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"The words of truth are naturally simple, and justice needs no subtle interpretations, for it has a fitness in itself; but the words of injustice, being sick in themselves, require clever treatment."
Polynices.
Euripides, Phoenician Women.
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Recently, on the national day of Canada, three young men pissed on the Veteran's Memorial in the capital city. Seemingly, many people cheered. Others quitely complained. I have no words to describe my disgust. I have to go back a number of years ot find a way to sort out the nature of this event so I can put it in a context that makes some sense to me, and I go back to Oedipus who, disgraced, exiled, and blind, is abandoned by his sons. In a rage, Oedipus curses his sons, cursing them with mutual antagonism.
The sons decide to rule their kingdom alternately by the year, till the first year is over and the first son refuses to relinquish his reign. In the ensuing war, seven armies wage war, and both brothers are killed. One lays unburied till his sister Antigone comes to steal him and bury his body. For that she is killed as well. Such are the stories that make our tragedies beautiful in spite of the harm and the suffering.
The stories of our time are not tragic, they are stories to be pissed on. I am ashamed to have been witness to this theatrical event, even from afar. And it is the tale of our time.
Why do we live like this? Why do we stand in the filth listening to lies? The truth is simple. It was a dirty thing to do, and people cheered it on.
A family torn and killed, and there is tragedy aforethought.
I will not leave my own unburied.
Antigone sacrificed her own life to bury her dead brother even though he was wrong to have acted as he did. Antigone buried her own. We piss on them.
But not "we."
We meet in Vancouver, Canada each Thursday evening from 7-9:00 pm at the atrium in the public library down town. We are not the majority of Canadians yet. I ask you to join us, even if we are outcasts and unliked for what we say and do. Justice needs no subtle interpretations. Just come as you are. It's simple. We'll see you there.
1 comment:
Brandon, people stood around cheering and taking pictures. The pictures ere in the paper, and the result is not much of anything.
That's now. This incident is so horrible to anyone with any sense of common decency that it will be one of the major turning points in the nation's history, though it won't seem that way to many for years to come.
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