What is far-right organization Right Sector doing marching in Toronto's Ukrainian Festival Parade?

Screen shot of Right Sector in the parade

Toronto's Ukrainian Festival is an annual celebration of Ukrainian culture and food that takes place on Bloor St. W. and that draws large crowds looking to enjoy some traditional song and dance, perogies and all the other things that get people out to festivals. The organizers say it is the world's largest such festival.

It is a fun event that even has its own parade.

The parade was a generally colourful affair that you can, if you want to, watch a video of that has been posted to You Tube.

You will see various Ukrainian businesses and groups with floats, and, as always, a contingent of politicians. There are some Liberals, NDP MPP Cheri DiNovo, a Conservative contingent and then some folks carrying the banner of "Right Sector Canada". They show up at around the 16:35 mark.




Here is a screen shot of them:

What is Right Sector Canada? According to their website:

Right Sector (Canada) is Not For Profit Organization. The main purposes of Right Sector is the relief of poverty by providing people in need with free clothes, the advancement of education, and other charitable purposes that benefit community.

Sounds innocuous enough, except for the fact that the website links to (and Right Sector Canada uses the symbol of) the website of the far right, neo-fascist and homophobic Ukrainian political formation Right Sector!

This is the same Right Sector that described itself in 2014 as "nationalist, defending the values of white, Christian Europe against the loss of the nation and deregionalisation” and that Le Monde Diplomatique noted:

rejects multiculturalism, as “responsible for the disappearance of the crucifix and the arrival of girls in burqas in your schools”, but it does not advocate joining the EU, which it describes as “liberal totalitarianism in which God has vanished and values are turned upside down”

 You can read more about their brand of Ukrainian nationalism in articles like Winter Is Coming. And So Is Ukraine’s Far Right or Ukraine’s far-right menace or on their wikipedia page.

You can read Right Sector's program, which you can have translated into English by Google for yourself on their webpage, including their call for the "Promotion of traditional family values, the sanctity of marriage and motherhood" and to stop the "spread immorality in society, gender politics, sexual perversion."

By "sexual perversion" Right Sector primarily seems to mean homosexuality based upon their statements in both 2015 and 2016 in opposition to the Gay Pride Parade in Kiev.

In 2015 The New Yorker reported on this and how it escalated into violence. As the parade began and people started arriving:

they found several buses full of police in riot gear—but also a number of young men and at least one woman wearing black T-shirts with the logo of Right Sector, the ultranationalist coalition that had threatened violence.
“Right now, during the war with Moscow,” the Right Sector leader Dmytro Yarosh wrote on his Facebook page on the eve of the march, we “will be forced to be distracted from other things in order to stop those who hate the family, break morals, and destroy morality and the traditional concepts of humankind.” He went on to say that the West is exercising too much influence over Ukraine “in order to force them to introduce the ideology of L.G.B.T. people.”

Subsequently:

Shortly before 10 A.M., about two hundred and fifty people, surrounded by roughly twice as many police and interior troops in riot gear, stood in formation and chanted for about fifteen minutes before setting off. I was among them, and no sooner did we start walking forward than the volunteer marshals in baby-blue baseball caps and crossing-guard vests told us to retreat. The police were beating back gay-bashers, some of them dressed in the Right Sector’s black T-shirts and others in camouflage uniforms. The attackers were throwing flares and firecrackers, but after about a minute, all seemed safe. As more police in riot gear ran toward the front, soon-to-be marchers applauded. As the police led back the gay-bashers they had detained, some of whom screamed “Death to the faggots!” the crowd chanted, “Riot, love, and don’t give up your rights!” After a few minutes, happily, the volunteers led the marchers to reassemble in groups, five people across and five people deep.

This year while there was, thankfully, no violence, Right Sector was again involved in a vicious campaign against the parade that included threats:

On Sunday 12 June, the Ukrainian LGBT community is organising a Gay Pride march in the centre of Kiev. Hundreds of participants have confirmed they will attend the event on social networks. However, shortly after the announcement from the organisers, the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) released a statement in which they promised to not let the event happen. The statement said:
"Today, we are forced to accept LGBT marches and festivals, and thus join the ranks of sinners and those who cover them. Who is going to be equated on this Sabbath? Immoral freaks, clowns and degenerates will be equated with those who have honour and dignity, respect and love for their neighbour, soldiers who gave their lives and health protecting peace in the country?"
Following this release, other nationalist groups, among which the infamous Right Sector (Pravuy Sector), supported the initiative of the OUN to stop the LGBT community appearing in the streets of Kiev peacefully. The spokesperson of the Right Sector, who to my unpleasant surprise is now Artem Skoropadsky, a Russian born and former correspondent in one of the Ukrainian newspapers, declared: "Our colleagues from the OUN movement have released a strong statement about the gay parade in Kiev. In short, on June 12, there will be a bloodbath in Kiev. The organisers of the march still have time not to hold the march."

All of which begs the question what was a contingent that openly links to their website and that uses their symbol and name doing being allowed to march in the festival parade at all?

A question that people might want answered and clarified before next year's parade starts.

No. Misogyny towards Hillary Clinton or Ann Coulter is not OK

A funny thing sometimes seems to happen on the way to the dorm room revolution.

Otherwise apparently well adjusted leftist or liberal dudes (and, of course, some women as well) seem to suddenly decide that misogynist language/memes/rhetoric are just fine because the target is a politician they don't like like Hillary Clinton or, in the case of Ann Coulter, a far right commentator who is deserving of contempt, but just not for being a woman.

After the recent TV roast of Rob Lowe (a supposedly liberal fella whose credits include videotaping himself as a 24 year old having sex with a 16 year old at the Democratic National Convention in 1988) many seemingly took great joy in seeing vicious and misogynist "jokes" and insults hurled at Coulter, even when delivered by folks who seemingly have a proven track record of actual sexual abuse of women like Peyton Manning.

And thus:

“Ann Coulter is one of the most repugnant, hateful bitches alive – but it’s not too late to change, Ann. You could kill yourself.” – Jimmy Carr

“Ann seems stiff and conservative, but she gets wild in the sheets – just ask the Klan.” – David Spade

:As a feminist, I can’t support everything that’s being said up here tonight. But as someone who hates Ann Coulter, I’m delighted.” – Jewel

Hilarious that.

That was the relatively tame stuff.

The irony is that for all the sanctimony in defense of the attacks on Coulter the jokes that the show's male writers wrote for her to deliver (and that she did not) were also appalling:

Ralph Macchio‘s first-ever credit was in the movie, ‘Up the Academy,’ playing a character called Chooch Bambalazi. Are you serious? Even Donald Trump thinks it’s too racist to call a wop Chooch Bambalazi.

or

That would be like if Jeff Ross‘ first credit was a character named Mosha Gefilte Fish Streisand Sixmillionberg. And before you ask, Jeff, I wouldn’t f— you with Hillary Clinton’s d—.

It is good to know what appear to be dimwitted bigots are hoping another alleged bigot will joke about on TV.

I know all the classic lines which are that Coulter dishes it out herself or that Coulter somehow deserves it as she too is incredibly ignorant but that is not the world of the supposed left that I care to live in. It is not just simply that "two wrongs don't make a right", as your mother correctly told you years ago, it is that male and female commentators and politicians on the left, right or in the center have never been treated remotely equally to begin with.

Not even close.

Where we really see this is with Hillary Clinton. I am not a fan of Clinton as I have made rather abundantly clear on this blog. I group her with the Obamas and Trudeaus of the world and expect another murderous faux "progressive" regime from her should she be elected.

But there is absolutely no doubt at all that Clinton is facing a misogynist backlash and that much of the ridicule directed at her by both the right and the left is overflowing with sexism and backward opinions about women.

Riddled with a terminology and ignorance that would never be directed at men.

It is both very easy to prove this and very humorous to watch fellas get their backs up about it when called out on it.

I have posted some memes here, and could post countless more attempting to belittle her or portray her in overtly sexist ways.

But in a way, why bother? Only the willfully blind do not realize that this is happening and that it is widespread.

As a leftist simply ask yourself this -- Do you doubt or deny, given the nature of systemic racism in our society, that Obama was, has been and is a target of overtly racist commentary and vitriol?

Of course you don't.

And you should not doubt that Clinton faces an exactly analogous type of vitriol due exclusively to the fact that she is a woman.

If you do doubt that, then you are really just a sexist pig playing at being a leftist.

There is, apparently, a lot of that going around.

Opposing Clinton from the left while acknowledging these realities and while acknowledging that this is a serious issue is not in any way a contradiction.

It is a must if we are opposed to sexism and systemic misogyny as opposed to simply paying lip service to it when it suits us.

Echo

I was there

I was there when Rome fell

At those final games

I was there

Cynthia laughing

Beer bourbon cigarettes and sex

Fuck ya

Cynthia is talking sin and sadness

John is passed out

It was seventeen days since it all shut down

Ten years on that fucking line

You can hear the echoes across Seventh St. and Sydney is sitting at the bar with a full bottle of Jack

But Sydney died five years ago she says whispering it in my ear

And she is right but there she is anyway and the plant is running full steam three shifts I am on nights just got in and it is money like I never made money put the cash down on the truck buying all the options it seems just a few moments ago

But I know it is not

Cynthia is calling me and I can hear the phone but I am walking across the hallway wondering how can it possibly be the year 2000 but I never got that fucking degree did I she laughs as Drew tries to kiss her at that bar we used to go to Pink Floyd playing and I am feeling dizzy, dizzy, dizzy as the cover band wraps up and I wonder

Why did I waste all that time

When they pull the rug out from under you

Nothing left

Why did I waste all that fucking time

Bought into it all believed it all accepted it all Christmas bonus every year every year at the party every year the small increase every year the new toy every year the new TV every year I was there every year

Cynthia is dancing and we are 18 or 22 or 28 or 32 or whenever whatever because it is really all the same we are where we were and yet not

Singing karaoke on Friday nights You Can't Always Get What You Want which is true but we never got what we needed either did we just a paycheck and then they just moved that job away 

I never thought it would be Hollywood but when did they decide there would be no more factory or did they decide that I can't even tell as the train passes carrying goods we didn't make where are they fucking coming from and who is making them 

I am sorry I say to Cynthia and she smiles red shirt ball cap we fell in love so long ago I cried when Chris was born holding him in my arms it was a distant time past and yet it seems like now I really want more of the tequila but we are on the highway

Rain is starting to fall

Cynthia's head is on my shoulder she is looking up smiling John still sleeping the radio is playing and it is Putin or Obama or Caligula or Xerxes and who cares as we pull into the rest stop we will all be shuffling along soon enough and I really just want a break but a break is hard to come by and I wonder how many mornings before none of it matters anyway

I was there you know

I was there when they held those final games

Viral photo of North Dakota Pipeline Protest is 100% FAKE. Stop sharing it.

A photo is going viral on Facebook that purports to show the Standing Rock Pipeline protest in North Dakota.

It was posted by someone named Tyler Eldridge and is getting thousands of shares every few minutes, standing at near 200,000 shares at the time of this post.

In his post of the photo Eldridge has the nerve to say "This is why the media won't show the protest on the pipeline #StayAware — at Pipeline! North Dakota."

Except that another reason the media won't show this version of "protest on the pipeline" is that the photo is 100% fake.

It is a photo of the Woodstock concert in 1969 lifted from Getty Images.

I have no idea why Eldridge would do this or what ego trip he is on leaving this deceptive and fake photo up, but it is harmful to the cause, it is a lie and it should not be shared.

Truth matters.

As a poster on the protest page says:

Sharing false information is just as bad as the Main-stream media not reporting on this at all. Message This Tyler Eldridge and force him to remove his harmful post. This is not the kind of attention this situation needs. This is Woodstock in 1969. If he want's to be famous, make him famous for being an asshat.

Indeed.

See also: Stop sharing the false -- and racist -- Ontario niqab driver's licence meme

See also: Stop sharing the refugees vs. seniors internet myths!

What's Cooking: 101 Short-Cuts with Tea-Bisk f. Tea Biscuits, Dumplings, Muffins & More -- Vintage Cookbook TBT

Vintage Cookbook: 101 Short-Cuts with Tea-Bisk 

Publication Details: Monarch Flour Brands (c.1948-1952)

Today we are going to take a look at a small cookbook packed full of recipes that are all centered around the classic ingredient "Tea-Bisk".

Tea-Bisk was the Canadian brand equivalent of Bisquick. While Tea-Bisk has been discontinued, you can substitute Bisquick for it in all cases. Alternately you can make a homemade equivalent, which is actually rather easy to do as this link shows.

This no-nonsense, no-frills booklet has 101 home-style dishes that range from, of course, tea biscuits, to dumplings, rich desserts like  Fudge Nut Pudding or savory mains like Chicken Shortcake.

It also has those kinds of recipes that most now find rather dated, like Tea-Bisk Franks -- though I would hazard a guess that these are probably pretty tasty.

I don't think I will be able to long resist trying to make a version of the Swedish Meat Ring recipe!

(click on images to enlarge)

You can check out all of our Vintage Cookbook posts via this tag! 

Blindly

Bright lights on Houston

Up, as always, far too late

Counter-intuitive this

You and I

Rationalist and artist

Who would have known?

Dark skies over the house

Waves loud out the window

A kind of blissful isolation

Perfect mornings

Days even

In your arms and in your orbit

If it is all a blaze of glory then this was a glory differed

A sublimation of self

A sense of stillness stemming from another

And now not knowing you

Not knowing you

Red skies in the morning

A sailor's warning

Peyton Manning shows exactly the double standards in the treatment of NFL anthem protesters

Brandon Marshall protests at season opener in Denver

As the NFL season begins we are seeing clear examples of how all the phony white and corporate indignation about Colin Kaepernick and the growing movement of those peacefully protesting police violence against people-of-colour by refusing to stand for the American national anthem is so staggering.


During the first game of the season which saw the Denver Broncos play the Carolina Panthers in a Super Bowl rematch, one player on the Denver team, Brandon Marshall, joined the ranks of these protesters. thescore.com wrote of this:

After the game Thursday, Marshall said he was prepared to lose sponsorship deals because he knew he was doing the right thing.
"I'm going to get a lot of scrutiny and I understand that. In the eyes of a lot of people, I'll be respected. In the eyes of most people, I'll be hated," said Marshall, according to Cameron Wolfe of the Denver Post. "I was thinking I could lose endorsements. I could lose likability. I could lose my credibility in my community when I want to do things. I could lose that. But I'm a man of faith and I really prayed about it for a lot of days. I feel good about it. As a man, you can go home and put your head on your pillow and feel good with what you believe and what you stand in, then that’s OK with me."
Marshall said his decision was partly influenced by a run-in with police this summer.
"I'm not against the military. I'm not against the police or America. I'm just against social injustice," Marshall said. "I'm proud of it. I don't regret it. I know this is right."

And Marshall did lose an endorsement deal from the Air Academy Federal Credit Union.

There has been a huge wave of indignation, anger and threats directed towards players who have taken these stands.

You know what players have not faced a similar wave of indignation, anger and lost corporate sponsorship deals?

Players like Peyton Manning with an apparent history of sexual abuse and misconduct towards women.

Manning, the former Broncos and Colts QB was the subject of an epic expose by American journalist Shaun King that details at great length both the alleged assault he committed and the intimidation campaign waged by him and his family to cover it up.

Manning, however, still has his major endorsement deals and, in fact, was brought in to do colour commentary at the start of the second half of the Broncos-Panthers game.

It is like his actions never happened at all.

And there are many other similar cases of NFL players who have committed or have been accused of committing sexual assaults, domestic violence and other criminal acts, and yet were welcomed back by their teams with open arms and little controversy. Players whose actions were career ending are very few and far between. Only Ray Rice really comes to mind and at first the NFL essentially tried to cover up the gravity of what he had done. He also may yet return to the league.

So the lesson is clear. If you had just committed a vile and disgraceful sexual assault and then spent decades intimidating various institutions and the victim and lying about it like Peyton Manning is alleged to have done, no problem!

That is just fine.

But exercise your constitutional and moral right to peaceful protest and refuse to stand for the national anthem and all hell breaks loose.

This is why so many people think all the talk of equality before the law and of justice in North American society is a total joke.

See also: It was not the American military that fought for democracy and justice. The people -- and people like Kaepernick -- did that

See also: Black Lives Matter is right -- The police are the oppressor