Racism? Ageism? on the Go trains

Let me tell you of an incident...and then you will decide what to make of it.

Three older, grey haired, white females are on a Go train heading to downtown Toronto. Sitting diagonally from them is a young Native couple. The young couple actually look even younger than they are. Go train employees enter the area asking for tickets. The older women show theirs, and the employee notes that they were not cancelled. The women are given a friendly reminder to cancel the tickets when the get off. The young Native couple is approached. The native female shows her 10 ride ticket, and how the cancellation machine had damaged the ticket when she tried to cancel it for the ride. The native female explains that she did try but the machine mangeled the ticket and did not stamp it. She is given a written warning, her driver's license number is taken. She is lectured and spoken too in condescending tones. When the Go employee is questioned as to why the native was being treated more harshly, she was told that she should be thankful that she was not getting a fine of $110, and not worry about the other women who were treated with respect and courtesy.

Ageism? Racism? or just the Bad Luck of the draw?

I have been stewing on this one since the weekend. You see this is what happened to me. It would not have annoyed me so much if I had been treated as equally as the older white females, even if that had meant that we all had gotten the $110 fine. I don't care about the admonishment (although I have to tell you, that Go employee was condescending and rude) what I care about is the inequality of treatment here.

Saskatoon Dad's Saga goes on.....

I haven't written in a while. I tried to. I have started a few stories that are still sitting as drafts. They are no where near completion, because truth be told I had lost my stomache for it. In January the Judge presiding over the Case of "Adam" (the Saskatoon dad who can not be named) decided not only to take away Adam's parental rights, but to also take away his right to even know his child. I was shocked. I was angry. I sat at my computer in disbelief. A parents rights were stripped away without any real and 'just' cause. Yet in this country children who are mentally, physically and emotionally abused by parents are given back on a regular basis, simply because the 'parent' (I use the term loosely, as I do not think that is what those kinds truely are) has taken an anger mangement or parenting course. Recovering drunks and drug addicts are allowed to shout to the roof tops of parental rights and concerns, and in turn will get their children back. But a man, because he was not around during pregnancy and not there at the birth, was not given the chance to even try to be a dad. I can't wrap my head around that. That "Adam" had not fucked up as a parent. He was not allowed to be a parent in the first place. Why? Because the biological mother decided from the get go to NOT allow him to be a dad. She, I am as disgusted with as I am the couple that will not give Adam his rights, but instead attempted to slander and put him in a bad light as a person. Now I am not stupid, I now that Adam is not perfect. Hell, who is? I certainly wasn't when I had my first son...and I still wasn't when I had my second. But I love them both to death and everything I do, is for them.

Okay, now that I have gotten that off my chest...."Adam" will be having another fundraiser to help with the costs of his on going fight for his rights to be a father and dad, to his son. If you're in that area, please drop by:

The Saskatoon Dad's (Fund-raiser)
Steak Night
Come dine with the internationally known father fighting for his child Adam Hendricks the Saskatoon dad that can't be named.

Date: Sunday April 29, 2007
Where: 4 Seasons Restaurant
909 Arcola Ave. E.
Regina, Sask.
Time: 6 pm - 9pm
Tickets: 20.00 per person (beverage included)
Dinner Includes: 8 oz. Rib Eye, Roasted Potatoes, Mushrooms, Caesar Salad, Garlic Toast, Beverage

For more information or to purchase tickets please contact one of the following:
Brenda H 306-924-0934 Lorena G 306-957-2007



On a side thought: I wonder if the adopted couple has thought about Baby's feelings in all this. When he becomes an adult and finds out his adoptive parents refused to allow his father in his life.....do they think that he will just be "okay" with that?