I originally wrote this editorial for the February/March 2008 issue of Our Voice with a few revisions to bring it up to date. I found myself contemplating this topic again after taking part in a number of actions over the weekend.
I spend a lot of time on Facebook. As a politically involved person, I take an interest in seeing what people list as their political beliefs on their profiles. I am astonished at how many people put “apathetic” as their response. As far as I am concerned, “apathetic” is pathetic.
In particular, I am talking about involvement in the antiwar movement. When it comes to working for peace, complacency is simply not an option. Our government’s foreign policy affects so many things, from where our tax money is going, to the basic immorality of imposing our standards and values on the people of another country (otherwise known as imperialism).
Sometimes, upon further probing, some of these “apathetic” people actually sympathize with the peace movement, but find it futile to get involved. In no particular order, here are some of the reactions I get from others when I tell them about my involvement with the peace movement:
Your actions won’t make a difference.
The 60s are over.
Why put yourself up for such ridicule?
Even amongst some peace people, complacency has replaced idealism. Some of the older folks who protested in earlier decades felt that their actions achieved nothing, and so they decided there was no point in continuing down the same path.
Wrong, wrong wrong.
A fundamental principle of life that hopefully we all should share is that it is important to stand up for what we believe in. Thus, it follows that if we believe in peace, we should make a stand. After all, people flock by the hundreds to attend the “Red Friday” pro-war rallies that are periodically held in Churchill Square. We, as antiwar people, should not be afraid to take as bold of a stand.
One way to take such a visible stand is by taking part in a peace march or rally. Major peace events are generally held in Edmonton twice a year -- in the Fall coinciding with the date that Canada invaded Afghanistan, and in the Spring when the U.S. invaded Iraq. Sometimes emergency actions spring up at other times, depending what is going on in different parts of the world.
However, the number of people in Edmonton who attend such events is rather small, likely for many of the same arguments mentioned previously. To the position that peace marches accomplish little, look at it this way: a peace march is visible resistance to war. It is a very public demonstration of one’s convictions, and sends a message to the government in a very “in your face” kind of way.
Other, quieter ways to protest against war include signing petitions, which nowadays is quick and easy since many of them are online. You can write letters to your Member of Parliament, or even to the Prime Minister himself. Postage costs nothing on letters send to the federal government.
Who is to say we are accomplishing nothing? Each individual has enough of a sphere of influence to make tangible changes in he world around him or her. I am pretty confident that I have gotten friends and acquaintances to reevaluate their positions, or at least think about certain issues a bit more than they normally would.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Pics'n'Vids: End the Wars of Occupation
End the Wars of Occupation
An antiwar rally organized by the Edmonton Coalition Against War and Racism on the seventh anniversary of the invasion and war on Iraq. This event called for an end to all wars of occupation including Afghanistan, Haiti, and Palestine.
Pics:
Vids:
The Raging Grannies
Linda Duncan, MP
Paula Kirman (that's me - musical performance)
Peggy Morton, ECAWAR
Dr. Tony Simmons, Athbasca University
Fatiyeh Muwais, Past President, Palestinian Women's Association of Edmonton
Also:
Join Together Alberta
Students, NGOs, unions, and citizens concerned about cuts to public services marched to the Legislature on March 20 demanding that the cuts end.
Pics:
Vid:
Thursday, March 18, 2010
What Can I Do?
Activism is about the power of one and the power of many.
Individuals who are plagued with a sense of hopelessness about the world sometimes feel that their own contribution is not enough. Whether they feel deficient in time, intellect, resources, or ability, the main underlying thought is, “What can I do?”
If you even have that thought running through your head, that is the first start. The desire to want to make the world a better place for all often carries with it feelings of hopelessness and frustration. That doesn’t sound very positive, but it is just a reminder that one person can’t do it all.
Still, one person can do a lot. Each of us has a sphere of influence that includes our families, friends, co-workers, and numerous other social networks in which we engage. We can motivate others and lead by example in the lifestyle choices we make.
Community is an important part of activism, and while we strive towards our goals as individuals, we also need to seek each other for support, the pooling of ideas, and, of course, to organize. Social networking websites like Facebook makes staying in touch easy, but we have to remember to hold on to our ideals even when we are by ourselves and the computer has been turned off.
Every movement starts with the individual decision to get involved. If we all sat around believing that we can’t make a difference then nothing would ever get off the ground. Never underestimate the power of one.
After all, activism is not an event, an organization, or a specific cause. It is a way of life, complete with both joys and disappointments. Not every rally or action has the results we want or intend. But being there and helping out sends a message to our own social circles and society as a whole. All we have to do is show up.
Individuals who are plagued with a sense of hopelessness about the world sometimes feel that their own contribution is not enough. Whether they feel deficient in time, intellect, resources, or ability, the main underlying thought is, “What can I do?”
If you even have that thought running through your head, that is the first start. The desire to want to make the world a better place for all often carries with it feelings of hopelessness and frustration. That doesn’t sound very positive, but it is just a reminder that one person can’t do it all.
Still, one person can do a lot. Each of us has a sphere of influence that includes our families, friends, co-workers, and numerous other social networks in which we engage. We can motivate others and lead by example in the lifestyle choices we make.
Community is an important part of activism, and while we strive towards our goals as individuals, we also need to seek each other for support, the pooling of ideas, and, of course, to organize. Social networking websites like Facebook makes staying in touch easy, but we have to remember to hold on to our ideals even when we are by ourselves and the computer has been turned off.
Every movement starts with the individual decision to get involved. If we all sat around believing that we can’t make a difference then nothing would ever get off the ground. Never underestimate the power of one.
After all, activism is not an event, an organization, or a specific cause. It is a way of life, complete with both joys and disappointments. Not every rally or action has the results we want or intend. But being there and helping out sends a message to our own social circles and society as a whole. All we have to do is show up.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
The Issues Behind the Issues
Poverty and homelessness continue to be pervasive local social issues. There are numerous organizations engaging in important actions to try to deal with the needs of those affected. Many of the homeless or working poor in the city rely upon the meals, clothing, and shelter provided by these agencies.
However, most of these organizations – worthy though they may be – treat the symptoms of the problem, and not the underlying causes. A meal or place to sleep may serve someone’s immediate needs, but not in the long term. Those individuals who are mentally ill or dealing with addiction need to get the treatment they need in order to live stable lives. True, in these cases it is a two-way street: the person must be willing to make the commitment in addition to having access to the necessary services.
Yet this commitment comes with a cost. It is difficult to afford medication when one doesn’t have enough money to buy food. It is difficult to stay clean and sober when not having a place to live forces one to associate with their drinking or using buddies for support.
Then, there are those who are “working poor” – they have jobs that simply do not earn them enough to pay for all the necessities of life. We live in a city with no rent controls, have a minimum wage that no person could ever afford to live on, and are in a province experiencing a so-called “boom” that is resulting in increased housing prices due to the migration of so many workers here in search of a supposed better life.
Bandage solutions work for the moment, but as a society we need to work towards solutions that are more permanent. This can only be achieved by dealing with the root causes. Otherwise, poverty and homelessness will continue to rise and service organizations will be overly burdened beyond their capacity to handle the demand.
However, most of these organizations – worthy though they may be – treat the symptoms of the problem, and not the underlying causes. A meal or place to sleep may serve someone’s immediate needs, but not in the long term. Those individuals who are mentally ill or dealing with addiction need to get the treatment they need in order to live stable lives. True, in these cases it is a two-way street: the person must be willing to make the commitment in addition to having access to the necessary services.
Yet this commitment comes with a cost. It is difficult to afford medication when one doesn’t have enough money to buy food. It is difficult to stay clean and sober when not having a place to live forces one to associate with their drinking or using buddies for support.
Then, there are those who are “working poor” – they have jobs that simply do not earn them enough to pay for all the necessities of life. We live in a city with no rent controls, have a minimum wage that no person could ever afford to live on, and are in a province experiencing a so-called “boom” that is resulting in increased housing prices due to the migration of so many workers here in search of a supposed better life.
Bandage solutions work for the moment, but as a society we need to work towards solutions that are more permanent. This can only be achieved by dealing with the root causes. Otherwise, poverty and homelessness will continue to rise and service organizations will be overly burdened beyond their capacity to handle the demand.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Access to Mental Health Care in Crisis
Although this first appeared in the October 2005 issue of Our Voice (a street newspaper in Edmonton), it is every bit as relevant five years later, especially as closure of beds at Alberta Hospital are on the horizon and have been widely protested. The cost to see a psychologist mentioned in this article has been adjusted to reflect current rates.
It was a Sunday afternoon, and my friend ran out of his medication he uses for clinical depression. Although he has a full-time job, he was lacking the funds to purchase more, and too proud to tell anyone. Thus, he went about his business until Tuesday morning, when he felt a psychotic episode coming on. He headed to his doctor’s office, where after explaining his situation (with the hope that his doctor could give him some samples to tide him through), he was told he would have to return for an appointment in the afternoon.
With what was left of his good senses, my friend knew he did not have until the afternoon to wait, and went to the Emergency room of the nearest hospital. After explaining himself to yet another front desk person, he was informed it would be up to two hours before he would be able to see a doctor.
That was the final straw. A combination of frustration and deprivation of his meds led my friend to lay himself down on a grassy area outside of the hospital, and do some funky things to his wrists with a pocket knife. Ultimately, he was found by police, who, in essence, temporarily committed him by depositing him back inside the same emergency room -- probably saving his life. He was treated for his wounds, physically and mentally, and later released. The knife was confiscated.
Welcome to the land of universal health care. Mental health is part of this, yet appears to be far less universal. I guess the people he dealt with did not understand that a mentally ill person without his meds is a ticking time bomb. He did the responsible thing by seeking help, but it was only when he became a clear danger to himself that anyone took him seriously.
If my friend had gone to emergency with a broken leg or in the process of a heart attack, he probably would have received swift and immediate attention. But because he was not in obviously physical pain, nor going to immediately expire in front of everyone, he would have to wait his turn, along with people who come to emergency with trivial matters that can be dealt with as well at a walk-in medial clinic.
Access to mental health services can be difficult, not only for the low-income person, but just about anyone in need of affordable services. Although covered by Alberta Health, it can take up to three months to see a psychiatrist, like just about any medical specialist these days, especially for an initial appointment. Psychologists are easier to access physically, but financially out of the budget for all but the wealthy – the standard rate for an individual is $150 per 50-minute session ($160 for couples), according to the Psychologist’s Association of Alberta. Even those who operate using a sliding scale do not slide far enough down for low-income clients, especially those who require services on an ongoing basis.
Then there are services like The Support Network that offer walk-in help, but only for short-term intervention. Crisis lines are excellent places for people to vent, as long as they are not put on hold, which can happen due to high numbers of callers and low numbers of volunteers. Have you ever heard the joke about the person who calls the suicide hotline and is put on hold? It’s really not funny, and it happens in real life.
Mental health consumers need to be taken seriously when they turn up at hospital emergency rooms, let alone in their own doctor’s offices. Often, they are breakdowns waiting to happen, and there is nowhere else for them to turn. My friend, despite the cuts on his wrist, was lucky. How many aren’t?
It was a Sunday afternoon, and my friend ran out of his medication he uses for clinical depression. Although he has a full-time job, he was lacking the funds to purchase more, and too proud to tell anyone. Thus, he went about his business until Tuesday morning, when he felt a psychotic episode coming on. He headed to his doctor’s office, where after explaining his situation (with the hope that his doctor could give him some samples to tide him through), he was told he would have to return for an appointment in the afternoon.
With what was left of his good senses, my friend knew he did not have until the afternoon to wait, and went to the Emergency room of the nearest hospital. After explaining himself to yet another front desk person, he was informed it would be up to two hours before he would be able to see a doctor.
That was the final straw. A combination of frustration and deprivation of his meds led my friend to lay himself down on a grassy area outside of the hospital, and do some funky things to his wrists with a pocket knife. Ultimately, he was found by police, who, in essence, temporarily committed him by depositing him back inside the same emergency room -- probably saving his life. He was treated for his wounds, physically and mentally, and later released. The knife was confiscated.
Welcome to the land of universal health care. Mental health is part of this, yet appears to be far less universal. I guess the people he dealt with did not understand that a mentally ill person without his meds is a ticking time bomb. He did the responsible thing by seeking help, but it was only when he became a clear danger to himself that anyone took him seriously.
If my friend had gone to emergency with a broken leg or in the process of a heart attack, he probably would have received swift and immediate attention. But because he was not in obviously physical pain, nor going to immediately expire in front of everyone, he would have to wait his turn, along with people who come to emergency with trivial matters that can be dealt with as well at a walk-in medial clinic.
Access to mental health services can be difficult, not only for the low-income person, but just about anyone in need of affordable services. Although covered by Alberta Health, it can take up to three months to see a psychiatrist, like just about any medical specialist these days, especially for an initial appointment. Psychologists are easier to access physically, but financially out of the budget for all but the wealthy – the standard rate for an individual is $150 per 50-minute session ($160 for couples), according to the Psychologist’s Association of Alberta. Even those who operate using a sliding scale do not slide far enough down for low-income clients, especially those who require services on an ongoing basis.
Then there are services like The Support Network that offer walk-in help, but only for short-term intervention. Crisis lines are excellent places for people to vent, as long as they are not put on hold, which can happen due to high numbers of callers and low numbers of volunteers. Have you ever heard the joke about the person who calls the suicide hotline and is put on hold? It’s really not funny, and it happens in real life.
Mental health consumers need to be taken seriously when they turn up at hospital emergency rooms, let alone in their own doctor’s offices. Often, they are breakdowns waiting to happen, and there is nowhere else for them to turn. My friend, despite the cuts on his wrist, was lucky. How many aren’t?
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