My thoughts and comments on Facebook — volume 1

Est-ce que le fait de retirer une statue ou un monument est suffisant pour effacer l’histoire? À ce sujet chacun a droit à ses opinions. Je suis une personne qui n’a pas voyagé énormément et je n’ai pas vu beaucoup de statues pour me rappeler les faits historiques relatifs à ces statues, et pourtant j’ai une assez bonne connaissance de l’histoire. Où donc ai-je pu acquérir ces connaissances? Je me rappelle…c’est une vielle technologie…ils appellent ça des LIVRES. Oui, avec ou sans statues ou monuments des “Grands” de l’histoire j’ai réussi à connaitre l’histoire de mon pays, l’histoire d’autres pays, l’histoire du monde. De plus, aujourd’hui il existe une autre technologie, encore plus moderne que le livre, qui s’appelle Internet. Mon propos n’est pas de dire “qu’on se débarrasse de toutes nos statues” mais plutôt de rappeler qu’une statue n’est qu’un objet qui rappelle certains moments, certains faits de notre histoire et qu’avec ou sans elles notre histoire existe et existera toujours.

Why has all this happened in a country that boasts how open it is to differences, liberty of speech and so forth. In a country whose religious connotation says “In God we trust” how do we end up hating each other? In a country that wants to impose its way of living to other countries how can we be so naive? In a country that wants to protect its borders from outsiders it would be preferable for outsiders to protect themselves from all this mistrust and hatred within the American boundaries. And now the militarization of the police to protect who from what? Extremists on both sides, hatred everywhere, by far the greatest number of gun related deaths throughout the world, is this the country our founding fathers wanted to build?

Despite the fact that I was born in the USA, I don’t really care what Americans do in their country…it’s internal affairs. But what really makes me sad, so sad, is to see what the USA is becoming: a country where hatred, discrimination and violence is foremost. Conservatives claim they are doing things to protect America, so do I have to suppose Liberals are trying, to their utmost, to destroy America? America was once the place where you could seek and find the American Dream; all it seems to be now, after many decades of Republican and Democratic governments, is the land of the American Nightmare. Years ago many American Dreamers decided to expand their operations globally in order to increase personal profits; today you are blaming host countries, not the American Dreamers, for destroying the American economy. Today, an international Trade agreement is good only if it profits the American people…who in the USA cares about the rest of the world? So sad, so sad, to see such a one sided point of view. Did (y)our Founding Fathers build a nation where hatred, discrimination and violence (only to name a few) is the law of the nation? Remember the American motto “In God we trust” and God is not the sole property of the USA.

My belief is, as long as you are not a menace to your host country or have been vetted by the proper authorities prior to their entry in the host country, regardless of your faith, religion, race, culture or traditions you are welcome to this host country. But beware, there are certain conditions I think you have to respect: what you do at home (and, maybe, your local community) is your business but when you are in public you must respect and integrate the culture and the traditions of the host country. Certain accommodations may be acceptable but all in all you must abide by the laws of the host country. Do not try by any means to “impose” your culture and traditions on the people of your host country. Accept the accommodations they will offer.

Dès mon arrivée au Québec à l’âge de 7 ans plusieurs inconnus m’ont traités des pires insultes qu’on pouvait dire. Pourtant, qui ai-je pu blesser ou maltraiter à 7 ans. Malgré tout cela j’ai persisté à vivre comme tout bon Québecois

Most road safety campaigns concern, speeding, DUI, drugs and texting or talking on cell phones. Unfortunately, most campaigns rarely mention driving when exhausted (to the point that one would fall asleep while driving). That is unfortunate because when a driver falls asleep while driving this can cause such dramatic accidents as the one cited above. I would not like to say I’m better than anyone else but, many years ago, I had the tendency to fall asleep while driving; my solution was to stop driving completely because I feared something like this might happen one day while I had fallen asleep while driving. So if, like me, you have a tendency to fall asleep while driving please try to find a solution before something like this happens again.

I do not know how or how much money was spent on Iran and how it compares to the damage caused by this hurricane but I do know that hurricane Harvey (which after landfall became a tropical storm) is an “act of God” and there are several of these “acts of God” at this time of the year throughout the southern states of the USA. Why is it that the richest country in the world with the most sophisticated computer technology and the best corp of engineers in the world has not yet found or proposed ways to reduce the effects of these yearly events? Oddly, despite what some people in high places may think these events are more and more frequent and more and more severe. Furthermore, why does POTUS have to ask congress for relief money when there should be a yearly reserve for similar events?

Isn’t a category 6 hurricane off the charts? How could that happen? Some people claim that climatical changes are not true…simply a Chinese fabrication. Well, regardless of the veracity of a category 6 hurricane we have been witnessing more and more hurricanes and they are more and more devastating. Maybe Mother Nature is taking her revenge on humanity or maybe we, the inhabitants of the Blue planet are actively participating in our own destruction by closing our eyes to the destructive powers of our overactive industrial activities. Either way, the future is looking quite grim for the future generations. If it is mother nature’s revenge there is nothing we can do about it; but, if it is our fault, it is time for us to open our eyes and do something about it before it is too late.

I’m not trying to convince anyone of anything right now. I’m simply using this platform and occasion to voice my opinions on this matter. I see two types of “aliens” (excluding legal immigrants): the refugee to whom nations offer asylum and the “back door” aliens. Refugees are offered sanctuary often because of the political situation in their country. They are somewhat invited as a humanitarian gesture. In this case I think it is right and almost an obligation to offer some form of social security. The “back doors” aliens are the ones who sneak into a country through the back door, i.e. Illegally. Their reason for entering the “host” country is not because they a fleeing a political regime but because they have more to gain in the “host” country than if they stayed in their country of origin. In this case I think the “host” country should not be offering social security to these aliens. Obviously, my opinions are debatable when you look at each situation individually but you have to start somewhere.

Has the Star-Spangled Banner become Fifty shades of Grey or perhaps Fifty Shades Darker because I do not feel that my native country can boast being …the land of the free and the home of the brave!? As a kid in school I also pledged allegiance to the flag in the following words : “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” At the time I probably did not understand what I was saying but today, as an adult, I’m sure I did not understand the profond meaning of the last words “…one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all”. Is this really the USA of 2017?

The USA, which was once a land of opportunity that welcomed people of different cultures and nations is now closing every single door or window that was once opened. The world is no longer welcome, of course “America First”. Let the world know they are no longer welcome to the US A (US A(lone)). And yet, this Blue Planet is the only home we have why can’t we share it?

My Pledge of Allegiance to the world:
“I pledge allegiance to the Planet Earth, Nations that it constitutes, the natural environment that gives life to all and to all living things small or big, one Planet accepting all beliefs and cultures, indivisible, with peace, love, liberty and justice for all.”

It’s incredible to see how the greatest nation in the world, where many of the most important scientific discoveries have been made has come to a point where it is ready to discard scientifically proven facts in order to promote a political agenda.

Que devient le monde? Guerres de religions, “straights” contre les LGBT, races contre races, conservateurs contre libéraux , extrémistes contre extrémistes, idéologies contre idéologies et tant d’autres. Malgré toutes nos disputes nous sommes quand même condamnés à vivre ensemble dans les mêmes villes, pays, continents, voire planète.