- by Jon Farmer

There are people in this video chanting "white lives matter" but it is clear that to them no life matters. They are an example of what happens when people value power and authority over everything else. If we believe otherwise, if we believe that in fact human beings are equal in their value, inherent dignity, and right to life, then we have to be willing to support others in those beliefs and in organizing to support them. In Canada our systemic racism and structural inequality take different shape than in the US but they should be rooted out and protected against just the same.

I think that can start simply with little things like supporting land claims, and the right to asylum or clean drinking water for people in our everyday conversations. It can't end there though. The work towards equality and against oppression has to move beyond that and into the actions that we are uncomfortable with like challenging our friends and family when they pick up threads of authoritarian and racist rhetoric and, further, to challenging our elected representatives when they amplify those views and put in place legislation that enshrines it.

As I write this I'm confused. I don't know specifically what I or what we can do to encourage more tolerant, respectful, and supportive relationships among peoples and their governments. I do know, however, that I'm going to find some organizations that support equal education and cross cultural community building and give them money.

Do you have any suggestions or any plans to support whatever is the opposite of this hate-filled, divisive, movement? Are you working at that in any way right now?