The final event of Edmonton's second annual Israeli Apartheid Week took place last Saturday with an information picket outside of Mountain Equipment Co-op concerning the company's sourcing of goods from Israel. This is a very controversial topic as MEC has an ethical sourcing policy and is a popular retail outlet amongst activists. Here are some photos and a video explaining the views of the protesters, as well as the company's (written) response.
I keep forgetting to blog that I performed a few songs last month during the University of Alberta's International Week. Each noon hour in the Student's Union Building featured song and dance from around the world. My set consisted of a few songs from Argentina in both English and Spanish by the renowned singer/songwriter León Gieco: "The Land of Freedom/En El Pais de la Libertad", "Tema De Los Mosquitos", and "Solo Le Pido a Dios". As well, I also sang "Walls," a song that I wrote about the situation in Israel/Palestine.
Finally, in non-activism/journalism related news, I took a quick trip to the Muttart Conservatory last week to do some photography. I focused on taking as many close-ups of flowers and plants as possible. Have a look.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
Finding Freedom
Originally published in the May 2006 issue of Our Voice, a street newspaper in Edmonton.
Living in a (supposedly) democratic, prosperous society we sometimes take certain things for granted. Freedom is one of them. We have freedom of speech, the press, the right to assemble, the ability to choose our own paths in life: career, family, religion. Freedom means choices, and requires personal responsibility to make those choices.
For one, we need to be responsible and informed citizens. Why vote a certain way just because our families lean in that direction? I get shocked and amazed at anyone who does not keep up with what the serious issues of our society are, both locally and globally. We’re surrounded with so much media it’s a wonder we don’t get overwhelmed with information. But don’t limit yourselves to the major dailies and news broadcasts. Advertising-driven mainstream media may not be telling you the whole story. Research alternative news sources online – there is a plethora of magazines, radio broadcasts, and blogs -- we may be surprised at what we learn.
People have a tendency to participate in a specific faith just because we happened to be born into a particular religion. Even within major faith traditions, the way in which spirituality is expressed can differ greatly. Look at Catholics and Protestants – I’ve had people express to me that they cannot understand why these two groups are so theologically at odds since they are both “Christian.” All of us should read our Holy Books, whatever they may be, with new eyes. We should attend the services of other faiths, if for no other reason than to learn about why they believe as they do. We all need to find a way to express our spiritual selves that reflects your beliefs, even if they begin to divert from what we were taught in Sunday School.
Freedom is often discussed on a large, global scale in terms of the political system of a nation. But each of us can struggle with freedom in the smaller spectrum of our own lives. Think about the person who cannot read or write. Is that person truly free? Accessing the resources to become literate opens another door towards freedom and the chance to fully participate in society.
Those of us who are in bondage to an abusive relationship or family situation are also one step away from true freedom. Through a solid support network and access to community services someone can break those invisible, yet binding chains. Sometimes fear is the biggest barrier. People who are addicted also need support and help, yet many find that their lifestyle leads them to be alienated and abandoned. Often addicts do not have the resources to access treatment on their own.
Struggling with a major physical or mental illness can put stumbling blocks into one’s path. With a well-funded, functioning public health system, there is no reason why anyone should have to live a reduced quality of life just because of ill health. Access to doctors and treatment should be a basic human right. How sad it is that our provincial government wants to introduce legislation allowing for these essential services to be privatized. In this case, choice does not equal freedom – it equals repression for those who cannot afford to pay for a private system.
And then there are the “little things” including a child’s first words or steps; graduating from high school; falling in love for the first time; and learning how to drive. There are so many personal triumphs in life that we take for granted as being normal developmental stages that we fail to celebrate them or even connect them to the higher state of freedom.
Each one of us should find ways to enjoy life’s daily triumphs and help others who are stumbling along the road to freedom. We cannot confine ourselves to a world of predetermined thought patterns or ideologies. The cost of freedom is high; the cost of ignorance is even higher.
Paula E. Kirman is a freelance writer, editor, photographer, and website designer. For her, freedom includes bike riding, music, and pursuing interests of social concern. You can reach her at: starvingwriter@hotmail.com.
Living in a (supposedly) democratic, prosperous society we sometimes take certain things for granted. Freedom is one of them. We have freedom of speech, the press, the right to assemble, the ability to choose our own paths in life: career, family, religion. Freedom means choices, and requires personal responsibility to make those choices.
For one, we need to be responsible and informed citizens. Why vote a certain way just because our families lean in that direction? I get shocked and amazed at anyone who does not keep up with what the serious issues of our society are, both locally and globally. We’re surrounded with so much media it’s a wonder we don’t get overwhelmed with information. But don’t limit yourselves to the major dailies and news broadcasts. Advertising-driven mainstream media may not be telling you the whole story. Research alternative news sources online – there is a plethora of magazines, radio broadcasts, and blogs -- we may be surprised at what we learn.
People have a tendency to participate in a specific faith just because we happened to be born into a particular religion. Even within major faith traditions, the way in which spirituality is expressed can differ greatly. Look at Catholics and Protestants – I’ve had people express to me that they cannot understand why these two groups are so theologically at odds since they are both “Christian.” All of us should read our Holy Books, whatever they may be, with new eyes. We should attend the services of other faiths, if for no other reason than to learn about why they believe as they do. We all need to find a way to express our spiritual selves that reflects your beliefs, even if they begin to divert from what we were taught in Sunday School.
Freedom is often discussed on a large, global scale in terms of the political system of a nation. But each of us can struggle with freedom in the smaller spectrum of our own lives. Think about the person who cannot read or write. Is that person truly free? Accessing the resources to become literate opens another door towards freedom and the chance to fully participate in society.
Those of us who are in bondage to an abusive relationship or family situation are also one step away from true freedom. Through a solid support network and access to community services someone can break those invisible, yet binding chains. Sometimes fear is the biggest barrier. People who are addicted also need support and help, yet many find that their lifestyle leads them to be alienated and abandoned. Often addicts do not have the resources to access treatment on their own.
Struggling with a major physical or mental illness can put stumbling blocks into one’s path. With a well-funded, functioning public health system, there is no reason why anyone should have to live a reduced quality of life just because of ill health. Access to doctors and treatment should be a basic human right. How sad it is that our provincial government wants to introduce legislation allowing for these essential services to be privatized. In this case, choice does not equal freedom – it equals repression for those who cannot afford to pay for a private system.
And then there are the “little things” including a child’s first words or steps; graduating from high school; falling in love for the first time; and learning how to drive. There are so many personal triumphs in life that we take for granted as being normal developmental stages that we fail to celebrate them or even connect them to the higher state of freedom.
Each one of us should find ways to enjoy life’s daily triumphs and help others who are stumbling along the road to freedom. We cannot confine ourselves to a world of predetermined thought patterns or ideologies. The cost of freedom is high; the cost of ignorance is even higher.
Paula E. Kirman is a freelance writer, editor, photographer, and website designer. For her, freedom includes bike riding, music, and pursuing interests of social concern. You can reach her at: starvingwriter@hotmail.com.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
The Making of Milestones
From the July 2006 issue of the street newspaper Our Voice.
How we define success for ourselves, personally and professionally, often determines our direction in life. Our careers, attitudes towards material wealth, and general priorities all revolve around the goals we set.
When it comes to goal setting and reaching, it’s really easy to just think of major events like graduation or landing a good job. While either of these examples of admirable, they are merely the end result of a bunch of sequential actions and accomplishments which led to them. The difference is that this forward motion – “baby steps” one might say – is often ignored on the way to the big prize.
Most people who can ride a bike remember when the training wheels came off for the first time. Likely, this move towards independence was celebrated with kudos from relatives. Maybe a picture or two were snapped as you rode down the street on two wheels for the first time. Something so important in our growth, but also a common experience amongst children. Yet much hoopla surrounds it.
And then as we get older, things change. We’re no longer cute little kids looking up to the adults in our lives with our tooth-missing smiles. The little triumphs we experience start to become less of a big deal. So we start to eye loftier goals, in the hopes of winning the almighty approval from our parents, peer groups, and ultimately from society. Sorts trophies, getting into university, and eventually making it in the corporate world become the end goals of a competitive world.
Here is where a level of marginalization occurs. There are many who have challenges making it difficult for one to attain a higher education, great job, nice home, and all the trappings that come with middle class life. In other words, people who are already marginalized due to social class, mental and physical challenges, and economic circumstances, at some point come to the realization that they cannot keep up with what they perceive is expected of them. These are people with a lot to offer, but it is too often overlooked.
On the flip side, sometimes people walk away from a comfortable life to pursue what they consider to be more important goals. These are the ones who go into humanitarian work, social activism, or even just living a scaled-back lifestyle at a slower pace for enjoyment and health, rather than the pursuit of money and power. Unfortunately, growing one’s own food, organizing an anti-war demonstration, or working for a charitable organization just isn’t held in as high esteem as being the CEO of a corporation and living in a luxury condo.
Milestones don’t have to equal money or achievement. They can be simple things, like making someone else smile. They can be personal – one does not always advertise that they have made it for a month without taking a drink. Or, they can be moments shared with important people in our lives. Birthdays and anniversaries don’t really matter to anyone outside of one’s immediate social circle anyways.
It isn’t wrong to want to “make it,” whatever making it means to you. Celebrate everything that life has to offer. Make a journal of your journey, so you can at least record your daily steps to read back at a later time in order to judge your progress. Sure, there will be big moments to share. But don’t ignore everything that happens along the way. Our “training wheels” will have to come off at many points in life, under various circumstances. Celebrate these moments and milestones.
Paula E. Kirman learned how to ride a bicycle as a teenager. You can reach her at: starvingwriter@hotmail.com.
How we define success for ourselves, personally and professionally, often determines our direction in life. Our careers, attitudes towards material wealth, and general priorities all revolve around the goals we set.
When it comes to goal setting and reaching, it’s really easy to just think of major events like graduation or landing a good job. While either of these examples of admirable, they are merely the end result of a bunch of sequential actions and accomplishments which led to them. The difference is that this forward motion – “baby steps” one might say – is often ignored on the way to the big prize.
Most people who can ride a bike remember when the training wheels came off for the first time. Likely, this move towards independence was celebrated with kudos from relatives. Maybe a picture or two were snapped as you rode down the street on two wheels for the first time. Something so important in our growth, but also a common experience amongst children. Yet much hoopla surrounds it.
And then as we get older, things change. We’re no longer cute little kids looking up to the adults in our lives with our tooth-missing smiles. The little triumphs we experience start to become less of a big deal. So we start to eye loftier goals, in the hopes of winning the almighty approval from our parents, peer groups, and ultimately from society. Sorts trophies, getting into university, and eventually making it in the corporate world become the end goals of a competitive world.
Here is where a level of marginalization occurs. There are many who have challenges making it difficult for one to attain a higher education, great job, nice home, and all the trappings that come with middle class life. In other words, people who are already marginalized due to social class, mental and physical challenges, and economic circumstances, at some point come to the realization that they cannot keep up with what they perceive is expected of them. These are people with a lot to offer, but it is too often overlooked.
On the flip side, sometimes people walk away from a comfortable life to pursue what they consider to be more important goals. These are the ones who go into humanitarian work, social activism, or even just living a scaled-back lifestyle at a slower pace for enjoyment and health, rather than the pursuit of money and power. Unfortunately, growing one’s own food, organizing an anti-war demonstration, or working for a charitable organization just isn’t held in as high esteem as being the CEO of a corporation and living in a luxury condo.
Milestones don’t have to equal money or achievement. They can be simple things, like making someone else smile. They can be personal – one does not always advertise that they have made it for a month without taking a drink. Or, they can be moments shared with important people in our lives. Birthdays and anniversaries don’t really matter to anyone outside of one’s immediate social circle anyways.
It isn’t wrong to want to “make it,” whatever making it means to you. Celebrate everything that life has to offer. Make a journal of your journey, so you can at least record your daily steps to read back at a later time in order to judge your progress. Sure, there will be big moments to share. But don’t ignore everything that happens along the way. Our “training wheels” will have to come off at many points in life, under various circumstances. Celebrate these moments and milestones.
Paula E. Kirman learned how to ride a bicycle as a teenager. You can reach her at: starvingwriter@hotmail.com.
Monday, March 08, 2010
Living As A Woman
In honour of International Women's Day I present this editorial I wrote for the April/May 2007 edition of Our Voice, a street newspaper in Edmonton.
I’ve never been one for pity parties over getting a raw deal over things I cannot control The fact is, others who have a prejudiced mindset will find anything to use against someone else, be it their race, religion, sexual orientation, or gender.
However, on that last point about gender, there are some definite challenges that women face in society, both historically and in the modern day. I should know – I have a lot of first-hand experience living as a woman. So, let me give you an overview of a few of the realities of female life.
It’s Expensive. Sanitary products and other hygiene items cost a bundle over the course of a year, let alone a lifetime. Plus, we have to pay GST on all these goodies, which are mostly necessities. Please, donate tampons, pads, and other women’s sanitary products to a shelter – they are desperately needed. As well, women are the victims of deadbeat fathers as much as their children, since most of those out-of-pocket expenses of raising kids now has to be borne by mothers. Poverty affects women and children in deep and far-reaching ways.
It’s Painful. I’ll say three little letters with which I am sure you are all familiar: PMS. In fact, women are more likely to have a host of other uncomfortable conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), and various endocrine disorders because of our complicated hormone systems, like Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). Come to think of it, us gals can cover just about every letter in the alphabet with our medical woes. Oh, and let us not forget nine months of pregnancy followed by childbirth. Enough said.
It’s Not Fair. Women in many jobs and professions are still not earning as much as their male counterparts, for the same work. Plus, childcare, which is often not subsidized, and its associated costs take another bite out of that paycheque.
It’s Dangerous. From domestic abuse to sexual assault, women are far more likely to be the victim of a violent crime than men. Most attacks are perpetrated by someone the woman knows, and many occur in the woman’s own home.
It’s Depressing. More and more women are being medicated for mental illness and psychological problems, particularly depression. If you are wondering why, just take a look at all the reasons I have listed above. Combine that with trying to live up to society’s unrealistic expectations of beauty, of being a superwoman who easily balances home life with a career, and just dealing with the stresses of day to day life; and you have a recipe for burnout or worse.
Being a woman has many positive and enjoyable points as well. I am also not trying to elicit pity for myself or my female counterparts. But we need to look at society and all of the elements within through realistic eyes. And the reality is, women have a lot of challenges to deal with that are uniquely ours.
Paula E. Kirman is a freelance writer and editor. She has nothing against men, honestly. You can reach her at: starvingwriter@hotmail.com.
I’ve never been one for pity parties over getting a raw deal over things I cannot control The fact is, others who have a prejudiced mindset will find anything to use against someone else, be it their race, religion, sexual orientation, or gender.
However, on that last point about gender, there are some definite challenges that women face in society, both historically and in the modern day. I should know – I have a lot of first-hand experience living as a woman. So, let me give you an overview of a few of the realities of female life.
It’s Expensive. Sanitary products and other hygiene items cost a bundle over the course of a year, let alone a lifetime. Plus, we have to pay GST on all these goodies, which are mostly necessities. Please, donate tampons, pads, and other women’s sanitary products to a shelter – they are desperately needed. As well, women are the victims of deadbeat fathers as much as their children, since most of those out-of-pocket expenses of raising kids now has to be borne by mothers. Poverty affects women and children in deep and far-reaching ways.
It’s Painful. I’ll say three little letters with which I am sure you are all familiar: PMS. In fact, women are more likely to have a host of other uncomfortable conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), and various endocrine disorders because of our complicated hormone systems, like Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). Come to think of it, us gals can cover just about every letter in the alphabet with our medical woes. Oh, and let us not forget nine months of pregnancy followed by childbirth. Enough said.
It’s Not Fair. Women in many jobs and professions are still not earning as much as their male counterparts, for the same work. Plus, childcare, which is often not subsidized, and its associated costs take another bite out of that paycheque.
It’s Dangerous. From domestic abuse to sexual assault, women are far more likely to be the victim of a violent crime than men. Most attacks are perpetrated by someone the woman knows, and many occur in the woman’s own home.
It’s Depressing. More and more women are being medicated for mental illness and psychological problems, particularly depression. If you are wondering why, just take a look at all the reasons I have listed above. Combine that with trying to live up to society’s unrealistic expectations of beauty, of being a superwoman who easily balances home life with a career, and just dealing with the stresses of day to day life; and you have a recipe for burnout or worse.
Being a woman has many positive and enjoyable points as well. I am also not trying to elicit pity for myself or my female counterparts. But we need to look at society and all of the elements within through realistic eyes. And the reality is, women have a lot of challenges to deal with that are uniquely ours.
Paula E. Kirman is a freelance writer and editor. She has nothing against men, honestly. You can reach her at: starvingwriter@hotmail.com.
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Food for Thought
This originally appeared in the October/November issue of Our Voice, a street newspaper in Edmonton.
“Water is life” as the saying goes, but food is pretty important also. We depend on it for strength, sustenance, and in many cases, personal enjoyment. Cooking and eating can be very social activities. The relationship between food and health is not a new one; for years we’ve been bombarded in the media by reports of “good fats” versus “bad fats,” the benefits and drawbacks of various fad diets, and ways to prevent food poisoning.
However, there are other aspects to smart and healthy eating that is sometimes overlooked. In particular, where our food comes from and how it is produced can have an effect not only upon our physical health, but that of the food producers at the source. Farms are not always paid a fair price for their crops, and in some cases large seed corporations get dominion over the market of certain kinds of crops. Major chain restaurants (usually those of the fast food variety) employ cruel factory farming practises and unsafe slaughterhouses, where the animals not only die a horrible death, but employees risk life and limb. And now, our food, particularly produce, is being genetically modified into new creations, a process that calls into question bioethics and safety.
We can make choices about what we consume, based upon its impact on our health, the environment, and social justice. Here are some suggestions to bear in mind the next time you go shopping or dining out.
*Look for the TransFair logo when you purchase food items such as coffee and chocolate. Products certified by TransFair ensure that the farmers and workers have received a fair price for their products, and are also produced under environmentally-sound conditions. In fact, when you go out for coffee, ask your server for Fair Trade coffee. More and more cafés are serving at least one Fair Trade option -- if your favourite java spot doesn’t, ask them why. Ask them to provide a Fair Trade option.
*Purchase locally grown produce, wherever possible. Farmer’s Markets are excellent sources, and the produce tends to be organic (grown without the use of chemicals or pesticides). If you are a meat eater, you can often find locally raised, organic meat at Farmer’s Markets as well – animals that have been raised without the use of steroids.
*Speaking of meat, perhaps you should consider becoming a vegetarian. A vegetable-based diet has a lot less of a negative impact on the Earth, since it takes less energy to raise and harvest produce. As well, if done properly, a vegetarian diet can be more healthy because it has less transfat and you don’t end up ingesting all those hormones that were injected into the animal to make it plump and juicy.
*When you eat out, try to patronize local, independent restaurants, rather than big-name, fast food franchises. Fast food chains are some of the biggest offenders of utilizing factory farmed animals. Besides which, the food preparation is often unhealthy, full of salt and sugar and fat, designed to make one addicted. If you read Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser or Mad Cowboy by Howard Lyman (the “former cattle-rancher who won’t eat meat”), or see the movie Supersize Me, you may decide to never eat fast food again.
Bon appetit!
Paula E. Kirman is a freelance writer, editor, and photographer who has vegetarian inclinations.
“Water is life” as the saying goes, but food is pretty important also. We depend on it for strength, sustenance, and in many cases, personal enjoyment. Cooking and eating can be very social activities. The relationship between food and health is not a new one; for years we’ve been bombarded in the media by reports of “good fats” versus “bad fats,” the benefits and drawbacks of various fad diets, and ways to prevent food poisoning.
However, there are other aspects to smart and healthy eating that is sometimes overlooked. In particular, where our food comes from and how it is produced can have an effect not only upon our physical health, but that of the food producers at the source. Farms are not always paid a fair price for their crops, and in some cases large seed corporations get dominion over the market of certain kinds of crops. Major chain restaurants (usually those of the fast food variety) employ cruel factory farming practises and unsafe slaughterhouses, where the animals not only die a horrible death, but employees risk life and limb. And now, our food, particularly produce, is being genetically modified into new creations, a process that calls into question bioethics and safety.
We can make choices about what we consume, based upon its impact on our health, the environment, and social justice. Here are some suggestions to bear in mind the next time you go shopping or dining out.
*Look for the TransFair logo when you purchase food items such as coffee and chocolate. Products certified by TransFair ensure that the farmers and workers have received a fair price for their products, and are also produced under environmentally-sound conditions. In fact, when you go out for coffee, ask your server for Fair Trade coffee. More and more cafés are serving at least one Fair Trade option -- if your favourite java spot doesn’t, ask them why. Ask them to provide a Fair Trade option.
*Purchase locally grown produce, wherever possible. Farmer’s Markets are excellent sources, and the produce tends to be organic (grown without the use of chemicals or pesticides). If you are a meat eater, you can often find locally raised, organic meat at Farmer’s Markets as well – animals that have been raised without the use of steroids.
*Speaking of meat, perhaps you should consider becoming a vegetarian. A vegetable-based diet has a lot less of a negative impact on the Earth, since it takes less energy to raise and harvest produce. As well, if done properly, a vegetarian diet can be more healthy because it has less transfat and you don’t end up ingesting all those hormones that were injected into the animal to make it plump and juicy.
*When you eat out, try to patronize local, independent restaurants, rather than big-name, fast food franchises. Fast food chains are some of the biggest offenders of utilizing factory farmed animals. Besides which, the food preparation is often unhealthy, full of salt and sugar and fat, designed to make one addicted. If you read Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser or Mad Cowboy by Howard Lyman (the “former cattle-rancher who won’t eat meat”), or see the movie Supersize Me, you may decide to never eat fast food again.
Bon appetit!
Paula E. Kirman is a freelance writer, editor, and photographer who has vegetarian inclinations.
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