After having listened to the American national anthem I have some thoughts about the Americans and Canada. America needs to leverage the kind loving nature of Christianity and the freedom of that which came before 911. That date is not bigger than America,  nor is it more powerful than those beneath the flag who believe in the principals which constitute it. Intellectualism must beat idiocy. Altruism must defeat greed. If the nation collectively acknowledges the limitations of a post 911 world, they do so at the expense of America. If the theists take God over knowledge of the universe, and of what is right, they do so at the respect of their God. Infinite love and knowledge does not precipitate a need for unquestioned obedience and ignorance. Canada needs to do the same. If Canada is to stay a sovereign nation,  the difference between the two must be entirely Canadian. We must bury the oil sands. We must take that loss and enjoy the consequence as Christ did the Crucifixion.If the markets and the need for more and this ugly status quo dictates how we move forward, we will certainly march to our demise.

The economy, the obligations,  the hopes thereof,  the fears therefrom are akin to an elaborate game of dungeons and dragons. Worth given here is only upon our participation in this game. To sell ourselves and this very real world at the expense of a game where the highest winners are not (and will never be) any of us, is ludicrous. It is only a game. To each of us, this is our one life. And we are living them out on our one planet. We will destroy each other and everything in pursuit of this game. Sadly, there are obligations and hopes within each of us that are impossible to satisfy and impossible to have with a healthy world and a good people.

 – J

(Pints = 3)