In 2024 there were things that I listened to or read, took note of so as to properly respond to what I believed the comment meant, then finished off by writing a blistering rebuttal of the quotation in case I was rushed to write my column.
Fortunately, I never found myself so bereft of material that I needed those rebuttals – that is, until now. With Captain Chaos now introducing his latest personality makeover at the start of his second four-year World Tour, I’ve already reached the point where if anyone even remotely irks me in any way, I’ll start screaming.
President Trump’s overly grasping behavioural patterns have left us in a time warp that requires application of a Chinese theory of history claiming that all that is known of worldly events may best be summarized as follows: the graphing of historical events will demonstrate the recycling of such history in about 600 year time span. I love the theory, if for no other reason in that it puts politicians squarely in the middle of my scholarly field of interest – proof of our very existence being validated by a mathematical certainty. This doesn’t mean that one has to be overly proficient in understanding mathematics in order to understand human history; it just validates my contention that an understanding of mathematics somehow has the ability to create a certainty as to one’s survival in life, and has NOTHING to do with whether one is born male, female or binary, worship as a Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Taoist, or atheist, nor is it handicapped by mental or physical disability, OR race.
In the evolutionary period of man’s actual “existence”, we’ve somehow found the capacity to create masterpieces of mathematical solution. Even in contemporary times such as are governed by our current epoch, John Glenn would never have stepped foot in the Friendship 7 capsule nor become the first American astronaut to orbit Earth had he NOT trusted Katherine Johnson’s mathematical knowledge nor Dorothy Vaughn’s skills in utilizing Johnson’s theories to write a program that would determine whether her fellow black, mid-40’s friend knew what she was talking about. Imagine Trump being president in that era instead of Kennedy, where he could not point towards a just DEI incentive of diversity, equity and inclusion as having given these women their employment opportunities. Add to that list John Nash (“A Beautiful Mind”, played by Russell Crowe), an eventual Nobel laureate whose principle “problem” wasn’t that he was “white”; he simply doubted his own existence, was paranoid in the extreme, and was legitimately diagnosed as schizophrenic – but then I’d be straying from my discussing this theoretical Chinese history thesis.
So, ask me the question: Do I believe this theoretical treatise explaining the limitations of man’s current evolutionary progress, or not? Sorry, folks, the verdict is still out on that one – and my doubt is further tarnished by the reality that for virtually every conflict-ridden epoch resulting in war-like behaviour, historians have always been able to postulate the existence of meaningful alternatives to conflict, IF it weren’t for the presence of incredibly stupid, greed-driven and narcissistic leaders unwilling to find such peaceful resolution.
As a teacher, my only exposure to conflict resolution was in the frequency that I was required to attend a “meeting” in the Principal’s office to “discuss” why I told Mrs. Helicopter, Chair of the local PTA, that she was actually “enabling” Helicopter Jr. to resist learning of any form that was “painful” for him as a child of 15 or older, unless she was actually excited by the prospect at age 35 he’s be the very first occupant of their home’s new basement apartment, would never again have to change his mailing address, and that if his latest job continued to “constrict” his abilities to perform by imposing constraints on his work habits or imprisoning his “creative flow” with unreasonable time scheduling, there were other employment offers awaiting application of his skill set.
NO, I wasn’t a jerk as a teacher, and my Facebook “friends” list is riddled with 50-somethings now approaching retirement who were once my students. Come to think of it, these kids probably turned out “all right” NOT because I kept pushing them to try harder, but that they did not “fear” the need to learn, a problem our branch plant premiers’ management team cannot exactly state without conflict. What other reason could drive them to constantly seek the attention of an imitation Prince Machiavelli called “Trump”?
At the moment we have yet to see our federal leadership show up to constrain the anxieties that Ford, Smith and Moe in particular harbour in their quest for recognition in Washington. Why even bother with “going south” to argue their positions when we still don’t truly know what “grievances” upset Mr. Trump?
What’s should worry Canadians is that Mark Carney, who’s the odds-on favourite to be our next PM is already hinting that upon his victory he’s going to dissolve Parliament and call a federal election. Why – so he doesn’t first have to listen to Poilievre, Yves-François Blanchet, Elizabeth May, Singh, or the Three Wise Premiers lend their knowledge towards developing a totally Team Canada approach that meets ALL of the concerns Canadians have with regard to continued relationship with our former friends to the south of us?
Mark, if you’re actually stupid enough to embark upon that pathway, you’re no better as PM than was Pierre Jr., who couldn’t stand the idea brought forward just over two years ago that his policy “produce” was already stale dated, a stance that has left us totally unprepared to confront Trump on his own battleground.
Personally, I believe a communicator such as Charlie Angus is a better fit for leadership in this fight than a PM burdened by the collective weight of his own political and economic agenda. The American media, at least, loves Charlie’s attitude, who understand battleground tactics because he’s been continuously exposed to the often ugly skirmishes that have erupted in his home town of Timmins between management and mine workers wanting to be able to come home without injury after every day on the job.
Should Mark, however, not see the rationality of my replacing him in The Team line-up, my suggestion is that he at least protect himself from potential injury from low blows delivered by his narcissistic opponent. That means buying a “cup”, which should have been an obvious suggestion to those of us who witnessed Canada defeating the U.S. hockey team Thursday evening. Trump’s already training for his next big fight with whomever the European Union throws his way as “competition”, so our battle is going to be chock full of low blows we may never see coming, and Trump will just be using our “champion” as a sparring “partner” of no particular or substantive worth.
