Saturday July 10, 2010 – Day of Action for Civil Liberties. People in cities across Canada gathered to show concern for conduct of politicians and the ISU (i.e. police) during the G20 Summit in Toronto. In addition to showing solidarity with those still imprisoned, they call for an independent inquiry. For me, the highlight came when I passed a man standing beside a scooter and honking his horn while giving protesters the finger. People laughed and told him they were marching to help preserve his right to give them the finger. That’s the point. Democracy is a messy business that creates space for people to express contrarian views without fear. The state cannot step outside the law when administering it — even when it acts against those who have acted unlawfully — otherwise the state allows fear to taint its actions. Fear is the test.
A friend thanked me for posting some of my photos of facebook. It made her feel like she was there even though she was too afraid to go herself. As long as people feel afraid to express their disapproval in public, the state has failed in its fundamental obligation to its citizens — to preserve the conditions in which people can live without fear. A little glass-smashing is insignificant next the damage the authorities have done.
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Sun, Jul 11, 2010
From the Drainpipe