Pot, Meet Kettle ...

This is one of those stories that I hesitate to comment on, and yet find myself so irritated that I can't help it. When I saw this on the news the other night, I just shook my head.

Evidently, it would seem that atheists are tired of people of faith spreading it around, and feeling like it's being shoved down their throats.

Just one question: How is putting giant ads (slightly rude in tone) on the sides of buses any different? Why do they think that forcing their non-faith on people is any better?

Some Christian communities have launched a counter-offensive, with nearly identical ads saying, "There probably IS a God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life."

Here's a thought. If you have given serious reflection to what you do or don't believe, and you are pretty sure of where you fall along the spirituality continuum, is a sign on the side of a bus going to change your mind? Or is it simply going to tick you off?

I think you can probably guess my reaction.

An Open Letter to Kathie Lee Gifford

Dear Kathie Lee,

I'm normally pretty easy-going, and when I heard all of the hullabaloo about what you recently said about pagans on the Today show, I had to look at the video and decide for myself.

Now, normally I think the best of people. I figured that it might've been just innocent ignorance on your part. "Oh," I thought. "Maybe she just doesn't realize." True, your tone was pretty hateful, but I honestly didn't think you knew what you were saying.

But then I saw the video where you "apologize", and, frankly, you made this normally easy-going girl fairly angry, and so I have a few things to say.

First of all, yes, there are "nasty" and "bad" pagans, the same way that there are "nasty" and "bad" people of all different faiths and spiritualities. For example, it is well-known that you are a Christian and take pride in your faith, but I would certainly not declare that all Christians are sanctimonious, ignorant and spiteful, just because you appear to be all those things.

Regardless of whether or not you feel you should apologize, taking an entire religious group and characterizing them in the most negative of terms, in the most snide tone possible, then making a mockery of an apology, is still wrong. This kind of hateful behaviour, when let to slide by, time and time again, eventually becomes acceptable. Taken to extremes, it can ultimately lead to genocide. You might think I'm being overly dramatic, but do you really think Hitler felt he needed to apologize to the Jews?

I try to think the best of most people, and I respect people's rights to choose their spiritual path (even if it should be none at all). But, Kathie Lee, I find you repugnant, and you are doing your Church an utter disservice by being such a shining example of intolerance, arrogance, and ignorance.

Neither "nasty" or "bad" (most of the time),
Rowan Brooks

PS -- How are those warts coming along? Frog in your throat?

Bill C-51

I'm hearing a lot on my email groups about the proposed legislation, Bill C-51, which is an amendment to the Food and Drug Act. What I'm hearing isn't good, so I decided to look into it myself.

The First Reading version of the text of Bill C-51 can be found here.

Like most parliamentary bills, it's a little difficult to wade through -- the amount of "governmentese" makes one wonder if this was actually written in one's own country, because it seems so foreign. But there's a lot of talk about it in certain circles (pardon the pun), and it has even prompted the creation of The Official Stop C-51 Website.

Although on the surface, changing the legislation looks like a good thing (updating to go with the current times, rather than becoming antiquated and useless), the amendments in this bill will make it virtually impossible for people wishing to use natural health products to do so. By throwing in a lot of bureaucracy and threats of searches, seizures, expenses and prosecutions, it will eliminate that choice.

I haven't read through the bill completely yet, but I have read the legal review of it on the Stop C-51 Website, and this really sounds like Big Brother is getting too big for his britches. A lot of innocent people -- natural health care providers and consumers alike -- are going to get hurt by this if it goes through.

According to the Stop C-51 Website, Bill C-51 Will:

Allow Government agents to:
-Enter private property without a warrant -- Section 23 (4)
-Confiscate property at their discretion, at cost to the natural health provider -- Section 23.3 a
-Dispose of property at their discretion, at cost to the natural health provider -- Section 23.3 c
-Seize natural health providers' bank accounts without a warrant -- Section 23 (2) (d)
-Charge natural health providers for shipping and storage of their property -- Section 23.3a-b
-Store property indefinitely without paying for damages -- Section 23 (2) (d)
-Levy fines of up to $5,000,000.00 / 2 years in jail per offence. -- Section 31.1

Introduce new legislation that will:
-Allow laws to be created in Canada, behind closed doors, with the assistance of foreign governments, industrial and trade organizations -- Section 30.7
-Allow "Crack house style" of enforcement on natural health providers -- Section 23.1
-Allow enforcement to be considered on more than 70% of Canadians who use NHP's -- Health Canada Reference
-Allow the minister, based on opinion, to shut down research without any scientific reason or evidence of risk or harm -- Section 18.5
-Allow the minister, based on opinion, to allow or disallow market authorizations for Natural Health Products -- Section 18.7 (1)

Read the information for yourself, and if you think this bill is as dangerous as I think it might be, contact your MP. After all, that's why they get paid the big bucks -- to work on our behalf.