Life Coaching, Observations, Reflections, Things that make you go hmmmmm
One of the community friendlies stopped to speak with me in a coffee spot. We know each other to smile and nod. The personable “I know you as part of my community” stuff that personable people do.
It was related to me that this individual had their bicycle stolen. Three locks cut right off the bike rack of their car which was in their condo parking spot and stolen.
I was being asked to do something if I saw the bike. I noted that risking a confrontation could lead to violence and it isn’t worth it over a bike.
We talked about policing in Toronto. Naturally enough, this person wasn’t pleased and to a degree, understandable. This person went further with their distaste for the police. I was rebutting with what Toronto’s finest must cope with in violent crime among other things.
The individual went on to tell me they were going to a 50th anniversary party that night.
The party was for an individual who was marking 50 years as a draft dodger.
There were a goodly number of low frequency words used by me to illustrate my disgust. None of the words I used were curses.
The individual brought up the politics and I cut that short with the politics of the Viet Nam war are a different argument and I don’t disagree with the futility geo and political of that police action that became a war.
Dodging the draft is an absolute hot button for me. You are a coward.
There is no argument “for” the dodging the draft and I told the individual so. I explained my reasoning, directly.
There is a level of service in my family. The small piece I have is just a scratch compared to others in my family and the good people who serve and have stood in service to our countries. Yes countries, I have American family who have served.
Along with being draft dodgers, they’re illegals. I have zero tolerance for both. Draft dodgers are also illegal aliens, period end of story. Neither will ever be welcomed by me in my Canada. I’m far from the minority on this one.
It is my position that all illegals should be returned to their country of origin so naturally that includes draft dodgers.
There is a status of “Conscientious Objector”. The “CO” was used by Cassius Clay and you probably know him better as Muhammad Ali. You can if you care to, research what it cost Ali to take the position he did.
My Time as a Vietnam War-era Conscientious Objector
A Conscientious Objector in a War Zone
Muhammad Ali: the world’s ‘greatest’ conscientious objector
The point is that these individuals didn’t turn their backs to their country and run!
I also said to the individual I was speaking with that the person celebrating his 50th anniversary of the dodge is a coward. There were avenues and I fucking grant you that Leavenworth isn’t exactly palatable but…
G.R. Hambley ©
July 09, 2018
I wake this morning and I am now in my 60th year on this little blue planet 3rd from the sun. Doesn’t feel much different than yesteryear but it is!
It’s so cold in this country the Calgary Zoo took the Penguins inside. Yet, I go out and forage coffee. Priorities my good reader, priorities. Writing can not be done without coffee. No it can’t, hush yourself!
Last year and in previous years, I would write in two things at the same time, narrative and poetry. This behaviour has continued in to this year I’m pleased to say.
Sneak peek of the poetry… it aint close to there yet!
Should’ve taken the umbrella because it looks like pain
I can see and it looks like you’re headed for hell
I see it’s not a place where you’re going to fare well
You can trust me because everyone knows I’m insane
It’s good to be me!
Here in Ontario, I’m expecting it to be frigid until June 7th. Gonna get real warm that day, and if you’re of the liberally minded RITE, I don’t see you liking it one damn bit.
I took a cab late last year and the driver was real sociable. For all you immigrants, just because I’m Canadian it doesn’t mean I like frickin’ winter! I like winter in the country where it’s pretty. I like winter in California where you go visit the snow! Been there, done that, short pants 70-degree weather.
Winter in the city is mostly ugly. The snow don’t stay as it was purely driven very long.
This narrative interlude is complete. Poetry is staring me in the face. Word!
G.R. Hambley 01/01/2018 ©
This like most of what I write has poignancy. This is for a lion named Cecil killed by a man in Minnesota named Walter Palmer with a major disconnect. I have a lot to say after the poetry on photograph.
Awakening gently from a late summer’s after picnic nap
Consciousness comes creeping, deliberately, deliciously, alive
Limbs sun warmed, face burnished bronze, sleep rubbed away
Overhead a world unto itself drifts, white with powder blue
Under meringue peaks, lake glimmers, sparkles, winks knowingly
Day to tuck safely away in mind for a chill fireplace night
Shapes form, they come to this, they go to that, dance for my delight
There was that, now there’s this, something new wafting in to view
Roses on rhinos, sombreros on seahorses, bells adorn beasties
Angels with whip cream smiles, halos hung on unicorn horns
Time has come to pick me up, say goodbye to this super natural sight
Azure waters whisper of one more, turn and see, a lonely lioness laments
G.R. Hambley ©
August 28, 2015
I’m thinking about you Cecil. I’m sure there are others that are thinking about you too. Those others and me, we are all wondering. We wonder how what was done to you Cecil at the pleasure of Walter Palmer can be prevented from happening to any creature for pleasure.
I’m thinking and wondering about what kind of disconnect someone has to have to not only kill you Cecil, but to kill for pleasure. Then there are the ones who’ll take the money so those with that killing disconnect can indulge their pleasure.
It is difficult for me to decide if this piece belongs on transitionu or SPASM. There isn’t anything to speak of in the smartass category but there is much in the way of personal opinion and anger. I admit to bringing my personal opinions to both Blogs but they are faceted differently.
I care to look at this disgrace with my whole self. My whole self has both Blogs. My whole self sees and reacts in different ways.
We know this instance is high profile because Cecil Lion was lured out from a preserve. We know of this pleasure killing because of the prominence of Cecil Lion. We know this killing was flat out just wrong!
You read some of Minnesota Dentist Walter Palmer’s rhetoric. I believe it is only spouted to cover his dumb ass. Consider what he says with the actuality. It doesn’t take much consideration to come to the conclusion that this individual went to Zimbabwe for the sole purpose of pleasure killing.
He calls himself a Sportsman, a Big Game Hunter. Where the hell was the sport Walter? Tell me Walter, how did the game you got that you needed for your table taste? It’s this way Palmer, all of us who deplore what you did want the answers to those questions. We know the truth. Had you told the truth there would at least be respect for telling the truth.
Yes Walter the world knows you made apology. I and others very much doubt that the apology you made was contrived and nothing more than an attempt to cover your ass. The only way to have covered your dumb ass was by not killing. You’ve proven you’re too stupid to have not shown off your kill.
Tell me Walter did you know Lions are a threatened species? If you knew then you obviously didn’t give a damn or you wouldn’t of gone to kill one for your pleasure.
So you know Wally, this one isn’t going away and if you care to you’ll be able to see for yourself in the link to what Grace Mugabe said.
Walter Palmer, what I say here you might want to take to your sick heart, for you, there is no redemption.
I went looking and reading as I was doing this piece. Bounced what I found off a good friend in South Africa. My friend made a one word comment after reading what I sent on Grace Mugabe and that word was, “crazy”. That same friend went back to my photograph with poetry and said, “she’s missing him too”.
Don’t blame Cecil the lion’s killer, says Zimbabwe’s First Lady Grace Mugabe
For you Grace Mugabe it’s this way. Were pleasure killers like Walter Palmer not looking to kill for their self gratification then there wouldn’t be greedy sleazy pimps taking the money to lead those pleasure seekers to a kill. No surprise you want to keep that foreign money rolling in.
There is no race issue here. The killing of Cecil in Zimbabwe is not a whole lot different than trafficking children for sex. The commonality is sick people with a major disconnect willing to pay large money to satisfy their pleasures.
The poetry for “Once Upon A Sky” is written the way it is with the specific intent of setting up the stick it in, twist it and then break it off. Making a killer statement, I can get behind, beside and in front of that kind of killing. The needless, senseless and unnecessary taking of life I simply cannot fathom or condone.
There are a great number of good people missing you Cecil and lamenting your loss just like the lioness in the sky is missing you and lamenting your passing. There are those who will not let this one just fade away. There are those who will speak out against the killing and do what they can to make it so that killing for pleasure stops. I am one of those people.
Oh and Cecil just so you know, the killing of you made us that wonder more aware of the ones we don’t know about and more determined to have it stop!
G.R. Hambley – August 30, 2015
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