July 16, 2024
Yesterday morning I read the news of Trump’s so-called assignation attempt in Al Jazeera. Read it in total dismay as this somehow will elevate him. The timing of perfect for him to secure the Republican nomination and he is sure to win the election in November. He has become the victim. He is, in a way. No one with an ounce of common sense or any idea of history could ever believe the ridiculous ‘lone gunman’ theory (yet again). This was cleverly orchestrated by goodness knows who – evil forces that much we know for sure.
I realized with a sense of irony that I am one of the few people alive who can remember where there were, and what they were doing when they heard of the assassination of JFK. Most memories are mundane, this one no different. I was with the man who would become my first husband buying shoes to wear at my best friend’s wedding. The shoes were to be dyed royal blue to match the absolutely hideous bridesmaid dress. I shall not discuss the situation any further – it is only meant to distract people from what is really doing on in this cruel world.
The remaining portion of this blog was written prior to the so-called assassination attempt. Canada sole pride and distinction over the years is that it is certainly better than the USA – it is true in some ways. There is gun control, Canadians do not routinely shoot their leaders, nor orchestrate the death of millions under a pretense of weapons mass destruction. However, their political scene is not much better as soon will be shown.
The title begins with a shout out to Canada. A Shout Out is a public expression of greeting, or acknowledgement directed toward a person or group often as part of a performance, recording, or broadcast. This is not a performance, a recording or a broadcast – it is a blog. But this will have to suffice as Canada scarcely gets any attention from anyone or anything.
HUB, a reputable on line news source featured a not at all surprising headline. Pierre broke a promise. It would be REAL news to hear that Pierre kept a promise. Here is what it Is all about:
The AFN is just a lobby, nothing more and nothing less Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre broke a promise this week. He spoke to a lobby group—in fact, he spoke to one of the biggest and best-funded lobby groups in the country: the Assembly of First Nations. The AFN likes to position itself as a representative voice of Canada’s Indigenous Peoples and their chief interlocuter vis-à-vis the federal government. But its fundamental purpose is as an advocacy and lobby organization for First Nations leadership across the country. It’s much more like the chamber of commerce for First Nations chiefs than it is as a legitimate vehicle for nation-to-nation relations.
One key difference though is that the federal government finances the AFN’s operations. Of its annual revenues of $53 million, Ottawa is the source of just over 90 percent—including a $40 million annual grant from the Department of Indian Services. (The Trudeau government cynically increased funding for the AFN in its first budget “in the true spirit of cooperation.”
The same publication spoke of the similarity between the Calgary Stampede and Pierre the Promise Breaker. She spoke of the absolute atrocity of Canada with its tremendous natural resources. Now that we’re grown though, millennials are learning that society can have too much of a good thing. Immigrants are displeased to learn that the governments that welcomed them here didn’t create the conditions for them to thrive and that their new prime minister thinks of the country they came to as more like a hotel than a home. New Canadians arriving in our big cities face a punishing cost of living, rising crime, and the powerful social forces of isolating individualism and exploitative diaspora politics.
“And as the unmitigated benefits of simplistic multiculturalism became harder to glean, our online lives curdled into clannish culture wars, where speech is either nasty or over-policed, and nameless accounts tear down citizens and boost strong men. As millennials struggle to build real communities, unable to form relationships, reach major life milestones, or sometimes even feel safe enough to walk around downtown, online communities have become echo chambers, heightening their members’ worst, most narrow instincts and eschewing the moderating influence of in-person relationship building and the mediating institutions that facilitate them.”
How is that for bleak??
There is some consolation. It makes me incredibly happy that my $30,000 a year Canadian taxes is NOT funding that mess. I cannot reside within in its borders as my safety as a Muslim woman is in jeopardy. I am a refugee. The author of the Hud article ends, I suppose in a positive way. “Poilievre’s picture of Canada’s future seems to look a lot like the Calgary Stampede, where if you work hard and play by the rules, you get to show up at the parade every year too.” That is quite fine Roth but Pierre has a history of not keeping his promises and offers nothing in terms of constructive change, merely criticizing Trudeau.
Canada’s election is almost as hopeless as the US election. Essentially a two party system with two losers running for office. I have absolutely no allegiance to Canada. I get no retirement monies from the Canadian government, lived there for only about 26 years of my 81 – got only the first of my four University degrees from there. Bye Canada.
We shall now go on to discuss evil in another form, one perhaps that has a remedy. Very recently, June 28, 2024 spoke of good versus evil.
Very recently, in my life, good has been prevailing over evil. I look to an explanation. The Quran tells us that good prevails over evil – does not say wins over evil. Good does not triumph mp over evil – there is a difference between the two words, which is very meaningful. Prevail has an element of survival in it, similar to overcome. To prevail is to emphasize the struggle it took to ‘win’ Prevail says it is not over, the struggles will continue.
Triumph is associated with victory, the celebration that goes with winning when you conclude success after putting all your energy into it. Quran: 41:34-36 “Good and evil cannot be equal. Respond ‘to evil’ with what is best, then the one you are in feud with will be like a close friend. 35. But this cannot be attained except by those who are patient and who are truly fortunate. 36. And if you are tempted by Satan, then seek refuge with God. Indeed, He alone is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
Evil loomed large in my early life.
Too complicated to explain here but there is scientific evidence proving I was horribly abused in my childhood. It was, and is convenient, for society to say that victims of childhood abuse made up stories, were victims of their own fantasies but that is absolutely not true in my situation. Nonetheless, very early on decided I would rather win than whine – relinquished the comfort found in being a victim. Instead hope was my survival, success is my revenge (in the words of Patricia Cornell).
Fighting evil, hoping that I would win, has been almost an obsession. Words of wisdom came from my Uncle Dave Dryburgh in the days preceding my reversion to the Islamic Faith.
He: Alexis, go to the sidelines. Stop fighting! They will do themselves in.
Me: Thanks Uncle Dave. But I became a lawyer, It is hard to give up the fight.
Slowly I am succeeding in giving up the fight, going to the sidelines. It can only be done with the guidance, with the blessed assistance of Allah (SWT). A few days ago I scored a major victory. To be honest,. I even surprised myself.
This is what happened.
I was told by one esteemed Lexis Suites employee that she was going to celebrate her birthday the very next day. I am fond of Lexis Suites employees, understandably slightly fonder of some. This individual ranks high in the fondness scale. Perhaps first we should examine the meaning of the word fond. Here goes. This is the meaning of which I speak: having an affection or liking for. I am keen on and attracted to some of its synonyms: with a soft spot for; hooked on, wild about, nuts about, crazy about, sweet on, potty about. In other words, I am have a softer spot for some, crazier about some employees over others.
This one woman, who I am nuts about, told me that her birthday was the very next day. I did want to buy her a present, get her a card or do something to extend my wishes. There are no suitable stores nearby. “Perhaps I could give her something of mine,” thought I. Looked into.a drawer and spied a pearl bracelet given to me for my eightieth birthday. Found something to write on, an Oberio Hotel scratch pad, wrote the following message.
Happy Birthday My Dear, This is a slightly worn gift with a happy ending. This bracelet was given to me by a man and his family for my 80th birthday. He later betrayed me – horribly. It is too painful for me to wear it as it reminds me of his betrayal and disloyalty. But by giving it to you it becomes purified because I am giving it to you with love and good wishes. Then, and now Good Prevails over Evil. Mashallah Alexis (Alaa) I circled the Oberio Hotel logo saying: I lived here next to the Prophet’s Mosque for three months. I love it here better.
Photos were taken of that moment in time. Then I took a photo of the bracelet on her arm Those photos you shall see, She asked if I would read my message while she filmed it. so she could record on her phone. I did so. Later that day, or the perhaps the next, Elephant Man another staff member) said there was something he wanted to show me on his phone. “Sure!”, said I. She had circulated the reel to staff members. He gave me a hug of appreciation for what I had done. WOW, did that ever feel good.
Good did prevail over evil.
I do admit that I have a desire for revenge against this Edmonton man. Overcame it, saying to another Edmontonian in a message,
Me: It is the man’s basic inhumanity that is the problem. I gave the bracelet to a young woman. who was SO grateful for the gift, explaining to her the origins of the original gift. I shall not name the original gift giving betrayer in the blog in order to seek revenge, although I once thought I would. The bracelet brought joy to her, I will focus on that. – not getting even with him. His life is miserable, his afterlife will be even worse. It is best for focus on the good of some people, not the evil of others.
Photographs of the event, the birthday girl and me, her arm with the bracelet. There is also a photograph of my breakfast two days ago. The breakfast buffet serves foods of every nation. For the first time in the two months there we donuts. I spoke to one of the fifty chefs.
Me: My goodness!! I love it! Donuts, that is SO American and I lived in the USA for fifty years.
He: We made them just for you.
I do not know if that was the truth, but I do not care, Those donuts were delicious. My mother would not approve of such a breakfast choice, but she is dead so I can eat what I like. I do not have donuts every morning, Mother.
