It just occurred to me that I haven’t seen anything in regards to Bill 1 on my dash at all, and I’m suddenly reminded of two things:
A) Americans don’t pay any attention to what goes on outside their borders unless it’s directly related to them.
B) The internet only spreads american news.
This isn’t meant to be rude or anything, it’s just meant as a general comment on the existence of an america-centered internet/world. I know that the it’s an american owned company and website and the user-base is mostly american, blah blah blah I’ve heard it before and I’m over it. Idk if Americans know, but they’re really really bad at international solidarity. You guys are very focused on, well, you and only you. Considering the amount of influence you have over literally any other country, it would kind of be the responsible thing to do to at least pay attention.
When a plane full of Canadians was shot down in Iran in January as a direct result of heightened tensions caused by the US, the US didn’t react and I didn’t see a whisper of anything from Americans.
If a canadian province passed a law that literally made protesting illegal, I wonder how long it would take you to notice. Have you noticed yet? Because the Alberta government just did that. Really. The critical infrastructure defense act (Bill 1) means that the government has the ability to declare any location as critical infrastructure and arrest anybody protesting there. Most importantly, pipeline construction sites (and government buildings). This is a racially targeted law, specifically meant to prevent indigenous peoples from protesting against the building of a pipeline in their land. They made protesting essentially illegal. Any location can be labeled as critical infrastructure.
I’m not trying to guilt people into anything, but honestly? Look around. An entire planet exists that suffers because of you, an entire planet where foreign citizens stand in solidarity with you whenever something happens in your country. We grieve with you for your losses and get angry about your politics and that is never, ever returned. I know you guys are in the middle of a massive social upheaval and there’s a lot to focus on in your own country. But that doesn’t really excuse the continual lack of awareness surrounding issues around the world.
The crisis in Yemen has been going on for years, and it’s only starting to gain a little attention in the US. It only took 100 000 deaths.
You are a global superpower, you have the largest economy, the largest military in the world. The actions of your country have global implications, but you have never thought to think about what happens in other countries. I’m not asking you to donate your money or march in the streets for us (although those things might be nice every once in awhile, we do it for you all the time), I’m asking you to check the news outside your feed once a week, to post a word of solidarity for us, to reblog the occasional non-american post.
Anyway, I’m done. Here is a petition to repeal the Critical Infrastructure Defense Act. If you could trouble yourself to reblog this or sign the petition, it would be a real treat for us.
