No Means ?

While I sympathize with reactionary dialogue condemning our government for its unconscionable propagandizing, I think this kind of reaction is at best an easy way to vent a lot of sincere anger. At worst, this kind of response serves to crystallize the goals of our societies power holders. Responding to their communications with condemnation keeps their language and messaging alive. Talking about their propaganda only affirms the words of their propaganda machine. The only people who respond positively to a communication like this are people who already get it. Those who don't get it see the language of our societies power holders and just get wrapped tighter and tighter in their straight jacket. We have to stop just saying NO and begin saying YES to something different.

I believe this requires us to first recognize that the goal of our power holders, namely constant growth, cannot last. Many of us know this. Those that don't should pause. Consider cancer.

Now that we agree that this is a stupid - or worse catastrophic - goal, we can begin to talk about alternatives. Let's boldly enter into this dialogue about a pipeline from this perspective. Instead of talking about why Stephen Harper is an ass (which he most certainly is), let's talk about a better alternative. One that shows Stephen Harper's ideas to be the trashy filth that they are. We don't have to name his ideas to do this. I believe that continuing to talk about this filth just propagates it.