a re-print from “The Record”
What gives us the right to live the way we do? The law. Some of us consider it to be a broken promise. Why? For the simple reason it can’t protect all of us all of the time and is influenced and administered by private interests.
“Nothing is more destructive of respect for the government and the law of the land,” said Albert Einstein, “than passing laws which cannot be enforced.”
“…Instead of checking crime, the law is guilty of the evils it is supposed to punish! If this is true,” states Frederic Bastiat (1801-1850), French economist, statesman, and author, “it is a serious fact, and moral duty requires me to call the attention of my fellow-citizens to it.
…But there is also another tendency that is common among people. When they can, they wish to live and prosper at the expense of others…since man is naturally inclined to avoid pain – and since labour is pain in itself – it follows that men will resort to plunder whenever plunder is easier than work.”
With the G20 summit wrapped up in Toronto after sporadic violence, organized protests and hundreds of people arrested, we have to wonder if the world has evolved since the time of Bastiat.
The European Revolutions of 1848, known in some countries as the Spring of Nations, Springtime of the Peoples or the Year of Revolution were a series of political upheavals throughout the continent. A revolutionary wave. This period of discontent, which began in France and was further propagated by the French Revolution of 1848 (creation of the French Second Republic), soon spread to the rest of Europe.
History does repeat itself, but only because people are generally not accustomed to change. Mired in the past, we tend to move in slow motion, swimming in the viscous liquid of time.
“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future,” spoke John F. Kennedy.
However, when private interests control our lives we are usually the last to know, unless of course, we belong to the 10% or so of the world population that controls our everyday lives.
Vance Packard. in his 1957 book The Hidden Persuaders, warned the American public that “Large-scale efforts are being made, often with impressive success, to channel our unthinking habits, our purchasing decisions, and our thought processes… Typically these efforts take place beneath our level of awareness; so that the appeals which move us are often, in a sense, hidden”.
Is it any wonder that people take to the streets in protest and vandals threaten our sense of decency in the hope of making us more conscious? Being overly paranoid, maybe it’s time for all us to start trusting and respecting each other. Now that would be a change.
It seems to me that being who we are is a good place to start. A secret hideaway, or even better, a sanctuary. Yes, a place that resonatates with confidence, is fun to be in and at the same time is open to others. What a dream.
As a musician, I realize such a place when I break down barriers and become myself through the process of improvisation. Not everyone is predisposed to liking what I like when it comes to music and the same can be said about my response to others. But somewhere deep down inside I have to believe that I will make a difference. It’s not about being better. It’s about being who I am.
Radio Communautaire Missisquoi is that kind of organization. It’s built on trust and respect for others, continually defining what it is through the improvisational efforts of its members. A creative sanctuary for artists who want to discover who they are. Better still, RCM is who they are.
This is why I have chosen to perform with my band Oliver Klaus for the benetit of RCM and all that it represents in our community. Come December 11 of this year we’ll perform at the Maison de la Culture in Waterloo. A line-up of guests is still in the works. Please stay tuned.
It would be fair to say that I haven’t played since our last Klaus show, which was for RCM back in February of 2007. The process of rebuilding guitar licks and a memory for lyrics has begun within the whirlwind of RCM’s radio and TV productions and my piano tuning career. I have to thank Dewey Durrell, RCM’s President of the board of directors and CIDI’s station manager, for his support and belief in the powers that be. Togther with a great team the Oliver Klaus show will be a very special moment for me, and the other members of the band; my brother Bryan, Duffy Darling, Yvon Grondin and Yves Grondin.
RCM volunteers devote their time and energy to produce radio, TV and special events on weekends, late hours and holidays whenever they are needed. They are committed to the concept of community development. Each time we develop a new show or produce an event we promote our community, increase its visibility and increase our confidence. You gotta love it!
For more information on how you can participate in RCM’s local Townships community radio station CIDI and its other multimedia projects, please call us at 450-242-9873 / 1-888-539-2098 or go to our website: rcmmedia.org.
Photos are courtesy David Anderson.
Maurice Singfield is an RCM volunteer and its Director general. email: msingfield@rcmmedia.org
Tags: Frederic Bastiat, Maison de la Culture in Waterloo, make a difference, Oliver Klaus, revolutionary wave, take to the streets, The law, Vance Packard
