Saturday April 21, 2001 Shut Up and Listen On-Line and Lovin’ It Well, folks it’s been a long time coming and all of your support has been appreciate. I now have the Internet. It’s great and obviously if you’re reading this, you know that too. I’ve had some problems but with the help of Matt, I’ve fixed them. Thanks, man. Damn It All! You walk into the yellow portable and notice on the inside of the door written in chalk are the words “Norman Bethune Portable.” There are thirty-someodd desks, a bunch of books on shelves, posters promoting human rights and other social justice issues. Then you duck as a piece of chalk barely misses your head and you hear a voice yell “Damn it all!” Welcome the Mr. McDonald’s class. Tim McDonald is a crazy old guy. I don’t know exactly how old, but under sixty, but over forty-five. He’s got short grey hair, combined with an equally grey beard. To put it bluntly, he’s a communist. And I’m not talking about the communists that the US lived in terror of for most of the century. I’m talking about a guy who wants equality and fairness for everybody. A guy who doesn’t want people dying of starvation while others are living lives of utter luxury. He’s a guy who believes in a preferential option for the poor. The quality that I most admire about Mr. McDonald is the fact that he sees both sides of an argument. If a debate in class is going slow, he’ll light the fire by arguing both sides. One moment he’ll be saying “Screw the poor!” and the next he’s preaching socialism. It’s quite amazing and humorous to behold. He also never calls a person any rude name. No matter how stupid a comment a person makes, he still compliments them. He tries to build students’ self-esteems like no other teacher I’ve met. He’s always calling us wonderful and amazing and smart and talented people. The reason that kids are shooting up schools is that there aren’t more Mr. McDonalds out there. (I know that section on Mr. McDonald was short, but I’ve never been very good at extending writing beyond clear, concise statements. Except when I’m given a limit, then I can’t seem to shut up.) Free Trade, Free Shmade Right now the summit in Quebec is going on. There are people rioting and I saw an old lady, who lived near the place get taken to the hospital because of the tear gas. The summit involves the Americas, but actually it’s only the democratic Americas. They’re discussing free trade and free trade is used for, as Lunchbox said, “It exploits people. It allows the US to exploit other nations. Canada only signed NAFTA so that the US wouldn’t replace Canada with Mexico.” Before this week I didn’t know that much about Free trade and the summit. Sure, I had heard of them, but I didn’t really know about them. I talked to Lunchbox and read some stuff on the Globe and Mail website (www.globeandmail.ca). Now, after much research, I must agree with Lunchbox and many of the protesters. Firstly, for the US and Canada not inviting non-democratic nations. I wouldn’t exactly call the US democratic after their recent election. And the leaders still persist with negotiations even though it is obvious that many people don’t want free trade. They’re hypocrites. Secondly, free trade will be used by the US to exploit smaller nations. Bush and his creatures will do anything to make the US economy stronger. If he’ll help kill the environment, how is that no one can see that he’ll have no problem fucking entire nations if the US gets a little green? Now, I believe in globalization. Just not THEIR globalization. I believe in the world coming together in peace and putting aside our petty differences to fix the world. I don’t believe in economic globalization. People have got to get past their greed and realize that money isn’t all that important. All it is, is paper and ink. It’s only meaning is one that we’ve invented and made the centre of our lives. I don’t need money. I need food, shelter, protection, education, work, health care and to be treated like a person. I like to also have TV, comics, video games, books and other fun things, I admit. I consider those things beyond monetary value. They’re above money and to me are NEEDS. Now, some might feel the same about money, but you’ll also notice that I don’t fuck thousands of people to get my shit. The Leafs The Leafs reigned down huge punishment on the Ottawa Senators earlier this week and all I have to say is: that’s right, we’re the best. Some people now believe that the Leafs will lose in the next round, not me. Many try to be “realistic”, but that’s bullshit. They’re just covering their asses. If the Leafs win, they’ll say that they supported the Leafs all along. If they lose, they’ll say they called that, too. Part of cheering for a team is unconditionally believing in them. It doesn’t matter if they’re in last place and are facing a team that’s won every game this season and it’s the last game; you have to believe that somehow they’ll pull it off. Sure, you can still complain about them and question their coach and all that, but when it comes down to it, you must support them 100%. Shit or get off the pot, people. And, GO LEAFS!!!!!