From Shakespeare to Harperspeak ~ A Satirical Exercise in Propaganda

Have you ever played that old children's game where you have to unscramble a word or phrase and hopefully get a perfect score by using all of the letters to make another word or phrase and even better, a word or phrase that relates somehow to the first? Well, most nerds have.

About an hour ago, I was asked on a whim to unscramble the word 'Shakespeare', who was himself somewhat of a nerd. Well, try as I might I could not get that perfect score, but I did notice almost immediately that it comes amazingly close to spelling what just so happens to be one of my favorite new Canadian words ~ 'Harperspeak'.

I kid you not. And if that seems somehow inconsequential, keep in mind that both of these men are considered by many, to be nerds but that each has found a unique way to use language to dominate the conversation in their own sphere. Shakespeare has influenced the language throughout the entire English-speaking world, with his brilliant use of phrase and neology and Harper has become the master of tricky and nebulous word games and ideology right here in Harper Land.

W. Shakespeare used great and innovative language to say great and interesting things.  S. Harper uses manipulative language to make what are otherwise obviously bad ideas seem reasonable, and to some who do not play or understand the game, he makes those bad ideas sound great.

Therein lies the origin of the word "Harperspeak" ~ a word which signifies Stephen Harper's very personal form of Neo-Con propaganda.

Let me be clear..... (I couldn't resist) I am forcing the issue to make a point.  And if you were to do the exercise at the top of the post, you would soon discover, as I did, that there are one too many 'S's and one too few 'R's and an 'E' that would need to be a 'P'.  So, an honest man would have to admit that it cannot be done and declare: "All bets are off", and look for a better solution to the puzzle.

Then again, this experiment is about great wordsmiths, and propaganda after all, so I am going to use some of that famous Harper Conservative rhetoric that has become all the rage in Canada lately and cheat a tiny little bit. I will make that square peg fit that round hole yet. Just like Harper would do.

Any Neo-Con worth even half of the huge amount of tax money he wastes, has managed to develop and even, in Harper's case, to perfect the habit of changing a few small facts to fit the message that he wants to promote and pass it off, no matter how ridiculous, no matter the real evidence, as the truth.

So, let's imagine that William Shakespeare was really named Richard (a small lie, really) and try it again!

Oh, that is so much better.

In fact it is now Perfect. Or at least it would be if that pesky last 'E' had not mysteriously and inexplicably become a 'P'.  So how do we explain all that away in order to make this lie seem somehow true?  Let's simply pretend that we can justify the 'E' to 'P' issue as if it were signifying a transformation from great 'English' to great 'Propaganda'.

Yeah, yeah, that's the ticket. And now that Mr. Shakespeare is known as Richard, the ruse is entirely complete.
After all, that would, at least as far as I am concerned, make them both nerds, both wordsmiths, both famous and both now Dicks.

With sincere and posthumous apologies to William Shakespeare

A Beautiful Gesture ~ Nothing is Ever that Simple in Harperland

Yesterday, our Prime Minister made history (sort of) and became "One of the first", (according to CBC) whatever that means, leaders to visit Kalavryta, Greece which was the site of an horrendous war crime.  That in itself was an honourable gesture. It should have been left at that. There is no need to treat every photo opportunity as an avenue to sway public opinion at home, especially when that kind of 'for domestic consumption' only spin is so irrelevant to the gesture.  
The prime minister’s visit to Greece included some sombre moments on Sunday. Stephen Harper visited the town of Kalavryta, significant for its role in resisting the Ottoman Empire and later, German occupation during the Second World War. It is also the place where the grandfather of Dimitri Soudas, Harper’s director of communications, was executed by the Nazis along with nearly 700 other men and boys in 1943.

“It’s hard to believe Prime Minister Harper visited a town where, as a young boy each summer, I would visit my grandmother who would tell me all about what happened during the massacre of 1943,” Soudas said on the telephone from Athens. “Despite what happened she still managed to raise her three daughters, including my mother, without ever remarrying. She spent the next 64 years of her life wearing black.”

This is exactly the way that Harper would like this story to be remembered.  A young man visiting his home town and grieving a grandfather never met. I agree it is a sad story with an overriding message of compassion and humanity. It was a huge gesture, but was it done by a man who represents all that is good and compassionate about this country? I am ^NOT buying that last bit of it!


It was in actuality however, from Harper's point of view, much more a chance to generate some sympathy for Dimitri Soudas than a story of war crimes, and the pain of having to grapple with it. I really hate to say this, (Harper 's followers will scream that I supported German atrocities during WWII or some other such stupidity, as they often do) but anyone who knows the story of Dimitri Soudas, knows what I am talking about here. Soudas has been in hot water for a long while now over several very important issues, but like the will ^NOTS they are, these guys stick together.


First of all he was scheduled to speak before a House Committee in 2010, but was replaced at the last minute by John Baird, now the Minister of Foreign affairs, who went to the Committee to protect Soudas, more that to clarify his position. Soudas was subpoenaed at the time but was nowhere to be found. David Akin eventually tweeted that they were both on the same airplane, somewhere over China, if my memory serves me well. (apologies to Akin, if it does not) At any rate Baird was disrupting the committee back here in Canada, which was it's name pre Harperland.

"The days where you can call in 25-year-olds before this committee, to beat up staff who can’t defend themselves, are over,” Mr. Baird told the ethics committee."

Secondly, Soudas is in 'deep' for a little story (2007) that lay virtually dormant until it surfaced in January which was again pretty much suppressed (in 2007 and in February/March of this year) and only re-emerged just before the election was called. It had to do with the Montreal Port Authority  and their need for a new top man. It is alleged that Soudas tried to influence that decision.

But, as per usual, they circled the wagons, and before long a couple of Federal Ministers had stepped in, and then the Prime Minister chimed in, and when further allegations and evidence was introduced, Soudas was forced to deny it in person. It only seems fair to add that not everyone believed him, but of course nothing has come of it, at least not yet! These guys are Good, and like I said, in the very worst of ways.



Before you accuse me of being an insensitive jerk, I need to remind you that I have been following the career of Stephen Harper for well over a dozen years and I have become used to being desensitised by his incredible contempt for; me, you, Parliament,  the hard earned money of Canadian Taxpayer, House Committee members, the press, the truth, etc. etc. etc.

I try to be fair with them. I really do. I try to think well of them. I really do. I try to give them the benefit of  the doubt.

Well, actually that last one ended in 2006 with the Income Trust. It was the first hard lesson that I was forced to learn and the first time that Harper showed actual contempt for Canada. Keep it mind that it happened right after he teamed up with the NDP to get his first minority government. You remember them?  "The New Government" as Harper called them then. That was before "The Harper Government" and before "Harperland". It should have been a sign to us all then that he could not be trusted. It was after-all his very first opportunity to do damage. I was surprised mostly by just how quickly and unapologetically it happened.

My biggest and most persistent surprise has been how long it has taken this country to stop him. Have we lost our respect for respect? Do we now condone contempt? Five years later and we are still rewarding this most ingenuous man. Why?

So, with all due respect for the people of Greece, the entire Free world and anyone like myself who knows how long it takes to heal old wounds and injustices, I must still ask that you excuse me if I have been desensitised. No photo opportunity ever goes untapped, whether that purpose is hidden or not. I do my best to remain in possession of my humanity under a regime that does it's best to fake having maintained theirs. I do all right considering.

To read about and see the proof of Harper's record of contempt, see other posts in this Blog.  

An Afterthought: On many many occasions, Dimitri Soudas has reached Evan Solomon during the show power and politics on his Blackberry and given real time spin, while the guest being interviewed, usually a political opponent, waits as Evan shamelessly presents that still warm spin, to everyone in Canada.

To add to that insult, when Dimitri is on he tends to be alone, with no one to interrupt. Such power in the hands of a man who needs so much defending. Evan is often helpful to the powerful. It must be nice.

When was the last time you or anyone you know had even reasonable access to the press?

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The Truth about Canada: Mel Hurtig

In Victoria on May 21, 2008 in support of his latest book, "The Truth About Canada", Canada's premier Nationalist, Mel Hurtig, dishes the dirt on the media, corporate corruption and even the disappointing and embarrassing performance of Canada in comparison to other countries of the OECD. Mel even names a few names as he covers the garage sale, bargain-box sell-off of our once proud nation. © 2008 Lazarus Productions


Mel Hurtig: The Truth About Canada   (55:06)

Narcissus, Thy Name is Stephen Harper

.Prima Donna ~ Lena Sotskova, artist

Our Prime Minister is a Prima Donna. Not in the Classical sense, I suppose, but a Prima Donna none the less. Vanity may not be his only fault, but it certainly is very near the top of that very long list of qualities that make him such a questionable leader. Narcissus has nothing on our Mr. Harper. From  his labour intensive hair to his 'oh so soft' hands, He is no more the image of a leader than he is a leader. He is a man of illusions, and not a man of real substance.

To illustrate this I want to examine his fascination with his own image, and his oddly delusional belief that his image is dear to all Canadians and that it fills us with pride.

I am not sure where to start here, as there are so many examples of Harper offering form where substance was required.

Waving to the crowd totally oblivious to the
amount of coverage that it was going to get,
 and that it still gets more than 5 years later.

"They are gonna love this!"

I know! Let's start with the fantasy that he shared with us back in 2005 when, while in Calgary at the Stampede, he quite sadly  donned a far too tight-fitting leather cowboy outfit and had his picture taken as he posed seemingly comfortably in the style of a 1920s silent film star.

That really is the only way I can describe it, but it continues to gain attention some five years later. The latest version (there surely will be more to come, I am quite sure) was published yet again just yesterday by a very good friend of mine on the quickly growing and very educational Canadians Rallying to Unseat Stephen Harper Facebook page. The ill conceived picture was, and remains, a source of great embarrassment to the PMO. It also remains deliciously hilarious.

And then there was the famous Powder Blue Sweater-vest. I won't dwell on it though, Just this short blog that was easy to find as most of us are already familiar with the effect it had on Canadians. Literally hundreds of stories have been written about it but it would be hard to say that any have been quite so poignantly and sincerely appreciative of it's glory than Canada's own Marg Delahunty.

Lets move on to the Harper Photo Gallery within the confines of the House of Commons. Unbelievable as it sounds, Stephen Harper has filled the exclusive government lobby of the House of Commons with an amazing number of portraits of himself. Of course the public is not actually invited. No one gets to bask in the glow of  the portraits of "such an important man" as Mr. Harper without a Conservative party membership, enough security clearance and a keen sense of the absurd.

I have often felt that I would love to know how those few lucky people who do get to see them, actually feel about the unusual experience.

Luckily, back in early 2008, a couple of unlikely Canadians got to see these amazing images of the Cult of Stephen Harper, when Green party leader Elizabeth May and then Macleans.ca blogger Kady O'Malley got to play tourists in the presence of this shrine of our very own Narcissus. They shared their impressions on line:

" Elizabeth May and Kady O'Malley were surprised and a bit speechless when they saw the exhibit recently as guest Commons Speakers during a youth Parliament.<> "When you walk in the door, all you see are pictures of Stephen Harper," said Ms. May. "I'd say between every window, in every available space of the wall, at eye level, every available space has a photo of Stephen Harper."               

"You've got photos of Stephen Harper, but not of previous prime ministers," she added. "Photos of Stephen Harper in different costumes, in different settings, dressed as a fireman, in Hudson Bay looking for polar bears, meeting the Dalai Lama, even the portrait of the Queen had to have Stephen Harper, but in a candid, behind her." 

A press aide to Mr. Harper said he would get back with an explanation, but didn't.  "

Harper Chastises Americans for saying
that the Economy was in danger.
 This is his famous "Recession?
What Recession? Moment

Moving 'Right' along, I want to share with you what I consider Stephen Harper's finest Moment in the "Imaginary Harper" game.

It also contributed a photograph that I consider a milestone and a highpoint in his quest for the perfect image of  a perfect Leader. This photograph presents the image of a confident, trustworthy, accomplished, man with superior knowledge of Economics and his hand firmly upon the rudder that controls that Economy.

And that Perfect Image, in my opinion, was clearly achieved the night, just before the 2008 election, when he Chastised Americans for even suggesting that Canada's economy was at risk. A claim, by the way that his Opponent, Stephan Dion was supporting.

But of course, as more of us are coming to realise, the Masterful Image of a Confident Stephen Harper assuring us that there would be no Global meltdown in the Economy in the face of all the then mounting evidence to the Contrary, was an illusion. It was in fact a Lie in the Order of "Weapons of Mass Destruction" ( a lie he also upheld by the way.)


He is an Illusionist of Considerable skill, but sadly, Just an Illusion.

It has come to my attention that to this day Stephen Harper insists that his Cult of Personality is alive and well and living in Canada within the Hearts and minds of many. The best illustration of Harper's clinging to this illusion, or delusion that he is beloved by many, as it were, is that he is in the habit of mailing out unsolicited 8 x 10 Glossy 'Autographed' photographs of  himself (suitable for hanging) to some of  those who contribute to his parties coffers. I can only imagine the joy that must accompany such a wonderful gift lol. 

IMPORTANT PHOTO ENCLOSED
PLEASE DO NOT FOLD OR BEND?

A mysterious Envelope:

With one of those labels from the Cheque Republic on it?

Oh My God! Oh My God! Oh My God! Oh My God! Oh My God!  My God! .... It Must be one of those .....
        Great Big Cheques!





And Look! It's got my name on it! And there is a letter. This is exciting!          

A Photograph of Steven Harper? WTF?
And it comes Complete with Lies about Michael Ignatieff?

Oh Look an 8 x 10 glossy Photo

of the man who Wanted me to hear those LIES about

Michael Ignatieff!

A Glossy Photograph of a

Glossy Man who is just an Illusion,

is Just Another Glossy Thing

it's Just Another

~ SHINY OBJECT ~

So, if you read all of this and are still interested, let me know how you feel about Stephen Harper and what you would do with a Photograph of him! I will try to get back to those of you who do have an opinion. 

I started a discussion that you can still join on the C.R.U.S.H. SITE @ this address.

Personally, like the Cowboy outfit, the Blue sweater vest, the fact that he feels that a Museum to his image is what is needed within the Halls of the House of Commons, I find Stephen Harper's Attempts at establishing a Culture of Personality hilarious beyond belief.