The Daily Gist: With Ben Istiphan

Why is the media constantly trying to portray every protester as violent and destructive? The G20 summit in London has fueled plenty of animosity, as tens of thousands are marching through the city to demonstrate against the greedy who have put the world economy on the brink of collapse.

Most have no intentions to stir violence against authorities or destroy inanimate objects, yet these are the images that the mainstream media tends to focus on. Provoking the police, smashing windows, and setting vehicles on fire are common when a vast number of individuals gather together, but the majority are content on using their voices and not their fists. They come in peace, which is terrifying for those that are protested against, because non-violent actions can not justifiably be suppressed with violence. However, in the end, violence is manufactured from the top in order to justify the use of violence against the bottom.

Maybe the bailout money did have strings attached. After his failure to move decisively, GM CEO Rick Wagoner was asked to step down by the Obama administration. So why stop there? Why not demand more immediate action from other bailout recipients, primarily in the financial institutions. On the other hand, more is needed to jump start the economy than just firing those who are clearly too incompetent.

The Obama Administration should continue to expand their discretion by overseeing the transfer of power, as one CEO  replaces another. More importantly, further government oversight may insure that the new guy is heading towards the right direction and not towards the abyss. It is redundant to replace a fat cat with his crony.

Don’t expect Bill O’Reilly to watch a Sean Penn film any time soon. O’Reilly has criticized Penn on many occasions for his political views, and especially took offense to his comments during his acceptance speech at the Oscars, when the actor chastised those who support the ban on gay marriage in California.

O’Reilly has previously questioned Penn’s patriotism, with accusations of befriending American’s enemies, such as Hugo Chavez and Raul Castro. Hollywood is not as outspoken as it once was, and it’s no wonder why when a small number of actors and actresses are constantly ridiculed for their opinion. As a counter strategy, I would boycott the O’Reilly Factor, but I can’t seem to resist the rediculousness that comes out of the neo-con’s mouth

Between 8:30 pm and 9:30 pm, the world was paying tribute to our precious mother earth. Earth Hour seems to be gaining more notoriety and attention as the issue of climate change becomes more and more crucial. Shutting the lights and reducing the power helps every bit, but it’s the awareness that is quintessential to further initiatives and activism.

It is naive for one to think that an hour of energy conservation can make up for 200 hundred years of infinite consumption and disregard of our external environment. The point of Earth Hour is to spread a message, one that warns of a serious and irreversible pandemic, which is inevitable unless collective action is taken.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has acknowledged that the war on drugs has been a failure. She has also placed the onus on the United States for fueling the Mexican drug cartels because of the high demand for illegal substances in the country. Although words do lead to progress, Clinton’s statement in no way confirms that America’s war on drugs is shifting primarily towards alleviating the demand.

This is surely a transnational struggle, yet the war is only being fought on someone else’s backyard. Some want to believe that problem resides in a foreign land, where malevolent individuals are plotting to sabotage the core values of the typical American family. They fail to see that the cause is a lot closer to home, in the poor communities, where people go hunger and where decent work is lacking. The war abroad is preventable only if the war at home comes to an end.

What is happening to the local media? As the state of the economy worsens, many local newspapers and broadcast stations are finding it very difficult to sustain themselves. Some have no choice but to close down, leaving a huge void in the community, as information that once played a pivotal role in organizing the local people is no longer available.

I will be the first one to admit that the local news can be quite tedious, with headlines like “who stole little Jenny’s Teddy Bear?” However, sometimes it’s the only medium that is available, especially for low income families who can’t afford cable or the more sophisticated metropolitan newspapers. Whether it’s a factory closing down or a lake being polluted, the public needs to be aware so that action can be taken immediately.

Today when I was driving around in my car, I noticed a new McDonald’s Billboard advertising their new snack wraps. I am somewhat dumbfounded that they chose to use the word “snack” to promote their newest addition to the menu. McDonald’s has already managed to incorporate breakfast, lunch, and dinner items , but all of a sudden the fast food chain has branded itself as a “snack time” provider.

Just in case that Big Mac extra value meal for lunch wasn’t enough, McDonald’s is ensuring that their costumers will not be starving themselves before dinner approaches. The time in between meals is an opportunity for many to eat the fruits and vegetables that they didn’t consume enough of during their 3 main courses. However, once again, McDonald’s is offering the public an alternative, so drop that apple Billy and tell mommy to go to Mickey D’s for a wrap instead.

Forbes has recently issued their report on the best countries to do business with in 2008. Denmark tops the list, followed by Ireland and Finland. Despite the disastrous economy, the United States was fourth on the list. It will be interesting to find out how exactly Forbes determines these rankings. The unemployment rate and GDP growth are important indicators, but they tend to say little about a countries social capital and standard of living.

Such reports are interpreted from the perspective of the shareholders and managers without much consideration towards workers and the essential services they rely on. On the other hand, the big winners, such as Denmark and Finland, may have demonstrated that Scandinavian politics can become beneficial for even the most pro-business advocates. Some countries will find it excruciating to look at next year ranks, even the United States, who will be dumbfounded when they realize that their behind Saudi Arabia.

President Obama has spoken out against Dick Cheney’s claim that the counter-terrorism policies used by the Bush Administration has protected Americans from another terrorist attack. During his interview with 60 Minutes, Obama cited that the previous administration’s use of torture had exacerbated anti-American sentiment.

America is not a safer place now, but Cheney insists that is, in a last ditch effort to justify his actions, as well as the actions of his cronies, in order to avoid the possibility of criminal charges in the future. However, holding Cheney and the others accountable is something that the Obama administration has done little to pursue. I know they are eighth cousins, but sometimes justice has to be above family.

More Canadian Bashing to deflect attention away from American problems.

Over the years, Canadians have grown to despise Fox News for their portrayal of the country as weak and useless. Just recently, the Canadian military was poked fun at during a broadcast of Fox News’s Red Eye, an after hours program that tends to deliver news in a satirical manner. One of Canada’s top military officials suggested that the military may need to take an extensive break in order to regroup, which became the focal point of Red Eye’s heckling. Our military is supposedly not up to par with our neighbours, yet those on the panel think we are ridiculous and that our sovereignty should in violated by outside forces.

I found that it was difficult to determine whether they were in fact being facetious or just speaking their mind in a derogatory fashion. Canada is no military power, but by adopting a more neutral and diplomatic approach, we have garnered a decent reputation in the international community, which is something that the war mongers in the south have jeopardized. We use to take it seriously when the undisputed power bashed us, but with America on the brink of collapse, we can now just pity the fools.