July 2011

Let people regulate themselves

INDEPENDENT MEDIA by Steve Anderson

In early February, OpenMedia.ca received word the CRTC was planning a set of invitation-only meetings on March 23 and 24 in Ottawa. Entitled “Shaping Regulatory Approaches for the Future,” the forum was meant to bring together the “stakeholders” of Canadian telecommunications for “meaningful discussions” on modern regulatory approaches to the telecom industry in Canada and abroad. In other words, the meeting was set to be a consultation on the future of the Internet in Canada.

OpenMedia criticized the invitation-only, closed structure of the forum and pressured the CRTC to invite the real “stakeholders” in the future of the Internet – Canadian citizens. The CBC picked up on this message and put the issue to the CRTC. In response, on March 14, the CRTC expressed its desire to “open up” the forum and invited me to attend.

The CRTC refused to video or audio stream the meeting and imposed the “Chatham House Rule,” which prevents attendees from attributing comments. The forum’s organizers argued these rules would better allow invitees to “speak freely” and discuss issues openly. This, in itself, is telling about the kind of “stakeholders” invited to attend. If the CRTC felt that invitees would pontificate and perform in favour of their special interests, perhaps the commission should question their motives in influencing Canada’s digital regulatory future in the first place.

At the meeting, innovators were certainly underrepresented considering the topic at hand. The discussion would have benefited from better representation from services like Hootsuite and online media projects like OpenFile or The Tyee. It’s interesting this sector was probably the least represented at the forum, yet this seems to be where the most innovation, entrepreneurialism and economic development are happening.

Roughly six people represented the public, depending on how you define public interest. This isn’t a bad ratio on the face of it, but I personally think organizations that represent the public should be the best-represented category, given we’re talking about regulations that should be made in the interest of the public.

At one point during the forum, I spoke to a telecom rep who said they had previously worked for the CRTC. This is probably not unique and is evidence of the revolving door between industry and the commission. What was interesting is that after I tweeted this fact and it caused a stir, people seemed so shocked I would indelicately point this out to the public. Really, this is the kind of stuff that needs to be publicized! We can’t fix the CRTC’s structural problems without finding the cause of those problems.

The CRTC’s insulation is a problem and one way of countering this is to make its meetings more transparent and its processes more open and accessible.

On July 11, the CRTC is holding a public hearing on Internet Metering – an issue that nearly half a million Canadians have spoke out against by signing StopTheMeter.ca petition. This hearing is a unique opportunity for the CRTC to join the 21st century by fully engaging citizens in the process.

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Steve Anderson is the national coordinator for the Campaign for Democratic Media. He has written for The Tyee, Toronto Star, Epoch Times and Adbusters.
steve@democraticmedia.ca
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Fibre for good gut health

NUTRISPEAK by Vesanto Melina

To keep your intestine healthy and to avoid bowel cancer, the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) have provided the following recommendations. These are two organizations that keep a close eye on the scientific research.

Eat mostly (or all) plant foods: As it passes through our intestines, fibre acts as a roto-rooter, carrying out waste and toxic substances. Fibre is absent from meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy; it is found only in plant foods. The WCRF recommends basing all of our meals on plant foods, the less refined the better. To start, rank these breakfast options in terms of good health: a) A muffin and orange juice. b) A bowl of porridge or whole grain cereal with fresh or dried fruit. c) Fried eggs, bacon and sausages.

Choices a) and b) are plant-based, but option b) offers more health protection because the grains and fruit are less processed and provide more fibre. The diverse mix of fibre from assorted plant foods – fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, vegetables – is far superior to a fibre supplement and protects us in a wide variety of ways.

Vegetables and fruits reduce the risk of other cancers including cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus, stomach and lung. Every day, our bodies could potentially develop cancer. The wealth of protective phytochemicals – found only in plant foods –and antioxidants can vanquish free radicals and keep dangerous substances in check. And the abundance of vitamins and minerals in plant foods strengthens our immune system.

Avoid red meat and processed meat: The WCRF and AICR have confirmed the findings from 1,016 studies focusing on meat. The studies found that red meat (beef, lamb, pork, goat) and processed meat (bacon, ham, corned beef, ham, pastrami, salami, hot dogs, and sausages preserved by smoking, curing or salting or added preservatives) increase the risk of bowel cancer.

Take part in regular physical activity: Being active for at least 30 minutes every day reduces your risk of bowel, breast and endometrial cancer. Aerobic activity is great and outdoor sports have the added benefit of increasing your vitamin D levels. Find something you enjoy so you’ll do it often. Link up with a walking buddy, throw a Frisbee with the grandkids or dance in the living room to your favourite music. Many people credit their dog with inspiring them to keep fit.

Keep your weight within the optimal range: Excess body fat, especially around the waist, remains a convincing cause of bowel cancer.

Avoid alcohol: Alcohol enables DNA damage. Each drink increases your risk of bowel cancer and of breast cancer.

The WCRF hopes to raise people’s awareness that bowel cancer is largely preventable and that, through lifestyle choices, people can reduce their chances of developing it and other forms of cancer.

—

Vesanto Melina is a dietitian and co-author of nutrition classics Becoming Vegetarian, Becoming Vegan, Becoming Raw, Raising Vegetarian Children, the Food Allergy Survival Guide and the Raw Food Revolution Diet. For personal consultations, phone 604-882-6782 or visit www.nutrispeak.com

Good for you, good for the planet
Legumes (beans, peas, lentils, and soyfoods) are outstanding sources of protein and the amino acid lysine. They contain fibre, which meat does not, and in many cases, they provide calcium as well. From an environmental standpoint, they are far preferable to animal flesh. Animals must consume six times the protein from soy, other beans and grain, compared with the amount of meat protein we get when we eat them. In otherwords, there is a net yield of 16 percent of the protein harvested if we eat meat.

Feed the soil, feed your soul

ON THE GARDEN PATH by Carolyn Herriot

Real food has disease-fighting properties

All animals get their food from plants, either directly or indirectly and all plants get their food from the soil. When we consider that the same chemical elements in the soil make up our bodies, we can understand how mineral-deficient soil is one of the greatest sources of human disease in the world. The root of many of the health problems facing society today – obesity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc. – is the state of the world’s degraded agricultural soils. This has led to compromised immune systems, which open the door to disease.

The answer to the current health crisis does not lie in mass produced food, which is dependent 

on chemicals that undermine soil health. Nor is the answer hydroponic greenhouse production where food isn’t grown in soil at all. Real food grows organically, in topsoil that contains essential minerals. And it ripens under the sun, which enables plants to manufacture essential phytonutrients, shown to fight disease in the body.

 

“Society stands on the precipice of forever being bound to transgenic agriculture and transgenic food. Coexistence between transgenic seed and organic seed is impossible because transgenic seed contaminates and eventually overcomes organic seed. History has already shown this, as soon after transgenic seed for canola was introduced, organic canola became virtually extinct as a result of transgenic seed contamination. Organic corn, soybean, cotton, sugar beet and alfalfa now face the same fate, as transgenic seed has been released for each of those crops, too. And transgenic seed is being developed for many other crops, thus putting the future of all food, and indeed all agriculture, at stake.” (Organic Seed Growers v. Monsanto, filed in federal court June 1, 2011. See www.organicconsumers.org)

The most efficient and affordable way to produce real food is to grow a food garden, but there’s not much point in having such a garden if you don’t know what to do with all the fresh fruits and vegetables. Because many people today don’t know how to cook, they are forced to eat in restaurants or buy processed convenience foods of questionable nutritional value.

To address these issues, this year I’m ‘cooking’ a book, full of delicious ideas for consuming fresh food in season from the garden: The Zero-Mile Diet Cookbook is a book that connects the dots between what we eat and our level of well-being. Using simple preparation techniques, I will share inspiring ways of enjoying the bounty of the garden harvest throughout the seasons. Cooking does not have to be complicated or labour intensive. Once you master the A to Z of culinary techniques and ingredients, you can become a cook who whips up fantastic nutritious meals in no time at all. Real food fast!

Feed the soil, feed your soul and bypass Monsanto’s agenda of feeding us transgenic food, grown in depleted soils blitzed with chemical fertilizers and pesticides to make this ‘food’ grow. To me the choice is obvious and it really can be this simple.

—

Carolyn Herriot is author of A Year on the Garden Path, a 52-Week Organic Gardening Guide and The Zero Mile Diet: A Year-round Guide to Growing Organic Food (Harbour Publishing). She grows ‘Seeds of Victory’ at the Garden Path Centre in Victoria, BC. www.earthfuture.com/gardenpath/ The Garden Path Centre is open to visitors every Friday, 10AM-6PM until September 25, 2011.

What, me worry?

UNIVERSE WITHIN by Gwen Randall-Young

Worry is a complete cycle of inefficient thought revolving about a pivot of fear.

~Author Unknown

Are you a worrier? Most people worry sometimes, but some worry most of the time. We could learn a lot from our pets. They really know how to live in the moment. They only worry when there is an imminent threat, not an imagined one.

Humans, on the other hand, often worry about what might happen as opposed to something that is actually happening. Worry is fear based, often arising when the ego realizes it cannot control the future. Because it does not feel in control, it begins to imagine all the things that could possibly go wrong.

When the mind goes into fear mode, it starts with a little worry that leads to bigger worries until the worrier feels completely overwhelmed. I say, “when the mind goes into fear mode” because it tends to just happen; rarely do we make a conscious decision to not worry ourselves silly. Worriers tend to believe they can’t help it.

Some think if they don’t worry, they won’t be proactive and prepared for the worst. However, in most cases the worry just goes around and around, gaining steam. If we have a concern and so do some productive thinking, that is different from worrying. Once we handle a concern, we can let it go and move on. Worriers never seem to move on, other than moving from one worry to another. Worry makes us feel vulnerable, unsure and disempowered. Problem solving leaves us feeling competent and empowered.

Worry robs us of the joy of life and keeps us from being in the present moment. It can lead to anxiety, depression, sleep difficulties and even substance abuse. So if one has the worry habit, how can that be changed?

It comes down to a couple of things. One is our worldview. If we see the world as an unsafe place where bad things happen, we will always need to be on guard. If, instead, we see that life is filled with joy and sorrow, ups and downs, certainties and uncertainties, and that the journey is about rising to the challenges and continuing to move forward, we are better able to relax and take things as they come. We also must develop the ability to control our thoughts. It may be difficult, but not impossible.

Imagine the mind is like a television with many different channels. When you are watching TV, you may decide to change the channel if a violent movie is playing. Similarly, if the mind is playing a ‘worry channel,’ you can develop the ability to change the channel to one that is more positive.

The first step in learning to do this is to practise “thought stopping.” When you find yourself worrying, you need to stop those thoughts. If that seems difficult or the thought is persistent, do something else: phone a friend, play a computer game, read a book, put on your iPod or go for a run. The main thing is to begin, however slowly, to take charge of your thoughts.

Life will present challenges. When it does, decide if there is any action you can take. If there is, then do it. If your worries are of the ‘what if?’ variety, you need to practise thought stopping, commit to a more positive perspective and find more productive outlets for your creative imagination.

—

Gwen Randall-Young is an author and psychotherapist in private practice. For more of Gwen’s articles and information about her books, Self Care CDs and the new Creating Healthy Relationships series, visitwww.gwen.ca. See display ad this issue.

Planet Hollywood review

FILMS WORTH WATCHING by Robert Alstead

From Life in a Day: A mother in the Marsabit region of Kenya speaks of the love for her children. Courtesy of Mongrel Media.

Earth and its inhabitants are in trouble. Oceans are acidifying and sea levels rising at the fastest rate in 2,000 years. Biodiversity is in freefall, ecosystems are stressed to breaking point and like a deer caught in the headlights, humankind is watching this tragedy of its own making unfold, paralyzed by indecision and greed.

But forget reality; the aliens are coming. Again. And in that ever so familiar Hollywood narrative, we will be blasting our way to victory – well, at least Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig and a few square-jawed heroes will. I confess I haven’t yet seen Cowboys & Aliens (out at the end of the month), but it’s a pretty crazy proposition having an alien invasion taking place in the Wild West of 1873. “The coolest version of the Western, meeting some bad ass aliens,” is how producer Ron Howard describes the reportedly $100million movie.

I’m sure there will be wall-to-wall special effects and the good guys – the humanoids – will win. It’s probably the usual unadulterated escapism, of course, tapping that sense of unease about the state of the planet, without tweaking our conscience. And what better way to do that than to kick some interplanetary scumbags from here into some other solar system so we can leave the cinema feeling we’ve put the Earth to rights. Maybe Cowboys & Aliens will prove me wrong, but Hollywood has a way of breeding low expectations.

Another Earth (out July 22) takes a more sensitive approach to our planet. As much a slowly unfolding and artfully framed human drama as sci-fi, the film features two Earths: the one we know and live on and another Earth that looms ominously overhead in the sky for much of the film. Earth number two is apparently a duplicate, inhabited by our other selves. Much of the film is concerned with how two damaged individuals begin to recover from a horrific car incident: one a drunk driver, burdened by guilt and regret, the other a victim, consumed with grief. The fatal incident occurs on the eve of the discovery of the new Earth, but you must wait to discover the significance of this planetary doppelgänger.

Really, one Earth should be quite enough. Especially if you’re trying to film it all at the same time, which is exactly what Oscar-winning director Kevin Macdonald decided to do with his ambitious Life in a Day (out July 29). With the help of tens of thousands of YouTubers, he and his team compressed 4,500 hours of footage from 192 countries down to a single feature documentary. Pieced together like a collage, the film unfolds in chronological order, moving from midnight onwards. It captures all aspects of the human experience around the world as it happened on July 24, 2010. The film has had warm reviews – one critic likened it to “an extended pop video” – although perhaps due to its sweeping coverage, reviewers have found it difficult to invest emotionally in the subject matter.

In Liz Garbus’ new documentary, the late US chess champion Bobby Fischer is the alien. Bobby Fischer Against the World (out July 22) has been lauded for capturing the high drama of the Cold War “Match of the Century” between Fischer and Russian chess champ Boris Spassky, as well as the subsequent spiral downwards of the ingenious, but mentally disturbed protagonist.

—

Robert Alstead made the Vancouver documentary You Never Bike Alone. www.youneverbikealone.com. He writes at www.2020Vancouver.com.

Small farms – smart energy

SCIENCE MATTERS by David Suzuki
with contributions from Ian Hanington

We often assume the only way to feed the world’s rapidly growing human population is with large-scale industrial agriculture. But recent scientific research is challenging those assumptions. Our global approaches to agriculture are critical. Close to one billion people are malnourished and many more are finding it difficult to feed their families. But is large-scale industrial farming the answer?

Large industrial farms are energy intensive, using massive amounts of fossil fuels for machinery, processing and transportation. Burning fossil fuels contributes to climate change and the increasing price of oil is causing food prices to rise. And industrial farms require more chemical inputs, such as pesticides and fertilizers.

According to a review of scientific literature by Michael Jahi Chappell and Liliana Lavalle, published in the journal Agriculture and Human Values, agricultural development is a major factor in the rapid decline in global biodiversity.

In their study, “Food Security and Biodiversity: Can We Have Both?” the authors note that agriculture, which takes up about 40 percent of the world’s land surface (excluding Antarctica), “represents perhaps the biggest challenge to biodiversity” because of the natural habitat that gets converted or destroyed.

Concerns about industrial agriculture as a solution to world hunger are not new. As author and organic farmer Eliot Coleman points out in an article for Grist.org, in the 19th century when farming was shifting from small-scale to large, some agriculturists argued “the thinking behind industrial agriculture was based upon the mistaken premise that nature is inadequate and needs to be replaced with human systems…”

Volumes of research clearly show that small-scale farming, especially using “organic” methods, is much better in terms of environmental and biodiversity impact. But is it a practical way to feed seven billion people?

Chappell and Lavalle point to research showing “small farms using alternative agricultural techniques may be two to four times more energy efficient than large conventional farms.” They also found studies demonstrating “small farms almost always produce higher output levels per unit area than larger farms.” One of the studies they looked at concluded “alternative methods could produce enough food on a global basis to sustain the current human population and potentially an even larger population, without increasing the agricultural land base.”

This is in part because the global food shortage is a myth. The fact that we live in a world where hunger and obesity are epidemic shows that the problem is more of equity and distribution than shortage. With globalized food markets and large-scale farming, those with the most money get the most food.

It’s a crucial issue that requires more study… but it’s hard to disagree with Chappell and Lavalle’s conclusion: “If it is … possible for alternative agriculture to provide sufficient yields, maintain a higher level of biodiversity, and avoid pressure to expand the agricultural land base, it would indicate that the best solution to both food security and biodiversity problems would be widespread conversion to alternative practices.”

We need to grow food in ways that make feeding people a bigger priority than generating profits for large agribusinesses.

—

Written with contributions from David Suzuki Foundation editorial and communications specialist Ian Hanington. Learn more at www.davidsuzuki.org

 

HEALTHBITES

 

Cosmetics manufacturers: lack of information on “parfum” stinks

A report released by the David Suzuki Foundation found the majority of companies selling cosmetics and personal care products in Canada will not reveal the complete list of chemicals they use to fragrance their products. A loophole in Canada’s Cosmetic Regulations allows manufacturers to list any ingredients they add “to produce or to mask a particular odour” as the generic term “parfum.”

As many as 3,000 chemicals are used in fragrance mixtures, including phthalates, some of which are suspected endocrine disruptors. A single product can include a mixture of dozens or even hundreds of fragrance chemicals. Many of these unlisted ingredients are irritants and can trigger allergies, migraines and asthma symptoms. Synthetic musks are of particular concern; Environment Canada categorizes some of them as toxic.

Many cosmetic companies refuse to disclose their ingredients because of “proprietary rights.” We find this unacceptable. What about the consumer’s right to know what they’re putting on their body? Take a stand against the cosmetics industry. Ask manufacturers to disclose their ingredients today: http://action.davidsuzuki.org/fragrance-petition

We the undersigned consumers call on manufacturers of cosmetics sold in Canada to voluntarily:

  1. Support revisions to Canada’s Cosmetic Regulations to strengthen the labelling provisions for fragrance ingredients.
  2. Lead by example by disclosing complete lists of fragrance ingredients used in their products.
  3. Ensure that products marketed as “unscented” or “fragrance-free” be truly free of fragrance chemicals.

From the David Suzki Foundation, www.davidsuzuki.org

Probiotics support good health

 

In the past decade, probiotics have become increasingly popular in Canada, but many consumers still don’t fully understand what probiotics are and what effects they have on the body. The term “probiotics” describes micro-organisms or other agents that support healthy flora in the human gastrointestinal tract. Healthy flora help digest food, maintain the intestinal endothelium, inhibit pathogens or perform other useful functions. There is abundant research on the physiological effects of foods or supplements that contain probiotics, specifically on the use of certain Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains, as well as the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii. Human clinical research on probiotics has mostly focused on gastrointestinal conditions. Some clinical studies have shown an intriguing effect of probiotics on immune function.

The benefits

Diarrhea secondary to pediatric viral infections, antibiotic therapy or foreign travel has been prevented or reduced in severity in numerous controlled trials.

Four out of five double-blind studies reported benefits to sufferers of irritable bowel syndrome. Some success has also been reported in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. Some studies have looked at the effect of probiotics on the immune system and are showing positive reports.

Which foods or supplements contain probiotics?

Probiotics appear to be safe and promising dietary supplements. While several foods, such as yogurt, kefir and sauerkraut contain probiotic organisms, their strains may be quite different and in much lower concentrations compared with the supplements employed in clinical trials. Research has yet to show whether certain strains are superior to others and what the optimal daily intake should be for treatment and prevention of various diseases. The doses used in studies ranged from two billion to several hundred billion colony-forming units per day.

For more information on health and safety, visit the Ontario Chiropractic Association website at sitewww.chiropractic.on.ca or call 877-327-2273.

 

photo © Mikhail Laptev

“Big O” hits the mark

 

I read your “Big O” article in the recent issue of Common Ground [Drug Bust by Alan Cassels, June 2011] and in this case, I agree with you whole-heartedly.

My mother, who is 95 years old and lives in Berlin, Germany, fell and broke her hip in November 2010. She was immediately hospitalized, had surgery and was back in her own apartment, living on her own. She had a nurse coming daily and a physiotherapist three times weekly, within two months. In the meantime, she has fallen several times, but each time manages to get up and get moving again without any outside help. She is not superwoman by any stretch of the imagination, but has lots of determination and persistence.

About 30 years ago she was diagnosed with osteoporosis. I have seen her X-rays and her spine looks like Swiss cheese. During those years, she has fallen fairly often, but her first actual fracture was at age 95 in November 2010.

I’m a firm believer in “seeing is believing”, and in this case, I can affirm that your article hits the nail on the head.

Thanks for providing this important information to us, the elderly.

– Sabine Schouten

Rioters yearn for “clear and deep purpose”?

 

The riots in downtown Vancouver on June 15, 2011 reveal how many people are still without a strong sense of meaningful purpose in their lives (and also honour). When you have a clear and deep purpose, you feel truly alive so spectacles of violence are not needed to bring that feeling of aliveness. It is even more important that we continue to spread inspiration and purpose to those who feel aimless, restless and thirsty for higher truth. It’s easy to feel sad and angry about violent behaviour, but it’s important to realize that everyone has the capacity for greatness when their energy is inspired by a higher purpose. That’s why we must shift our own responses away from shame and disgust into compassion and understanding of the root causes. And there are many causes!

This note is not meant to be a comprehensive analysis – just a reminder for us to reach for compassion. We can stop ourselves from simply calling others “assholes.” We can educate ourselves and our governing institutions about new ways to co-create and share a more beautiful reality. Otherwise, the result is martial law and removal of freedoms, or further apathy from hungering souls. Some of the energy dynamics involved: whenever there is going to be a large crowd of agitated humans (whether it’s a hockey game or a political protest), many people are magnetically drawn to that energy so they can experience the vivid life force that may erupt from such a field. Anger, violence and spectacle feel much more invigorating than boredom, shame and meaninglessness. The violence feels epic and larger than life and many hunger for opportunities to feel this. Many will watch for these chances, even at the cost of their own arrest, physical injury and at the cost of others’ safety and property.

If people were to find their purpose through the help of loving community and mentors who cared to understand their needs, they would not be attracted to these dark pools and instead find the life force through love-based actions. Their inner fire would find expression through creativity and meaning.

– Little Woo

Vancouver riots can teach us about compassion

 

In the days following the June 15th Vancouver riot, I feel I have been witnessing a second riot. A verbal and written riot against the rioters in the form of name-calling, insults, degrading comments, labelling, stereotyping, demonizing and out-casting. This second riot reminds me of George W. Bush’s “War on Terror” in the sense that it is supposedly “against” something and meant to put a stop to it, but is, in fact, creating more of the same energy. What I have found disheartening is that some members of my communities are engaging in this or supporting this to varying degrees, some subtly and indirectly and others obviously and directly. If a willingness to engage in hate and violence exists, even on subtle levels, among teachers and “conscious” communities, how can we expect or even hope for positive change?

If we have decided to lead conscious lives, to take on leadership roles or to stand for values such as non-violent communication, radical inclusion, love, compassion, healing and consciousness, these values must be put into practice at all times with all people, rather than at select times with a chosen few. Perhaps a measure of whether one has truly taken on and committed to these values is by their response to challenging situations and challenging people. I’m not saying that I’m perfect, or that I manage to respond from a place of love as often as I would like to. But in the past year, I’ve become increasingly aware of this issue and have begun to observe myself and practice this. Because my own consciousness in this area has recently expanded, I’ve become more sensitive to how those around me use language, the energy dynamics that are created by it, and whether it’s coming from a place of consciousness and love or from a place of unconsciousness and fear. To move from one to the other is a choice and a practice.

We’re all at different places on our journeys, but we are all divine beings and equal members of the human family. In many ways, the rioters are our teachers, pointing to the flaws that exist in our culture and society. They also point to the darkness that exists within all of us, as well as the need to embrace it and to have safe and healthy ways of expressing, and not denying, the full range of human emotion. If we dug deeper and discovered the life stories and experiences of each and every individual rioter, if we opened our minds and hearts completely, we would find valid reasons for their actions, reasons that would make sense and that we could understand. I believe that everyone does the best they can given what they know at the time, that people who cause pain are in pain, and that when people know better they do better. The amount of love, compassion and forgiveness that we are able to extend to others is a reflection of how willing we are to look at our own faults and love ourselves.

Verbal and written insults are violence too. As Mahatma Ghandi said, “You must be the change you want to see in the world.” If we want a non-violent world, we must practice non-violence, including the words that come out of our mouths and fingertips. I believe that we can express all of our feelings and opinions in non-violent ways and take creative and proactive steps towards healing and repairing the multi-level damage that was done, while respecting the rioters as our fellow human beings at the same time. Many great spiritual teachers and leaders throughout history have done so and were highly effective. In fact, their non-violent, positive and loving approach even toward their “enemies” is what made them powerful, timeless and unforgettable community and world leaders who created positive and lasting change.

– Celina Mikolajczyk