rhetoric

Wednesday March 17, 2021

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday March 17, 2021

The Colorado attack is the 7th mass shooting in 7 days in the US

The mass shooting at a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado, on Monday took place less than a week after eight people were killed in a series of attacks on spas in Atlanta.

The two incidents are likely to spur discussion about gun control legislation in the United States, where firearm deaths are tragically common.

They are also among at least seven mass shootings in the past week across the United States — including three incidents on Saturday alone.

CNN defines a mass shooting as: a shooting incident which results in four or more casualties (dead or wounded) excluding the shooter(s).

Tuesday, March 16, Atlanta, Georgia: Eight people, including six Asian women, were killed when a White gunman stormed three spas, police said.

Wednesday, March 17, Stockton, California: Five people who were preparing a vigil in Stockton, in California’s Central Valley, were shot in a drive-by shooting, the San Joaquin Sheriff’s Department said. None had life-threatening injuries.

July 25, 2018

Thursday, March 18, Gresham, Oregon: Four victims were taken to the hospital after a shooting in the city east of Portland, police said in an initial report.

Saturday, March 20, Houston, Texas: Five people were shot after a disturbance inside a club, according to police. One was in critical condition after being shot in the neck, the rest were in stable condition, according to CNN affiliate KPRC.

Saturday, March 20, Dallas, Texas: Eight people were shot by an unknown assailant, one of whom died, according to police.

Saturday, March 20, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: One person was killed and another five were injured during a shooting at an illegal party, CNN affiliate KYW reported. “There were at least 150 people in there that fled and believed they had to flee for their lives,” Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said.

Monday, March 22, Boulder, Colorado: Ten people, including a Boulder police officer, were killed in a shooting at the King Soopers supermarket, according to police.

It’s unclear how this number of mass shootings compares to an average week in the US.

Though some official gun violence data is available, the US federal government does not have a centralized system or database to track firearm incidents and mass shootings nationwide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which tracks some gun violence data, nearly 40,000 people were killed in incidents involving firearms in 2019. (CNN) 

 

Friday April 7, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday April 7, 2017

Council shifts $50M anti-poverty plan into an affordable housing initiative

Hamilton’s $50-million anti-poverty plan has transformed into an affordable housing plan.

September 18, 2013

City council approved Mayor Fred Eisenberger’s motion almost a year ago to set aside $30 million for a decade of unspecified measures to combat poverty and $20 million to fix or grow Hamilton’s social housing stock.

The money will come from future hydro utility dividends as well as Hamilton’s Future Fund.

City health and social services staff consulted local advocacy groups and experts on how best to spend the cash and presented a wide-ranging set of proposals to councillors Wednesday, including “wraparound” support for poverty-stricken single parents, “portable” rents for those seeking affordable housing and special funding for the urban aboriginal community.

November 25, 2009

Mayor Fred Eisenberger, who initially pitched reserving $30 million for a menu of poverty-fighting measures, said he understands councillors want to see a “cleaner, simpler” direction on how to spend the “historic” investment over a decade.

He seconded Collins’ motion, calling the focused housing approach a “fantastic step forward for this community.”

Coun. Matthew Green said he would only support the radical shift in strategy if the original unique plan to allocate $10 million for indigenous-led poverty-fighting initiatives was maintained in some way. “This is a top priority for me,” he said. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) 

 

Wednesday September 21, 2016

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator - Wednesday September 21, 2016 Trudeau decries politicians who exploit anxietyÊfor personal gain in first UN address Justin TrudeauÕs first speech to the United Nations General Assembly included some less-than-subtle references to the politicsÊpracticed by people such as Donald Trump. The prime minister mentioned no names, but warned three times in his speech about politicians who exploit anxiety for personalÊgain. ÒFaced with citizensÕ anxiety, we have a choice to make. Do we exploit that anxiety or do we allay it? Exploiting it is easy, but, inÊorder to allay it, we need to be prepared to answer some very direct questions,Ó Trudeau said. ÒWhat will create the good well-paying jobs that people want need and deserve? What will strengthen and grow the middle class and help those working hard toÊjoin it?Ó Trudeau cast his Liberal governmentÕs spending-heavy program as a form of alleviating anxiety Ñ with its infrastructure plan,Êwhich, he says, will create middle-class jobs. The alternative, he suggests, means exploiting anxiety and fostering fear. ÒWe need to focus on what brings us together, not on what divides us,Ó he said. ÒWe believe we should confront anxiety with aÊclear plan to deal with its root causes. ÒWhat is the alternative? To turn it into fear and blame. To reject others, because they look or speak or pray differently than weÊdo?Ó His message is similar to that of U.S. President Barack Obama, who defended globalization, denounced walls between nationsÊand argued for policies that allow working people to experience the benefits of the global economy. (Source: Toronto Star)Êhttps://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/09/20/prime-minister-justin-trudeau-to-deliver-first-un-address.html Canada, Justin Trudeau, university, speaking, UN, intergalactic, interplanetary, speech, Parliament, rhetoric

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday September 21, 2016

Trudeau decries politicians who exploit anxiety for personal gain in first UN address

Justin Trudeau’s first speech to the United Nations General Assembly included some less-than-subtle references to the politics practiced by people such as Donald Trump.

The prime minister mentioned no names, but warned three times in his speech about politicians who exploit anxiety for personal gain.

September 23, 2014

September 23, 2014

“Faced with citizens’ anxiety, we have a choice to make. Do we exploit that anxiety or do we allay it? Exploiting it is easy, but, in order to allay it, we need to be prepared to answer some very direct questions,” Trudeau said. “What will create the good well-paying jobs that people want need and deserve? What will strengthen and grow the middle class and help those working hard to join it?”

Trudeau cast his Liberal government’s spending-heavy program as a form of alleviating anxiety — with its infrastructure plan, which, he says, will create middle-class jobs.

The alternative, he suggests, means exploiting anxiety and fostering fear.

March 29, 2016

March 29, 2016

“We need to focus on what brings us together, not on what divides us,” he said. “We believe we should confront anxiety with a clear plan to deal with its root causes.

“What is the alternative? To turn it into fear and blame. To reject others, because they look or speak or pray differently than we do?”

His message is similar to that of U.S. President Barack Obama, who defended globalization, denounced walls between nations and argued for policies that allow working people to experience the benefits of the global economy. (Source: Toronto Star)