The System Was Never As Strong As It Pretended

The Truth Revealed: The System Was Never As Strong As It Pretended

By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

Many people are asking the same haunting question right now: How is it possible that someone like Donald Trump—convicted of 34 felonies, accused of inciting violence, spreading hate, and undermining democracy—is still walking free? Why hasn’t the system stopped him?

The answer is painful, but it’s also liberating:

The U.S. government was never as strong, fair, or just as it pretended to be.

For generations, we were told that democracy would protect us. That no one was above the law. That the checks and balances worked. But the truth is, it only seemed that way because no one powerful enough had tried to break it from the inside—until now.

Illusions of Strength

The system relied on illusions:

• That leaders would act in good faith
• That laws would be applied equally
• That the courts were independent and unbiased
• That justice was slow but inevitable

But Trump shattered those illusions. He showed that with enough money, media manipulation, and political allies, you can delay justice indefinitely. You can lie constantly, incite hate, and still run for president again—even as a convicted felon.

He Didn’t Break the System — He Revealed It

Trump didn’t invent corruption, inequality, or white supremacy. He just took off the mask. He proved that the system can be bent, ignored, or even rewritten if you have power and no shame. And he proved that many in government—especially in Congress—would rather protect themselves than protect the people.

The system was built on sand. And now the tide is coming in.

A Moment of Reckoning

This isn’t just about Trump. It’s about all of us. It’s about realizing that we cannot rely on institutions to save us. We must speak, organize, and act ourselves. We must defend truth, protect the vulnerable, and call out injustice even when it’s uncomfortable—especially when it’s uncomfortable.

The Big Lie Is This:

“The system is strong enough to fix itself.”

No. It’s not. Not unless we force it to change.

So if you’re angry, confused, or grieving what democracy used to pretend to be — know this: You’re not alone. And you’re not powerless.

Expose the lies. Share the truth. Build something better.

#TruthMatters #JusticeForAll #ZipolitaSpeaks

Letter to the Youth: “They’re Not Coming. So We Save Ourselves

(Spanish and French translation below)

🔥 A Letter to the Youth: “They’re Not Coming. So We Save Ourselves.”

By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

Dear Youth,

You’ve been lied to.
“Go to school,” they said.
“Get a job,” they said.
“Work hard, and you’ll be fine.”

But you’re not fine. You’re exhausted. You’re sending out hundreds of resumes into the void. You’re drowning in debt, working gigs that lead nowhere, living with your parents—or in a tent—while housing becomes a billionaire’s playground.

And now you’re quitting. Walking away from the job hunt altogether. And guess what?

I get it. I’ve lived it.

I’m 63. Born and raised in B.C.
I’ve worked more jobs than I can list—berry picking, factories, industrial laundries, nannying, Expo 86, cruise ship photographer, janitor, caregiver.
I’ve gone back to school, been buried in student loans, got tossed around by economic crashes, pregnancy, single motherhood, and now—I'm “too experienced,” “too old,” “too something.”

I still can’t get a job.

I clean houses for friends. Couch-surf. Make art. Try to survive. And in all these years, here’s the truth I’ve learned:

The government is not coming to help you.
They’re busy managing PR and propping up systems that serve corporations—not you.

But that doesn’t mean there’s no hope.

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🌱 Here’s what you CAN do: Build your own way. Together.

F*** waiting for help. F*** endless applications.

It’s time to organize.
Time to gather.
Time to build.

Imagine this:

• Kids in kindergarten designing tiny houses.
• Teens in high school building them—learning tools, plumbing, solar panels, carpentry, gardening.
• You graduate with skills, with community, with shelter you helped create.

You don’t need their system.
You need each other.

Start your own co-ops.
Build communes.
Create garden villages and art spaces.
Live together, support each other, trade skills and food and energy.

They want you isolated. Online. Addicted. Scared.
That’s how they control you.

But when you get together, in real life, and start to build—you become unstoppable.

---

✊ Final Words from an Old Timer

You aren’t broken.
The system is.

You aren’t lazy.
You’ve been exploited.

You don’t lack skills.
You lack space to use them.

So take the space. Make it. Claim it. Together.

The new revolution is local. Practical. Communal. DIY.

Pick up a hammer. Plant a seed. Paint a mural. Build a table. Trade your labour for lunch. Share your story. Speak truth. Help your friends. Take care of the elders. Be fierce. Be soft. Be unstoppable.

With love,
🔥 Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita
Artist. Fighter. Mother.
Still here. Still dreaming. Still building.

---

🇪🇸 Carta a la Juventud: “No van a venir. Así que nos salvamos nosotros mismos.”

Por Tina Winterlik alias Zipolita

Querida juventud,

Les han mentido.
“Ve a la escuela,” dijeron.
“Consigue un trabajo,” dijeron.
“Trabaja duro, y estarás bien.”

Pero no están bien. Están agotados. Envían cientos de currículums al vacío. Están ahogados en deudas, atrapados en trabajos basura, viviendo con sus padres—o en una tienda de campaña—mientras las viviendas se convierten en juguetes de los millonarios.

Y ahora están renunciando. Alejándose de la búsqueda laboral. ¿Y saben qué?

Lo entiendo. Yo lo viví.

Tengo 63 años. Nací y crecí en B.C.
He trabajado en todo: cosechando frutas, fábricas, lavanderías industriales, niñera, Expo 86, fotógrafa en cruceros, conserje, cuidadora.
Volví a estudiar, me endeudé hasta el cuello, viví los colapsos económicos, fui madre soltera... y ahora me dicen que estoy “demasiado experimentada”, “demasiado mayor”, “demasiado algo”.

Y aún así, nadie me contrata.

Limpio casas de amigos. Vivo de sofá en sofá. Hago arte. Sobrevivo. Y en todos estos años, aprendí algo muy claro:

El gobierno no va a salvarlos.
Están ocupados protegiendo a las corporaciones, no a ustedes.

Pero eso no significa que no haya esperanza.

---

🌱 ¿Qué SÍ pueden hacer? Construyan su propio camino. Juntos.

A la mierda esperar ayuda.
A la mierda enviar currículums sin respuesta.

Es hora de organizarse.
Reunirse.
Construir.

Imaginen esto:

• Niños en kínder diseñando casas pequeñas.
• Jóvenes de secundaria construyéndolas—aprendiendo herramientas, plomería, energía solar, jardinería.
• Se gradúan con habilidades, comunidad y un hogar que ayudaron a crear.

No necesitan su sistema.
Se necesitan entre ustedes.

Formen cooperativas.
Construyan comunas.
Creen aldeas con jardines y espacios artísticos.
Vivan juntos, compartan, intercambien habilidades y alimentos.

Quieren que estén aislados. En línea. Adictos. Con miedo.
Así los controlan.

Pero si se reúnen en la vida real y comienzan a construir... se vuelven imparables.

---

✊ Palabras finales de una vieja luchadora

No están rotos.
El sistema lo está.

No son flojos.
Los han explotado.

No les faltan habilidades.
Les falta un lugar donde usarlas.

Así que tomen el espacio. Háganlo. Reclámenlo. Juntos.

La nueva revolución es local. Práctica. Comunitaria. Hecha a mano.

Tomen un martillo. Planten una semilla. Pinten un mural. Construyan una mesa. Intercambien trabajo por almuerzo. Cuenten su historia. Digan la verdad. Ayuden a sus amigos. Cuiden a los abuelos. Sean feroces. Sean dulces. Sean imparables.

Con amor,
🔥 Tina Winterlik alias Zipolita
Artista. Guerrera. Madre.
Todavía aquí. Todavía soñando. Todavía construyendo.

---

🇫🇷 Lettre à la jeunesse : « Ils ne viendront pas. Alors on se sauve nous-mêmes. »

Par Tina Winterlik alias Zipolita

Chère jeunesse,

On vous a menti.
« Va à l'école », disaient-ils.
« Trouve un travail », disaient-ils.
« Travaille dur, et tout ira bien. »

Mais tout ne va pas bien. Vous êtes épuisés. Vous envoyez des centaines de CVs sans réponse. Vous êtes engloutis par les dettes, enchaînés à des petits boulots, vivant chez vos parents—ou sous une tente—tandis que le logement devient un jouet pour les milliardaires.

Et maintenant, vous abandonnez. Vous arrêtez de chercher du travail. Et devinez quoi ?

Je comprends. Je l'ai vécu.

J’ai 63 ans. Née et élevée en Colombie-Britannique.
J’ai fait tous les boulots : cueillir des baies, travailler en usine, en blanchisserie, nounou, Expo 86, photographe sur un bateau de croisière, concierge, aide-soignante.
Je suis retournée à l’école, je me suis endettée, j’ai traversé les crises économiques, j’ai été mère célibataire… et aujourd’hui ? Je suis “trop expérimentée”, “trop vieille”, “trop quelque chose”.

Et toujours aucun emploi pour moi.

Je nettoie des maisons. Je dors chez des amis. Je fais de l’art. Je survis. Et j’ai appris une vérité très simple :

Le gouvernement ne viendra pas vous sauver.
Il sert les intérêts des grandes entreprises, pas les vôtres.

Mais ça ne veut pas dire qu’il n’y a aucun espoir.

---

🌱 Ce que vous POUVEZ faire : Construisez votre propre chemin. Ensemble.

Assez d’attendre.
Assez d’envoyer des candidatures inutiles.

Il est temps de s’organiser.
De se rassembler.
De construire.

Imaginez :

• Des enfants qui conçoivent des mini-maisons à la maternelle.
• Des ados qui les construisent au lycée—apprenant les outils, le solaire, la plomberie, le jardinage.
• Diplômés avec des vraies compétences, une communauté, et un toit qu’ils ont bâti eux-mêmes.

Vous n’avez pas besoin de leur système.
Vous avez besoin les uns des autres.

Créez des coopératives.
Des éco-communautés.
Des villages-jardins et des lieux artistiques.
Vivez ensemble. Partagez. Échangez. Grandissez.

Ils vous veulent seuls. Connectés. Dépendants. Effrayés.
C’est comme ça qu’ils vous contrôlent.

Mais quand vous vous réunissez et que vous commencez à construire... vous devenez invincibles.

---

✊ Derniers mots d’une ancienne combattante

Vous n’êtes pas cassés.
C’est le système qui l’est.

Vous n’êtes pas paresseux.
Vous êtes exploités.

Vous avez des compétences.
Il vous faut juste un espace pour les exprimer.

Alors prenez cet espace. Créez-le. Protégez-le. Ensemble.

La nouvelle révolution est locale. Pratique. Collective. Artisanale.

Prenez un marteau. Plantez une graine. Peignez une fresque. Fabriquez une table. Échangez un repas contre un coup de main. Racontez votre histoire. Dites la vérité. Aidez vos amis. Protégez les anciens. Soyez forts. Soyez doux. Soyez inarrêtables.

Avec amour,
🔥 Tina Winterlik alias Zipolita
Artiste. Guerrière. Maman.
Toujours là. Toujours rêveuse. Toujours bâtisseuse.

---

 

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🚨 Whose City Is This? The Mayor’s $5M DTES Crackdown, Arrest Quotas, and the Truth on the Street

By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

The story keeps changing, and Vancouver’s mayor hopes we’re not paying attention.

First, they announced a $5 million "Task Force Barrage" police initiative in the Downtown Eastside, meant to tackle violence, drugs, and disorder. Then Mayor Ken Sim turned around and said he wasn’t behind it. The chair of the Vancouver Police Board, who’s legally supposed to approve police budgets, said they weren’t even told before the mayor went public.

So who’s running the city—and with whose money?

This feels less like governance and more like damage control.

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🧩 The Numbers Game: Arrest Quotas?

We’ve been hearing murmurs—inside and outside the VPD—that officers are being pressured to hit arrest numbers, whether or not it actually helps. That means sweeping people up off the street, pushing them through a system that’s completely overloaded, and then releasing them again with no support, no housing, no help.

It’s a revolving door:

• Arrest. Release. Repeat.
• And each time, the VPD pats itself on the back for the “great work” they’re doing.

But ask anyone actually living in or near the DTES:
Things aren't better. If anything, they feel more tense, more chaotic, and more traumatic.

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🎭 The Optics Game: Catch and Release Theatre

They tell the public, “We’re cracking down.”
They post photos of drugs and knives.
They celebrate “task forces” and “strategic enforcement.”

But here’s what’s really happening:

• People in deep crisis are being swept up like trash, held for a few hours or days, and dumped back out.
• Some of these people are dangerous and untreated—but the system isn't helping them get better or making the community safer.
• Others are harmless and poor—criminalized for being unhoused, Indigenous, or visibly struggling with addiction.

No one is winning, except maybe the politicians and executives cashing in on crisis PR.

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💰 Where’s the Oversight?

Let’s be real:
If $5 million can be announced without the Police Board even knowing,
If arrest quotas are quietly guiding police behavior,
If the mayor can disown his own press release,
then we don’t have a functioning system. We have a circus—and the people suffering the most are stuck in the centre ring.

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✊ We Need Accountability — Not Photo Ops

We need:

• Transparency on who authorized this money.
• An end to criminalizing poverty and illness.
• Support-led strategies, not just more boots and batons.
• Community-run, Indigenous-led programs that offer real safety and healing.
• Housing first, care always.

And we need politicians who stop playing hot potato with responsibility while real people die in our streets, or get brutalized by a system that sees them as numbers, not humans.

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💬 Final Thought: You Don’t Get to Hide Behind PR

If you're going to brag about “taking action,”
then own the consequences too.

Because we see through it now.
We’re tired, we’re grieving, and we’re not going away.

---

Want to help?
🔗 Share this post.
🎤 Tell your story.
📢 Call out the hypocrisy.

#Vancouver #DTES #PolicingCrisis #KenSim #CatchAndRelease #HarmReductionNow #CommunityCare #AccountabilityNotForce #ZipolitaSpeaks

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What Just Happened: A Breakdown

 🔍 What Just Happened: A Breakdown

1. Canada’s Government Promised One Thing, Did Another

During the election, Canadians were told:

• “We’ll stand up to Trump.”
• “We’ll rethink our economic and military ties with the U.S.”
• “Canada will remain sovereign and strong.”

But within weeks of taking office, Prime Minister Mark Carney:

• Called Trump a “transformational president” in a public Oval Office meeting
• Traveled to Washington to make secret deals
• Quietly aligned Canada with Trump’s $500 billion missile defense program
• Chose not to retaliate against U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods
• Communicated with Trump by private calls and even text messages

This is not standing up. This is surrender disguised as diplomacy.

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2. Why “Missile Defense” Is a Red Flag

Joining Trump’s missile defense program:

• Makes Canada complicit in the U.S. war machine
• Means Canadian military money and infrastructure will support a system that can be used in preemptive war
• Turns Canada into a target in a major war (e.g., with China, Russia, or Iran)

What’s worse? There’s been no public debate about this.
No referendum. No consultation. No transparency.

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3. Carney’s Compliments to Trump Are Not Harmless

Calling Trump a “transformational president” may sound diplomatic, but it’s extremely dangerous given what Trump is doing:

• Bombing Iran, escalating global war
• Weakening democracy
• Rejecting global cooperation (like the UN or climate treaties)
• Undermining women’s rights, refugee rights, press freedom, and Indigenous sovereignty

By flattering Trump, Carney normalizes him.
And by making secret deals, he puts Canada on a path we didn’t choose.

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😨 Why You Feel Scared — And Why That’s Valid

You’re scared because:

• You weren’t told the truth
• Decisions with massive consequences are being made in secret
• Canada—known for peacekeeping—is quietly joining a war machine
• Your values (peace, truth, sovereignty, safety) feel ignored or betrayed

This fear isn’t irrational. It’s awareness. It means you’re paying attention.
Most people don’t realize how fast things are shifting.

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🕊️ What You Can Do

Even if we feel small, we still have power. Here’s how:

• Speak out — blog, post, share truth
• Write to your MP — demand answers about missile defense and secret negotiations
• Organize or join a peaceful action — even one sign in one window matters
• Support independent journalism — voices who still investigate and expose

You may not be in Parliament, but you still influence public opinion — and that’s powerful.

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✊ You're Not Alone

You’re doing the hard work of waking up, even when it’s scary.
That takes courage, not fear.
And it’s how movements for change have always begun.

JusticeDenied: When Mushrooms Excuse Attempted Rape

#JusticeDenied: When Mushrooms Excuse Attempted Rape

By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

June 22, 2025

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A woman was assaulted, knocked to the ground, sexually violated, and nearly raped.

And the man who did it? He was found not criminally responsible—because he took magic mushrooms and claimed God told him to have sex to save the world.

Let that sink in.

This is not a sci-fi horror movie. This is real, and it happened in Surrey, British Columbia, in a courtroom under Canadian law.

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⚖️ What Happened

According to a report by @cbcnews, Leon-Jamal Daniel Barrett took magic mushrooms and had what the judge called a “psychotic episode.” He then:

• Left his house believing God would send him a woman
• Attacked a stranger
• Knocked her down
• Smashed her breast
• Tried to take off her jeans

The victim fought him off.

And somehow—because he was high and psychotic—he was found not guilty.

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🧠 “Mental Illness” and the Weaponization of Insanity

Mental illness is real, and people who are truly struggling deserve care and compassion. But mental illness is not a free pass to hurt people, especially women.

This isn’t the first time the “not criminally responsible” (NCR) defense has been used to explain away violence against women:

• Men who attack, rape, or kill, and later claim they were intoxicated or delusional
• Courts that sympathize with the attacker’s “state of mind” more than the victim’s trauma
• Legal systems that treat women’s safety as secondary to men’s mental fragility

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💬 Why This Matters

If a woman was tripping on mushrooms and committed violence, would the courts be as lenient? Or is this just another case where men are protected and women are blamed or forgotten?

This case sends a dangerous message:

“If you’re high or mentally unstable, your violence isn’t your fault.”

What about her trauma? What about her body? What about her future?

---

📣 We Say: #JusticeDenied

This isn’t just a “weird court case”—it’s part of a pattern where women's bodies become collateral damage in a justice system built to excuse male violence.

We demand:

• Legal reforms on how NCR is applied in sexual assault cases
• Victim-centered justice that doesn’t ignore harm just because intent is murky
• A public conversation about consent, responsibility, and the failures of our court system

---

✊ You Are Not Alone

To every woman who's ever been told her pain wasn’t “real enough,” “bad enough,” or “legally relevant enough”: We see you. We believe you. We will not be silent.

This blog is my small way of standing up and saying: This is not okay.

— Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

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FBI Director Blames Vancouver for U.S. Fentanyl Crisis — But the Data Tells a Different Story

🌐 FBI Director Blames Vancouver for U.S. Fentanyl Crisis — But the Data Tells a Different Story

Date: June 17, 2025
Source: Global News (Amy Judd & Angela Jung)

🚨 Once again, Vancouver is being scapegoated by U.S. officials for the fentanyl crisis — despite clear evidence showing otherwise.

🔎 What Happened

FBI Director Christopher Wray claimed that Vancouver’s drug policies are contributing to the U.S. fentanyl epidemic. He made similar claims before — but they don’t hold up against the facts.

📉 What the Evidence Shows

• 📌 Most U.S. fentanyl comes from Mexico, not Canada — often using chemicals from China.
• 📌 The DEA confirms that Mexican cartels are the primary source of fentanyl in the U.S.
• 📌 Fentanyl seizures at the southern U.S. border far outnumber those at the Canadian border.

🇨🇦 What Vancouver Is Doing

British Columbia is focused on harm reduction to save lives:

• Safe supply programs
• Supervised consumption sites
• Decriminalizing small personal drug possession

📊 The Real Crisis

Over 100,000 Americans died from drug overdoses last year — mostly from fentanyl. Blaming Canada won’t fix that. It distracts from solutions like treatment access, healthcare reform, and holding drug manufacturers and cartels accountable.

💡 Why It Matters

• 🚫 Misinformation harms diplomacy and public health.
• 🧠 We need evidence-based policy, not finger-pointing.

📢 CALL TO ACTION

Let's stop the blame game. Support:

• ✅ Treatment and addiction services
• ✅ Public health and harm reduction
• ✅ Honest conversations about drug policy

🟦 Hashtags for Social Media:
#StopScapegoating #FentanylFacts #HarmReduction #Vancouver #PublicHealth #DrugPolicyReform #BlueskyCanada #FacebookActivism

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🌎 Spanish / Español: ¿La culpa es de Vancouver? Los hechos dicen que no

El director del FBI acusó nuevamente a Vancouver de ser parte del problema del fentanilo en EE.UU., pero los datos no lo respaldan.

➡️ La mayoría del fentanilo proviene de México, no de Canadá.
➡️ Vancouver está implementando estrategias de reducción de daños como suministro seguro y sitios de consumo supervisado.
➡️ Los expertos dicen que culpar a Canadá es desinformación que desvía la atención de soluciones reales.

¡No más culpas! Necesitamos tratamiento, no estigmatización.

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🌍 French / Français : Le FBI blâme Vancouver pour la crise du fentanyl — mais les faits disent le contraire

Le directeur du FBI a de nouveau pointé du doigt Vancouver, affirmant que ses politiques aggravent la crise des opioïdes aux États-Unis. Pourtant, les données officielles disent le contraire.

➡️ La plupart du fentanyl entre aux États-Unis depuis le Mexique, pas le Canada.
➡️ La Colombie-Britannique mise sur des stratégies de réduction des méfaits pour sauver des vies.
➡️ Accuser Vancouver, c’est détourner l’attention des solutions fondées sur la science.

🛑 Assez de boucs émissaires — exigeons des politiques efficaces et humaines.

News Lies by Omission

 🕊️ When the News Lies by Omission: The Truth About the Israel–Iran Escalation

By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita | June 14, 2025

This morning, someone I know — someone who follows the “news” on TV — told me Iran attacked Israel out of nowhere.
They never heard a single word about the massive Israeli airstrike on Iran that took place just hours earlier.

That’s not just an oversight.
That’s propaganda through omission.

---

🧨 What Actually Happened (In Order)

• June 13, 2025 (early morning):
  Israel launched one of its largest-ever military operations on Iranian soil.
  Over 200 targets were hit, including nuclear facilities at Natanz and Fordow.
  Dozens of people were killed, including scientists and senior IRGC commanders.

• June 13, 2025 (hours later):
  Iran responded with a wave of ballistic missiles and drones.
  Tel Aviv and Jerusalem were among the targets.
  Most missiles were intercepted, but some got through.
  40 Israelis were injured, and 2 are in critical condition.

So, who struck first?
👉 Israel.
But if you only saw BBC headlines or TV soundbites, you’d think it was Iran starting a war.

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🔍 Why This Matters

This kind of reporting:

• Frames Iran as the aggressor, when it was retaliating
• Hides Israeli responsibility for initiating the latest violence
• Manipulates public sympathy, by only showing one side’s pain
• Makes diplomacy harder, by misleading citizens

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📺 Example of BBC Bias

Here’s a real BBC summary from today:

“Iran launches ballistic missiles at Israel as its supreme leader vows to 'inflict heavy blows'…”

Nowhere in that intro does it say:
➡️ “In response to overnight Israeli airstrikes that killed dozens in Iran…”

That’s not an accident. That’s how the story gets flipped.

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🧠 Media Literacy is a Survival Skill Now

In this world of war, disinformation, and state-aligned media, we need to:

• Check timelines
• Ask what’s missing
• Listen to voices on the ground
• Question emotional manipulation

It’s not about choosing sides — it’s about truth, humanity, and stopping more death.

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✊ Share the Truth

Help others break through the fog.
Here’s a simple post you can copy & paste:

The media told you Iran attacked Israel.
But did they tell you Israel bombed Iran first — killing dozens?

This war didn’t start today. It escalated after an Israeli strike that the media buried.

We deserve better than war-by-deception. #TruthBeforeWar

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💬 Let me know in the comments:

• Did you hear about Israel’s airstrikes before Iran’s retaliation?
• Do you trust your news source to tell the full story?

We must hold the media — and ourselves — accountable.

🕯️💔 For all lives lost, on all sides. War is not the answer.

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Call it what it is. This is not an insurrection. 🚨

 🚨 Call it what it is. This is not an insurrection. 🚨

Trump just told reporters at the White House that the peaceful protesters in Los Angeles are “insurrectionists.” That’s false and dangerous.

🔴 January 6 was an insurrection. ✊🏽 These are protests. People are standing up against ICE raids, family separations, and militarized overreach.

By using the word "insurrection," Trump may be setting the stage to invoke the 1807 Insurrection Act — a law that allows the president to deploy the military against American citizens.

📢 Trump also claimed L.A. would have been “obliterated” without the National Guard. That’s absurd. The Guard did not engage the crowds. They stood outside a federal building where ICE detainees were being held. Crowd control was handled by LAPD and California Highway Patrol, not the military.

And in a chilling moment, he even suggested arresting Governor Newsom.

🛑 This is not leadership.
This is authoritarianism.
This is gaslighting.
This is an attempt to create chaos to justify a crackdown.

📣 Stay informed. Stay peaceful. Stay united.

#DefendDemocracy #NoToFascism #WarriorUpWithArt #PowerToThePeople #StandWithLA #ResistICE #PeacefulProtest

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Here are the translations in Spanish, French, and Portuguese of the post:

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🇪🇸 ESPAÑOL

🚨 Llámalo como es. Esto no es una insurrección. 🚨

Trump acaba de decirle a los periodistas en la Casa Blanca que los manifestantes en Los Ángeles son “insurrectos.” Eso es falso y peligroso.

🔴 El 6 de enero fue una insurrección.
✊🏽 Estas son protestas. La gente se está levantando contra las redadas de ICE, la separación de familias y el abuso de poder militarizado.

Al usar la palabra "insurrección," Trump podría estar preparando el terreno para invocar la Ley de Insurrección de 1807, que le permite desplegar el ejército contra ciudadanos estadounidenses.

📢 También afirmó que L.A. habría sido “aniquilada” sin la Guardia Nacional. Eso es absurdo. La Guardia no participó en el control de multitudes. Solo estaban afuera de un edificio federal donde ICE detenía a personas. El control lo manejaron la policía de Los Ángeles y la Patrulla de Carreteras de California.

Y, de manera escalofriante, sugirió arrestar al gobernador Newsom.

🛑 Esto no es liderazgo.
Esto es autoritarismo.
Esto es manipulación.
Es un intento de crear caos para justificar la represión.

📣 Infórmate. Sé pacífico. Mantente unido.

#DefiendeLaDemocracia #NoAlFascismo #LuchaConArte #PoderAlPueblo #ResisteICE #ProtestaPacífica

---

🇫🇷 FRANÇAIS

🚨 Appelons les choses par leur nom. Ce n’est pas une insurrection. 🚨

Trump vient de dire aux journalistes à la Maison Blanche que les manifestants à Los Angeles sont des “insurrectionnels.” C’est faux et dangereux.

🔴 Le 6 janvier était une insurrection.
✊🏽 Ceci est une protestation. Les gens se lèvent contre les descentes d’ICE, la séparation des familles et l’usage abusif du pouvoir militaire.

En utilisant le mot "insurrection," Trump pourrait poser les bases pour invoquer la Loi sur l’insurrection de 1807, qui permet au président de déployer l’armée contre les citoyens américains.

📢 Il a aussi affirmé que L.A. aurait été “anéantie” sans la Garde nationale. C’est absurde. La Garde n’a pas géré la foule. Ils sont restés à l’extérieur d’un bâtiment fédéral où ICE détenait des personnes. Le contrôle a été géré par la police de Los Angeles et la police routière de Californie.

Et, dans une déclaration choquante, il a même suggéré d’arrêter le gouverneur Newsom.

🛑 Ce n’est pas du leadership.
C’est de l’autoritarisme.
C’est de la manipulation.
C’est une tentative de créer le chaos pour justifier la répression.

📣 Restez informés. Restez pacifiques. Restez unis.

#DéfendonsLaDémocratie #NonAuFascisme #RésistonsAvecLArt #PouvoirAuPeuple #SolidaritéLA #ProtestationPacifique

---

🇵🇹 PORTUGUÊS

🚨 Vamos dizer a verdade. Isso não é uma insurreição. 🚨

Trump disse aos jornalistas na Casa Branca que os manifestantes em Los Angeles são “insurretos.” Isso é falso e perigoso.

🔴 O dia 6 de janeiro foi uma insurreição.
✊🏽 Estas são manifestações. As pessoas estão protestando contra as batidas do ICE, a separação de famílias e o uso excessivo da força militar.

Ao usar a palavra "insurreição," Trump pode estar preparando o terreno para invocar a Lei de Insurreição de 1807, que permite ao presidente usar o exército contra cidadãos americanos.

📢 Ele também disse que Los Angeles teria sido “aniquilada” sem a Guarda Nacional. Isso é absurdo. A Guarda não interveio no controle da multidão. Eles apenas ficaram em frente ao prédio federal onde os detidos do ICE estavam sendo mantidos. O controle foi feito pela polícia de L.A. e pela patrulha rodoviária da Califórnia.

E, de forma autoritária, ele chegou a sugerir prender o governador Newsom.

🛑 Isso não é liderança.
Isso é autoritarismo.
Isso é manipulação.
É uma tentativa de criar o caos para justificar repressão.

📣 Informe-se. Mantenha-se pacífico. Fique unido.

#DefendaADemocracia #NãoAoFascismo #LuteComArte #PoderAoPovo #ResistaICE #ProtestoPacífico

---

Broken Promises: Vancouver's Troubled History with Affordable Housing Commitments

Vancouver is once again facing controversy as a downtown tower development fails to deliver on its promise of below-market-value suites. Buyers were enticed with the prospect of private Porsches and a blend of luxury and affordability. However, the developer is now under fire for abandoning its commitment to include affordable housing units—a story that echoes past failures in the city.

Olympic Village: A Broken Model

The 2010 Olympic Village in Southeast False Creek was originally touted as a shining example of sustainable, inclusive urban living. Its Official Development Plan promised a balanced mix: one-third market housing, one-third affordable housing, and one-third social housing for those in deepest need.

Over time, however, the commitment eroded. By 2007, the non-market housing allocation was slashed from 66% to 20%, and deeply affordable units shrank to just 8%. Financial setbacks—including the 2008 financial crisis and withdrawal of funding by Fortress Investment Group—forced the City of Vancouver to intervene and eventually take over the project.

In 2010, the province rejected all three bids to manage the social housing component. Ultimately, the city sold 67 remaining condo units to the Aquilini Group for $91 million, failing to fulfill its promise of creating substantial affordable housing in the area.

Woodward's Building: Gentrification Disguised as Inclusion

Another example is the redevelopment of the historic Woodward’s Building in the Downtown Eastside. The plan included 200 non-market housing units among 536 condominiums. Critics argue the development accelerated gentrification, displaced low-income residents, and increased local rents, undermining its inclusive intent.

Metro Vancouver Today: Homes for Ghosts, Not People

A recent report shows over 2,000 newly built condos across Metro Vancouver sitting empty. With affordability at crisis levels, high listing prices and market instability keep potential buyers and renters at bay. Meanwhile, the city council recently approved $11.15 million for 330 affordable rental homes. But can this funding undo decades of broken promises?

Why It Matters

These recurring failures highlight the gap between public commitments and actual delivery. Whether due to financial pressures, poor planning, or lack of oversight, vulnerable residents are left behind while developers reap the rewards.

What Can Be Done?

Greater transparency, stronger enforcement of housing agreements, and community oversight are urgently needed. Vancouver’s future depends on whether it can learn from its past and truly commit to equitable housing for all.

Share this post to help raise awareness about Vancouver’s ongoing housing challenges.

The Scamming of Job Seekers in B.C.: Why "We're Hiring" is Often a Lie

 

In BC , the job market is broken. Everywhere you turn, you see ads saying “We’re Hiring,” but for many of us, these ads are nothing but empty promises. Businesses claim to need workers, but when you apply—whether in person or online—nothing happens. It's all a form of advertising to look "busy" or to justify hiring temporary foreign workers instead of offering opportunities to locals.

The False Advertising

How many times have you seen a business with a "We're Hiring" sign, only to find that weeks or even months later, the position is still unfilled? Or worse, they suddenly claim the position is “unfillable” and hire a temporary foreign worker instead. The reality is, these job postings aren’t always genuine. They are part of a tactic to fill the job with someone who may accept lower wages or work under conditions that a local worker wouldn't.

The Temporary Foreign Worker Program Abuse

Businesses can claim that they’ve been unable to find a suitable local candidate and use the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program as a loophole. The TFW program allows employers to hire workers from abroad, often at lower wages, and under less scrutiny than they would face hiring a local worker. But the problem is, many of these positions could have been filled by local job seekers—if the businesses had actually given them a fair chance.

The Impact on Locals

This practice hurts locals in a few key ways:

1. Lost opportunities: Qualified workers are being overlooked for positions that could help them stay afloat in an expensive province.
2. Lower wages: The influx of temporary foreign workers can drive down wages and job conditions for everyone.
3. Frustration and Desperation: Job seekers spend months applying, only to see no response, or worse—companies hiring from outside the country instead of considering local talent.

What’s Really Going On?

Politicians, including Premier David Eby, talk about the need to fix the housing crisis and create opportunities for people, but when it comes to real action on job access, the system is rigged. They turn a blind eye to these exploitation practices, while workers like you struggle to find fair work. These jobs are essential, and yet they’re not being offered to those who need them the most.

The Call for Change

If we want real change, it’s time to hold these businesses accountable. We need to demand transparency in hiring practices and fight back against the exploitation of the Temporary Foreign Worker program. Businesses should be required to prove they’ve genuinely tried to hire local talent before looking abroad.

Your Voice Matters

If you’ve experienced this issue—whether in retail, food service, or elsewhere—share your story. The more voices we have speaking out, the more pressure we can put on businesses and politicians to make a real change.

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Stranger Than Truth: When Fiction Becomes the New Reality in Canada

Stranger Than Truth: When Fiction Becomes the New Reality in Canada

In Canada, a country often perceived as a beacon of fairness, equality, and transparency, there have been numerous instances where the line between truth and fiction has been manipulated for political, corporate, and personal gain.

 These events may not have the same overt authoritarian edge as those seen in more oppressive regimes, but they reveal a troubling pattern of bending or obscuring the truth to suit powerful interests. 

As we look back on some of the most glaring examples, one can’t help but wonder: how much of what we believe to be the truth is simply fiction dressed up as fact?

1. The Arrival App: A Digital Failure and Public Deception

The Canadian government introduced the Arrival app during the COVID-19 pandemic to help manage travel restrictions and health protocols for incoming international travelers. 

However, the app quickly became an infamous example of government mismanagement. Travelers were faced with constant glitches, delays, and issues accessing crucial health data. Despite widespread complaints and confusion, the government continued to praise the app as a success.

In reality, the app failed to live up to expectations. But the government’s continued insistence on its success painted a false picture of a smooth, efficient response to the pandemic. 

By downplaying the app’s flaws, the government hoped to maintain public confidence, but this led many to feel deceived, especially when they struggled with a platform that didn’t work as intended.

2. CERB Clawback: Financial Betrayal During a Crisis

The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) was introduced to provide financial relief to workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, many Canadians found themselves facing an unexpected and financially devastating clawback of the benefit. While the government initially promised that CERB would be available to those who needed it, the rules governing who qualified for the program were vague, and many individuals were hit with repayment demands months later.

The CERB clawback exposed a glaring communication failure. Thousands of Canadians, who had been financially struggling, were now forced to repay the money they had received. The government’s messaging about repayment and eligibility was often confusing and inconsistent, leaving many to feel betrayed by a program that was supposed to help them through the hardest months of their lives. By downplaying these issues or failing to address them adequately, the government helped perpetuate a false narrative of fairness and transparency.

3. COVID-19 Testing and Lab Scandals: Failing the Public’s Trust

As COVID-19 testing became a critical part of Canada’s public health response, there were several concerning reports about testing labs engaging in questionable practices. Some private labs were accused of submitting false or incomplete results, while others were suspected of manipulating testing numbers for financial or political gain. These lapses in transparency raised serious questions about the integrity of the data being used to make public health decisions.

The response from public health authorities was often lackluster, with many concerns being downplayed or ignored. As the pandemic wore on, public trust in the testing system began to erode. The government's refusal to fully acknowledge these issues and take swift corrective action contributed to a growing sense of unease among Canadians who felt their safety and well-being were being compromised. The suppression of these truths, or at least the delay in addressing them, created a climate of distrust and confusion.

4. The Oil Sands Debate: A Manufactured Economic Narrative

For years, the Canadian government and the oil industry have painted the oil sands as a crucial part of Canada’s economic future. The narrative has focused heavily on job creation and economic benefits, while downplaying or ignoring the environmental damage caused by the extraction process. Even as Indigenous communities and environmental groups raised alarms about the destruction of ecosystems and the acceleration of climate change, the government and industry continued to push the message that the oil sands were vital to Canada's prosperity.

This manufactured narrative ignores the growing body of evidence that suggests the true cost of the oil sands may outweigh any economic benefits. The manipulation of facts and the silencing of opposition in favor of promoting oil extraction for profit created a version of the truth that suited the political and corporate elite, while disregarding the environmental and social consequences.

5. The SNC-Lavalin Scandal: Political Interference and Public Deception

The SNC-Lavalin affair revealed the lengths to which the Canadian government would go to protect powerful corporate interests. In 2019, it was revealed that senior members of the Liberal government had pressured then-Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould to intervene in a criminal prosecution against the engineering firm SNC-Lavalin, which was facing charges related to bribery and corruption.

The government initially denied any wrongdoing, but as the story unfolded, it became clear that political interference was at play. The narrative around the scandal shifted several times as new revelations came to light, leaving the public to question the integrity of the government’s actions. The SNC-Lavalin scandal exposed how political elites could manipulate the truth to shield corporations from accountability, putting corporate interests above the public good.

6. Indigenous Rights and the Long Struggle for Truth

Canada has long struggled with the truth surrounding its treatment of Indigenous peoples. While many Canadians take pride in the country’s multiculturalism and human rights record, the reality for Indigenous communities has often been one of systemic discrimination, violence, and erasure. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) uncovered the atrocities of residential schools, but for many years, the full extent of these injustices was downplayed or ignored by both the public and the government.

Even today, narratives around Indigenous rights and land sovereignty are often manipulated to suit the interests of the state and corporations. The government and industries continue to suppress the truth of Indigenous land struggles and environmental degradation in the name of economic growth. The persistent denial and distortion of these truths serve to maintain the status quo and prevent meaningful reconciliation.

7. The Fish Farms Controversy: A Breach of Consent

In British Columbia, the debate over fish farms has long been a contentious issue, especially in relation to the environmental harm they cause. These industrial fish farms—typically raising Atlantic salmon in open-net pens in coastal waters—have been shown to pollute the environment, spread diseases, and harm wild fish populations. However, what adds another layer of controversy is the fact that many Indigenous communities and local residents claim they were never consulted or informed about the placement of these farms.

In several instances, it has been revealed that fish farm companies, with the backing of provincial and federal governments, set up operations in coastal waters without the consent of local Indigenous groups or without giving communities a say in the decision. This lack of consultation and respect for Indigenous land rights has led to widespread protests and legal battles. Despite the environmental damage and community pushback, the government continued to support the fish farming industry, citing economic benefits over environmental and social concerns.

The government's failure to properly consult with Indigenous peoples and local communities, coupled with the push to maintain these controversial fish farms, shows how truth can be manipulated and ignored when it comes to corporate interests and political convenience. The true impact of these operations on the environment and local communities has been downplayed, and the people who were most affected have often been left out of the conversation altogether.

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The Power of Truth in Canada

The instances above demonstrate a disturbing trend in Canada: the manipulation of truth to protect political, corporate, or personal interests. While Canada may not have the same authoritarian tendencies as other countries, these examples show how narratives can be twisted to maintain power, distract from failures, and deceive the public.

In an age where information is readily available at our fingertips, the onus is on us to be vigilant and demand transparency from those in power. The truth is too important to be manipulated for profit or political gain. It is essential that we continue to push for accountability and insist on a truthful narrative, no matter how inconvenient or uncomfortable it may be.

Watching from Canada: A Heartbreaking Warning for the Future

 Watching from Canada: A Heartbreaking Warning for the Future

As a Canadian, I watch in disbelief as the United States descends further into chaos under Trump’s leadership. The recent federal funding freeze, which left countless people unable to access Medicaid and other essential programs, is yet another example of his administration’s cruelty and deception. At first, a memo circulated announcing cuts, then suddenly, people found themselves without payments. The next day, officials brushed it off as a “glitch.” But let’s be clear—this wasn’t a glitch. It was a calculated move to see what they could get away with.

This is heartbreaking to witness. People’s lives are at stake, yet they are treated as pawns in a political game. Some will now go without medication, food, or rent. Others may never financially recover from the sudden loss of benefits, even if the payments resume. And the worst part? This is happening in one of the richest countries in the world.

A Warning for Canada

It would be easy to dismiss this as an “American problem,” but I don’t see it that way. Canada is not immune to the same kind of heartless policies that prioritize the wealthy and powerful over the vulnerable. If people do not wake up and take action, we could find ourselves in a similar situation—watching our social safety nets unravel while leaders make excuses and shift blame.

We’ve already seen warning signs. In British Columbia, social assistance rates remain abysmally low, making it nearly impossible for people to afford basic necessities. Housing has become a luxury, not a right. Corporate greed continues to widen the gap between rich and poor, while the government moves at a snail’s pace to address the crisis. How long before “glitches” start affecting our most vulnerable citizens too?

We Cannot Be Complacent

History has shown that when people stay silent, injustices grow. We need to pay attention, not just to what’s happening in the U.S. but to what’s creeping into our own systems. We need to demand better from our leaders and refuse to let policies that harm the most vulnerable become normalized.

The suffering happening in the U.S. right now should serve as a wake-up call. If we do nothing, we may one day find ourselves in the same desperate situation—watching as the most basic supports are ripped away, while those in power dismiss it as a “glitch.” The time to act is now.

Can You Handle the Truth?

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Today I feel confused, I am supposed to go to something very special, Moms against KinderMorgan but I am nervous about the weather. I have been working on this blog post all morning. Today is supposed to be a very special day in that there is going to be a cosmic shift. What will happen today I don't know but I feel something, I think my kid is feeling it too, normally she's not really into going to these things but today when I mentioned whether we should just stay home...she questioned me...I think we all feel like this...the truth is sometimes so ugly or so hidden we don't want to see it.

So I send love and light out into the world and pray that this big beautiful moon will push us forward into a more socially and environmentally just world.

This mornings blogpost started when I watched this...and played out as you see it. I hope the message is clear.



Eva Bartlett is a Canadian activist/freelance journalistst. Eva has lived cumulative ~3 years in Gaza, spent time in Lebanon and visited Syria 3 times since April 2014. Anti-zionist, anti-imperialist, pro-justice.

You can find out more about Eva’s trips to Syria on Eva’s Websites:

https://InGaza.WordPress.com

http://www.SyriaSolidarityMovement.org

It's not easy telling the truth and journalists are the first to take the heat. I am not inferring anyone is perfect and I really don't know that much about Mike Wallace other than I remembering watching something that he was the one who really let the people in the US know the atrocities they were doing to the Vietnamese people, setting huts on fire and such and putting that on TV. Until then people didn't know that shit was really happening. That was my understanding... if you read here he spread some terrible untruths but he did some good too...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Wallace 

"His career as the lead reporter on 60 Minutes led to some run-ins with the people interviewed. While interviewing Louis Farrakhan, Wallace alleged that Nigeria is the most corrupt country in the world. Farrakhan immediately shot back, declaring "Nigeria didn't bomb Hiroshima or slaughter millions of Indians!" "Can you think of a more corrupt country?" asked Wallace. "I am living in one," said Farrakhan."

When will YOU speak UP?

https://mylangaratrccarvingjourney.blogspot.ca/2016/10/labels-thanksgiving-truth.html
https://mylangaratrccarvingjourney.blogspot.ca/2016/10/i-want-suicides-to-stop.html 
http://www.democracynow.org/2016/10/15/breaking_nd_prosecutor_seeks_riot_charges
https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/02/for-sake-of-humanity-lets-all-unite.html 
https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/10/can-anybody-hear-me-un-unfccc-cop22.html
https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/02/canada-do-you-know-what-environmental.html 
https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2015/11/did-you-ever-charlie-wilsons-war-or.html 

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Collecting Art: My Opinion

I've been thinking about making a post on collecting art since Invaluable has been working on a similar project. Initially I was hesitant, but I decided that if I pursued it from an angle of social justice and indigenous issues, it could make a difference.

Now those of you that follow me on Google +, Facebook, Twitter, Linked & Instagram know that I am super busy usually blogging about Social Justice, Climate Change, Environmental and Indigenous issues.

I created a project specifically to raise awareness about pipelines, tankers and oil spills and how they can impact our lives and all the animals and marine life as well as forest creatures should a spill occur in their home.

I called it #SaveMyCoast http://savemycoast.blogspot.ca/



I started from just a few paintings I created of my daughter playing on the beach.

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

And as I blogged about the threat of a oil spill happening right here in Vancouver BC Canada, I was in turmoil of how I could get people to listen and engage. I also needed an outlet to vent my fear and frustration, using Art Therapy I channeled my energy into #SaveMyCoast and digitally added the impression of an oil spill on each painting. It is a glimpse of what could happen if we don't take action and stop them.

It took me a while to think and research what I would suggest to people to collect and this is my opinion. Collect art that raises awareness about #SocialJustice #ClimateChange #EnvironmentalIssues #Indigenous issues. Help bring attention to these serious issues of our time. By collecting them you help preserve them and hopefully they will live on long after you have gone. In the present time, you create conversation and we need to have more conversations about these critical issues that we face and that will impact our children and children's children.

In this way you are helping preserve the #TRUTH

Do you know who Annie Pootoogook was.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annie_Pootoogook
To be honest I sadly did not know of her art until she passed away.
https://canadianart.ca/features/annie-pootoogook-1969-2016/ 


The news of Annie's passing really affected me. You see her art was a little similar to my early work

Art & Photo by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2001

Art & Photo by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2001

Art & Photo by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2001

But hers had much deeper meanings. What made me really sad and moved me was that instead of writing about how great her art was and the deep meanings behind it and focusing on those issues, the media focus on the wrong thing. It could have helped but it didn't. http://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-monday-edition-1.3779380/stereotypes-plagued-inuk-artist-annie-pootoogook-in-life-as-in-death-says-gallerist-1.3780850

Here's a related article : https://www.facebook.com/notes/david-suzuki/confronting-the-crisis-of-violence-against-indigenous-women-and-girls-in-canada/10154599181061591

Now Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun: Unceded Territories
http://moa.ubc.ca/portfolio_page/lawrence-paul/
Creates strong messages with his art and it speaks the #TRUTH and I would suggest people collect his work.

http://moa.ubc.ca/portfolio_page/lawrence-paul/

http://moa.ubc.ca/portfolio_page/lawrence-paul/

My daughter and I visited the Museum of Anthropology this summer and we blessed to see his work
https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/07/inside-museum-of-anthropology-summer_7.html and the work of other gifted artists, such as Ian Reid, Heiltsuk Artist, https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/07/meet-yagis-he-eats-tankers.html 

https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/07/meet-yagis-he-eats-tankers.html

https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/07/meet-yagis-he-eats-tankers.html

 Art has historically been used to portray the #TRUTH but it can tell lies.
https://mylangaratrccarvingjourney.blogspot.ca/2016/10/labels-thanksgiving-truth.html

https://mylangaratrccarvingjourney.blogspot.ca/2016/10/labels-thanksgiving-truth.html

 I find these images so intriguing, one portraying a peaceful moment and the other violence, yet there is so much more going on.

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/oct/05/artemisia-gentileshi-painter-beyond-caravaggio

From this article in the Guardian, they make a VERY GOOD POINT, why was her art overlooked?
"Artemisia Gentileschi turned the horrors of her own life – repression, injustice, rape – into brutal biblical paintings that were also a war cry for oppressed women. Why has her extraordinary genius been overlooked?" https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/oct/05/artemisia-gentileshi-painter-beyond-caravaggio

"“This is the ring you gave me and these are your promises!” yelled Gentileschi as she was tortured in a Rome courtroom in 1612. Ropes were wrapped around her fingers and pulled tight. The judge had advised moderate use of the sibille, as this torture was called, for she was after all 18. Across the court sat the man who had raped her. No one thought of torturing him. Defiantly, Gentileschi told him her thumbscrews were the wedding ring he’d promised. Again and again, she repeated that her testimony about the rape was reliable: “It is true, it is true, it is true, it is true.” "

This painting and the testimony struck a very strong cord with me. The #TRUTH will find a way...sort of like #NATURE finds a way. Well that's my opinion.

So if you are going to collect art, please let it be powerful, let it be for #TRUTH, let is be about #SocialJustice #ClimateChange #EnvironmentalIssues #Indigenous and #Women's Issues,  such as for #MMIW (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women).

Let the artist vent and heal through art therapy, let #Truth be heard and shared and let it live on, long past your lifetime so that hopefully in to future, there will be justice, social, environmental, climate.

And as one final suggestion, please, please read this post,
https://mylangaratrccarvingjourney.blogspot.ca/2016/09/cultural-appropriation.html

Watch this video about Cultural Appreciation- There is so much to be learned and it's important to learn and acknowlege the TRUTH in art, culture and to acknowledge Cultural Appropriation and Cultural Appreciation and the Fine Line that exist between them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbrGFapT2i4 


That's my opinion.

Can Anybody Hear Me? @UN @UNFCCC @COP22

Hello,
Is there anybody in there?
Just nod if you can hear me.
Is there anyone at home?

@UN @UNFCCC @COP22 NO Award, - the gov has failed us. Doesn't deserve ANY awards. #ChristyClark #fraud #FirstNationshttps://t.co/x7CCBlDVdm

— Tina Winterlik (@zipolita) October 3, 2016

@UN @UNFCCC @COP22 @StopSiteC @fishfarmsout #NoLNG #NoPipelines #NoTankers
It's Time for Her to Go!! https://t.co/wZuj5EYI93

— Tina Winterlik (@zipolita) October 3, 2016

@UN @UNFCCC @COP22 @StopSiteC @fishfarmsout
Bully Christy Clark Laughs at plight of First Nations in BC https://t.co/uY1sCiBp27

— Tina Winterlik (@zipolita) October 3, 2016

@UN @UNFCCC @COP22
Protection & Connection - Tsleil-Waututh Nation https://t.co/Iao9TwFH9h

— Tina Winterlik (@zipolita) October 3, 2016

@UN @UNFCCC @COP22
No one is listening..

We Can't Live with Out Water!! URGENT CALL TO ACTION!!! https://t.co/OCm9I0dcFR

— Tina Winterlik (@zipolita) October 3, 2016

@UN @UNFCCC @COP22
Opportunities, Royals, Truth & Reconciliation Blanket https://t.co/9iuxnmeCEs

— Tina Winterlik (@zipolita) October 3, 2016

@UN @UNFCCC @COP22
Historic Treaty Signing- 50 First Nations Sign Treaty Against Tar Sands Pipelines.https://t.co/sxONM3WYPa

— Tina Winterlik (@zipolita) October 3, 2016

@UN @UNFCCC @COP22
Without TRUTH, there is NO Reconciliation https://t.co/y2x6GLEkcF

— Tina Winterlik (@zipolita) October 3, 2016

@UN @UNFCCC @COP22
Save the Skeena Estuary, Lelu Island & Flora Banks https://t.co/m14jO4zpQv

— Tina Winterlik (@zipolita) October 3, 2016

@UN @UNFCCC @COP22
CALL OUT TO INDIGENOUS PEOPLE #ImperialMetalsNoMore https://t.co/ofKUn1sDZZ

— Tina Winterlik (@zipolita) October 3, 2016

@UN @UNFCCC @COP22
Listen to Sharon Vennehttps://t.co/NbHbmM39g4

— Tina Winterlik (@zipolita) October 3, 2016

@UN @UNFCCC @COP22
Listen to Sharon Vennehttps://t.co/NbHbmM39g4

— Tina Winterlik (@zipolita) October 3, 2016

https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/09/link-arms-fishfarmsgetout-cleansing-our.html

@UN @UNFCCC @COP22
#FishFarmsGetOut
No More Fish Farms! Stop The Genocide! https://t.co/A8OYhJ9CFc

— Tina Winterlik (@zipolita) October 3, 2016

@UN @UNFCCC @COP22 Listen to CC, total untruths..Read my blog @StopSiteC @fishfarmsout ..https://t.co/x7CCBlDVdm https://t.co/A8OYhJ9CFc .

— Tina Winterlik (@zipolita) October 3, 2016

Hello,
Is there anybody in there?
Just nod if you can hear me.
Is there anyone at home?

Come on now
I hear you're feeling down
Well, I can ease your pain
And get you on your feet again

Relax
I'll need some information first
Just the basic facts
Can you show me where it hurts?

There is no pain, you are receding
A distant ship smoke on the horizon
You are only coming through in waves
Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying
When I was a child I had a fever
My hands felt just like two balloons
Now I've got that feeling once again
I can't explain, you would not understand
This is not how I am
I have become comfortably numb

I have become comfortably numb

O.K.
Just a little pin prick
There'll be no more aaaaaaaah!
But you may feel a little sick

Can you stand up?
I do believe it's working, good
That'll keep you going through the show
Come on, it's time to go.

There is no pain you are receding
A distant ship smoke on the horizon
You are only coming through in waves
Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying
When I was a child
I caught a fleeting glimpse
Out of the corner of my eye
I turned to look but it was gone
I cannot put my finger on it now
The child is grown
The dream is gone
I have become comfortably numb.