The view from the bridge

The sketch to the left is one I did as we drove toward Toronto last Thursday. We, Aaron (not Jenny’s Aaron) and myself, had been in Canada for less than twenty minutes when he came into view. A lone man stood on an overpass above the QEW. Standing motionless, staring forward above the oncoming traffic, he grasped an American Flag. I wished that we had stopped so I could take a picture of him. But the image stayed with me and I had to take a moment to sketch it. I don’t know if he was a US national living in Canada. Or simply someone so compelled by the events that he chose to spend his Thursday morning showing support above the major highway. Either way I felt that it was a powerful image that I had to share.

Personally, more than a week after the event, I feel extremely divided about the correct response. 6,000 people were murdered. In fact whenever anyone refers to it as an “accident” I become infuriated. This was no accident and any reference to it as such is an insult to those affected by it. In the short term there is a need for justice. And that may need to be achieved by military means. But the martial artist in me wonders about the longer-term hopes of a non-violent solution to prevent this from happening in the future. With that in mind I present a short essay from Noam Chomsky which represents a different voice than is represented in most of the coverage of the event. Read with an open mind. Accept what make sense, question and based on that questioning reject what doesn’t apply to your views.

In other news

This has been a productive weekend. I got to go to a Japanese Steak House for the first time (thanks Tonya) and took in that show. I saw Hannibal. I enjoyed the film. Thankfully, I knew just when to look away (brains… yummy). I can handle gore when it’s done over the top. But when its even semi realistic and treated as such… brrrr.

I also took the opportunity to ask my friends to help me update my records. They’re all really out of date. (Note: of you’re visiting here for the first time, I’m typically no where near this political and a lot more funny. Check it out at least one more time before you cross me off the holiday card list). I also got a lot of apartment stuff done. It’s a big improvement (and yes for those from GET, the fridge is stocked).