The chains of convenience

Before I moved to Canada, I didn’t realize how prominent the problem of slavery still is in North America.  No, this use of present tense is not a grammatical error on my part.  Yes of course some of the principles and laws that governed the old style slavery have been changed, but slavery (or lack thereof) is hardly in the physical chains; it truly exists in the minds and attitudes.

For one thing, prejudice lurks just beneath the easily visible surface.  The US presidential elections are not only good showbiz, for the keen eyes they also highlight the behaviours and thoughts that otherwise might not be noticeable in the daily humdrum of life.  And we’re not even going to go into the whole debate of inter-racial love-hate relationships.

And for another, slavery takes many forms and continues to be amoeboid.  The movie “Amazing Grace“, which chronicles the life and times of William Wilberforce, at its end and in the dvd special features, describes the many forms of slavery, and its so-undeniable presence today.  Anyone doubting that has only to try and adopt a child from the less prosperous South American or Asian countries; the red tape, making loving would-be parents jump through hoops of torture, is trying to humbly prevent some human trafficking.  Sex slaves being brought to other countries from Russia is pointed out in “Eastern Promises“.  Child labour in various developing and third world countries has been talked about.  And many more examples exist.

But it doesn’t really touch the lives of us everyday folks busy abiding the law, being kind to our neighbours, recycling our garbage, does it?  Well, depends on what “it” is.  Even if we ignore Gandhi’s cautionary note that life is one indivisible whole and therefore these seemingly remote phenomena do have a butterfly effect on our lives, one such practice is so prevelant in today’s society that it’s a fait accompli that no other way of life is even worth contemplating.  This practice is the complete and wholehearted participation in the entirely monopolistic debt-based economy.  That attitude of accepting (and on many occasions defending) the status quo persists, because:

• one, it makes (short term) economic sense (to some),
• two, because our economy would collapse otherwise and we wouldn’t know how else to function, and
• three, if we didn’t do it, someone else will and they’ll reap the “benefits”.

Yet funnily enough, when Wilberforce argued in the parliament to abolish slavery, the very same arguments were offered to him.  It wasn’t convenient to change.  And people weren’t complaining, so what’s the problem?

Interesting how with all our creativity, we as humans keep echoing the same excuses.

And even in the times of today, where large financial institutions are collapsing and the only people really suffering the effects are us, the law abiding public, we continue to defend a debt-based economy and practices that enslave with the promises of riches and threats of “being left behind”.

“But even if this was undesirable, what can one do?”, we ask ourselves.  “This is too big to beat, right?”

“When there is a war raging, it is very difficult to stay out of it.  One day the war will get to you.”

The New Yorker says about a book on the British abolishionist movement: “Hochschild’s history of British abolitionism notes that ending slavery would have seemed as unlikely in eighteenth-century England as banning automobiles does today.”  But that it happened, means it can happen.  And for the still-doubtful (about debt being slavery and its impacts), here are some interesting statistics (courtesy the movie “Summer 2007” following 5 med students through landlord-infested rural India – a movie which, while not the best executed, still makes several points):

• Since 1997, over 150,000 farmers have committed suicide (due to unpayable debts and resulting creditor cruelty) in 7 states of India, according to government figures
• While governments came and changed, in one of the states the suicide rate kept increasing at 105%
• Eventually the federal government announced a loan waiver of Rs. 600,000,000,000 in 2008, for institutional credit only
• Millions of farmers continue to suffer at the hands of money lenders

But it’s SO inconvenient to not use credit, to actually save up to buy things at a time when I can perhaps afford them.  Isn’t it?  At least I’m not buying sugar made by slaves.  Oh wait, that’s because slavery has been abolished.  Now I can have all the sugar I want.  Yippee!

Romancing the police

Prepare for the not-news: Canada’s ageing population (the proportion of seniors increasing more rapidly than all other age groups) and declining birth rates are making immigration an important part of our world here.  This is a much discussed topic.  So what trails, in this road well-travelled by, can yours truly be hoping to tread, you wonder (or maybe you don’t wonder because you have a life, but then, you are here so perhaps the jury is still out on the you having a life part!) 

Enter the police, and specifically the Toronto Police.  This interesting engaging city that owns bragging rights to low crime rates (considering its population and big city status) and highest per capita movie theatres (perhaps second only to Mumbai – citations needed :p), is also requiring the police to boldly go where they’ve never gone before… like forming music groups and jamming with youth in trouble-prone areas, or becoming the “adult friend” in schools.

This soft-and-fuzzy relationship is new even in the mild embracing climes of Toronto.  Diversity training, bonding, and other such topics are studied in the rooms (metaphorically speaking) next to control techniques, explosives detection and interrogation strategies. 

Education is two sided.  Immigrants coming in (and herein lie dangerous waters of generalization, in which I daringly plunge without regard for my lack of swimming skills) generally are used to a different relationship with police “back home”.  Laws, behaviours, perceptions, everything is different to a significant extent.  (I say as I bow my head for being crowned the queen of understatement.)  For the police to successfully achieve this romance, the befriending is not just with the troubled youth at the schools, it’s also and just as importantly with their parents, and family at large. 

Then we’ll all hear the spontaneous music that we so like to see but disbelieve in indian films, and can sing and dance together around the ample greenery in Toronto.  And the police officers will then happily and gracefully ride off into the sunset on their gorgeous horses.  In slow motion of course.

Aviate this

Ever wondered what it would be like if the vehicle (car/ SUV) you were travelling in suddenly took flight?  OK so maybe I’m the only one with over-active imagination and a dangerous ADD while on the road.  Different topic.  But I recently had that experience; well, almost.  In a recent short-hop flight, I had the distinct pleasure (?!) of getting into an aeroplane and going “You’ve got to be kidding me!!”.  I guess I should have clued in when, going from the boarding lounge to the plane, the walkway was sloping down.  I thought maybe the support underneath hadn’t been configured to the right height, and busy in my “Oh I miss my bed” thoughts, I kept on going with my usual innocent optimism. 

The door that I (at my average female height) had to duck to enter was another sign that something is oddly Lilliputian about this scenario.  But before I could analyze it further, the air hostess looked at my average sized carry on and said, “Would you please leave that outside, right there by the plane’s entrance?”  I’m like ‘not on your life lady!’ but outwardly “but why?  this is not checked baggage!” 

“Yes I understand, but the overhead compartment is not big enough for this, so you’ll have to leave it outside, and trust me that it’ll be there waiting for you when you arrive at your destination and alight from the plane”.   Trust my entire trip-survival package, cosmetics, toothbrush, change of clothes, and unmentionables to … no one in particular?  I guess the look of disbelief and panic on my face must have been unusually eloquent.  The hostess, very politely, explained it to me again and reconfirmed that I can choose between her way or foregoing the flight (OK I paraphrase).

Bidding my bag a tearful “see you soon!”, I (ducked and) stepped into the grand Embraer RJ135.  I’ve never been claustrophobic but this plan was literally 3 seats wide and 13 rows long.  I could stretch and knock the neighbouring passenger’s head out of the window on the other side of the plane!  And yes the overhead could barely carry a (small) pack of chips. 

The saving grace was that the hostess was exceedingly funny, the 17″ seats were leather-covered and comfortable, there were emergency exits pointed out to us, and the drinks trolley didn’t fatally injure anyone while going through the 8 inch aisle.  And my carry-on bag was waiting for me at the other end.  I hugged it tight.

Note to self: Careful of what you wish for while you’re imagining weird stuff on the road.  It just might happen!