On the DEWLine 2.0: Dwight Williams

I was there to watch this live back in the spring...and you may have heard about a more polished and fact-sourced video since produced by his band.

Some of you have already read about this via my Facebook feed.

I went to one of those protest rallies to support the investigation into allegations of election fraud during the 2011 federal elections yesterday. Clive Doucet spoke. So did Errol Mendes from Carleton University, as did Anita Vandenbeld, last year's Liberal candidate who found herself losing to John Baird.

There was some open mike time for other attendees as well.

Towards the end, as the gathered crowd was getting ready to start a march-past of three of the big five political parties' Ottawa HQ offices and singing O Canada as they went, one other speaker got a bit of a harangue from a couple of guys who apparently showed up late and had not heard her speak during the open mike session. They noticed her accent and started in with the old "Where did you come from? Why don't you go back there?" spiel, you see. Had they heard her commentary earlier, I wonder if their complaints about her activism would have taken another tack.

I wish I could remember her name right now.

As she explained, she moved to Canada 45 years ago.

From Germany.

Yeah. She went there in her remarks before being heckled in that general "Go back where you came from" way, observing what she saw as disturbing historical parallels between her old country in the run up to WW 2 and Canada today. "Don't wait until you have to be a hero. It's hard to be a hero. Most of us aren't made for it."

I didn't take seeing her get that treatment very well. Asked them if they'd actually heard her speak. They hadn't. And when I pointed it out, there was some argument over whether or not anyone should dare notice any parallels at all. The "Get a job!" tactic was employed as well. I answered that by asking if they could confirm whether or not a majority of those present were in fact unemployed, never mind whether or not they were on welfare. They didn't take that happily either.

First time I've ever been yelled at by a right-winger for attending what I understood to be a pro-law enforcement rally. First time I've ever seen it happen to anyone else, for that matter.

The paradox is both amusing and frightening.

At least it was only two or three hecklers, this time.

I'll say it again: this was not the ideal ending to this particular encampment:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2011/11/23/occupy-ottawa-cleared.html

To be fair, it was far from the worst that could have happened, and I'm grateful that we avoided some of the messes heard about from Oakland, Portland, New York and other points.

The work of getting our society into saner shape (again, or for the first time, depending on your POV) remains unfinished, though. I'm convinced that the Occupy Movement can and should still be part of the solutions mix. I'm not entirely sure of the particulars of "how?" yet. That's something for the weeks and months to come.

Like improving our health care system, continuing the process of space exploration, and a lot of other things, this is still a work in progress. The editorial writers at the Globe and Mail, National Post and the Quebecor/Sun Media newspaper chain (English and Français newspapers alike) will continue write what they see fit to the contrary, of course, but cannot obscure the truth of this.

More on other topics later on. I'd be interested in your own thoughts in the meantime.

Been hearing some interesting noises, and hoping my NYC friendlisters can tell me what's up. Something to do with investment bankers, impunity, bailouts and protest campaigns...?

And here I sit, plotting a book sale or two of my own as I read this:

Canadian Press via CBC: Missouri bookstore owner burns books to decry decline of printed word

Something looks utterly wrong and insane to my eyes.