After reading the sentences handed down for the beating death of Shane Rolston (here) and for kidnapping and sexual abuse of minor females (here) in the news over the past few days, I can’t help but think that the world has grown into something vastly different from the world I was born into.

As I child I remember being taught to both fear and respect the law. I remember police officers as being someone a lost child can turn to for help.

There was an element of shame associated with crime – even petty crime. As a teenager the worry that your crime would be discovered outweighed much of the temptation. You didn’t want to break the law because you were afraid someone would find out what you’d done.

I remember being able to knock on any door in my neighbourhood for help, a drink of water, or a trip to the bathroom. I remember going out to play early in the morning and not coming home until it was dinner time (or whenever we were looking for snacks). I remember biking about the neighbourhoods for hours on end. My time wasn’t managed, over 50% of my activities were spur-of-the moment and developed as a side effect of playing with the other kids in the area.

I am left wondering if I’ve blocked out sections of my childhood that don’t jive with my memories? Have I cleansed it to make the past seem much more innocent than the present? Has the world changed so much in 20 years?

I am at a loss for answers.

Technorati Tags: crime, punishment, childhood

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read the paper this morning. A WWII veteran died of cancer on Remembrance day. To add to the pain his family is feeling, they discovered his house was robbed the same day. I am disappointed, disgusted and in shock. I can’t believe this happened in Newfoundland in 2006.

Had this happened when my dad died I would have been devastated. Actually, when I think about it, I would have been steaming mad and ready to hunt down the culprits.

Something needs to change in our world. We have forgotten what being Canadian represented. We have forgotten the main tenets of our civilization – thou shall not steal… thou shall not kill… In our attempts to appease everyone and pander to the culture of the victim, we are penalizing the actual victims of violence and crime and have begun dismantling our society one brick at a time.

Technorati Tags: Remembrance Day, death, Newfoundland, veteran, theft

CBC purports to be Canada’s news network. I get a lot of my news on-line and through newspapers. When I do watch the news I tend to stick to local news programs. Tonight I caught a pre-news ad for Rex Murphy‘s rant.

I quite enjoy both reading and hearing Rex Murphy’s Point of View. Tonight was no exception. His topic was the disgraceful display in the Canadian House of Commons where members of parliament boo’d Don Cherry. Grapes was acknowledged by the Speaker of the house as a distinguished visitor and jeered by members of the Block Quebecios and some Quebec Liberals.

Love him or hate him, there’s no denying that Grapes has an undying love for his country. He’s politically incorrect, grumpy, and occasionally says things that make me do a double take and scream “what?” at my TV. He’s he’s also patriotic, charitable, kind hearted, open, honest, straight forward, friendly, a long time supporter of the Canadian Forces, and someone who is not afraid to say that they love Canada (and why).

We often joke that our politicians behave no better than a bunch of elementary school bullies in the playground. Yesterday our members of parliament displayed once again how they’ve earned this reputation.

Full text of Rex’s reaction to yesterday’s events in Commons will be available here once posted.

Technorati Tags: Rex Murphy, Don Cherry, Grapes, CBC, cbc.ca

Sheesh! I stop posting for a few weeks and I return to find 50+ comments in my comment moderation list that can only be considered spam. I was just thinking that maybe I didn’t need moderation after all and then this mess appears. Guess I won’t be removing the moderation option any time soon.

I had a teacher in high school who used to say you couldn’t go home again. When I returned home after a few years away at university, I thought I knew what he meant. The open fields I used to play in had been developed. Bright new big box stores were popping up everywhere. The shipyard was closing. Things weren’t as I remembered.

As I’ve aged, I’ve learned that perhaps it’s not that you can’t go home again, but that maybe you shouldn’t. Perhaps there was a good reason why you left in the first place. You may forget it for a time and bask in homesickness, but once you’ve landed back in the thick of things, it’s hard to remember why you ever wanted to return.

I miss my home in Edmonton. I loved Fredericton. When I really think about it, Saint John isn’t a place I remember fondly. Sure, I love some of the people here, but there’s not much about this city that has really endeared itself to me. After stomping around Bangalore, Manila, Memphis, Jacksonville, Tucson and Baltimore I’m itching to get out of fogville. I think I might actually prefer Winnipeg to Saint John.

Oh my, it must be really bad if I’m putting it down in writing that my redneck self would rather be in Winnipeg!

Mayhaps it’s the general blah I feel knowing that I come from a town where the potholes are plentiful, the air stinks, and entire buildings disappear in the near daily mists. The smell of the sea can’t wash away the stench of the mud flats or pulp mill. The plentiful lobster and atlantic salmon doesn’t make up for the missing Alberta beef. The Moosehead brewery and Keith’s Amber (Red) beer are poor substitutes for a trip to the Flying Saucer in Memphis. Nothing makes the t-shirt I saw a young father wearing out a dinner with his pre-school daughter today acceptable to me…

I am homesick, but not for the city I grew up in. I miss the city I’m claiming as my own.

Technorati Tags: homesick, small towns, Saint John, Edmonton