Audax- Suggestions for your homework.

Friday, October 10, 2008

August 9, 2008- Freddy Villanueva, 18, was shot dead by police during a late-night confrontation with police in a Montreal North parking lot. The death of Villanueva sparked a riot in the borough.
Dany Villanueva, 22, Freddy Villanueva’s brother, already had a serious criminal record. On the night of the killing, he was playing dice for money knowing that this is illegal. Freddy Villanueva was with him and he began to shout when the police followed the procedure required to immobilize Dany Villanueva.
On his blog, Richard Dupuis challenges the readers with the idea that Dany Villanueva is responsible for the death of his brother, Freddy. Read his blog for more details. (http://richard3.wordpress.com/2008/08/12/mort-de-freddy-villanueva-son-frere-dany-est-il-responsable/).

“Villanueva, burn in hell!”
While on a bus, I saw this image. The person who wrote down these words might know something no one else knows about this case as there is no place for forgiveness in his/her heart.
What made this person feel like this?
It is, obviously, fierce hatred against the riots following the death, hatred against the mentality that leads individuals to such behavior. It is hatred against what some call their constitutional right to question and condemn every single step made by the police.
It is hatred against gang life, gang members and insecurity that dominate Montreal-Nord. It is hatred against the habitual practice of victimizing the criminals and criminalizing the victims.
What happens if every single time a teen, especially non-white, is killed by the police? Should the community start rioting, looting and destroying private and public property?

People have always been superstitious about mentioning the name of a dead person. It was the fear that the dead might come back. Such a belief is traceable all over the world. By wishing for a soul to "rest in peace," people hoped that the spirit would stay “peacefully” within the dead body.
Today, "May his soul rest in peace" is used more as a sign of respect for the dead person rather than the maintenance of a superstition. Even so, cursing the dead remains a strong taboo in our contemporary world.
The fear of speaking ill about the dead can be traced back to Roman times. The Romans strongly believed that doing so the dead were to return as ghosts and haunt the living.
Reading “Villanueva, burn in hell!” was unexpected. I believe that the person who wrote this must find his/her own peace and let it go.
After all, hell might be already here.

July 3, 2007

Who is the new French president? Not a Frenchman, says Le Pen, expressing his total lack of confidence in the newly elected president. More than half of the French trust him to save the values of the country, say others. Labeled like no other modern European politician, Sarkozy gave hope to all those who believe that the national values are in danger, that the national identity is being swallowed by the refusal of the numerous ethnic communities to be integrated in the mainstream society.
Today, when the “ cultural globalization” crusade is PC and mandatory, while any phrase using the word “national” creates tsunamis of anger, Sarkozy made French think of their identity without embarrassment or culpability, and he opened the path for their voices to be heard and listened. He is the one who gave them hope that the Gallic rooster will continue its march in history in its traditional shape and colour. French or non-French, Nicolas Sarkozy was elected with 53.5% of votes ahead of Segolene Royal with 46.5%. That the Royal supporters were calling for re-elections is not something much of surprise, democratic values not being exactly what the socialist-communist ideologies are famous for.

Not a surprise indeed if you pay attention to her crowds of supporters. The great majority comes from certain parts of the globe, thus they can be easily spotted in the mob, parts of the globe where democratic values have no meaning, presidents being changed like socks or shoes, overnight, by a murder or coup d’etat. A president elected by the nation, through free voting, has no meaning for their mindset. Thus, translated to the French land, carriers of their traditions and values, these supporters keep thinking that their simple presence could change what a European nation has built for hundreds of years: a society based on democratic values. They believe that, if they do not agree with the elected president, they can riot in the streets and oust him in order to enthrone whoever they want. Well, unfortunately for them, they have chosen a wrong country to do so. Citizens or not, legal immigrants or not, Royal’s supporters exhibit a gregarious mentality, so much present and contagiously spread throughout Europe in the last decades. Why so much ado? Why the fear of rioting and violence since France is (still) a European, democratic country, where elections are not subject to frauds? Let’s take a closer look at the demographic profile of today’s French voter: there are more than 5 million Muslims who beyond doubt overwhelmingly voted for Royal. Take a look at the democratic values in the Muslim countries. Take a look at their “elections”. Besides Muslims there are south Asians, Chinese etc. ; take a closer look at their countries, at their elections, at their political assassinations. “Candidate for brutality” Royal says, apparently with her eyes closed at the French banlieues residents’ comments, since she got strong support there. Determined to crack down on crime, Sarkozy is not welcomed by those who grew up in families on social welfare, drug transactions, they themselves living gang lives on hard working people’s money. Sarkozy talks about children not respecting their parents and teachers. It is not only a problem specific to the French society, but the entire industrialized world feels the results of the “children’s freedom”. Children should run the world, say some. But children are already running the schools, the cases where teachers are threatened by violent pupils and overcrowded classrooms not being breaking news anymore. Sarkozy wants to change not only one minor thing, but many major ones. If you want to change you must be prepared not to be liked. And you must be prepared for labels and hatred coming from those you are pointing your finger at. Sluggish, violent youths, wandering the French suburbs, selling drugs, with earsplitting tunes emitted by the speakers of their cars, wearing ill-fitting trousers, gigantic chains and gilded plates around their necks? The image is familiar. They are those who started the violent riots in 2006. They feel “excluded”. Well, is it so? They are among those who are hot and bothered by the new president. Sarkozy can not be liked by such groups since Sarkozy doesn’t respect them and he had the courage to imply it, openly. They are what the communist societies called “parasites”. Quite accurate, isn’t it? What is the contribution these rioters brought to the French society? Do they pay taxes? Do they have a job or”¦ profession? “Job? Profession?” blasphemy! would scream the street. What is that sh–t? Instead of playing the slogan of “poor victimized youths” Sarkozy called them what they are, pointing out the reality: a bunch of people who are not interested in working, since working is considered degrading among their gangs. You work if you are stupid, they say. You don’t work and you make money if you are smart, they say. “Smart”? You can figure it out what the meaning of “making money” is for a “smart” one. Sarkozy’s victory has been marked by violent protests in Paris and other French cities. Police said that on the first Tuesday after the final result 20 people were still being held after a second night of violence in the capital. Police used tear gas to disperse around 400 protesters in the western town of Nantes late on Monday, while several hundred protesters gathered in other towns. Police made almost 600 arrests on Sunday. Protesters?! Protesting against WHAT?! Protesters protesting against the democratic results of democratic elections. Is this Europe? Is this a European mindset? The other discontented with the presidential result are the trade unionists, anxious that Sarkozy might take decisions without consulting them, thus, some began to wag their tails. Union workers have impressive amounts of immigrant members, and are, by definition, leftists. If union membership is almost forcibly for each worker in a factory, the demonstrations can also be seen as actions where presence in not compulsory, but required. This reminds us of the communist parades and peace rallies where each factory and institution had to be present, carrying and shouting slogans mastered by the “writers of the regime”. The French unions suggest social unrest if the Sarkozy policy is going to step on their toes.” Racist, nationalist, violent”- what else can be added on the list of labels Sarkozy was crowned with? He won, whether some like it or not. He won as a result of a democratic vote. Vox populi has spoken. In a lax society, where the PC ideologies and the “care” for the “cultural minorities” have given the majority the sentiment of being drastically neglected and discriminated, the voice of common sense has spoken. Half of the French are determined to put an order in a society mined by a crass lack of authority. Policemen are afraid to patrol in certain suburbs; youth attack policemen without penalty. Everything, in the name of “tolerance”. Everything in the name of “multiculturalism”. It has come the time to show an iron hand and the message is clear. Sarkozy might soften his image, but, if he softens his pre-electoral opinions and promises, the same vox populi who wanted him will give him the red card. And, no matter how good you are, once you got it, you must leave the playing field.