A fiercely independent media source, Sasquatch will be suspending its publication due to financial strains and a generally challenging market. Editor Shayna Stock summed it up best when she wrote,

“This has been a difficult process for everyone involved, particularly because the need for independent media in this province is still so acute, and The Sasquatch, though barely out of its infancy, was already punching far above its weight. The more unbalanced and divided our world becomes, the stronger the need for democratic, public-interest journalism that holds power to account and presents practical alternatives to the status quo. It is painful, then, to close down a new publication that directly addresses that need.”

Well said, Shayna, well said. To all those involved with the publishing of The Sasquatch, thanks for being part of an important dialogue. We will miss you!

What made this particular refugee claim newsworthy? Thousands of refugee claims are processed in Canada every year that are the result of violent racial discrimination and oppression. Why was Huntley’s case singled out as newsworthy… was it because he is caucasian? Is it SO rare that a white person from another country applies for refugee status as to make it newsworthy? Is it really that rare; are white people universally privileged and immune from racial oppression? Oh, but wait… this story gets better!

Huntley’s refugee claim is now under review after last week’s media coverage. Why, you ask? No, it’s not because his claim of being violently attacked is being investigated; and no, it’s not because the voracity of his claim is being challenged. In response to the media coverage of Huntley’s case, the South African government released a statement saying that “white South Africans live in peace”. So, the Canadian government, apparently taking this statement at face value, has put his claim in review. Why would he need refugee status if his government says that you all live in perfect harmony?

The legitimacy of Huntley’s claim aside, I find the statement made by the S.A. government to be just a tiny bit ludicrous. Is there a population in ANY country where an entire demographic of people live in total peace with one another? Moreover, why hasn’t the mainstream media picked up on the larger story? If the government is seriously saying that the white population of South Africa lives in peace, are they not indicating that white people are immune to the corruption and turmoil that has existed in South Africa for so long?

It seems to me that this is a topic that should be questioned endlessly – else we conclude that the most overt example of white-skin privilege can be found in South African, and be endorsed by our own government as it tosses out a refugee claim because Huntley is white – and therefore “lives in peace”.

Any thoughts?

To me, voting is exciting because it’s an opportunity to participate in our democratic process. Yawn, right? Wrong.

The Douglas Park By-election is shaping up to be a hot race, and ReginaStreets is on the trail. September 21, 2009 is voting day, and we’ll be following with a watchful eye on the candidates. Stay tuned

I’m not a big fan of Fox News at the best of times, but this one goes way over the top.  A retired Lieutenant Colonel went on nationwide television and suggested that the Taliban should kill a missing U.S. soldier.

Predictably, the Pentagon and several politicans have jumped up to harshly criticize Ralph Peters.  Democratic Congressman Eric Massa (New York) even went so far as to ask Fox News to fire both Ralph Peters and Bill O’Reilly.  Massa,  a former Navy Commander, said, “Words cannot express how furious I am at Fox News, Lt. Col Ralph Peters and Bill O’Reilly for suggesting that we should leave a prisoner of war behind and allow him to be executed by the Taliban to save us the trouble of trying to intervene.”

 For instance, let’s say that you’re sitting at your computer when you hear a knock at your door. You get up, open the door and see a politician running in a local election. Now let’s say you’re sitting at your computer and you see that the same politician is following your twitter account, or has added you as a friend on Facebook; or maybe they made a comment on your blog. To which are you more receptive?

 Consider how great the influence of social media on the global political scale. There are several countries around the world that have placed grave restrictions on freedom of speech, the freedom of dissent, and on independent media and engaged citizens. Places that are currently in a state of social upheaval, but where people face restrictions in speaking out, are using social media as a way to get their voices heard. This is happening in China, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Palestine, Russia … even in Mongolia to a certain extent.

 In locations where government seeks to commit repugnant acts against its residents without impunity, social media is facilitating the circumvention of restrictions, once again giving rise to the voice of the populace – whose views are neither valued not wanted by oppressive regimes that seek to silence them.

 However, is this access to the world (through the internet) changing the ways in which governments act and create policy? To be continued…