For about a week, along with hundreds of thousands of people all over the world, I have been keeping an online vigil for 95-year-old Harry Leslie Smith.Harry had been battling pneumonia in a hospital in Belleville, Ontario.He fought bravely, but early this morning that battle finally ended. But what a
Continue readingTag: humanity at its worst
Montreal Simon: The Face of Hate and the Inspiring Message of Antoine Leiris
When I see how the tragedy in Paris has some of the bigots in this country crawling out of their holes, to spew ignorance and hatred. Like this ghastly joker. Half maniac, half beast.Or I read the comments from those who are so afraid, they would deny desperate refugees safe haven in
Continue readingMontreal Simon: The Paris Massacre, the Children, and the Flowers
It's hard enough for an adult to understand the horror of the Paris massacre. Or how some people can be so cruel and vicious.So imagine being a parent in that city, and having to try to explain that horror to children.So I have to say I thought this dad did
Continue readingMontreal Simon: The Homophobe and the Homeless
You might think that a church might be a safe place for homeless people to sleep. Considering how hard their lives are, and how little they have, and everything Jesus said about that.But not at this church in San Francisco. Read more »
Continue readingMontreal Simon: The Con Regime’s Lethally Inadequate Response to the Ebola Epidemic
We are still awaiting our first case of Ebola.And even though the risk of a major outbreak in Canada is almost negligible, in the emergency rooms of the nation, doctors, and nurses, are already struggling to contain an epidemic of fear.Not just the irrational fears of their patients, but legitimate
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Scotland, Gaza, and the Shameful Silence of So Many Canadians
I spent my last day in Scotland in this beautiful highland forest with Sébastien and a group of friends, taking turns leaping into the icy waters of a deep gorge.Celebrating life, trying to forget for a moment the nightmarish state of this world.And for a while it worked.But tonight I
Continue readingMontreal Simon: The Children of Gaza and the Bestiality of Stephen Harper
It was an act of unspeakable barbarity. One that has been condemned by governments all over the world. The US and UN have condemned the shelling of a school housing displaced civilians in Gaza. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the attack, which killed 16, was "outrageous". "I condemn this attack in
Continue readingMontreal Simon: The Horror of Gaza and the Shame of the Harper Regime
It's taken me a few days to summon up the strength to write something, anything, about the horror in Gaza.I just couldn't bring myself to look at the images of this latest war. As rockets from Palestinian militants in Gaza continue to fly into Israel and Israel continues to strike hard
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Luka Magnotta and My Lost Country
I can't imagine a worse way to end this horrible year in Harperland than having Luka Magnotta awarded the title of Newsmaker of the Year. For not only is that cruel psychopath smirking in his jail cell tonight. It also says so much about about the country we have become, and
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Hurricane Sandy and the Twitter Troll
On Tuesday night, as New Yorkers struggled to cope with the fury of Hurricane Sandy.A Twitter account with the handle ComfortablySmug tried to cause even more fear.By sending out a series of alarming false messages.Read more »
Continue readingMontreal Simon: The Apocalypse and the Monarch Tree
So I'm sitting on a bench down by the swan pond this evening, staring at the signs of The Apocalypse. Two little trees that have surrendered to the Canadian winter. Already. And I'm screaming at them, in my mind. How could you do this to me? How could you leave
Continue readingMontreal Simon: When Assaulting the Homeless is Funny
I don't know whether this video of some loser apparently urinating on an unconscious homeless person is real. The video that lasts 27-seconds shows a young man approaching a man sleeping on the sidewalk outside what appears to be Toronto's Eaton Centre. With his back to the camera he appears to
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