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Joined 13 days ago
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Cake day: March 7th, 2025

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  • Absolutely, with this site being a good example of such an alternative approach. I think it’s a good clarification you highlighted that may have been underserved in my original piece.

    The technologies involved in the websites I listed are largely free and open source. Many of them can be operated relatively inexpensively.

    So we don’t need to cut and paste these things exactly, but we can use them for inspiration of what to build next. What’s been stopping us is the inertia of the network effect — why would I comment on Lemmy and not Reddit; Reddit has the people and so that’s where the discussion goes.

    What I was trying to get at is that this is a remarkably unique opportunity to overcome that network effect. People want to sever themselves from American dependencies — not just in Canada but in Europe and further abroad. So it’s an enormous opportunity to bring change — for a technologist this can be very exciting!











  • Agreed. My concern is that he and his team are closely allied with MAGA and embrace. their propaganda. With his weak personality and his desperation to win the praise of his ideological idols, I expect with a high degree of certainty they will let the US completely steamroll us.

    I see lil PP much like someone like Mitch McConnell in the US senate who theoretically knew better but stood aside, and enabled bad things to happen just because it was the “same team.”


  • Maybe you’re right… I don’t know. I wasn’t kidding when said part of me agreed with you from the start. But regardless, we can’t change the past.

    Perhaps you can choose different words than me and reach the Canadian right in a way to help them understand where the path they are going down leads. That they need to choose a different path. I’ll stand with you when you do.



  • I don’t know that we have an accurate perspective on what the actual reasons were. Perhaps she’s telling the truth, perhaps she’s selecting truths that paint her actions in the best light.

    But to me it doesn’t matter. She had a somewhat reasonable expectation of special treatment because we had been given special treatment before. We are surprised because it is new, this is why it’s being published as news.

    The specifics of her mistake don’t matter because we all make mistakes. So if I make a mistake I will be treated like I’d expect them to treat the mistake made by a Muslim person or a Haitian. And that isn’t a risk I’d willingly take, because I do make mistakes sometimes.




  • Reminder that Americans and their defenders in the CPC will tell you that she did something wrong, and why should she expect special treatment?

    And indeed yes, the biggest difference now is that the horrid treatment that minorities have long face is applied to Canadians now. Even conventionally attractive white Canadians.

    We liked the special treatment, but the regular treatment was never okay. We should have rejected the special treatment then but we were cowards and getting special treatment felt nice. You can save a few bucks on cheese, after all. The weather was nice.

    Because anyone can make a mistake. Marooney did, but I make mistakes sometimes and you could too.

    Don’t let this happen to you, do not choose to enter the United States.


  • When it comes to current geopolitics, as for climate change, I’m struggling to hold on to any belief in our collective willingness to do something, anything about what’s coming.

    I’ll try to shine some optimism here.

    The absolute collapse of Tesla sales around the world is inspiring. People are willing to change and vote with their wallets. US tourism and exports are suffering. Europe and Canada and others are collaborating on security and trade.

    Canadians have recognize the danger we are in and have began to rally against the weak-kneed PP and his fellow MAGA. Even most of our right-wing Premiers are working for Canada and against this.

    It’s not all lost, not for us. Not if we keep pushing — and I’m going to keep pushing.


  • ninthant@lemmy.caOPtoCanadaPolitics@lemmy.caFascism is not simply a bad word
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    1 day ago

    Not too long ago I would have made the same argument you did here. Now, I’m less sure.

    Part of me is still inclined to agree, but another part wonders if they were just better at recognizing patterns and acknowledging the kinds of difficult truths contained in my op-ed.

    Bush2 did instigate a war which coincided with getting public support for his second term. He only got into power in the first place because their courts decided not to count the votes on a partisan split. Republicans deny US citizens in Washington DC or Puerto Rico the right to vote, gerrymander districts to disenfranchise minorities, and work to limit ballot access whenever the demographics suit them.

    Is this fascism? Especially with the benefit of hindsight it feels at least a little like the beginnings of it.

    How much of my willingness to stand up and say that here and now, these patterns are fascism — how much comes from the fact that their barrels are pointed at me now? Now it’s serious, because a middle-aged white guy like me is affected? At least part of my brain is telling me that actually no I was the coward with my head in the sand the whole time.

    In the end I don’t know for certain you’re wrong. But either way, many of us in Canada are seeing this now and we can stand up to it. It might be too late for the Americans but it isn’t for us.