“Your silence gives consent”: A call to civil disobedience (Ontario)
Jan 31, 2014
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—Muriel Blair (Ontario, Canada)
I believe, probably without justification, that I live in a democratic society. One with freedom of speech, the right to peaceful assembly and the expectation that those who are elected to office are working with the good of all in mind.
In fact this is far from the truth, and I am beginning to understand that my freedoms and the freedoms of my fellow Ontarians are contingent on following the word of our (dare I say it?) criminal politicians.
Should you follow with sheep-like devotion the decrees handed down to you, you can wear the badge of freedom. Should you believe the lies, whether they wear the green label or promises of a great economic future in the hands of Chinese-owned companies, then you will be afforded the freedoms that democracy boasts of.
But, should you question the actions and lies fed to the intubated masses, then you are targeted. Your rights and freedoms are no longer. Goose-step in time with the Gestapo’s, or be labelled and condemned to be one of the black sheep, destined to be known as a trouble-maker.
Keep in mind that I am referring to hard-working citizens. Mothers, fathers, grandparents, community leaders, teachers and community volunteers. I am talking about people whose only flaw is that they care about how their communities look and feel. They care about what legacy their children and grandchildren will inherit. And they give a damn about their rights and freedoms.
Their homes are not just boxes to live in, but are the world where children are raised and loved, life is lived and memories are made. To these residents who choose to speak out, their homes and their lives are synonymous with their communities.
Make no mistake, greed and corruption are taking all this away — destroying the fabric of rural Ontario and rendering our province into a totalitarian state. Are my emails being monitored? Perhaps they are. Has fear gripped my heart? You betcha. The likelihood that I am under police surveillance is very real.
Even so, I cannot stand by and let injustice prevail. I need to speak out, and I need to move forward in my desire to protect my province from the economic catastrophe that will destroy all our communities.
I look to people like Malala Yousufzai, Eve Ensler, Martin Luther King, the Dalai Lama, Esther Wrightman, Marcelle Brooks — and everyone else who puts themselves out there to speak the truth. It’s often not comfortable. It’s their honesty and genuine belief that they can make a difference that inspires me.
The comfort zone is a nice place, but nothing grows there. Nothing at all. In fact, things rot in the comfort zone. Ontario is in that comfort zone right now.
I hope that everyone reading this finds their own Malala or Esther to inspire them to keep up the fight.
This fight will not be won without casualties. Chatham Kent, Haldimand and now North Middlesex, to name a few. I say, let’s band together — we all know what’s happening and we all know that it’s wrong. (Even the Ontario Provincial Police who may be monitoring my emails, and Esther Wrightman’s, know it’s wrong.) As my colleague Marcelle Brooks always says, “Your silence gives consent.”
Nothing could be truer than that statement.
Our blog, the Middlesex-Lambton Wind Action Group, may be loud, we may be obnoxious at times, but we’re honest and we’ve got nothing to hide. We are fortunate that we have fighters on board who are willing to stand up to what is wrong, and they inspire the rest of us to move forward.
Comment by Anonymous on 01/31/2014 at 8:05 am
amen…
Comment by Cary Shineldecker on 01/31/2014 at 10:02 am
These words are the absolute truth, not just in Ontario, but worldwide, at the hands of greedy politicians who are willing to follow campaign money rather than to uphold their oaths of office. The ideology that climate change catastrophe can be cured by uncautioned wind turbine development is followed by the masses of noncritical thinkers who lack the motivation to research or question their “green theologic cult”.
I am living proof that civil obedience and ill-fated attempts to educate are essentially ineffective to protect your homes and family. The bottom line: I agree with everything in this article. I understand and accept that other methods are justified.
Comment by Marshall Rosenthal on 01/31/2014 at 10:30 am
Please count me among your “trouble-makers,” Ms. Blair. Here in western Massachusetts we had an opportunity to give the touring representatives of the Mass. Department of Public Utilities (MA-DPU) “best siting practices” committee a strong taste of our anger and disgust. Over two dozen people gave testimony at Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield, MA, one after an another, AND NOT A GOOD WORD WAS SPOKEN for misguided wind power. We ALL spoke against their DPU Order #13-165, a measure that would resurrect the moribund WESRA bill that has been several times rejected by the state legislature. (WESRA would force wind turbines down the throat of unwilling communities.)
Now, in doing heartless Gov. Deval Patrick’s bidding, the DPU would use regulatory power, where legislative attempts have failed, to convince the all too corruptible state and local officials to foist unwanted megawatt wind turbines upon hapless communities in order to satisfy his corporate high stakes cronies.
Phweui! Does this stink of fascism!
Comment by Melodie on 01/31/2014 at 10:57 am
Hear! Hear! Muriel Blair! Well said indeed! The best I have heard yet. Give em whatfor at uno. All we have to lose is the shame of not standing strong, for the true north, strong and free.
All together now, “Give us a place to STAAAAND and a place to GROOOOW and call this laaaand Ontairrry O. A place to STAND! A place to GROW! . . . ONTAIRY AIRRRY AIRRRY AIRRREEE ..ohhhhhh!”
Big hugs,
grannymel
Comment by gail mair on 01/31/2014 at 3:40 pm
The Italians have a rhyme in line with Howard Zinn’s statement. “Chi ruba poco va in gal era. Chi ruba molto fa carriera.” In English, “Rob a little and you go to prison. Rob a lot and you’ll have a (good) career.”
Alas for the honest folks — robbed from all sides.
Comment by Andreas Marciniak on 01/31/2014 at 8:36 pm
It’s all about the almighty Dollar.$$$$$$$$$.
People aren’t worth much any-more, we are being walked all over and meant to take it, because they say it’s green and it’s good for the planet ,ha ha. It’s Green alright , the kind of Green that make some people Lie and steal from others just for Money.
That is why I keep on saying ” It’s always about the almighty Dollar $$$$$$$$$$$$..The fact is ! There is no safe distance for wind Turbines, NOT GREEN, NOT CHEAP, NOT RELIABLE, and come with a very BAD side EFFECT on people and the ENVIRONMENT. there is Nothing GREEN about WIND TURBINES . SAY NO TO WIND TURBINES.
Comment by Bill Carson on 01/31/2014 at 9:12 pm
A few Falmouth Massachusetts Facts – Wind turbine site feasibility investigators discovered well before construction began, noise impact and probable violations were expected — a significant piece of analysis that largely accounts for the community problem today.
MA DEP Deputy Commissioner Martin Suuberg is quoted in South Coast Today piece ~State to consider turbine-specific noise regulations~ (1/8/13), “There is a different quality of noise generated by turbines.” MA DEP confirmed night noise violations in Falmouth early 2012, and the agency supports the belief that a pronounce probability exists that exceedances are occurring at properties not tested.
MA Department of Public Health was urgently requested, by Falmouth Board of Health, to assist in site specific comprehensive health survey. The agency initially agreed, then suddenly REFUSED.
Town Manager reported to Selectmen/Finance Committee (Jan 2013), the night curtailment mode placed on turbines is fiscally unsustainable. Board of Health on record stating night curtailment restriction never to be altered to point of allowing less that acceptable period for sleep.
That policy consistent with findings of the MA Turbine-Health Expert Panel Report – “Given the effects of sleep deprivation on health and well-being, including problems with mood and cognition, it is possible that cognitive and mood complaints and other medical or psychological issues associated with sleep loss can stem from LIVING IN IMMEDIATE PROXIMITY TO WIND TURBINES, if the turbines disrupt sleep.” Page 32 Final Report
MIKE – In Falmouth, it’s not about what wind farms do or don’t do. It’s simply about protecting residents! The real question before Falmouth town meeting, and further, what neighbors must silently weigh at the ballot box, is whether the redemptive value of community capital has more importance than municipal solvency.
The broader reckoning before Falmouth pits the continuation of community division against unification.
Comment by Pam on 01/31/2014 at 11:03 pm
With you all the way..civil disobedience it is. One way or another they are going to listen to us. They can’t say we didn’t warn them and they would have to be stupid to have not seen this coming. (oh wait…) 🙂