It has been an incredibly difficult week. My heart and my head is hurting.
My strong, beautiful, classy, and warm grandmother passed away, and I am so incredibly sad for my family not to have been able to be there for her. She lived in Slovakia, and it would have been nearly impossible for my mom and her siblings to have travelled to be with her. For those of us who are grieving in this horrible suspended animation, I am so sorry for your loss. Grief is never easy, but this adds a maddening level of complexity to the process.
On the same day my family lost our grandmother, terrorists swarmed the capitol in America. Spurred on by the seditious claims against a legitimate election by the loser of said election, a mob (some of whom were armed) disrespected the country which they purported to love by damaging property, looting, and taking selfies. Laid bare was the complicit behaviours of the police who snapped selfies with these instigators, and in at least a few videos, are shown to be lifting the gates for them. While this limp attempt at revolution was ultimately futile, the lasting images of people carrying trump and confederate flags while tearing down the American flag is an image that I imagine will sit in the hearts of many Americans for years to come.
I guess all that’s been said for this week is that I learned a new word: sedition.
Photo Essay: The storming of the US Capitol building (Al Jazeera)
In this collection of visceral images, the story unfolds.
Article: Madness on Capitol Hill (The Nation)
This account by a journalist on the scene recounts the absurd and the futile anger of the mob. Read through to the last quote.
Article: Laptop stolen from Pelosi’s office during storming of U.S. Capitol, says aide (Reuters)
For me, this is a symbol of another facet of how this could have turned even more dangerous. Laptops, cell phones, portable drives and other technology can be so easily picked up and if they were not properly secured, the data on these devices could open the government to a significant data breach.
And to those who say “well why don’t they secure their devices properly?” If you were told to flee your office because an angry mob was at your office door, could you, without hesitation, say that all your workplace devices were secured to the required degree?
And finally, here’s how the world reacted to the news of this mob attack.
Article: Top-paid CEOs raked in average worker’s annual salary before noon today (CBC)
Before the world went weird on the 6th, this little article came out on Monday. The wealth inequality issue is one that affects every person on this planet, and the rampant hoarding of wealth is a huge issue as we try to tackle everything from healthcare to climate change.
This is not fair – it simply has to change.
Article: My life is on hold, frozen at the moment my son died in the Beirut blast (The Guardian)
This is one of the human faces to the story that is continuing to live after the Beirut explosion.
No one has answered for the criminal negligence that allowed this to happen. No one has been held accountable. This tragedy could have been prevented, these lives could have been saved but they weren’t.
Podcast: The DC Snipers (You’re Wrong About)
This four part series by what is quickly becoming my favourite podcast duo focuses on a moment in history I either completely glossed over as a young person or completely forgot in the post 9/11 terror that was my young life.
Delving into the murders from several angles that provide more of an understanding from a historical, racial, and mental health perspective.
As I have before, I note that strong language is used by the hosts throughout this series. In my opinion, this does not diminish from the telling of this story, but I wanted to note this if you don’t like swearing.
Article: 21 Rare Skills That Could Become Your Newest Hobby (Atlas Obscura)
If you’re looking for a new hobby to help you find a bit more joy in 2021, Atlas Obscura has some great suggestions here!
Local Art: Artist in Residence Launches 1-877-2BE-CALM Phone Line (Kathryn Calder)
Artist in residence Kathryn Calder has curated a collection of poems, music, meditations and more to help us find a little more joy and appreciate a little more art in our every day life.