Sunday, January 24, 2016

Ya Gotta Obey the Damn Law

       It has always bothered me when people or a group have issues of disagreement with the government and they twist , bend or outright falsify what they think the rules are which they can use to push their cause.

      Two different groups have recently reminded me of disgruntled people who attempt to take the law or part of it into their own hands.

     In my province, Alberta, Canada, we elected a very different government in May. We'd had the same party in Govt. for over forty years. They had become incompetent and tone deaf except for their own interest and that of their friends. Naturally there are some sore losers. Democracy has spoken and we have to live with it until the next election. We have all the usual ways to persuade the government to change it's policies. 

     A group here has decided to organize a coup d'etat which they spell "kudatah". Their plan is to get a petition and take it to the legislature and see the lieutenant governor . this petition would cause the governor to dismiss the current party which has 55 members and install the guy's small party with 23 members in government. It's loony but it's scary. They have a completely warped sense of how the world operates.

     The other incident is the group in Oregon which has taken over a wildlife refuge facility. They have some disagreements with their government which has gone on for some time. Two of the group are going to jail for a long time as they have broken laws. These two justify what they did as being the proper thing to do on land they lease from the government. 

     Now I look on marches, petitions, sit ins, letters, speeches as fair ways to urge a government to change policy. Then there are procedures that are set up that can be used in a more formal way. Hearings can be held in a number of ways that give the public a way to protest. Currently we are having hearings on building major oil pipelines. People who have issues about the environment, aboriginal or land can present evidence.

     When you take over a facility and prevent the government from using it that's going too far. When your main purpose is to overthrow a government rather than change specific policy differences, that goes too far.

    I once had a resolution that I put forward at our teachers' provincial annual general meeting. I knew I had very little support for my resolution but I wanted a chance to speak to the motion and get support for it. I used up every step in the process. For a last gasp I  challenged the chair. The house voted and supported the chairman and I was finished. Was I angry ? No. I was disappointed but I'd done all I could.

    Sometimes we have to accept loss in a democratic system. Sometimes we may even have to admit that we are wrong. Democracy can be very messy and slow but it gets the job done.

A scrappy little pine siskin

33 comments:

  1. I'm with you on this one Red.

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    1. Thanks. We have to speak up and not give these guys a free ride.

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  2. First of all, that's a great bird photo!

    I do think that by and large it's best to work within "the system." These people in Oregon are hoodlums, plain and simple. All their talk of liberty is simply a smokescreen for their campaign for lawless use of public land for their own profit. They want to profiteer off the American people. It's ridiculous.

    I don't know anything about your own local "kudatah" (love that word) but it doesn't sound like a campaign that's going to go far.

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    1. The bird is a pine siskin and was taken through my kitchen window.
      we all have to speak up and slow some of the idiots down.

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  3. our elections have turned into a soap opera. i think we need to not allow them to be officials more than one term, and limit the time they campaign to right before the elections. too much money wasted that could feed many.

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  4. Yes, sometime even breaking the law is necessary, but you also pay the price for that. These people in Oregon have gotten the attention of the nation and no one has rallied to their cause which is the dying of a way of life. They need to be arrested and the community needs its life back.

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    1. They are really asking for something that isn't there.

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  5. You are bang on here, Keith! I totally agree. A democratically elected government has a mandate. It's shameful how people confuse democracy with the right fight.

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    1. Thanks. I also think coalitions should work .

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  6. Ohh Red!i dont know much about politics but I sure love that little bird:)))))))))

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  7. I agree with you, Red. I think those guys at the wildlife refuge are really just bandits who have decided that the land should be theirs. I hope there is reasonable resolution there. And the situation with the people in Canada? Makes absolutely no sense to me.

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    1. I agree with you that these guys are very thinly disguised bandits. I hope it ends peacefully.

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  8. Very good post with very good points. You do have to obey the law and go through the reasonable/legal channels to promote change. Imagine the anarchy if we all did whatever we wanted and disregarded the rules in society.

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    1. Thanks. Yes, the laws are set up for peace and good government.

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  9. The so-called "Bundy" militia that has taken over Federal land here in Oregon are not from Oregon and the reason for their actions is unclear and constantly changing. They claim they want Federal land returned to ranchers, but which ranchers is unclear, and Native Americans believe the land should be returned to them since it was originally theirs. I find it interesting that these folks only agree to talk with authorities when the cameras are rolling.

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  10. "Kudetah" indeed. "coup d'etat sounds French, better change that..." I can hear the discussion now... Put away your stars and bars.

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  11. You can add me to your supporters Red.

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  12. People get carried away with their belief that their way is the right way and the only way. They lose the ability to listen to anything else other than their way and they don't care how they get their way. As you say, in a democracy you have to be willing to be a loser and a compromiser as well as a winner.

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  13. Politics and Politicians are all crooked...most are lawyers and know what they can get away with. I am sick of our system here too:(

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    1. Well, some politicians are creeps and bums but there are many very good elected officials. I like our system but I didn't like our last government but we got rid of them. We have three parties to choose from.

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  14. Right-wingers are very annoying when they lose. And all the people doing that "protest" in Oregon need to be in federal prison.

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    1. I don't like losing either but that's the way things work.

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  15. It is a bit difficult for me to follow so much text about a local problem, so I have no comment, but nice greetings.

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    1. Well, you did make a comment that is well worth while . We have to be mindful of our audience.

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  16. We are very fortunate, you and I, to live in democratic countries where we have the opportunity to vote and have our say.

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    1. You're so right. We can influence things if we work at it.

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  17. Excellent post, Red. I'm reminded of what Churchill once said about democracy. It was the worst form of government except for all the rest...

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    1. Churchill certainly had a way with words.

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  18. I agree with you, of course. I'm glad you spoke your mind and then accepted the outcome and went on with it. I wish everybody would do that. Can you just imagine what our country will be like if we get Trump for President? Yikes! I'd have to move to Canada.

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