The Truth about Ruth?

(and doubting Thomas!)

"Trudeau elbows MP" (Time 1:19 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teqCY8cZGxc

Even when reasonable people watch the same video, opposing points of view emerge.¹ Case in point is the Canadian House of Commons fracas of May 18, 2016. Here is how I see it:

Several NDP MPs were game-playing in the aisle of the House. The Conservative Party Whip, Gordon Brown, appeared to be “it”—lamely trying to breach a barricade of intentional NDP bodies while a wide aisle of open sailing lay to his left. But then, can we really fault him? for how—in the name of politics?!?—can we expect a conservative, right-wing Whip to look to the left when left-wingers are blockading his right?

In any event, our (ex-schoolteacher) Prime Minister lost his patience and inappropriately intervened to part the intransigent waters for the lackadaisical Whip, so to speak. Thinking perhaps to establish order, our PM ended up being disorderly himself and inadvertently elbowed a hovering NDP team-player, Ms Ruth Brosseau, in the chest. She reacted in pain (a very brief OWW—watch the video), but seemed to immediately recover in order to proclaim her injury.

Some have alleged her injury was on par with an equivalent male injury, but should one not ask: If such were the case, would she not have been clutching her injury instead of immediately gesticulating about it?

And how enlightening it might be to hear the exchange with her leader Thomas Mulcair which has been edited out of almost all the media coverage, but can be partly seen (but not heard) in the above video. The look on her face and backward glance as she strode from the chamber seems more of a “catch me if you can.” She did not appear in shock or trauma, but to be escalating the play-out of the game.

The game, it seemed was to create disorder, tension, and delay² and when matters escalated beyond NDP's wildest imagination, the knee-jerk déjà vu was to point all four fingers at someone else, while trumpeting shock and awful outrage.

So this is why I am doubting Thomas as well as the “truth about Ruth.” Thomas' bulk was a large portion of the blockade. Did he add a nudge to the fracas as one viewer believes?³ Did his political instincts immediately recognize opportunity? a golden chance to escalate the accidental injury / offence from the briefest of OWs to dumping a load of “violence against women”; and thereafter trusting in the media  and the populous (via repetitive, edited clips) to run everything to its hypocritical end?

I am doubting Thomas too, because his verbal explosion seemed intent on escalating what His Leadership had provoked through his “school of fish” blockade. (This does not excuse our PM, but neither does our PM's action exonerate Mr. Mulcair and his milling colleagues.)

I am doubting the truth about Ruth as well. Her videoed behavior; her jovial participation in the blockade; her statement: "I am a tough woman, I know how to stand up and deal with situations, [...] I was just shocked ... I was overwhelmed,"⁴ seems theatrically overblown to maximize damage, especially considering her past employments as an assistant manager of a campus pub and later as a Pier 21 bartender.⁵

If she means that this accidental encounter in the House was more shocking and overwhelming that any pub or bar encounter, then the truth about Ruth is more about gaming than honesty.

Perhaps we shall know the full truth if we ever get unedited access to audible audio and to all angles of the entire kerfuffle. In the meantime, let us pray that all parties can be as forthcoming and apologetic as our PM.

(And by the way, I didn't vote Liberal or NDP. I voted for what I thought might be the lesser of three evils, but then again, how does one really know in these days of theatrics and gaming.)

P.S. Though I have never seen “Game of Thrones,” it seems more and more that the world's politicians are all playing that game—where opposing sides are each seeking to ascend on the one and to flush on the other. Oh, déjà vu!

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1. ▪ "Justin Trudeau's elbowing incident leaves House in an uproar" at http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-conservative-whip-1.3588407
▪ "What the prime minister did was supremely dumb, but so is the reaction - Michael's essay" at http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thesundayedition/elbowgate-the-trump-effect-inattentional-deafness-gore-vidal-1.3589053/what-the-prime-minister-did-was-supremely-dumb-but-so-is-the-reaction-michael-s-essay-1.3589059
▪ "PM Trudeau grabs Conservative MP Gord Brown" (Time 3.22 min.) at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oG1Dw0B6S8
▪ "Trudeau in heated exchange on floor of the House of Commons" (Time 5:16 min.) at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg3f0Ae8V3o
2. "Elizabeth May calls Trudeau ‘elbowgate’ accidental, calls on parties to be ‘more mature’" (Time 3:02 min.) at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84iG8jgZExM
3. "Trudeau Elbows NDP member after being Nudged by Tom Mulcair into Brosseau" (Time 4:34 min.) at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb4u6Y957us
4. "Ruth Ellen Brosseau target of personal attacks since being elbowed by Trudeau" at http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/brosseau-trudeau-elbowing-attacks-1.3590066?cmp=rss&cid=news-digests-canada-and-world-morning
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Ellen_Brosseau

Are We Getting There?

Circa 7 to 5 BCE, two prophets, named Helaman and Samuel, lived and recorded their observations of the social, political, and religious affairs of a nation located somewhere in the present-day Americas. These were their observations:*

▪ contentions did increase, insomuch that there were wars throughout all the land among all the people ...
▪ it was this secret band of robbers who did carry on this work of destruction and wickedness. ...
▪ and there was a great famine upon the land, among all the people ...
▪ For the earth was smitten that it was dry, and did not yield forth grain in the season of grain; and the whole earth was smitten ... that they did perish by thousands ...
▪ [And it came to pass after a brief period of repentance, peace and prosperity], there began to be much strife. ...
▪ And it came to pass ... there were a certain number of the dissenters from the people being stirred up to anger ... therefore they commenced a war with their brethren.
▪ And they did commit murder and plunder; ... hiding themselves that they could not be discovered, receiving daily an addition to their numbers, inasmuch as there were dissenters that went forth unto them.
▪ And thus in time, yea, even in the space of not many years, they became an exceedingly great band of robbers; and they did search out all the secret plans ...;
▪ Now behold, these robbers did make great havoc, yea, even great destruction among the people ...
▪ And it came to pass that it was expedient that there should be a stop put to this work of destruction; therefore they sent an army of strong men into the wilderness and upon the mountains to search out this band of robbers, and to destroy them.
▪ But behold, it came to pass that in that same year they were driven back even into their own lands. ...
▪ And it came to pass ... they did go forth again against this band of robbers, and did destroy many; and they were also visited with much destruction. ...
▪ And the robbers did still increase and wax strong, insomuch that they did defy the whole armies ... and they did cause great fear to come unto the people upon all the face of the land.
▪ Yea, for they did visit many parts of the land, and did do great destruction unto them; yea, did kill many, and did carry away others captive into the wilderness, yea, and more especially their women and their children.
▪ Now this great evil, which came unto the people because of their iniquity, did stir them up again in remembrance of the Lord their God.
▪ And thus ended the eighty and first year of the reign of the judges.
▪ And in the eighty and second year they began again to forget the Lord their God. And in the eighty and third year they began to wax strong in iniquity. And in the eighty and fourth year they did not mend their ways.
▪ And it came to pass in the eighty and fifth year they did wax stronger and stronger in their pride, and in their wickedness; and thus they were ripening again for destruction.
▪ they do harden their hearts, and do forget the Lord their God, and do trample under their feet the Holy One—yea, and this because of their ease, and their exceedingly great prosperity. …
▪ O how foolish, and how vain, and how evil, and devilish, and how quick to do iniquity, and how slow to do good, are the children of men; yea, how quick to hearken unto the words of the evil one, and to set their hearts upon the vain things of the world! …
▪ Yea, how quick to be lifted up in pride; yea, how quick to boast, and do all manner of that which is iniquity; and how slow are they to remember the Lord their God, and to give ear unto his counsels, yea, how slow to walk in wisdom's paths! …
▪ they do not desire that the Lord their God, who hath created them, should rule and reign over them; notwithstanding his great goodness and his mercy towards them, they do set at naught his counsels, and they will not that he should be their guide. …
▪ they have set their hearts upon riches; …
▪ if a prophet come among you and declareth unto you the word of the Lord, which testifieth of your sins and iniquities, ye are angry with him, and cast him out and seek all manner of ways to destroy him; yea, you will say that he is a false prophet, and that he is a sinner, and of the devil, because he testifieth that your deeds are evil. …
▪ But behold, if a man shall come among you and shall say: Do this, and there is no iniquity; do that and ye shall not suffer; yea, he will say: Walk after the pride of your own hearts; yea, walk after the pride of your eyes, and do whatsoever your heart desireth—and if a man shall come among you and say this, ye will receive him, and say that he is a prophet. …
▪ Yea, ye will lift him up, and ye will give unto him of your substance; ye will give unto him of your gold, and of your silver, and ye will clothe him with costly apparel; and because he speaketh flattering words unto you, and he saith that all is well, then ye will not find fault with him. …
▪ the more part of the people remaining in their pride and wickedness, and the lesser part walking more circumspectly before God. …
▪ And there was but little alteration in the affairs of the people, save it were the people began to be more hardened in iniquity, and do more and more of that which was contrary to the commandments of God, …
▪ the people began to harden their hearts, all save it were the most believing part of them, … and began to depend upon their own strength and upon their own wisdom …
▪ And they began to reason and to contend among themselves, saying: …
▪ That it is not reasonable that such a being as a Christ shall come; …
▪ And many more things did the people imagine up in their hearts, which were foolish and vain; and they were much disturbed, for Satan did stir them up to do iniquity continually; yea, he did go about spreading rumors and contentions upon all the face of the land, that he might harden the hearts of the people against that which was good and against that which should come.

So, as we scan the landscape—from Brasília^† to Washington^‡ and back (and beyond)—here is the question: Are we on course for another “American” déjà vu?

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*See Book of Mormon | Helaman, chapters 11-16 for the full text which can be found at https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm?lang=eng.
^†Glenn Greenwald on the hypocrisy of Brazil's political crisis (Friday May 13, 2016; Time 10:31 min.) at http://www.cbc.ca/radio/day6/episode-285-trump-tabloids-greenwald-on-brazil-hamilton-s-gatekeeper-pr-stunts-gone-wrong-and-more-1.3580796/glenn-greenwald-on-the-hypocrisy-of-brazil-s-political-crisis-1.3580827
^‡Review almost any US headline or news report or review: 1) Rose-Colored Specs? at http://dejavu-times.blogspot.ca/2015/03/rose-colored-specs.html ; 2) Faux-Rogue Repeat? at http://dejavu-times.blogspot.ca/2016/01/faux-rogue-repeat.html ; 3) Whitewash? at http://dejavu-times.blogspot.ca/2014/11/whitewash.html ; or 4) most of this whole, sad Déjà Vu~Times series.

ConCERNing CERN

I wonder if any one at CERN* appreciates the irony. The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is allegedly mankind's greatest achievement, yet a weasel¹ (out of all possible creatures!) shuts it down.² That monstrous, multi-billion dollar, man-made machine—generating blasts of (hey, let's-see-what-might-happen!) energy—succumbed to the teeth of a small Mustela.

Could this event carry a message? Could it foreshadow:

▪ that Mother Nature intends to triumph over the hubris of CERN's “scientists” and technicians?
▪ that something like the sly, stealthy, aggressive, voracious weasel—a symbol³ like unto CERN itself— will bring the demise of CERN?
▪ that CERN's psychopathic power plays will eventually fry it too?
▪ that “the best-laid plans of mice and [egotistic] men [will go] awry” because “pride goeth before the fall”?⁴
▪ that “a house divided against itself cannot stand”?⁵

(PS: This, of course, is based on the assumption that the weasel was real and not a fabrication to deceive. Nonetheless, in the power and economy of God, even CERN may find itself, in the end, the butt of its own machinations.)

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* http://dejavu-times.blogspot.ca/2015/08/my-word.html
1. http://mentalfloss.com/article/64193/7-fierce-facts-about-weasels
2. “Pop! goes the Large Hadron Collider—and the weasel” (Apr. 29, 2016) at https://www.sciencemag.org/news/sifter/pop-goes-large-hadron-collider-and-weasel
“Large Hadron Collider temporarily shut down by unauthorized weasel entry” (The Associated Press Posted: Apr 29, 2016 ) at http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/weasel-lhc-1.3559286
“One Lone Weasel Grinds the World’s Most Powerful Particle Collider to a Halt” (by Rachel E. Gross) at http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/04/29/the_large_hadron_collider_meets_its_match_a_weasel.html
“Large Hadron Collider: Weasel causes shutdown” at http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36173247
3. From Dictionary of Symbolic & Mythological Animals by J. C. Cooper ~ “Weasel: Almost universally associated with evil, the weasel was often feared. ... ¶ The weasel is the only animal other than the cock that can kill the Basilisk,^[*] who is afraid of it. ¶ The Bestiaries say it is an example of dissimulation, hearing God's word but being bound by the love of earthly things” [p. 259].
*“Basilisk/Cockatrice: The Basilisk or Cockatrice is an old name often applied to the Serpent ... It is a symbol of evil and treachery. ... It is a creature of extreme malignity, feared by all. It can kill by the smell of its breath, by a glance from its eye or the touch of its tail, and its hiss burns people up; it also produces hydrophobia and sends people mad. ... It can only be killed by a weasel (it is suggested that this may refer to the mongoose) or by a cock, or by seeing its reflection on looking through crystal” [Ibid. pp. 13-14].
So here we have two symbols of evil. Do they symbolically foreshadow that “the judgments of God will overtake the wicked; and it is [mostly^†] by the wicked that the wicked are punished;” (Book of Mormon | Mormon 4:5)?
^†PS: I insert “mostly” because God sometimes uses His righteous servants to measure out justice as in Old Testament Ezekiel 9 and elsewhere. As well, not all who might appear to be “punished” are wicked. Many innocent and good people have been allowed to suffer at the hands of the wicked. Here is one instance: “8 And they brought their wives and children together, and whosoever believed or had been taught to believe in the word of God they caused that they should be cast into the fire; and they also brought forth their records which contained the holy scriptures, and cast them into the fire also, that they might be burned and destroyed by fire. 9 And it came to pass that they took Alma and Amulek, and carried them forth to the place of martyrdom, that they might witness the destruction of those who were consumed by fire. 10 And when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who were consuming in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is in us, and save them from the flames. 11 But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day.”
4. Old Testament | Proverbs 16:18 ~ Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
Old Testament | Isaiah 13:11 ~ And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
5. New Testament | Matthew 12:25;~ And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself [evil fighting evil?] is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself [anarchy?] shall not stand: & Mark 3:26 ~ And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. (See also: Mark 3:24-25; Luke 11:17-18)
~ Part of what will defeat Satan, his hosts, and their human accomplices is that master Satan operates in a worst, worst case scenario of emotional dysregulation. With him, how he feels always trumps principles. He'll do whatever it takes to get his way. He has no loyalties except to his agenda of destroying God's plan and of imposing his own. He is the epitome of psychopathic. As a "selfie" he often lacks insight into the self-defeating chaos he inspires that will in the end divide his house into ten-thousand contentious fragments and eventual complete dissolution.
Book of Mormon | Alma 30:60 ~ And thus we see the end of him who perverteth the ways of the Lord; and thus we see that the devil will not support his children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell.