberspies
Just before the Winter Olympics started, NBC ran a piece about how easy it was for hackers to get into and steal data from the cellphones and computers of Sochi-bound tourists.
By Wayne MacPhail
What does the budget say? A citizen's guide
On budget day, the federal government focuses on its deficit reduction plans. What its spending cuts are doing to provincial or municipal government finances needs to be the bigger part of the story.
By Duncan Cameron
Has Big Oil hijacked democracy?
Harper's general list of assaults, as bad as they are, is different from our prime minister's frightening decision to enlist the country's security apparatus in the direct service of the oil industry.
By Murray Dobbin
The importance of unions: Founding the Congress of Union Retirees of Canada
As labour organizations go, the Congress of Union Retirees of Canada (CURC) is still fairly new, having celebrated its 20th anniversary convention in Ottawa in 2013.
By Angus Ricker, Retiree Matters
MORE FROM...
Naomi Klein, Linda McQuaig, Rick Salutin, Duncan Cameron, Wayne MacPhail, Murray Dobbin and others! Read columns...
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This week's top podcasts
Resistance at Elsipogtog Part 2: A case study in grassroots journalism
Miles Howe reflects on the role and meaning of grassroots journalism, based on his experience in covering Indigenous-led resistance to fracking and to colonization in New Brunswick in the last year.
By Scott Neigh
Doug Karr's new film Art Machine
Doug Karr has been creating original independent films since 1997. You'll want to hear about Doug's new film Art Machine.
By Face2Face
Fish farm expansion threatens wild salmon stock
The federal government recently approved a major expansion to B.C.'s fish farm sector despite warnings by the Cohen commission about the effects of net-based farms on wild salmon.
By Redeye Collective
Militant protest good for democracy
Martin Luther King said rioting was the language of the unheard. In his new book, Languages of the Unheard, Stephen D'Arcy argues that militant protest is essential for a healthy democracy.
By Redeye Collective
This week's top rabbletv
Video: Postal workers and activists protest Stephen Harper in Toronto
On February 8, postal workers and supporters gathered in Toronto to protest the cuts to Canada Post.
By rabble staff
This week's top books
'Languages of the Unheard' asks if militant action is important to democracy
What is militancy and is it ever ethical to be militant? Stephen D'Arcy builds on the controversial words of Martin Luther King and vivid examples of political action to examine resistance.
By Stephen D'Arcy
In this issue
Upcoming events
TorontoOntario families deserve a $14 minimum wage
Join us for a rally for decent wages and decent work on February 15.
By Campaign to Raise the Minimum Wage
HamiltonBook launch: 'Languages of the Unheard: Why Militant Protest is Good for Democracy'
In this new era of global protest and popular revolt, Languages of the Unheard draws on MLK's insight to address a timely and controversial topic: the ethics and politics of militant resistance.
EdmontonThe Privatization of Alberta's Services: Should the Invasion Continue?
Please join The Council of Canadians Edmonton Chapter and others who care about keeping public services public and democratically run by citizens.
By Council of Canadians Edmonton Chapter
This week's top in cahoots
Federal Budget 2014: No help, all hurt for Canadian workers
Cutting public services to pay for a surplus is hurting Canadians and not spurring any meaningful economic growth.
By Canadian Union of Public Employees
Join us March 31 for National Day of Action for a new Health Accord
We are sounding the alarm to alert Canadians that the expiry of the Health Accord means the end of federal leadership in health care and cuts of $36 billion to health transfers over 10 years.
By Canadian Health Coalition
Alternative Federal Budget 2014, striking a better balance
It delivers a plan that would lift 855,000 Canadians out of poverty, reduce income inequality, boost the economy, and lower unemployment to 5.4 per cent.
By Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
Call on Finance Minister Jim Flaherty to close unfair tax loopholes in federal budget
Will Finance Minister Jim Flaherty do the right thing on Budget Day, February 11? Send him a message now asking him to close unfair tax loopholes and tackle tax havens.
By Canadians for Tax Fairness
Active babble topics
#FreeAvery
By onlinediscountanvils
NDP policy suggestions
By Perkins
"Fair" Elections Act
By Rebecca West
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This week's top tool
Annual Women's Memorial March
February 14 marks the Annual Women's Memorial March for Missing and Murdered Women.
Poll
In one word, how would you describe the Conservatives' 2014 Federal Budget?
The 2014 Federal Budget landed this week, and boy was it a doozy! The mainstream media will have you believe it is just "ho hum," while rabble writers seem to think it is anything but. So, without getting too fancy, let's just ask this: In one word, how would you describe the Conservatives' 2014 Federal Budget?
Choices Boring. Do-nothing. Out-of-touch. Wait, who won the gold medal? QuietlyfurtheringtheConservative'sausterityagendathatcontinuestoleavetheCanadianpeoplebehind. None of the above.Forward to a friend
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