(Through Rose-Coloured Glasses)

I have a dream, a strange dream.

I was at the animal shelter. A noisy demonstation was going on outside.

The shelter has just announced their plan to euthanize 350 of their care, due to an outbreak of ringworm, which actually was not a worm, but a fungal skin condition, a contagious stubborn disease. Yes, it’s treatable, but at great economic cost and manpower.

I saw a puppy, with sad dopey eyes, crying and listening quietly to a flamboyant private eye with a borrowed red Ferrari.

“Listen, I have no smoking gun on you, no evidence of your wrong-doing. It’s not me who exiled you here.”

Puppy whined, “I did nothing wrong, must be a misunderstanding.”

“It’s all optics. With all the embarrassing gaffes you and your husband mustered recently. It’s bad optics.”

“I know nothing about his business.”

“This political ringworm business is highly contagious, not fatal, but can spread like wild fire, has to be contained quickly and efficiently. House cleaning, sweeping all dirts under the political carpet.”

“Show me the allegations, show me now.”

“It really doesn’t matter. Sorry your political life is on the euthanization list. Casualty of war.”

“He cannot dump me just like that. I am a legally elected representative of my constituents.”

“Sorry, hun, cannot turn back the clock. He has more important maneuver to steer. Look at the thousands of believers at Parliament Hill last week. More managable crusaders to lead, more profitable alliances to establish and new direction to enforce.”

“How about me, what am I to do?”

“I don’t know. Join the Wildrose Party?”

Zoomed. The red Ferrari was gone.

(Through Rose-Coloured Glasses)

In a historic ruling, Speaker Peter Milliken ruled the Conservative government could be considered in contempt of Parliament for refusing MPs a look at secret records on Afghan detainees, and gave the government and opposition two weeks to work out a compromise over the release of the documents. And after much fighting and threatening, MPs finally agreed on a legal framework of releasing those documents. Here is a glimpse of what an un-redacted document will look like :

A PREVIOUSLY REDACTED DOCUMENT

AND NOW AN UN-REDACTED DOCUMENT

(Through Rose-Coloured Glasses)

小的時候, 母親喜歡逛公司, 終日無所是事, 拖着我們走遍港九大街小巷。凡是有東西賣的地方, 也有我們的足迹。有時, 腳倦了, 渴望停下來, 吃點糖果, 雪糕, 但就算躺在地上大哭大鬧, 也是於事無補。還是一邊哭啼, 無奈地跟着她走。

追女朋友時, 就更不在話下。二仔底死跟, 亦歩亦趨, 更害怕有其他人跟了上來, 就嗚呼哀哉了。結果, 就是拼命地跟着走。

出來做事, 又是跟班一族。既沒有領導之才, 更沒有做老板的資本, 受人二分四, 低着頭, 唯命是從, 點到那裡, 就跟到那裡。

為人老豆, 還是脫不了跟班命。小小孩童, 不知天高地厚, 興之所致, 亂闖亂碰, 結果苦了父母親, 不只要跟, 還要跑步追上去, 免致闖禍。

孩子大了, 以為可以透過氣來, 誰想到, 還是要跟。只不過換個形式, 駛着汽車為司機; 送他們去玩足球, 棒球, 游泳, 溜冰, 學琴, 補習, 甚至上電影院, 同學生日會, 都一一包辨。總之, 又挨上了十年八載。

到孩子真的有毛有翼, 離家入大學, 進入社會做事, 以為命運應有所改變。但和老伴二人世界, 還是乖乖的跟着她, 去逛百貨公司, 超級市埸。

噢! 來了, 來了, 走慢點可以嗎?

沒奈何, 生來就是跟班命。

(Through Rose-Coloured Glasses)

The first time I heard of this song, I was in a palliative care conference. When you are standing on the brink of eternity, this song brings you hope, courage, and a fighting chance. Stand proud, and keep dancing.

Lee Ann Womack – I Hope You Dance

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat
But always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed
I hope you still feel small
When you stand by the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you’ll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Living might mean taking chances
But they’re worth taking
Lovin’ might be a mistake
But it’s worth making
Don’t let some hell bent heart
Leave you bitter
When you come close to selling out
Reconsider
Give the heavens above
More than just a passing glance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
(Time is a real and constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who)
I hope you dance
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
(Where those years have gone)

I hope you still feel small
When you stand by the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you’ll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
Dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance
(Time is a real and constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who)
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
I hope you dance
(Where those years have gone)

(Tell me who)
I hope you dance
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
(Where those years have gone)

我切望你能翩翩起舞
我切望, 你永遠不會, 失去那”奇蹪的意識” 。
你將巳腹飽,
但始終肌餓。
你永遠不會, 把每一口氣, 為理所當然。
上主不會, 令你的愛, 空手而回。
我切望, 你仍然覺得, 缈小;
當你站在大洋岸邊。
每當一度門関閉, 叧一度, 又會打開。
答應我, 你會給信念, 一個機會。

當你需要, 作出决擇, 等待下次, 還是起舞。
我切望你能翩翩起舞。
我切望你能翩翩起舞。

我切望, 你永遠不會, 對遙遠的峻嶺, 感到恐惧;
永遠不會, 選擇最易走的路。
活着, 可能就是冒險,
但, 這是值得的。
愛, 也許是個錯誤,
但, 這也是值得的。
不要讓那悪心的傢伙,
令你感到苦澀。
當你將要放棄,
請再三思,
不要給上蒼,
草率的考慮。

當你需要, 作出决擇, 等待下次, 還是起舞。
我切望你能翩翩起舞。
(時間, 真實地, 不斷運行, 直至永遠 )
我切望你能翩翩起舞。
(推動我們滾滾前進)
我切望你能翩翩起舞。
(請告訢我, 誰)
我切望你能翩翩起舞。
(需要回顧年青時, 奇怪)
(那年代往何處去了)

我切望, 你仍然覺得, 缈小;
當你站在大洋岸邊。
每當一度門関閉, 叧一度, 又會打開。
答應我, 你會給信念, 一個機會。

當你需要, 作出决擇, 等待下次, 還是起舞。
我切望你能翩翩起舞。
(時間, 真實地, 不斷運行, 直至永遠 )
我切望你能翩翩起舞。
(推動我們滾滾前進)
我切望你能翩翩起舞。
(請告訢我, 誰)
我切望你能翩翩起舞。
(需要回顧年青時, 奇怪)
(那年代往何處去了)

(請告訢我, 誰)
我切望你能翩翩起舞。
(需要回顧年青時, 奇怪)
(那年代往何處去了)

(Through Rose-Coloured Glasses)

The cultural revolution, Canadian style, has already begun.

The root of the problem is, pure and simple, the naked and vicious Power Struggle; crushing of all dissents, and by all means possible.

Look at the Gang of Three, signed a pact the year before, trying to take over the power of parliament. PM retaliated, by prorogation of parliament. It worked. Liberal changed leader, and the alliance fell apart.

Then came the Afghan retainees issue. The ‘cover-up’ storm brewing, and the ‘torture’ snowball rolling, almost into an international proportion, bordering on war crime potential. The magic wand of prorogation was pulled out once again and waved. It was with partial success, and bought some breathing space.

Then the Jaffer/Guergis affair. PM first tried to ignore and contain it, but the time bomb kept ticking. Finally with the slightest excuse, on rumour from a gumshoe, J/G were dropped like a hot potato, discarded and swept under the dirty political carpet swiftly. Now keep an eye on the Shory story.

The power struggle continues. The cultural revolution deepens.

Triggered by the Liberal’s own blunder and lost the vote on the abortion issue. Suddenly PM saw a glimpse of a lifeline, a break in the opposition’s rank, a rare opportunity, and seized it. He suddenly proclaimed, for Canada, world women’s health does not include abortion, although all along, he claimed not to re-open this issue. This signalled Canada is making a “Right Turn”. Power struggle is crystallizing, precipitated into an ideology war. Onward with the slaughters of gun control, gay support ….. delineation of ideology is finally set, stirring and splitting the oppositions.

Cultural revolution warfare required slogans and directives, a kind of home grown “Mao Tse-tung Thought”. The PMO is already issuing “Talking Points” memo on a daily basis, to its faithful, centralizing and promoting its righteous ideology. Eventually may be these will be compiled into a little “Blue Book”, the quotations from the PM/PMO. Every faithful should have one, and to be waved in the coming election.

China had the “revolutionary models” to set examples, and so in Canada, we have already started testing the propaganda machine. We have looked at those arm’s length organizations and have sent in an army of new directors and managers, to replace and to guide such organizations towards new directions. If you don’t toe the party line, then out you go. Or better, trying to muzzle any dissent opinions. Senator Ruth has put it neatly, “shut the f___ up”, otherwise ……. Funding cuts have already begun.

The cultural revolution is on. The power struggle continues.

But you asked, what happened to the motto: To serve the people? The only and real measuring yardstick.

Well, who cares actually, in such turbulent time !

Long live 為人民服務.

Just remember this, in the next election.