[OSList] Canada Conundrum - what do you think - reply to nazi comment

Sat Feb 19 10:27:05 PST 2022

Mark:

I have mostly been ignoring your posts around this but I have to speak out
now.

The leaders of the protest in Ottawa who have now been arrested include
people who are open, brazen white supremacists, anti-Semites,
anti-indigenous. Their views are all over the Internet. There are multiple
far right and racist groups and leaders in this protest. There are flying
their own flags and wearing their colours. They are not hiding. They are
not just misunderstood people. They are openly promoting fascism, racism,
white supremacy, xenophobia and anti-Senitism. There is an unbelievable
amount of hate being spouted all over the place by these protestors.  Most
of those who have followed them down this rabbit hole have failed to, or
just refused to, dissociate themselves from these people or their views.
There are very few people out there saying that these people don’t
represent them. Most who disagree with these views have long ago left the
protest site.

Their objectives when they arrived in Ottawa were to sign an MOU with the
Governor-General and the unelected Senate of the country to overthrow
Parliament. They were funded by donations that came mostly from outside the
country, mostly by Americans.

These facts are not in dispute.

Now I strongly believe in the right to protest. I understand people who are
frustrated by public health restrictions but the idea that a group of
people who broke hundreds of laws, who occupied the capital untouched for
THREE WEEKS and set up bouncy castles and hit tubs are somehow “living in a
tyranny” is an insult to the vast numbers of humans who struggle against
oppression, genocide, and repression all over the world INCLUDING those who
are arrested and brutalized defending their own Indigenous territories here
in Canada today.

Open space is about passion bounded by responsibility. It acknowledges that
you have the ability to create conversation and to take responsibility for
what you care about.

And so I canno longer let these messages on this list pass by without
taking the responsibility to point out that defense of these protestors and
especially the characterization of the racists and white supremacists in
the group as a few bad apples is deeply offensive to the hundreds of people
of colour, Jews, Muslims, LGBTQ and indigenous people on this list. I beg
of you that you reflect on who you are taking to in this forum and pause
for some self-reflection.

There is simply no place in the world to “yes but” when it comes to these
ideas. If you passionately feel that you should be allowed to hate, or
support and defend the right to promote hate, then that is you certainly
have a right. But I have a responsibility to point out the company you are
keeping and to denounce you.

Mark, I firmly believe that you have not understood the essence of Open
Space and your misunderstanding or willful ignorance of this situation
leading conflation of what we are doing in the world as facilitators with
the hate being spouted in Ottawa is deeply offensive.

I’m pointing this out to you and asking you to stop dragging Open Space
into this. I find your opinions inaccurate, untrustworthy, and intolerant.
There are many ways we can discuss freedom without defending fascists. But
if you insist on defending fascists I will speak up against you and defend
the dignity and rights of humans to live free from hate. I am anti-fascist
and anti-racist and I won’t let these ideas stand unchallenged.

Chris.

On Fri, Feb 18, 2022 at 10:05 AM Glenn Waters via OSList <
oslist at lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:

> Enough of the nazi crap, please. I can't answer if you've misunderstood
> something but let me share some facts about what is going on.
>
> In general this is a peaceful group of people. There are however a number
> of people attending that are not peaceful. They harass, assault (physically
> and verbally), and torment people who live in this area.
>
> A large portion of the downtown is closed because it has been taken over.
> This is having real affect on those businesses that are already hanging on
> by their fingernails to stay in business.
>
> For the residents living in this area the only two nearby grocery stores
> have closed because they fear for the safety of their staff. Many other
> stores and restaurants are closed for safety reasons.
>
> Nazi flags have been flown, as have other symbols that are commonly
> associated with hate and supremacy.
>
> Well documented leaders of white supremacists groups are attending. This
> does appear to be the minority, but I don't have data. Some have been
> arrested in the last few days.
>
> Shifting to opinion.
>
> I don't think of what is happening a few kilometres from my home as a
> protest anymore. It is an occupation that is taking away from the freedoms
> of those who choose to live and work in Ottawa.
>
> The occupiers assets are not being seized. They are being frozen. As this
> is an occupation I am perfectly fine that.
>
> The occupiers are incoherent. When asked about their demands it ranges
> from "Freedom." to "We want to take over the government." There is little
> substantiation behind any of the remarks. Most engagements with the
> occupiers does not result in any understanding of what they actually want.
> My understanding is that the original premise of the protests was around
> don't force us to be vaccinated, wear masks, or have to have/show a vaccine
> passport.
>
> I say go ahead and protest. That is your right and I believe in and
> support those rights. Occupation is not on.
>
> On Fri, Feb 18, 2022, at 11:56, Mark Carmel via OSList wrote:
>
> I have tried my best to bite my lip Regarding the dude's comment that all
> of the truckers must be white supremest nazi types ... What a ridiculous
> belief... that's being fed by the fake news that paints every Person
> protesting for Freedom as a white supremest. Yeah, Total BS....  We are
> open space technology facilitators we believe in freedom ... right? Or have
> I misunderstood something?  And what did Canada decide to do? They decided
> to go and seize the bank accounts and the crypto wallets of the
> protesters.. Now what sounds more like  nazi tactics, protesting for
> freedom or seizing people's bank accounts without a trial?
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-- 
---
CHRIS CORRIGAN
Blog and resources: http://www.chriscorrigan.com
Harvest Moon Consultants: https://www.harvestmoonconsultants.com

Located on Nex̱wlélex̱wm (Bowen Island), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh territory,

-- 
---
CHRIS CORRIGAN
Blog and resources: http://www.chriscorrigan.com
Harvest Moon Consultants: https://www.harvestmoonconsultants.com

Located on Nex̱wlélex̱wm (Bowen Island), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh territory,
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