It’s Up to Them

I was speaking with friend about his job, and some of the difficulties he was facing. As he described the situation and conflicts, I recognized some steps that could help. I suggested some changes that my friend could make and he responded immediately ‘But they are the ones who need to change!’ Immediately, I saw the truth and broke out into a grin.

‘Isn’t that statement the source of most human issues?’

The division between ‘us and them’ often leads to conflict, or disagreement, or hostility, or blame shifting. When we perceive someone as different, we may assign judgment to those differences. Our judgments often delegate differences as threatening or non-threatening. When we perceive someone as different, we may see their beliefs as ridiculous and write them off.

When we perceive someone as an opponent, we give them energy and power. The more that we strengthen barriers because of differences, the more difficult the opposition becomes.

Imagine two extreme contrasts. In one world, every individual is completely alone, disconnected from everyone, and fully responsible for his own peace of mind. In the other world, each person shares in a common energy, connected to all, and yet is still an individual. In the world where we are alone, every person is a separate entity. Each person has different effects on us, beginning at neutral and moving towards either extreme.

We like or dislike others based on our feelings and beliefs and how they compliment our own ego. The existence of ego is necessary to our survival as individuals. Without ego, we do not recognize ourselves as special or different. When we begin to feel challenged or threatened or upset, it is usually ego that is speaking. Our need to be recognized as important often leads us to speak up even when listening would be a wiser choice.

To overcome issues of conflict, begin to look at the other person in a neutral manner, then attempt to perceive elements that are common between you. Notice similarities rather than differences. Notice elements of power, skill or knowledge that add to your own being, and enhance the energy of the world. See how the other is both a reflection of you and a beautiful addition to the harmony of the planet.

It may not be easy to learn new perceptions. When we are particularly challenged by the efforts or character of another, it can be difficult to accept them. Anger often builds and others may act as catalysts driving you towards action or change. However, it is important to remember that the easiest way to overcome ‘us and them’ is to form a common ‘us’. When we expand our group and perceive commonalities, conflicts can be reduced.

Copyright 2009 Reprinted from 'Soulwork 101: A New Age Guide to Personal Transformation' by Glenn Stewart Coles

Toronto Police Lie Again

When I included a picture of this incident in my column The People’s G20 Most Wanted List, I said that the officer was shooting tear gas into the crowd. A reader quickly corrected my error, identifying that the officer was actually shooting rubber bullets. Subsequent information reveals that the target of these bullets was Natalie Gray, a young woman with blue hair protesting outside the detention centre now called ‘Torontonomo Bay’. She declares that she was shot twice with rubber bullets and has the wounds to prove it. Before she was shot, she says that she heard someone command the officer with the gun to aim at ‘the girl with the blue hair’.

When questioned about this incident, Toronto Police spokesman Mark Pugash claims that rubber bullets were only used at Queen’s Park during the clearing of protesters from the ‘Free Speech Zone’. Earlier police had denied using rubber bullets at all until video surfaced of a man clearly being hit by a rubber bullet; here is that video. Note that the man hit by the bullet is walking away, not threatening police.



Other videos on YouTube claim to document the shooting of rubber bullets on King Street. Today in the Toronto Sun is a picture of a rubber bullet picked up on King Street west of Bay Street, nowhere near Queen’s Park. First the police lied about weapons seized prior to and during the G20 weekend, now they are lying about the weapons used by police. Good thing there are hundreds of witnesses, pictures and videos that reveal what really went on.

We really need good cops now; when will some police with morals step forward? Do we need to force a public inquiry or will the policemen and policewomen with honor (and there are many) begin to talk?

Conservative Response to G20 Inquiry

I copied Stephen Harper and the federal Conservative Party on my open letter to Michael Ignatieff. Here is their first response:

Dear Mr. Coles,
Thank you for taking the time to contact the Conservative Party of Canada and for sharing your thoughts with us regarding the G8/G20 security costs. Please be assured that your comments and suggestions have been carefully reviewed.

Since the tragic events of 9/11, increased security has, unfortunately, become a fact of life. Security is costly, but it was imperative to the safety and well-being of the G8/G20 participants and all Canadians, that this money be spent. Some 30 world leaders were in attendance, along with thousands of delegates and media. All of these people needed to be housed, fed, transported, and protected. These individuals faced the entire range of security threats that accompany such meetings, which is why we needed to go to such lengths to ensure their safety.

The infrastructure that was put in place will remain long after the G8/G20 summits, benefitting residents of Toronto and Muskoka. The new infrastructure ranges from new equipment and road improvements, to buildings and improved communications networks. Please rest assured that our Conservative Government has planned accordingly for all costs and are within budget.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to write.
Yours truly,Matthew

Fundraising & Membership Services Department
Section des Activités de financement et des Services aux membres
Conservative Party of Canada
Parti conservateur du Canada
Tel./Tél. 1-866-808-8407 Fax/Télec. 613-755-2001

My response:
Thank you Matthew for taking the time to respond. However, there are still many unanswered questions.

Yes, I understand the need for security so why was downtown Toronto chosen as the site for these meetings when it was probably the most difficult place to secure in Canada? Why were the budget and costs for these meetings so extravagant given that the last G20 held in Pittsburgh had a budget of only $18 million, less than 1% of Toronto/Huntsville costs? As for infrastructure, according to CBC more than 85% of costs ($933 million) were for security; while $160 million went to 'hospitality, infrastructure, food safety and extra staffing'. What infrastructure benefits did Toronto realize besides security cameras and riot gear for the police?

Finally, nothing in your response addresses why 19,000 police were ordered to stand down while 100 hooligans broke windows, nor why subsequently hundreds of innocent citizens were brutally assaulted, arrested and detained without charges being laid.

Please pass these concerns to the Prime Minister's office; Stephen Harper has been silent for too long and Canadians want answers.

Sincerely, Glenn Coles.

Police Ensure Safety of Black Bloc

Watch this video from 6:30 to 8:10, here is proof that police were instructed to let the Black Bloc continue with their task of breaking windows. A citizen tries to stop a hooligan; then a police officer and undercover agent intervene to help the hooligan get away.



If you also look at these other videos a picture starts to form:
Here a looter is tackled by a citizen, then an undercover intervenes to help the looter get away: http://soulwork101.blogspot.com/2010/07/looters-assistant.html

Meanwhile, just around the corner from these incidents, dozens of uniformed police stand down and allow the carnage to occur:
http://soulwork101.blogspot.com/2010/07/police-allow-black-bloc-carnage.html

So what do you think; were police trying to stop to Black Bloc or was the 'destruction on the streets' staged for our enjoyment?

Our Heroes at Work

Good thing they arrested this girl, we were really in danger without the intervention of police. Now they are trying to deny using rubber bullets; this woman's injuries prove different. Read her story at this link:

Open Letter to Michael Ignatieff

Mr. Michael Ignatieff
Liberal Party of Canada
81 Metcalfe Street, Suite 400
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 6M8

As you are certainly aware, there were many incidents that occurred during the G20 weekend in Toronto, June 26-27, 2010. Both Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty have refused to call an inquiry into actions taken by their offices, hoping that this situation will just fade away. It will not. Too many Canadians are dismayed and angered at what took place in Toronto that weekend.

I am very surprised that the opposition has remained silent, particularly since you served as Director of the Carr Centre for Human Rights at Harvard University. You have not made any statements about the G20 weekend that I am aware of; in fact the last mention of G20 on the Liberal party website was on June 4, 2010. We ask you to explain your position on these proceedings.

Please do not take the stance that police response was necessary due to actions of the ‘Black Bloc’; we want to know why 19,000 police were ordered to stand down while 100 hooligans broke windows; we also want to know why subsequently hundreds of innocent citizens were brutally assaulted, arrested and detained, many without charges being laid. We also want to know why more than $1 billion dollars of taxpayer money was spent for this weekend.

Please make public your position on the request for a federal inquiry into the actions and strategies of the Integrated Police Services along with investigation into the choices made by the Prime Minister’s Office and the Liberal Party of Ontario. If you wish to be our leader, now is the time to show leadership.

Sincerely,

Glenn Coles, Toronto

PS: This open letter has also been posted to the facebook group ‘Canadians Demanding a Public Inquiry into Toronto G20’ with over 56,000 members. We await your response.

CC:
Mr. Stephen Harper, Conservative Party of Canada, #1204 - 130 Albert Street, Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5G4
Mr. Dalton McGuinty, The Ontario Liberal Party, 10 St. Mary Street, Suite 210, Toronto, ON, M4Y 1P9

From Heroes to Villains: The Evolution of Canadian Police

One of the disturbing discoveries for Canadians during the G20 meetings is that our laws are different for police versus citizens. According to Canadian law, assault in Canada encompasses any intentional application of force to another person; assault causing bodily harm and assault with a weapon are much more serious. However, these laws do not apply to police. As many YouTube videos prove, Canadian police can assault at will without threat of repercussion.

Also according to Canadian law, anyone who is unlawfully assaulted without having provoked the assault is justified in repelling force with force; everyone is justified in using force to defend himself or anyone under his protection from assault as long as he uses no more force than is necessary to prevent the assault or the repetition of it. Of course if you try to defend yourself against an attacking policeman, a gang of his buddies will beat the crap out of you using whatever weapons they have available. If you have any skill at defending yourself, they will simply attack with larger gangs and deadlier weapons.

When I was a young boy, I was taught to respect the police. As Elmer the Elephant evolved into Blinky the talking police car, I learned to trust police and go to them if I was ever lost or needed help. Of course over the years I did meet some officers who were arrogant and pushy; the response ‘yes sir’ usually kept me out of trouble. The bad cops were far outweighed by the good ones; the OPP officer who burned out his car engine racing to help my sister after she was hurt in a car accident; the police who helped out bar staff when rowdies threatened our safety; the gentlemen who wrote a report after thieves had broken into my house. When I grew up and friends became police officers, I respected their choice of career and dedication to upholding peace in our society.

Since the G20 weekend, I have begun to question these beliefs. For many Canadians, our perceptions changed as we watched men with clubs beating seated civilians and pepper-spraying them in the eyes. We saw police fire rubber bullets into crowds waving peace signs; we saw small women being accosted by groups of large men; we witnessed gangs of police in riot gear attacking crowds singing ‘O Canada’. For thousands of Canadians, the police shifted from heroes to bullies.

Especially disturbing is the lack of damage control. Though the G20 weekend was a unique challenge for the integrated police services, the silence by our government is cowardly. We are told to accept that everything that was done is okay; that we should just let it fade away now that the G20 is over. Suddenly many citizens look at police with suspicion. Police focus their efforts on vandals who jumped on cars and ignore the hundreds of complaints of unjust abuse. We realize the motto ‘serve and protect’ may not mean what we thought it meant; who are they serving and who are they protecting? Obviously being a law-abiding citizen is not enough to save you from the aggression of police if you are in their way.

While the current outcry is for a public inquiry, we actually want more; we want a public apology. We want the police who assaulted, bullied and harassed peaceful citizens to be held accountable for their actions. We want the leaders who gave the orders to be identified and to explain their actions. We want guarantees that this will not happen again. Most of all we want the police and governments to serve the people, not rule them.

Another lesson that I was taught as a child was to take responsibility for my mistakes. When things went wrong, I was taught not to lie but instead to admit that I had done wrong and to try and make amends. Apparently our leaders have not been taught these simple morals and values. The longer it goes the worse it gets. We want governments at all levels to admit that something went wrong; if they do not then they will be replaced. The people have seen a Canada that they do not want; we will not let this just fade away.