My choices are for a man that works tirelessly for others around the world and here in Canada and a woman who brings us humour about daily life into our lives everyday.
Stephen Lewis is talking with George at the Newsstand... Stephen is on The Hour each season and I would not mind if he was on each week.
A gift I would wish for Stephen Lewis would be many many donations to the Stephen Lewis Foundation . I would also like him to be heard by Canada's politicians about the poverty issues in Canada and worldwide.
Lynn Johnston interviewing George half way through.... I love this interview.
Lynn Johnston is in remission from spasmodic torticollis... my Christmas wish for her is that it stays in remission or they find a cure or treatment that works.
I wish all the guests and everyone Happy Christmas, Merry Holidays and continued good health and success for the New Year. ;-)
Barbara
~~~~~~~~~~~
Well...when I started thinking about my "gift wish", several recipients came to mind...
...to Christie Blatchford, a wish that she will continue to tell the stories that so desperately need to be told.
...to Anne Murray and Paul Anka, I wish continued career longevity. These individuals have set the bar high for the future of Canadian music.
...to Nigel Fisher, Stephen Lewis and Master Corporal Paul Franklin...the most elusive 'gifts' of all...an end to poverty, disease and war.
May love & happiness surround you. Merry Christmas!!
Steph A.
~~~~~~~~~~~
"If we were Santa Claus...." We would provide a hopeful future to the lives of Pakistanis, in the wake of yesterday's absolute tragedy.
Thinking of past guests I would want to help & what to post, I stumbled onto the assassination of Benazir Bhutto in the news.
She may not have been a guest on the show, but I believe this falls into one of the shows themes, of people making a positive impact on the world.
How overwhelmingly sad. My heart is heavy for her family, her followers, and the potential of what could have been.
She was an amazing woman who held a bright tomorrow in her hands, her voice and her heart. I find it hard not to compare her situation, with that of JFK, but obviously with present affairs at stake, for not only Pakistan's future, but for the rest of the world's. Within her vision and grasp, she held hope for what her beloved country could be as a united front, contributing to the fight against terrorism and poverty with an unwavering goal of democracy for her people.
One of her quotes that will now stay with me:
"Democracy needs support and the best support for democracy comes from other democracies. Democratic nations should ... come together in an association designed to help each other and promote what is a universal value — democracy."
— 1989 speech at Harvard University.
To quote from a recent CBC News article:
"Perhaps, sadly and ironically, her death may have a more productive impact on the political future of her beloved Pakistan than her election victory might have."
I'm saddened to say, I certainly hope so.
May we hold closer, this season, the ones we love,
and look beyond our borders to embrace what we have here;
our "peace" of the globe.
Jenuine
8 comments:
Benazir Bhutto was a very brave woman who was doing what no one else had the guts to do. I know The Hour would have explored this story in a meaningful way had they not been on holiday status. I am sure they still will keep exploring this important story and the issues around it but I was thinking as the events unfolded what would my 'friend' George say on this...
The murder of Benazir Bhutto is in the middle of chaos and upheavel in a country that has 'the Bomb'.
The line of the song "it's the end of the world as we know it' keeps running through my head.
Happy New Year.
Out of many discussions this could bring about, two things strike me as being both very ironic & controversial.
First, the fact that Bhutto was such an influential & well respected leader of the PPP, while being a woman in such a male driven society.
Secondly, knowing full well that she was a target in the minds & eyes of insurgents & terrorists, yet she openly refused to take extra security measures in protecting herself from these extremists.
I very much admired Benazir Bhutto a leader in a culture where women are not equal to men. Her death was unfortunately highly predictable. Was she without controversy or scandal? No - she wasn't. In her death more will come out about her flaws. Despite this, she was a great hope for democratic rule in a Nation and Region deperately in need of reason and stability. With the election planned for the 8th, the timing of her assassination is highly suspect.
The Pakastani government did not provide due dillegence required to protect her but she also willingly put herself in harms way to be close to her people. You can bet that Musharaf isn't crying.
This really made me stop and think though. What/who in my life would I lay my life down for? My family -yes. My closest friends - yes. My ideals - there, I honestly cannot say yes which makes me a bit sad. I am passionate about so many things that I am willing to fight for, but willing to sacrifice my life? If I am being honest, I would say no. I don't suspect I am in the minority.
As far as Christmas wishes, I wish much success to all people who are engaging, talented and outspoken... many of whom I see on The Hour. The same also for George and the team of the show.
If Santa is still listening, a wish for some guests I'd love to see on The Hour in the future... I've been good, I swear.
Patti Smith, Neil Young, Chris Rock (March he's at Massey), Don Tapscott, Warren Buffett (my philanthropic hero), Sean Penn, Ovide Mercredi. O.K...that's enough. I haven't been that good.
My Christmas wishes for upcoming hour guests would have to be Tegan and Sara, Kathleen Hanna, Diablo Cody, Ellen Page.....I could go on and on forever...
xo legs
True indeed, Tracy - she's been accused of being totally corrupt, basically a dictator herself, and that the "moral courage' is more self-aggrandizing megalomania. Also, there's the issue of her being convinced to return to Pakistan by the US ambassador.. when he was bumming a ride on her private jet. From Aspen. She even apparently put a hit out on her own brother!
"I do not believe that any true Muslim will make an attack on me because Islam forbids attacks on women and Muslims know that if they attack a woman they will burn in hell."
Benazir Bhutto said in October before leaving to undertake a long procession through Karachi to the tomb of Pakistan's founding father, Mohammed Ali Jinnah.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2007/12/30/do3003.xml
A myspace friend, Eleni, with her permission to repost, had this to say:
"I am very disturbed by the propaganda being spun by Musharrif's political think tank surrounding the way Bhutto died. The first doctor who reviewed her body acknowledged that she had a wound in her head that came from shrapnel, but the second surgeon said it came from her hitting her head on a lever. Musharrif's media representatives are trying really hard to convince the world that this assassination was Bhutto's own fault - how ridiculous is this? By hitting her head on a lever rather than being hit by shrapnel makes the case for her to not be considered a martyr. Being considered a martyr in the Islamic world, as well as other religions gives the individual iconic status. I wonder why Benazir Bhutto does not deserve to be iconic. I suspect it is because she is a woman. I wonder if Mushariff's propaganda machine would attempt to spin this assassination the same way, had the assassinated person been a man? Is it some how more believable that a woman be responsible for her own assassination? As if a man would have done a better job dodging bullets and a bomb. By suggesting that her cause of death was a result of hitting a lever IS saying that it is her fault. Mushariff and others like him do not want her to be considered a martyr because she is a woman. To have a woman be revered and respected would stir up too much controversy I suspect. If she becomes an icon, what message does this send to women, to Muslims, to the world? It says that if a woman can become a political leader, than they are equal to men. If a woman can run a country, surely she can drive a car, own property and so forth.
It seems as though it was not enough to kill her and prevent her from being a leader, but now they want to control her image after she's dead too? Talk about, "adding insult to injury".
I hope I don't sound to much like an "angry bra burning feminist" but I am really insulted by the double standard and how it is meant to keep women second class."
Apparently they now have footage of the fatal shooting, however, Eleni's questions & opinions were very well put. I hope you continue to contribute in future discussions, Eleni.
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