TOTEM POEM FOR VICTORIA PARK

TOTEM POEM: CHILD’S PLAY
Freedom to the Four Corners of the World

The trunk is to be carved into a stack of standard children’s wooden blocks, thereby complimenting the nearby children’s playground where imagination runs amok. It will represent the condition in which the imagination thrives: FREEDOM. Victoria Park appears to have become dominated by sombre markers, from the Abuse Awareness sculpture, to the cenotaph, to the gateway structures at the top of the park.

Victoria Park should not become a place where people are reminded of negative vibes and have to look at these things with their heads bowed down. Victoria Park is a playground for adults as well as children. This is a work that will make people’s heads turn upwards, uplifting. FREEDOM. This needs to be celebrated, especially amongst children.

The four seven-letter words all have the same meaning: FREEDOM (English); LIBERTE (French); WOLNOSC (Polish); SVOBODA (Czech). This reflects the multiculturalism of Canada, and the multicultural aspiration for freedom from the four corners of the world. Each word is on one side of the four sides of the trunk. The portion of tree trunk above the top of the stack of blocks should remain. Painting each block is optional.

Freedom is all too often taken for granted and neglected. Our culture is healthily permeated with art and poetry anthologies addressing the dominate themes of the zeitgeist: peace and the environment. This Totem Poem celebrates and honours Freedom, the main trunk of democracy from which everything else branches to make a healthy society.

The call for submissions went out to “wood carvers, wood artists and sculptors.” I am none of those. I am a poet. I do not have the skill set to physically do the piece myself – I would have to hire a wood carver, wood artist or sculptor to carry out the Totem. I currently have no estimate of expense.

Bland Alarm in Prosedale

These devices have been installed in enclaves for the upper Ivory Tower. This Bland Alarm was located in the enclave of Prosedale in the city of Poempeii. These are remote areas from you and me. Sometimes the great novelist will reach out with the long arm of the autograph. It is the extension of the policy that gov’t must be at arm’s length from the adjudication of arts grants. This is the enclave of summits, meritocrazy prevails. Extraordinary measures are taken to coddle these gifted sentient beings.

The Bland Alarm is set up to provide immediate decontamination if an outbreak of blandmess occurs. So who you gonna call? Blandbusters! A breakout of Banksy in Poempeii.

The Bland Alarm has not been utilized for well over ten years now. The last time was the night some teenage redestructivemess poets stoned on poorly planned conceptualism tipped over a pick-up truck loaded with three bales of pulp friction to demonstrate our vulnerability to pollutants.

Pneumatic trucks from Vowel Movement were on site within the hour. It’s a gated community. Poemland Security protects inspiration. Security devices have been set up to measure trace amounts of mediocrity.

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Utility Trucks About Town

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BELIEVE IN IT

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Amendments to the Poetic Licencing Act

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KATE MARSHALL-FLAHERTY READS "TAKE NOTICE"

July 16, 2009, Kate Marshall-Flaherty came to Cobourg to do a poetry reading at the Meet @ 66 King Street East. Here she reads "Take Notice". Yes, the charm was noticed.

JIM COCORAN EXPLAINS

For an in-depth explanation by Jim Corcoran of his decision to take the Church of Perpetual Virginity to the Ontario Human Rites Commission read the rest at his blog: JIM'S BLOG

"The Human Rights Commission is a by product of democracy in Ontario. It is an organization that, through mediation, makes best efforts to bring the parties together for discussion and resolution. In this case, I think there is a role for the Human Rights Commission to play in helping to resolve the issues that have been brought out into a public forum by this group of people, especially as they have affected my rights as a human being. Where did I get my facts from? Sadly, much of what I have said here has become public knowledge in the Parish of St. Michael's. The group of 12 tried to bring more people into their fold who did not support their cause or their tactics, and those people have been great friends and supporters. One thing you can say about Catholics - they like to talk."

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Another blog with a considered response is FREEDOM THROUGH TRUTH.

"Unbeknownst to him, and probably still unclear to him from his own well intentioned comments on his blog, when he complained to Barbara Hall, he set the wheels in motion that effectively made her the new Head of the Catholic Church in Canada, Popessa Barbara I, and asked her to use her self anointed power over the faithful to suck monetary damages out of the Bishop in the amount of $25,000 and $20,000 from each of the 12 parishioners who so offended the poor man, when that was not his intention at all. Now that the wheels are in motion, his intention no longer matters. Watch and see. The ball is out of your court now, Jim."

Michael Coren: The faithful don't challenge the faith

The man in question, spa-owner Jim Corcoran, claims that while he is homosexual he is celibate and a devout Catholic who observes Church teaching. Not, it seems, so devout and so observant of Church teaching that he is prepared to accept with Catholic humility and self-control the decision of that very Church to terminate an entirely voluntary (if important) position. Instead, he has appealed to the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal, a secular body that has habitually ruled against individual Christians and, some would argue, is in direct conflict with Roman Catholic teaching and pursues a pugnaciously anti-Catholic agenda. These are hardly the actions of a faithful Catholic in good standing, which leads one to wonder if there is more to this story — and to Mr. Corcoran.

Read the rest of the story HERE, and also the comments from Canadians far and wide.

LOUIS STOVER THROWS OUT MUSIC

All those of you living in Cobourg who attended the sock hops and hippie dippie psychodelic parties down at The Pav thanks to Minister of Music, Louis Stover and the Saturday Night Club Dances that he organized, know what a lover of music he is.

None of this comes to a shock by all the writers of the local mainstream media who haven't a clue about Cobourg's early days of teen happenings, but is a shock to witness him throwing music into a dumpster. We couldn't believe it. Here is the evidence:

STOP PINKING ON ME OR I'LL TELL BIG MOTHER BABS OF HUMAN RITES SHAME

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Coming Soon to a Local Newspaper Near You

EXTRA EXTRA, READ ALL ABOUT IT!!!

Local bon vivant, sociopath, blowhard, etc. ad nauseum, yes the real McCoy, the Poet of the hood, Wally Keeler gets a small spread in the Daily Bland: read all about it in WHAT'S RIGHT ABOUT THE ONTARIO HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION?

Jim Corcoran Comments in a Blog, Plus Responses

Below are selected comments posted on SOCON OR BUST
Jim Corcoran posted his comments on the 12 Cobourg parishioners, which was followed by a few other interesting comments by Catholic colleagues. It makes for intriguing reading, especially for an atheist.

Jim Corcoran says: July 11, 2009 @ 11:04 am:
"I’m afraid you’re missing the point. The Bishop of Peterborough is being bullied by a small group of parishioners over his decision to appoint Father Hood as Pastor of this parish. The complaint about who he could appoint or not appoint to serve on the altar was only one in a long list of complaints designed to undermine the authority of the Priest and ultimately of the Bishop. The group of parishioners tried to threaten the Bishop with a public scandal on this issue, knowing that a public scandal around this issue was most likely to get a reaction from the Bishop, which it did. Unfortunalely, instead of placating this group, they were emboldened and continued their campaign against Father Hood, causing further division in the parish and within the Catholic community, driving others away. If you really care about the survival of Catholicism in Canada, take the time to fully research the issues before you jump to a hasty conclusion. This is a good Bishop, a good priest, and a good acolyte who are being attacted. We need to stand up for all of them, just as Christ would have."

Neil L says: July 11th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
"I think its important to be fair to homosexuals who practice the faith, and not to discriminate against them. But I think its even more important that the state should not decide who can and cannot take on roles in the liturgy. The Church must decide who can be on the altar, not the state. If this is the role of the state, they will force the church to allow women to be priests, and then we will have to go underground. This is so much more serious than about whether one altar server was mistreated or not. To take this case to the civil authorities is to betray the faith, very simply put."

Pacheco says: July 12th, 2009 at 12:07 am
"#1 - If you are really concerned about Catholicism in Canada and Bishop De Angelis is a “good bishop”, why are you bringing public scandal by attacking your own spiritual father when he has made a decision against you? And why are you providing a precedent for enemies of the Church to bankrupt it and drive it underground? Is this what you do to your friends, let alone brothers in Christ? Where were you taught about Christianity, Jim?

#2 - Why are you bringing in a secular authority to make a decision regarding the Church? Have you not read what St. Paul says about this kind of thing? Read 1 Cor. 6:1-11.

#3 - From Redemptionis Sacramentum: [46.] “The lay Christian faithful called to give assistance at liturgical celebrations should be well instructed and must be those whose Christian life, morals and fidelity to the Church’s Magisterium recommend them. It is fitting that such a one should have received a liturgical formation in accordance with his or her age, condition, state of life, and religious culture. No one should be selected whose designation could cause consternation for the faithful.”
We must guard against not only ACTUAL scandal, but actions and behaviours that may be interpreted as such. This is the real problem here. Not that you may, in fact, be living a chaste life, but that your current situation with another man compromises the community’s peace. Can you imagine this thing being repeated as a rule? I want you to think about this very carefully. “Yes, I am a priest, but that woman I living with? Pay no attention. We’re just “close friends”. Wink, wink.” I am sure you can see the problem with this scenario.

#4 - There is no RIGHT to be an altar server. There is no RIGHT to be a priest. There is no strict RIGHT to the Eucharist. There is no strict RIGHT to marriage. These are privileges that the Church grants to her children on certain conditions. You need to get off of this idea of entitlement. If you do not accept the authority of the bishop, you are free to leave. But, please, don’t presume to knuckle your way into forcing the Catholic community to accept your scandalous behaviour at the hands of a “Human Rights” Thug from the government.
Besides Jim, it can’t be good PR for the gay community or your spa. Nobody likes a bully. Think about it and drop your complaint."

John M. says: July 15th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
"Mr. Corcoran can consider himself a leader in the assault on the Roman Catholic Church. He would do well to understand what love is. Love is not an emotion, love is a decision. It involves and act of the will. When one chooses to place the needs of others above their own needs, one shows true love, not the deformed Hollywood-style love incessantly belched out of the entertainment industry, only to fall on the faithful as moral and intellectual pollution, and corrode the consciences of all who make the mistake of believing that this is reality.

To allow Mr. Corcoran to continue serving in the liturgy would definitely cause scandal among the faithful, despite his claim that the relationship that he maintains with the man he lives with is purely “platonic”. This is not acceptable. Can Mr. Corcoran not think of the good of the community of the faithful over his own hurt feelings? Are his own hurt feelings so important to himself that they justify trampling over the Church and all the faithful, by means of employing a taxpayer-funded, well-know-to-be-corrupt quasi-judicial body as his henchmen? Is this not a bit narcissistic? Mr. Corcoran should learn that pride is a sin.

A former employee of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, and who has since been heavily involved in their proceedings, Richard Warman, has called men who practice a homosexual lifestyle a “c—-r”. Their employees have memberships in Canadian neo-Nazi groups and have regularly posted diatribes against men who practice the homosexual lifestyle, as well as against the Jewish people on internet websites run by neo-Nazis.

An apology from the Bishop is nonsense. What should the Bishop apologise for? Protecting his flock against scandal? Rubbish. If anyone is to apologise, it is Mr. Corcoran, for his attack on Christ’s sheep. Mr. Corcoran should take some time off the spa and do a careful examination of conscience and ask himself who he’s working for: satan or Christ? At the end of the day, we’re all working for one or the other. How do we show our love for Christ? Through holy obedience to Him and His Church. Rousing disobedience and pride are not fruits of the Holy Spirit. The fruits of the Holy Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

I think that Mr. Corcoran should stop harassing the Bishop. I think that Mr. Corcoran should stop harassing the Church. I think that Mr. Corcoran would discover a happiness that the world cannot give him through material possessions if he were to show genuine humility, contrition and repentance, living and praying in the light of Christ, and not rebelling against it."

Where are the Cobourg Stories?????

Once again Northumberland Today provides stories by writers outside Cobourg about situations in the community of the author, not Cobourg. Today's story, "The final frontier: the best is yet to come" is yet another example of the local paper serving non-local stories. It's not like Cobourgers want to read a single word written by a Cobourger about long ago stories of Cobourg.

"Fifty years ago, the Canadian government announced to the world its plan to be the third country to launch its own satellite into space. Recently, reporter Michael Purvis profiled Sault Ste Marie resident Jack Dacey, 79, who was working at the Defence Research Telecommunications Establishment in Ottawa at the time, testing electronic equipment for the military, and developing some of the first solar cells. Of course, Sault Ste Marie is also home to Roberta Bondar. Not bad at all for a city its size."

What can any writer at Northumberland Today tell us about the kids jumping from the ferry docks, or the starling shootouts on Chapel Street, or the hippies acting outrageously in Victoria Park. What can Dan Christie, Grahame Woods, or other imports write about that from any first hand experience?

Northumberland Today finally gets its act together, days and days later

After days and days and days of dragging its feet, the local newsmedia, the daily Northumberland Today, finally decided to tell a Cobourg story to Cobourgers. Too little, too late. Meanwhile, Cobourg residents, obtained their local stories from sources outside the community. Talk about incompetent local news gathering. At the bottom is an exerpt from the story. Agenda anyone?

Northumberland Today declined to list the parishioners who are each facing a $20,000 lawsuit by Mr Corcoran. These are the respondents:

Jean Amelia, 723 Murray Crescent, Cobourg
Joan Mowat, 47 Munroe Street, Cobourg
Jack Vollering, 7775 County Rd #2 RR4, Cobourg
Gerald Lawless, 316 D’Arcy Street, Cobourg
Melvin McPhee, 6 Orchard Ave, Cobourg
Hilda McPhee, 6 Orchard Ave, Cobourg
Reg Ward, 34 Spencer Street West
Arthur Champagne, 812 Rutherford St, Cobourg
James Keeler, 225 Ruttan Terrace, Cobourg
Joseph O’Grady, 130 Tremaine St, Cobourg
Agnes Marchand, 478 Harden Cres, Cobourg
Huguette Keeler, 225 Ruttan Terrace, Cobourg

Mr Corcoran completed the complaint by ticking off EMPLOYMENT as the Area of Discrimination:

6. Area of Alleged Discrimination
The Ontario Human Rights Code prohibits discrimination in five areas. Put an "X" in the box beside the area where you believe you have experienced discrimination (choose one).
[X] Employment
[ ] Housing
[ ] Goods, Services or Facilities
[ ] Contracts
[ ] Membership in a Vocational Association
Does your Application involve discrimination in other areas? [ ] Yes [X] No

This is the text of Mr Corcoran's complaint:
"In the fall of 2008, after Sunday mass, I was approached my my parish priest, Father Allan Hood. He told me that he was planning to launch an Adult Acolyte Guild at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Cobourg, and he invited me to join. I enthusiastically agreed to serve as I had been feeling a recent renewal of a strong, life long calling to a vocation in the Catholic Church. Along with several other adults, I attended practices and was fitted for a cassock and started serving mass in December of 2008. Just after Holy Week 2009, Father Hood asked to see me. He was clearly agitated and under duress. He told me that a group of 12 parishioners had been conducting a letter writing campaign to the Bishop (Nicola DeAngelis) objecting to many of the changes Father Hood had implemented since taking over St. Michael's parish in the summer of 2008. In their most recent letter to the Bishop this group had threatened to go public with their complaints if the Bishop did not remove the 2 gay servers from the altar. The Bishop called Father Hood to a meeting on Monday morning, April 20th, 2009 at which time he presented him with a letter signed by 12 parishioners objecting to a number of things that Father Hood has done since being appointed to this parish, one of which was allowing 2 openly gay men to serve on the altar. Father Hood summarized the content of this letter during our meeting, but did not give me a copy as the Bishop had instructed him not to. Apparently this group had written to the Bishop on this topic on at least one previous occasion. In their letters the group has tried to establish that I am married to my same sex partner, that I am an active homosexual leading an openly homosexual lifestyle and they implied that I may be in a relationship with Father Hood. Based on the group's letter, the Bishop told Father Hood to inform me that I was no longer to serve on the altar. He also told Father Hood that he would be happy to meet with me to discuss this matter. I called the Bishop at his office on Tuesday morning, April 21st, 2009 and asked him to meet with me to discuss his order. He declined to meet with me, and told me that I should follow the advice of St. Paul and abstain from doing something that others found offensive. I also asked the Bishop how he would respond if I were to pursue a vocation within the Catholic Church, and he told me that there is a process for this, but felt I should know that in his diocese applications for a vocation from persons over the age of 30 are not accepted. This seemed strange to me as most deacons are ordained in the latter part of their lives. I feel that my human rights have been violated by the 12 parishioners, by the Bishop and by the Catholic Archdiocese of Peterborough, exclusively on the basis of my sexual orientation. By threatening the Bishop with public scandal, this group of 12 parishioners have used their distaste towards homosexuality to limit my right to serve my church and deepen my faith by serving on the altar, and to pursue a vocation within the Catholic Church. They have also caused me embarrassment in my church community by circulating petitions to fellow parishioners containing accusations pertaining to my lifestyle. By not responding to this group of 12 parishioners on this issue, and by directing Father Hood to tell me that I am no longer welcome to serve on the Altar, and by discouraging me from pursuing a vocation, the Bishop has endorsed and enabled the hateful and discriminatory will of this group of 12 people towards me, undermining my rights as a human being."

Mr Corcoran has asked the Ontario Human Rights Commission for the following Financial remedy: "I feel that a penalty of $20,000 paid by each of the 12 parishioner towards a charity of my choosing will serve as a deterrent to each of them from slandering the reputation of and trampling on the human rights of others. I would like my legal costs related to this application to be covered by the Diocese of Peterborough, to a maximum of $25,000."

Mr Corcoran has further requested the following: "I would like the group of 12 parishioners to be held accountable for their un-Christian actions, in front of their peers in a public forum, by the Bishop or the Bishop's superior. I would like the Bishop to preach a sermon at St. Michael's Church on the consequences of practicing discrimination and the slanderous spreading of rumours, hate and innuendo. I would also like the Bishop to publicly restore my role as a server at St. Michael's church, and to apologize for the injustice caused to me, my friends and family."

Mr Corcoran requested the following 'Public Interest remedy': "I would like the Catholic Archdiocese of Peterborough to publish an article written by the Bishop in the regularly published diocesan news magazine on the rights of persons with same sex attractions to practice their faith within the Catholic Church without fear of threats, recrimination or discrimination. I would also like the Catholic Archdiocese of Peterborough to develop and publish policies that support the human rights of all people within the church."

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Northumberland Today reports:
"While the decision that they must quit their voluntary church work came down from De Angelis in April, Corcoran's application to the tribunal was only filed about two weeks ago, he told Northumberland Today. That's because the same group of 12 parishioners are continuing a vendetta against Father Hood and had circulated yet another petition against his decisions and actions, he said.

'It was then I decided to file the complaint,' Corcoran said."

George Galloway Believes in Iranian Democracy

In a recent radio broadcast, gorgeous George Galloway, praised the recent Iranian election as completely fair and that Moumaud Imanutjob is the leader.

Arguements of Interested Parties from National Post blog

Randal Oulton >> where the state dictates to places of worship
And lord knows, the Catholic church has *never* tried to tell the State what to do.

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CS67 >>The key here is that this is not a job, but a voluntary role within service of the faith. If the faith is of the belief that the sexual orientation of a member is not within the scope of acceptance, the HRT really has no say. The individual in question can certainly attend the church and follow Christ, but participation would be akin to a Satanist taking up the same role. If you do not conscribe to the faith, you cannot represent it. Like it or not, the government (HRT) cannot tell the church what to believe.

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cloudlift >>Human rights are written in Law participation in church is volunteer, law must and will always trump dogma. The beliefs of a few christian primitives should not allow should not be allowed to stop our country from "growing up". To call love between two people a depraved act is inflammatory in particular coming from the morally bankrupt catholic church were depravity perpetrated upon children by thousands of clergy world wide has been tastily supported by it's leadership protecting the perpetrators for generations.

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Felicity Hangnail >> As an institution that demands and accepts taxpayers $ to support it's activities, the RCC should be 100% prone to the legal strictures of this country. Claiming to be free from the legal obligations faced by law-abiding Canadians speaks volumes about ever-present CATHOLIC BIGOTRY in most aspects of Canadian society.

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Chrysostom >> How typical of the secular-minded to be so irrational and ignorant.
Now, turning to this issue at hand, what will be next? Will women and girls complain to the HRC that they are not permitted to be servers and priests?

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hoppy96 >> The HRC's mandate should be limited to discrimination in housing, emploment, and social services. It should have jurisdiction over employment in the church since the church does accept favourable tax treatments, etc. from the State. But not have jurisdiction over doctrine related, volunteer positions within a religious group. Having said that, I also agree that the Catholic Church stands out as one of the world's greatest examples of hypocriscy, taking the position homosexuality is a great sin, while it's priests diddle little boys and girls all around the world.

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crocodile dundee >> RandalOulton writes "And lord knows, the Catholic church has *never* tried to tell the State what to do."
There's a big difference between the church publicly stating its opposition to government policy and the unelected, unaccountable HRC dictating to the Catholic church how it must conduct its services.

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pierrepharand >> Whatever happened to freedom of religion? Human Rights Commissions have outlived their usefulness. The Catholic Church has its teachings regarding homosexuality, and it follows them. They don't do it because they want to offend people, they do it because they make the decision between what is right and what is easy everyday. And they choose the former option over the latter. I'm not saying burn gays, lesbians and bisexuals, etc. at the stake. Absolutely not. The separation of Church and State happened and was drastically needed. However, now we are seeing the State interferring with the Church's affairs. It is not its place. Whatever happened to the separation of State from religion?

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Rectificatif >> there is no gov't organization that has any legitimate say in how they serve the Mass and who does it.

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QUARK1912 >> Even as a recovering catholic I can understand that being an alter server is not a right but a privilege which may be revoked for any or no reason. The Ontario Human Rights Commission may or may not uphold the principle of the separation of church and state but that is not the point, here the process is the punishment. The O.H.R.C. may take on a soft target like a R.C. diocese but I am sure the separation of mosque and state principle is inviolable.

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PM29 >> The man is publicly flaunting his disobedience to Catholic teaching. It boggles the mind that someone who (obviously) has no respect for the precepts of the Church feels entitled to a prominent and visible role in the mass. He's just lucky he hasn't been excommunicated (he's pretty much begging for it).

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Brian25 >> Churches are exempted from taxes to fulfill the separation of church and state -- if they paid taxes, they would be legitimate participants in the political process, thus violating that status of separation.

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The Truth Hurts >> This rule would not just apply to homosexuals. If a man/woman was living with common-law they would and should removed from any type of church service. These are the rules if you don't like them go to the United Church where anything goes.

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Blazingcatfur >> Mr. Corcoran has hired an ex-communicated priest to work at his spa - Ed Cachia. This ex-priest was ex-communicated by Bishop De Angelis the respondent in the case.
This may or may not point to an agenda.

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RobertA9 >> Separation of Church and State is a two-way, not a one-way street. Freedom of religion gives religious institutions a protected zone of autonomy in matters of doctrine, worship and discipline. We may disagree with the way this case was handled, but it is clearly an internal Church matter in which the Human Rights Tribunal has neither competence nor jurisdiction.

Poetician1 Makes a Safe Landing In Cobourg

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MEANWHILE NORTHUMBERLAND TODAY SNOOZES AND LOOZES

"July 13, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In what some critics of the embattled Canadian human rights commissions say could be the most intrusive human rights case in Canada thus far, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has accepted the complaint of a homosexual man who was dismissed by the Bishop of Peterborough as an altar server. While the bishop has refused to publicly comment on the matter, the complainant in the case says that the bishop asked him and his same-sex partner not to serve on the altar so as to avoid public scandal."

More on the above story CLICK HERE
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Meanwhile the local mainstream media (Northumberland Today, Northumberland News) continues to hit the snooze button. What is it that they say, oh yes, serving the community.

But take a look at all the writers of Northumberland Today. None were born and bred in Cobourg. They don't know the Cobourg stories. When they do write nostalgic stories, it is about other communties, not Cobourg. It is a pathetic shame.

Northumberland Today is serving their masters in Toronto, not serving the community in Cobourg.

Stay Out of Church Matters, Ontario Human Rights Commission Told

"TORONTO, July 10, 2009 - The Catholic Civil Rights League commented today on the filing of a complaint with the Ontario Human Rights Commission against the Bishop of Peterborough for discontinuing the service of two homosexual men as altar servers at a parish church in the diocese."
...
"The decision about who can serve on the altar is a matter of Church governance."

And that is that, Ms Barbara Hall"

Read more from Catholic Civil Rights League

Homosexual Adult Altar-Server Files Human Rights Complaint against Bishop for Dismissal

July 7, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Jim Corcoran, the owner of one of Canada's largest and most lavish spas, has launched a human rights complaint against the Bishop of Peterborough Ontario for refusing him permission to continue to serve as an altar server.

Corcoran admits that he is homosexual and lives with another homosexual man, but says that he follows the Church's teaching and lives a chaste lifestyle. According to the Catholic Register, Bishop Nicola De Angelis asked Corcoran to accept his decision that he not serve on the altar based upon the bishops' desire to avoid public scandal.

Cobourg Parishioners Face Human Rights Complaint: Fun & Flames For All

In the beginning the political correctmess totalitarians went after Gordon Gilchrist, now an agent of political correctmess is running down a dozen Cobourg parishioners. How will Ontario Human Rights honcho Pope Barbara Hall handle this one?

Do the atheists have a right to tell the Catholic Church how to conduct its religious freedoms within its own domain. Do the Baptists have a right to tell Muslims and Jews that their women should be able to worship beside men. If Babs Hall dictates that out-of-the-closet homosexuals must be able to serve on the alter, then that means out-of-the-closet homosexuals must be able to conduct Friday Prayers in Ontario Mosques -- that'll be a hoot to enforce. Fun and Flames for all. And where's the local media? They're in full DUH!
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Peterborough Bishop Nicola De Angelis and 12 parishioners at St. Michael’s parish in Cobourg, Ont., face an Ontario Human Rights Commission complaint that could cost the parishioners $20,000 each and the diocese of Peterborough $25,000 plus legal fees.

Jim Corcoran brought the complaint after he was asked to give up his position as an altar server at Sunday Masses. Corcoran was dismissed from all duties on the altar after 12 parishioners wrote a letter to De Angelis questioning the presence of a gay man serving at the altar of St. Michael’s.

Read all about it in The Catholic Register.

Sir Wilfred & Freedom

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1958 Was Very Weird In Cobourg

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Richard May was 63 years old. So what is the deal here? Was he trying to steal eggs? Was he unemployed and starving? Was it just to find a place to sleep? This is all that the Cobourg Sentinel-Star published on the issue. It's 1958 and there's a hen house in Cobourg. Was it the rooster that ratted out Mr May to Ms McCool. But get a load of the sentence: 30 days in the cooler for entering a hen house without permission.

Now this is an interesting story.

Fairfax M. Gifford, touted as being a "good shot" generously provided from his own gun collection a Riot Gun to the Cobourg Police Dept. Why? Because he "felt it was a good idea for the police to have a riot gun."

Town Councillor, Tom Jones, asks the most pertinent question of all, "Why? What is it for?"

The Mayor of the day quickly replied, "In case of emergency."

[Well, gosh, one can never know when Cobourg citizens might rise up in revolution and run amok, setting fire to businesses, overturning cars, that sort of thing]

Deputy-Reeve Erskine, as chair of the Police Committee and ever helpful to explain things, told the Town Council, "A riot gun is a sawed off shotgun."

The Mayor was quick to correct this misapprehension, exclaiming, "Not this one. It's got a long barrel, but it has a pump action."

So where is the gun now? That was 51 years ago and there have not been any recorded riots in Cobourg, a drunken brawl now and then, but a riot? C'mon.

Hi, my name's Wally Keeler. I'd like a Junkyard Licence.

You'll have to take a test.

What, like a driver's licence?

Yes. You need to know your junk.

How about junk laws?

You just failed Mr Keeler.

WARNING: If you're hitching, it is legal to be a stand-up guy about it. If you lay down on the job to take a rest it'll cost ya. Just ask James A. Harris, who did time in the local gaol. Tsk, Tsk. Lesson learned.

Victoria Park was a cow pasture. Now we know why those elm trees grew so magnificently.

Stumped for Creativity: Call for Ideas

The Town of Cobourg, Committee for Art in Public Spaces issued a Call for Submissions last July 3 to "all interested wood carvers, wood artists and sculptors ... to submit proposals to carve" the tree trunk/stump in Victoria Park. Below is the picture the town took to illiustrate its call.

The deadline for Expressions of Interest is Monday, July 20 at 4pm. Questions can be addressed to Renee Champagne rchampagne@cobourg.ca or call 905-372-4555

This is the same tree I illustrated as DOUBLE PLUS PEACE BABE with a Tree Poem. The thinking of Cobourg remained within the box when the call went only to wood carvers, wood artists, sculptors. I guess poets and other elements of the Creative Class might not have ideas.

I do hope the submissions will be exhibited to the public. It's a participatory thing. It is not that I recognize the public has any insight into what art is or isn't and what art is better than... If the art is going to be in the public domain, it stands to reason that their input be considered. The result is likely to be safe, bland and mediocre, but alas ... that's democrazy.

The Heeby-Jeeby Hijabberwocky

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Djavann especially condemns the veiling of little girls, calling it abuse because it makes them internalize at an early age that they should be ashamed: "Don't we hide what we are ashamed of?... Since childhood, these veiled girls feel guilty… From childhood, little girls are aware that they are a threat to boys and men…" In addition, the girls are a "constant threat to Islamic morals: a girl could bring about a crime, be slaughtered by her father or brothers to cleanse their sullied honor. Indeed, the honor of men is cleansed with girls' blood!"

The blog, Cobourg Atheist has a highly astute article concerning the hijab, the veil and its overall negative effects on women, girls and society. The critique was written by a Muslim woman, so that should shut the mouths of Western feminists and their knee-jerk accusation of that cannard, islamaphobia. It is most definitely worth a read. Canadian-Muslim, Tarek Fatah, author of Chasing a Mirage: The Tragic Illusion of an Islamic State weighs in on the hijab in today's National Post.

Below is an example of how ludicrous western news media has become in prostating itself to the uber-sensitivities of a retrograde culture. I present this photo published in the Toronto Star to illustrate an article on Visions Of Mohammed, along with my disdainful response. This is how to read and respond to a news picture:

1957 Cobourg: Negroes, Spinsters, High Heeled Front Page & Union Shakedown

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It was front page headlines in the Cobourg Sentinel Star.

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Miss Maggie McIntosh just wanted to live a private life.

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Gorgeous Babe Busts a Heel right on the Main Street in full view of children. She legged it to Victoria Hall where she encountered The Mayor. This was published front page centre above the fold. Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

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Drama in the Public Utilities Commission office. Someone coulda been a contendah.

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COBOURG FEELS GOOD

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CAUSES AND RESOLVES

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What Goes Around Comes Around

June 13, 2009 was Cobourg's first open street bash, when German photographer, Thorsten Deuter dropped in to take in the sights of Cobourg. He happened to be sitting amongst the locals at the Human Bean, when a gregarious poet approached everyone with a Free Speech card and requested a photo op.

This act made an impression on Thorsten, who thought the tables should be turned, that the gesture is international. Free Trade in Free Speech; Free Speech for Redefreiheit. OK, so the photo appears on his (Pearl Jam) German site here: Note the clarity of a professional photographer compared to a snapshot poet.

FREE SPEECH TAKES COBOURG ON CANADA DAY

The citizens of Cobourg have little problem displaying their FREE SPEECH Right. Below is a wonderful sampling of Canadians displaying their Right with a confident smile. No fear of truncheons, bullets, torture, gulags here.

Cobourg is a small town located on the north shore of Lake Ontario, 100 km east of the Centre of the Unit Verse. It is famous, or infamous as the case may be, for the shenadigans of hometown poet, Wally Keeler, the leading proselytizer for FREE SPEECH Rights.

With enticements, enchantments, a pinch of Love Poetion #9, poet Keeler is able to convince ordinary Canadians to indulge in a display of an extraordinary moment on behalf of FREE SPEECH. (Poet Keeler is also known to carry a 45 calibre metaphor and is Poetic Licenced to skill.)

Dave Dunlop, a personal trainer for Extreme Rush, took the challenge to take his FREE SPEECH card to the top. Those societies and cultures in which FREE SPEECH is a treasured right, are also on the top, far above dictatorshit and its ill ilk.

We came to visit Cobourg to enjoy Canada Day and picked up some FREE SPEECH cards by birthRight.

Bob Irvine, former bon vivant of the Cobourg Kiltie Band, displays his FREE SPEECH with the casual dapper confidence of one who steps up the plate when opportunity beckons.

Karen Atkins, Bob Irvine & Neidre Harris make waves at Cobourg Harbourfront.

Mike is a voice for local radio station, 107.9fm, The Breeze. Mike makes his living by availing himself of FREE SPEECH, so it is incumbent that he readily displays his Right, and he did so without reticence or fear of what others might think.

Poet Wally Keeler put himself into the picture as a proxy for those who earn a living from FREE SPEECH but cannot bring themselves to display their Right in public.

She’s not in Kansas. A life resident of Cobourg, Dorothy continues to use and enjoy the Rites, Writes and Rights of FREE SPEECH while tripping down Cobourg’s main street.

Brendan, a summer apprentice for the Captain Canadada Coalition, made a safe landing in Victoria Park, Cobourg, to display how he handles his Right to FREE SPEECH.

From the very British Isles, where a great tributary of FREE SPEECH began its ascent in the English language, Peter and Susan get down and Canucky as they display their Right.

Now here is a DNA thread connecting mother to daughter. Not only was umbilical love passed from one generation to the next, but the Right of Free Speech. On the patio of the Buttermilk Café in downtown Cobourg, Janine Liboiron puts her Right where her mouth is, while her mother, Eileen Liboiron pointed the way.

Frank Godfrey, hanging out in the illustrated side alleys of Cobourg’s downtown, is an eager and rigorous practitioner of FREE SPEECH. “I have it Right here,” as he proudly displayed it.