Cornwallis Statue

Post by l***@fl.it
I think I already said here, that Cornwallis, good or bad IMO is part
of our history and as such, leave the statue alone. It is perfectly
possible in Italy to see statues of Il Duce, doesn't mean he was good
for Italy, far from it, but he is a part of the history of Italy.
I can, to a degree, understand why the native side wants those statues
gone but OTOH I heard an impassioned speech from one out west
declaring that the records of abuse in the schools should be kept in
perpetuity for all to see.
Now that says to me double standard. Can't have one history without
t'other.

Totally disagree. Tear that stupid thing down. Why would you draw that western person's speech into this discussion? The Cornwallis statue issue is related to the Mi'kmaq people, it has nothing to do with the residential school records. If you feel that statue should stay, you don't understand to any degree why the Mi'kmaq want it removed.

Cheers!
John

l***@fl.it

2017-10-26 20:46:30 UTC

On Thu, 26 Oct 2017 11:59:04 -0700 (PDT), jvangurp

I quoted the western man (can't remember which group he was from)
because I feel there is an equation there. Who is saying which
history should be kept? I say we should keep it all. Remember too,
Cornwallis called down hell upon them after they swept into Dartmouth
and murdered and scalped many settlers, including women and children.
I believe they did it to please the French, but am not positive about
that. No side in the matter is exactly lily-white.

The whole subject becomes ludicrous when I hear there are calls for
statues of Churchill to be removed in the UK.

Mike Small

2017-10-27 00:20:39 UTC

Post by l***@fl.it
The whole subject becomes ludicrous when I hear there are calls for
statues of Churchill to be removed in the UK.

Because of his poor understanding of monetary policy?

Is the statue of Churchill still there in front of where the old library
was on Spring Garden? I was just there a couple months ago, but it
didn't register walking past. Or is that whole end of the street gobbled
up in the new construction? If it is there that's one they might want to
haul down out of respect for Churchill, to protect him from the pigeons
who seem not to have any regard whatsoever for his memory.

--
Mike Small
***@sdf.org

l***@fl.it

2017-10-27 11:30:06 UTC

Post by l***@fl.it
The whole subject becomes ludicrous when I hear there are calls for
statues of Churchill to be removed in the UK.

Because of his poor understanding of monetary policy?
Is the statue of Churchill still there in front of where the old library
was on Spring Garden? I was just there a couple months ago, but it
didn't register walking past. Or is that whole end of the street gobbled
up in the new construction? If it is there that's one they might want to
haul down out of respect for Churchill, to protect him from the pigeons
who seem not to have any regard whatsoever for his memory.

No, I think Winnie is safe in Halifax, just not in the UK lol Isn't
that the point of statues, safety for pigeons in cities?

So what did you think of the new library?

Mike Small

2017-10-27 15:41:25 UTC

Post by l***@fl.it

Post by l***@fl.it
The whole subject becomes ludicrous when I hear there are calls for
statues of Churchill to be removed in the UK.

Because of his poor understanding of monetary policy?
Is the statue of Churchill still there in front of where the old library
was on Spring Garden? I was just there a couple months ago, but it
didn't register walking past. Or is that whole end of the street gobbled
up in the new construction? If it is there that's one they might want to
haul down out of respect for Churchill, to protect him from the pigeons
who seem not to have any regard whatsoever for his memory.

No, I think Winnie is safe in Halifax, just not in the UK lol Isn't
that the point of statues, safety for pigeons in cities?
So what did you think of the new library?

I thought it was great. I mean, aside from occasionally killing time in
one, my main use for libraries is to borrow books, which I can't very
well do without living there, but it's a nice looking library. The old
one seemed too small for a city the size of Halifax.

--
Mike Small
***@sdf.org

jvangurp

2017-10-27 12:02:13 UTC

Post by l***@fl.it
The whole subject becomes ludicrous when I hear there are calls for
statues of Churchill to be removed in the UK.

Because of his poor understanding of monetary policy?
Is the statue of Churchill still there in front of where the old library
was on Spring Garden? I was just there a couple months ago, but it
didn't register walking past. Or is that whole end of the street gobbled
up in the new construction? If it is there that's one they might want to
haul down out of respect for Churchill, to protect him from the pigeons
who seem not to have any regard whatsoever for his memory.
--
Mike Small

Yes Mike, the statue of the big guy is still there, as is the old building itself. Due to its status as a municipal property, the homeless are making the most of the nooks and crannies outside, with their temporary encampments and short-term storage. The weather is still very mild so overnight shelter is not a big concern but soon it will be cold and I imagine other people are looking at that old building and thinking it's a waste of space and heat that could be put to use housing the homeless. Obviously, it's not as simple as opening the door, but that's a lot of building to keep heated and locked.

If the city fails to use it as a public property or library, ownership reverts to the province. First Nations are expressing some kind of interest in it and there was talk a couple of years ago of maybe moving the Native Friendship Center there. Who knows what will happen, it's such an incredible location, even while encumbered by the old unmarked graves on the front lawn.

Mike Small

2017-10-27 15:40:52 UTC

Post by jvangurp
Yes Mike, the statue of the big guy is still there, as is the old
building itself. Due to its status as a municipal property, the
homeless are making the most of the nooks and crannies outside, with
their temporary encampments and short-term storage. The weather is
still very mild so overnight shelter is not a big concern but soon it
will be cold and I imagine other people are looking at that old
building and thinking it's a waste of space and heat that could be put
to use housing the homeless. Obviously, it's not as simple as opening
the door, but that's a lot of building to keep heated and locked.
If the city fails to use it as a public property or library, ownership
reverts to the province. First Nations are expressing some kind of
interest in it and there was talk a couple of years ago of maybe
moving the Native Friendship Center there. Who knows what will happen,
it's such an incredible location, even while encumbered by the old
unmarked graves on the front lawn.

There are unmarked graves there? Geez, I sat out there countless times
while in university and never knew about them.

--
Mike Small
***@sdf.org

jvangurp

2017-10-27 19:30:15 UTC

There are unmarked graves there? Geez, I sat out there countless times
while in university and never knew about them.
--
Mike Small

Oh yes indeed... that's why it's the Halifax Regional "Memorial" Library. There may be up to 4500 dead buried there. My understanding is that's why it's at angle, to avoid disturbing the graves.

Here's an interesting piece about it: https://www.thecoast.ca/halifax/the-unclaimed-dead-beneath-our-citys-streets/Content?oid=5020974

l***@fl.it

2017-10-27 20:43:20 UTC

On Fri, 27 Oct 2017 12:30:15 -0700 (PDT), jvangurp

There are unmarked graves there? Geez, I sat out there countless times
while in university and never knew about them.
--
Mike Small

Oh yes indeed... that's why it's the Halifax Regional "Memorial" Library. There may be up to 4500 dead buried there. My understanding is that's why it's at angle, to avoid disturbing the graves.
Here's an interesting piece about it: https://www.thecoast.ca/halifax/the-unclaimed-dead-beneath-our-citys-streets/Content?oid=5020974

lol makes me think of that ole song about putting up a parking lot.
Won't happen to me unless they decide to fill in the ocean.

jvangurp

2017-10-27 12:04:17 UTC

Post by l***@fl.it
On Thu, 26 Oct 2017 11:59:04 -0700 (PDT), jvangurp

I quoted the western man (can't remember which group he was from)
because I feel there is an equation there. Who is saying which
history should be kept? I say we should keep it all. Remember too,
Cornwallis called down hell upon them after they swept into Dartmouth
and murdered and scalped many settlers, including women and children.
I believe they did it to please the French, but am not positive about
that. No side in the matter is exactly lily-white.
The whole subject becomes ludicrous when I hear there are calls for
statues of Churchill to be removed in the UK.

It's not about erasing history or being revisionist, it's about removing the in-your-face public celebration of the guy after the many decades of outrageous abuses and government-sponsored genocide. The Mi'kmaq just want to have some say in this.

jvangurp

2017-10-27 12:47:09 UTC

Post by l***@fl.it
On Thu, 26 Oct 2017 11:59:04 -0700 (PDT), jvangurp

I quoted the western man (can't remember which group he was from)
because I feel there is an equation there. Who is saying which
history should be kept? I say we should keep it all. Remember too,
Cornwallis called down hell upon them after they swept into Dartmouth
and murdered and scalped many settlers, including women and children.
I believe they did it to please the French, but am not positive about
that. No side in the matter is exactly lily-white.
The whole subject becomes ludicrous when I hear there are calls for
statues of Churchill to be removed in the UK.

Here's Tim Bousquet's piece in the Halifax Examiner this morning. Food for thought:

"The suggestion that the statue of Edward Cornwallis, which has no historic value at all, be torn down is the subject of much consternation. And yet, the demolition of old hotel across the street is proceeding with nary a peep. As I wrote in July:

The building is the old Elmwood Hotel, which was erected in 1826. It is a graceful structure that has housed thousands of people. By the latter part of the 20th century, it was home to an eclectic mix of students, musicians, and artists and was something of a cultural hub. The Elmwood sits almost at the exact centre of the Old South Suburb, a proposed Historic Conservation District.

The statue is of course the representation of Edward Cornwallis and was erected 105 years later, in 1931. It has no historic or artistic value, but is just an example of early twentieth century imperialistic schlock.

When demolition permits for the truly historic Elmwood were issued in 2015, only a handful of malcontents, of whom I consider myself a proud member, expressed concern. Even fewer people have condemned the dog-awful building that’s going to be built in its stead.

Ah, but talk about tearing down the imperialistic schlock of a statue, and suddenly everyone’s a historic preservationist."

l***@fl.it

2017-10-27 13:35:59 UTC

On Fri, 27 Oct 2017 05:47:09 -0700 (PDT), jvangurp

Post by l***@fl.it
On Thu, 26 Oct 2017 11:59:04 -0700 (PDT), jvangurp

I quoted the western man (can't remember which group he was from)
because I feel there is an equation there. Who is saying which
history should be kept? I say we should keep it all. Remember too,
Cornwallis called down hell upon them after they swept into Dartmouth
and murdered and scalped many settlers, including women and children.
I believe they did it to please the French, but am not positive about
that. No side in the matter is exactly lily-white.
The whole subject becomes ludicrous when I hear there are calls for
statues of Churchill to be removed in the UK.

The building is the old Elmwood Hotel, which was erected in 1826. It is a graceful structure that has housed thousands of people. By the latter part of the 20th century, it was home to an eclectic mix of students, musicians, and artists and was something of a cultural hub. The Elmwood sits almost at the exact centre of the Old South Suburb, a proposed Historic Conservation District.
The statue is of course the representation of Edward Cornwallis and was erected 105 years later, in 1931. It has no historic or artistic value, but is just an example of early twentieth century imperialistic schlock.
When demolition permits for the truly historic Elmwood were issued in 2015, only a handful of malcontents, of whom I consider myself a proud member, expressed concern. Even fewer people have condemned the dog-awful building thats going to be built in its stead.
Ah, but talk about tearing down the imperialistic schlock of a statue, and suddenly everyones a historic preservationist."

I can only say he is partly right - back in the day when I was
younger, I greatly protested the tearing down of the lovely old Harrt
House, corner of Summer and Spring Garden.

There were also the nice houses between Pepperell and Shirley fronting
on to Robie - the Greek who pulled them down got himself so knotted it
has been an empty site ever since, that was back in the early 80s when
they were torn down.

So I really don't fit his description. Actually the first time I
realised I was past protest was when, I think you J V-G, were
gathering support to march and protest GW Bushs time in Halifax :-®

l***@fl.it

2017-10-27 15:01:06 UTC

Post by l***@fl.it
On Fri, 27 Oct 2017 05:47:09 -0700 (PDT), jvangurp

Post by l***@fl.it
On Thu, 26 Oct 2017 11:59:04 -0700 (PDT), jvangurp

I quoted the western man (can't remember which group he was from)
because I feel there is an equation there. Who is saying which
history should be kept? I say we should keep it all. Remember too,
Cornwallis called down hell upon them after they swept into Dartmouth
and murdered and scalped many settlers, including women and children.
I believe they did it to please the French, but am not positive about
that. No side in the matter is exactly lily-white.
The whole subject becomes ludicrous when I hear there are calls for
statues of Churchill to be removed in the UK.

I can only say he is partly right - back in the day when I was
younger, I greatly protested the tearing down of the lovely old Harrt
House, corner of Summer and Spring Garden.
There were also the nice houses between Pepperell and Shirley fronting
on to Robie - the Greek who pulled them down got himself so knotted it
has been an empty site ever since, that was back in the early 80s when
they were torn down.
So I really don't fit his description. Actually the first time I
realised I was past protest was when, I think you J V-G, were
gathering support to march and protest GW Bushs time in Halifax :-®

I was mulling this over while I made a pot of chicken soup to stock up
the lunches in the freezer and it occurs to me that perhaps it is
merely a generational thing as well - I don't see many young people
who give a FF about the past. I have found if I point out that Trump
and his fanning the flames of hatred are rather like the period
between WWI and WWII - they are blank.

Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it ...
Sir Winston Churchill. ... We must always look forward, but we have to
understand our history in order to not repeat the mistakes of the
past. I have seen too many instances where people continue to pursue
wrong courses of action because they do not take the time to think
critically ..."

jvangurp

2017-10-27 19:27:41 UTC

Post by l***@fl.it

Post by l***@fl.it
On Fri, 27 Oct 2017 05:47:09 -0700 (PDT), jvangurp

Post by l***@fl.it
On Thu, 26 Oct 2017 11:59:04 -0700 (PDT), jvangurp

I quoted the western man (can't remember which group he was from)
because I feel there is an equation there. Who is saying which
history should be kept? I say we should keep it all. Remember too,
Cornwallis called down hell upon them after they swept into Dartmouth
and murdered and scalped many settlers, including women and children.
I believe they did it to please the French, but am not positive about
that. No side in the matter is exactly lily-white.
The whole subject becomes ludicrous when I hear there are calls for
statues of Churchill to be removed in the UK.

The building is the old Elmwood Hotel, which was erected in 1826. It is a graceful structure that has housed thousands of people. By the latter part of the 20th century, it was home to an eclectic mix of students, musicians, and artists and was something of a cultural hub. The Elmwood sits almost at the exact centre of the Old South Suburb, a proposed Historic Conservation District.
The statue is of course the representation of Edward Cornwallis and was erected 105 years later, in 1931. It has no historic or artistic value, but is just an example of early twentieth century imperialistic schlock.
When demolition permits for the truly historic Elmwood were issued in 2015, only a handful of malcontents, of whom I consider myself a proud member, expressed concern. Even fewer people have condemned the dog-awful building that’s going to be built in its stead.
Ah, but talk about tearing down the imperialistic schlock of a statue, and suddenly everyone’s a historic preservationist."

I can only say he is partly right - back in the day when I was
younger, I greatly protested the tearing down of the lovely old Harrt
House, corner of Summer and Spring Garden.
There were also the nice houses between Pepperell and Shirley fronting
on to Robie - the Greek who pulled them down got himself so knotted it
has been an empty site ever since, that was back in the early 80s when
they were torn down.
So I really don't fit his description. Actually the first time I
realised I was past protest was when, I think you J V-G, were
gathering support to march and protest GW Bushs time in Halifax :-®

I was mulling this over while I made a pot of chicken soup to stock up
the lunches in the freezer and it occurs to me that perhaps it is
merely a generational thing as well - I don't see many young people
who give a FF about the past. I have found if I point out that Trump
and his fanning the flames of hatred are rather like the period
between WWI and WWII - they are blank.
“Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it ...
Sir Winston Churchill. ... We must always look forward, but we have to
understand our history in order to not repeat the mistakes of the
past. I have seen too many instances where people continue to pursue
wrong courses of action because they do not take the time to think
critically ..."

I know what you mean. As a child of immigrants who went through Nazi occupation and imprisonment, the dark days of WW2 were a constant. It shaped our family life and affected who I am today. Mention WW2 and Hitler to young people today and it's rare any will have a grasp of what happened.
Cheers,
John

HRM Resident

2017-10-28 11:22:07 UTC

Post by l***@fl.it

Post by l***@fl.it
On Fri, 27 Oct 2017 05:47:09 -0700 (PDT), jvangurp

Post by l***@fl.it
On Thu, 26 Oct 2017 11:59:04 -0700 (PDT), jvangurp

I quoted the western man (can't remember which group he was from)
because I feel there is an equation there. Who is saying which
history should be kept? I say we should keep it all. Remember too,
Cornwallis called down hell upon them after they swept into Dartmouth
and murdered and scalped many settlers, including women and children.
I believe they did it to please the French, but am not positive about
that. No side in the matter is exactly lily-white.
The whole subject becomes ludicrous when I hear there are calls for
statues of Churchill to be removed in the UK.

The building is the old Elmwood Hotel, which was erected in 1826. It is a graceful structure that has housed thousands of people. By the latter part of the 20th century, it was home to an eclectic mix of students, musicians, and artists and was something of a cultural hub. The Elmwood sits almost at the exact centre of the Old South Suburb, a proposed Historic Conservation District.
The statue is of course the representation of Edward Cornwallis and was erected 105 years later, in 1931. It has no historic or artistic value, but is just an example of early twentieth century imperialistic schlock.
When demolition permits for the truly historic Elmwood were issued in 2015, only a handful of malcontents, of whom I consider myself a proud member, expressed concern. Even fewer people have condemned the dog-awful building that’s going to be built in its stead.
Ah, but talk about tearing down the imperialistic schlock of a statue, and suddenly everyone’s a historic preservationist."

I can only say he is partly right - back in the day when I was
younger, I greatly protested the tearing down of the lovely old Harrt
House, corner of Summer and Spring Garden.
There were also the nice houses between Pepperell and Shirley fronting
on to Robie - the Greek who pulled them down got himself so knotted it
has been an empty site ever since, that was back in the early 80s when
they were torn down.
So I really don't fit his description. Actually the first time I
realised I was past protest was when, I think you J V-G, were
gathering support to march and protest GW Bushs time in Halifax :-®

I was mulling this over while I made a pot of chicken soup to stock up
the lunches in the freezer and it occurs to me that perhaps it is
merely a generational thing as well - I don't see many young people
who give a FF about the past. I have found if I point out that Trump
and his fanning the flames of hatred are rather like the period
between WWI and WWII - they are blank.
“Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it ...
Sir Winston Churchill. ... We must always look forward, but we have to
understand our history in order to not repeat the mistakes of the
past. I have seen too many instances where people continue to pursue
wrong courses of action because they do not take the time to think
critically ..."

I wish they'd tear the damn Cornwallis statue down OR leave it
there and tell those who don't like it they'll put them in jail for a
year if they show up again protesting about it. This stupid issue is
wasting way too much time. The craven politicians on HRM council ought
to make a decision one way or the other and stop stirring up this
foolishness up every few years. Then they can get on with doing the
jobs they were elected to do instead of yapping about this non-issue and
striking endless committees to re-study the same issue ad nauseam.

As regards to Hitler, sadly you are right. Black and white grainy
footage taken 75 years ago means nothing to people today. It's sad, but
we are heading for an event similar to WW II again, and we're too stupid
to do anything about it. Remember the hypocrisy of the signs at Dachau,
Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen that say "Never Again."

It's hypocrisy because some of the same countries who put the damn
signs there are establishing concentration camps in violation of the
Geneva Convention by renaming prisoners of war "enemy combatants. Gitmo
springs to mind, but there are (or were) a number of other similar
torture/interment camps spread across Europe to do exactly the same
thing. Hypocrites.

--
HRM Resident

l***@fl.it

2017-10-28 12:14:16 UTC

On Sat, 28 Oct 2017 08:22:07 -0300, HRM Resident

Post by HRM Resident
I wish they'd tear the damn Cornwallis statue down OR leave it
there and tell those who don't like it they'll put them in jail for a
year if they show up again protesting about it. This stupid issue is
wasting way too much time. The craven politicians on HRM council ought
to make a decision one way or the other and stop stirring up this
foolishness up every few years. Then they can get on with doing the
jobs they were elected to do instead of yapping about this non-issue and
striking endless committees to re-study the same issue ad nauseam.
As regards to Hitler, sadly you are right. Black and white grainy
footage taken 75 years ago means nothing to people today. It's sad, but
we are heading for an event similar to WW II again, and we're too stupid
to do anything about it. Remember the hypocrisy of the signs at Dachau,
Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen that say "Never Again."
It's hypocrisy because some of the same countries who put the damn
signs there are establishing concentration camps in violation of the
Geneva Convention by renaming prisoners of war "enemy combatants. Gitmo
springs to mind, but there are (or were) a number of other similar
torture/interment camps spread across Europe to do exactly the same
thing. Hypocrites.

I'm sad about it though I doubt I'll be here to see it; but I hate to
feel that's the legacy left to my descendants.

l***@fl.it

2017-10-28 14:43:14 UTC

On Sat, 28 Oct 2017 11:20:59 -0300, HRM Resident

Post by l***@fl.it
On Sat, 28 Oct 2017 08:22:07 -0300, HRM Resident

I'm sad about it though I doubt I'll be here to see it; but I hate to
feel that's the legacy left to my descendants.

NO! Take no responsibility for what people are saying today. We
did our part, as did our parents. They took care of Fascism and the
Nazis. We did our part to keep the world safe, and I think we did a
fairly good job. Since the end of WW II, putting aside the Korean and
Vietnam fiascos, we pretty much gave the world peace and prosperity for
60-70 years. Now another generation is taking charge. The don't have
the knowledge or wisdom our parent's generation had, and they will
almost certainly repeat the horrors of the past. If they don't wipe out
humanity, they will navel gaze for a bit, realise the consequences of
their action/inaction, and try to make the world a better place . . .
just like we and our parents did.
Study history. Hard lessons are always learned, and then forgotten
within a couple of generations. We're due for the "nasty" part of this
endless cycle. That's the way it works, but don't blame yourself, or
me, or even the RWAs . . . we did it right, and when the new people in
charge can't or won't do the right thing, then they will live with the
consequences.

That's a consoling thought :) There are many ways in which I consider
later generations fall short, one would definitely be in the volunteer
department. When they cancelled the Mahone Bay Wooden Boat Show which
was wonderful, they said the volunteers had become too old and
couldn't find replacements. It can't be a question of monkey see,
monkey do, David and I volunteered and worked hard at it but our kids
have never volunteered for anything :(

jvangurp

2017-10-29 10:56:42 UTC

Post by l***@fl.it
On Sat, 28 Oct 2017 11:20:59 -0300, HRM Resident

Post by l***@fl.it
On Sat, 28 Oct 2017 08:22:07 -0300, HRM Resident

I'm sad about it though I doubt I'll be here to see it; but I hate to
feel that's the legacy left to my descendants.

A lot of things like that start up as people get older and they have time and they want to highlight their own personal Hobby. There's still lots of volunteer activities but maybe they're not as visible because our interests are different and the interests of younger people today. For example yesterday I play drums at the Halcon halloween parade, a society that's heavily staff with many volunteers and is extremely popular and successful. Then there's the Halifax Pop Explosion, also a super popular and successful event. How about the Jazz Fest, etc.?

Cheers,
John

l***@fl.it

2017-10-29 11:49:09 UTC

On Sun, 29 Oct 2017 03:56:42 -0700 (PDT), jvangurp

Post by l***@fl.it
On Sat, 28 Oct 2017 11:20:59 -0300, HRM Resident

Post by l***@fl.it
On Sat, 28 Oct 2017 08:22:07 -0300, HRM Resident

I'm sad about it though I doubt I'll be here to see it; but I hate to
feel that's the legacy left to my descendants.

My eldest hits 60 next year, so if it was going to happen I guess it
would have happened by now!

HRM Resident

2017-10-29 12:11:05 UTC

Post by l***@fl.it
My eldest hits 60 next year, so if it was going to happen I guess it
would have happened by now!

What'd you do? Get pregnant at 11-12??!! Tisk, tisk! :-)

--
HRM Resident

l***@fl.it

2017-10-29 13:29:18 UTC

On Sun, 29 Oct 2017 09:11:05 -0300, HRM Resident

Post by l***@fl.it
My eldest hits 60 next year, so if it was going to happen I guess it
would have happened by now!

What'd you do? Get pregnant at 11-12??!! Tisk, tisk! :-)

I was brought up pretty strictly, not a chance :)

HRM Resident

2017-10-30 13:04:34 UTC

Post by l***@fl.it
On Sun, 29 Oct 2017 09:11:05 -0300, HRM Resident

Post by l***@fl.it
My eldest hits 60 next year, so if it was going to happen I guess it
would have happened by now!

What'd you do? Get pregnant at 11-12??!! Tisk, tisk! :-)

I was brought up pretty strictly, not a chance :)

Yeah, but how could a young woman like you have a 60 year old son? :-)

--
HRM Resident

l***@fl.it

2017-10-30 13:36:50 UTC

On Mon, 30 Oct 2017 10:04:34 -0300, HRM Resident

Post by l***@fl.it
On Sun, 29 Oct 2017 09:11:05 -0300, HRM Resident

Post by l***@fl.it
My eldest hits 60 next year, so if it was going to happen I guess it
would have happened by now!

What'd you do? Get pregnant at 11-12??!! Tisk, tisk! :-)

I was brought up pretty strictly, not a chance :)

Yeah, but how could a young woman like you have a 60 year old son? :-)

Daughter, but I know what made me feel old, more so than her being 60,
was when she told me she was on the list for a hip replacement lol

HRM Resident

2017-10-29 12:09:40 UTC

Post by jvangurp
A lot of things like that start up as people get older and they have time and they want to highlight their own personal Hobby. There's still lots of volunteer activities but maybe they're not as visible because our interests are different and the interests of younger people today. For example yesterday I play drums at the Halcon halloween parade, a society that's heavily staff with many volunteers and is extremely popular and successful. Then there's the Halifax Pop Explosion, also a super popular and successful event. How about the Jazz Fest, etc.?
Cheers,
John

All of the things you mentioned are fun for the volunteers. That
doesn't diminish participation in them at all, nor does it make them
unimportant. It's just not my idea of "traditional" volunteering.

I'd consider (and have participated in) things like volunteering to
help drug addicts recover. Or perhaps at one of those places that
provide breakfast for kids before school . . . even a sports coach or as
a parent volunteer at school. I was involved in cleaning up a work
environment that was conducive to sexual harassment back 25-30 years ago
or so . . . that made me unpopular with the male drinkers for awhile,
but it's now a 100% safe work environment for females. Maybe I could
teach the RCMP and the CF a few things, although both of those
organizations have systemic problems that need more than a few concerned
volunteer.

Again, not to belittle your contribution to the advancement of live
music . . . I consider true volunteering doing something that involves
work, may mean some inconvenience, but that will actually help people
get food, health care and education to be more important than providing
entertainment.

One last rant, not associated with volunteering. Those kids who
had the drunken parties at Dal and ended up with a couple dozen being
arrested for public intoxication . . . not the proper response in my
view. Those "kids" were supposed to be going to university, not
climbing on roofs and hanging out windows all night telling the police
to "Go f**k yourself." The response? Slap a few of them on the wrist
and pay cops overtime to add extra patrols the south end for a few nights.

My solution: Dalhousie executive collects the names of ALL
participants and removes them from enrolment for a year. Next fall they
can reapply and hopefully they will have become mature enough to
understand that university is for education, not to get drunk and swear
at police all night. Harsh? Yes. Let SMU, MSV and others admit
immature drunks and maintain the status quo. Make Dal an alcohol and
drug free university. I'm sure there are enough mature students to fill
one NS university with those who want to learn, and the rest can go
party on Mommy and Daddy's money elsewhere. I know this will work
because I have 3 Dal university graduates, and they sure as hell didn't
get drunk every weekend and swear at the police.

--
HRM Resident

l***@fl.it

2017-10-29 13:28:24 UTC

On Sun, 29 Oct 2017 09:09:40 -0300, HRM Resident

All of the things you mentioned are fun for the volunteers. That
doesn't diminish participation in them at all, nor does it make them
unimportant. It's just not my idea of "traditional" volunteering.
I'd consider (and have participated in) things like volunteering to
help drug addicts recover. Or perhaps at one of those places that
provide breakfast for kids before school . . . even a sports coach or as
a parent volunteer at school. I was involved in cleaning up a work
environment that was conducive to sexual harassment back 25-30 years ago
or so . . . that made me unpopular with the male drinkers for awhile,
but it's now a 100% safe work environment for females. Maybe I could
teach the RCMP and the CF a few things, although both of those
organizations have systemic problems that need more than a few concerned
volunteer.
Again, not to belittle your contribution to the advancement of live
music . . . I consider true volunteering doing something that involves
work, may mean some inconvenience, but that will actually help people
get food, health care and education to be more important than providing
entertainment.
One last rant, not associated with volunteering. Those kids who
had the drunken parties at Dal and ended up with a couple dozen being
arrested for public intoxication . . . not the proper response in my
view. Those "kids" were supposed to be going to university, not
climbing on roofs and hanging out windows all night telling the police
to "Go f**k yourself." The response? Slap a few of them on the wrist
and pay cops overtime to add extra patrols the south end for a few nights.
My solution: Dalhousie executive collects the names of ALL
participants and removes them from enrolment for a year. Next fall they
can reapply and hopefully they will have become mature enough to
understand that university is for education, not to get drunk and swear
at police all night. Harsh? Yes. Let SMU, MSV and others admit
immature drunks and maintain the status quo. Make Dal an alcohol and
drug free university. I'm sure there are enough mature students to fill
one NS university with those who want to learn, and the rest can go
party on Mommy and Daddy's money elsewhere. I know this will work
because I have 3 Dal university graduates, and they sure as hell didn't
get drunk every weekend and swear at the police.

I agree on the point that I too consider volunteering more of a giving
process. For many years I did immigrant settlement, just simply
being with the families and explaining the unknown to them such as how
to be bloody careful on cell phone contracts when you can't really
understand the salesperson :) Or helping a Taiwanese family who
rented an apartment at Park Vic that was immediately above the
swimming pool, nobody told them it was to be raised that winter and
replaced :( Getting out of the lease seemed impossible but not after
I spoke for them :)

I also, at the same time, did ESL lessons for free because uni
students had to pass an ESL exam if they were to continue studying and
it was quite a tough one. That led on to Adult Literacy as well, then
on to primary kids literacy until I realised I was doing for free what
the teachers were paid to do :)

David basically founded youth soccer in Halifax, another ex RN type
had a team over in Dartmouth and after that in two summers kids
playing soccer were everywhere. Soccer NS likes to point to Ed Kinley
but youth soccer was around long before him, it was when he entered
the fray that finally it dissolved into being just a rich kids sport
with lots of money to play. Somebody told me recently it was over
$500 for their kid to play indoor soccer for the winter :(

I wasn't surprised about the Dal behaviour. A good friend was in
hospital and I took a route via South Street to go and visit her. The
amount of helicopter parents lugging stuff for their darlings was
blocking many roads, the attitude was their kids moving in was so
important we shouldn't be impatient that we couldn't get past! :( I
imagine this happened in part with kids who had never tasted real
freedom before and they went OTT. Not an excuse for them, but maybe a
reason.

jvangurp

2017-10-31 11:05:26 UTC

All of the things you mentioned are fun for the volunteers. That
doesn't diminish participation in them at all, nor does it make them
unimportant. It's just not my idea of "traditional" volunteering.
I'd consider (and have participated in) things like volunteering to
help drug addicts recover. Or perhaps at one of those places that
provide breakfast for kids before school . . . even a sports coach or as
a parent volunteer at school. I was involved in cleaning up a work
environment that was conducive to sexual harassment back 25-30 years ago
or so . . . that made me unpopular with the male drinkers for awhile,
but it's now a 100% safe work environment for females. Maybe I could
teach the RCMP and the CF a few things, although both of those
organizations have systemic problems that need more than a few concerned
volunteer.
Again, not to belittle your contribution to the advancement of live
music . . . I consider true volunteering doing something that involves
work, may mean some inconvenience, but that will actually help people
get food, health care and education to be more important than providing
entertainment.
One last rant, not associated with volunteering. Those kids who
had the drunken parties at Dal and ended up with a couple dozen being
arrested for public intoxication . . . not the proper response in my
view. Those "kids" were supposed to be going to university, not
climbing on roofs and hanging out windows all night telling the police
to "Go f**k yourself." The response? Slap a few of them on the wrist
and pay cops overtime to add extra patrols the south end for a few nights.
My solution: Dalhousie executive collects the names of ALL
participants and removes them from enrolment for a year. Next fall they
can reapply and hopefully they will have become mature enough to
understand that university is for education, not to get drunk and swear
at police all night. Harsh? Yes. Let SMU, MSV and others admit
immature drunks and maintain the status quo. Make Dal an alcohol and
drug free university. I'm sure there are enough mature students to fill
one NS university with those who want to learn, and the rest can go
party on Mommy and Daddy's money elsewhere. I know this will work
because I have 3 Dal university graduates, and they sure as hell didn't
get drunk every weekend and swear at the police.
--
HRM Resident

No time to post a well thought out reply at the moment, but you are diminishing the contribution of these volunteer activities I describe (and many others I'm not even aware of" because they don't fit your image and understanding of volunteerism. I'll try to touch on it when I have time but there are social benefits that may not be apparent. I'm talking mental health benefits, real day-to-day personal support, community building and other spin-offs. It's not all just about the volunteers playing around and having some fun.

Additionally, how do you think the Feed NS operates? Or Lainge House or the many shelters around the city? Out of the Cold? Church breakfast programs, etc. Trust me on this, it's all over the place.

Cheers,
John

l***@fl.it

2017-10-31 11:27:21 UTC

On Tue, 31 Oct 2017 04:05:26 -0700 (PDT), jvangurp