Rob Ford's Toronto

[Crazy]

Can the taxpayers ask for a Doctor's note?

Remember when Ford wanted that community centre worker (and his manager) fired because Mammoliti photographed him with his head on his desk? What if that worker pulled 1/1000th of the crap Ford has pulled -- would Ford be demanding the death penalty?

 

[mrtinfoilsocket]

Well, who are they to even know what a good job is. Who is his core voter now - blue collar? Nothing against them, because I've worked blue collar jobs, but it seems like those who stay in those jobs don't get out because some other is suppressing them. The elites, I guess. Some of them think they are good at what they do, but in reality they stink.

Disagree with this. Lots of blue collar workers (particularly those in skilled trades) do it because they'd rather work with their hands than sit at a desk and shuffle paper. Personally, I have virtually zero hand eye coordination so I shuffle paper.

 

[hper]

Ford Nation: frat boys, angry old men, and suburbanites

Your broad brush passably covers but misses details. There are people all over the city that love Ford. And those who do, love him absolutely. They're...airplane mechanics, bank managers, cashiers, drivers, Ezra, furnace fixers, graduates, hospital workers, intravenous drug users, jerks, Klansmen, layabouts, mechanics, new Canadians, old people, press, quaffers, rednecks, social conservatives, truckers, underdogs, villains, working folk, x-ray techs, your ________ , zoo-lovers.

Me, I detest the smug, stupid, entitled gasbag. But I've almost given up on hating him. It's just not working.

How do we rid ourselves of this stumbling, demented boomblefick in a positive way?

 

[Kat_YYZ]

People here get so carried away. I tuned in to the news around 3 pm to see the "Flag flap" story and at the same time learned about the police officers coming to investigate the "threat". And it never for a second occurred to me that one had anything to do with the other. But I come here and people are like "damn, he's going to have everyone believing the LGBT community threatened him!" Or that he made it up to distract from his "gaffe" about the flag (he doesn't really do distractions; he either "apologizes" or digs in even further -- as he did in this case). Sometimes it's better to just keep it simple, guys. I doubt anyone thought that one had to do with the other. Just two things that happened to occur on the same day.

 

[RC8]

Of course he's projecting his personal feelings onto these phantom people. There is no other explanation.

Right, that's why Rob Ford got trounced last time he ran for election...

I lived in the outer suburbs recently (2008-2010) and made a point to socialise and understand as many people as possible over those years. I did not know anyone there to begin with, so I was not confined to any particular circle. These are the lessons I learned from the people and families I interacted with:

1) Most people believe in magic (healing crystals, etc). It's next to impossible to find atheists, and evolution denialists are everywhere.
2) Most people are strongly prejudiced against some ethnicity, religion, culture, gender, or lifestyle.
3) Most people were sexist/misogynists (some women ridiculously so)
4) Most people don't read the news, and especially not local politics.
5) Driving and owning a house are massive aspirational status symbols, and even those who do not own either are very defensive of their cultural status.
6) People think that wanting to live in a big house is part of human nature, and part of a natural order.
7) Most people actually believe that traffic would improve if 'everyone drove', even transit riders.
8) Most people actually believe that franchises produce better products than independent stores.
9) A lot of people have read many books, but these consist almost entirely of fiction.
10) Many Asian/South-Asian immigrants have views that align perfectly with conservative N. American values.

There were people for example who were very nice the first few weeks you met them, but then they'd say that women deserved to get raped for dressing like whores (!!!). Others were delightful until you heard them say gypsies should be eradicated. I met dozens of girls who were 'not allowed' to date people of x or y ethnicity. I met a guy whose girlfriend was taken away from him by her parents after they 'sold' her to someone else in exchange of a house! I met lots of white guys who didn't care about politics and lived for drugs, yet hated the poor (while being blatantly poor themselves).

Over the last 4 years living downtown I have not come into contact with anything like this. It's like a different country, in a different era even. Most people are very tolerant here, it's an absolute joy to meet new people in general, of all ethnicities and social classes.

I was shocked to see the levels of racism, hatred, and discrimination I encountered out in Toronto's suburbs. And it was very obvious to me that, since those people with viewpoints diverging widely from mine were a majority, it was a matter of time for a hateful populist to come along and ride that wave. Those people exist, there's hundreds of thousands of them, and 'we' are not getting through to them. They elected Rob Ford, and might strike again if we keep pretending they do not exist.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

People here get so carried away. I tuned in to the news around 3 pm to see the "Flag flap" story and at the same time learned about the police officers coming to investigate the "threat". And it never for a second occurred to me that one had anything to do with the other. But I come here and people are like "damn, he's going to have everyone believing the LGBT community threatened him!" Or that he made it up to distract from his "gaffe" about the flag (he doesn't really do distractions; he either "apologizes" or digs in even further -- as he did in this case). Sometimes it's better to just keep it simple, guys. I doubt anyone thought that one had to do with the other. Just two things that happened to occur on the same day.

With tensions running high over the flag flap, then 'Breaking News' of Metro Police coming in through the back entrance to investigate a threat against Ford & family (from a staffer who was quick to issue that detail), it seemed the most obvious connection in the moment.

I was shocked to see the levels of racism, hatred, and discrimination I encountered out in Toronto's suburbs. And it was very obvious to me that, since those people with viewpoints diverging widely from mine were a majority, it was a matter of time for a hateful populist to come along and ride that wave. Those people exist, there's hundreds of thousands of them, and 'we' are not getting through to them. They elected Rob Ford, and might strike again if we keep pretending they do not exist.

How very sad. That's not the suburbs I grew up in (post-war area in western, central Scarborough).

 

[freshcutgrass]

Right, that's why Rob Ford got trounced last time he ran for election...

Ford did not campaign on any anti-gay position, so to claim everyone who voted for him is a homophobe would be a baseless statement, as is the idea that all his votes were just anti-gay votes against his gay opponent. So you might want to holster that sarcasm for the time being.

I lived in the outer suburbs recently (2008-2010) and made a point to socialise and understand as many people as possible over those years.

Right...so personal anecdotal evidence then, and therefore no facts to back up previous claims. Gotcha. And by outer suburbs, do you mean the 905, where none of them vote in City of Toronto elections?

And that still doesn't explain why "you" want to appease these homophobes???????

 

[Kat_YYZ]

I think they call this Baader-Meinhof phenomenon but ever since the video of Ford and Lisi at Steak Queen (where many people helpfully pointed out that Lisi was wearing the same "Canada Goose" coat he had on in a previous photo) I have been seeing people in Canada Goose coats everywhere. Today I swear I saw 9 different people in that coat -- always the black 3/4 length, too, even though they have other colours/styles. I don't know if I'm just noticing them more now or if he has somehow boosted their sales.

 

[LLtarra]

I think they call this Baader-Meinhof phenomenon but ever since the video of Ford and Lisi at Steak Queen (where many people helpfully pointed out that Lisi was wearing the same "Canada Goose" coat he had on in a previous photo) I have been seeing people in Canada Goose coats everywhere. Today I swear I saw 9 different people in that coat -- always the black 3/4 length, too, even though they have other colours/styles. I don't know if I'm just noticing them more now or if he has somehow boosted their sales.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_tBxsXVlhs

 

[Palma]

Right, that's why Rob Ford got trounced last time he ran for election...

I lived in the outer suburbs recently (2008-2010) and made a point to socialize and understand as many people as possible over those years. I did not know anyone there to begin with, so I was not confined to any particular circle. These are the lessons I learned from the people and families I interacted with:

1) Most people believe in magic (healing crystals, etc). It's next to impossible to find atheists, and evolution denialists are everywhere.
2) Most people are strongly prejudiced against some ethnicity, religion, culture, gender, or lifestyle.
3) Most people were sexist/misogynists (some women ridiculously so)
4) Most people don't read the news, and especially not local politics.
5) Driving and owning a house are massive aspirational status symbols, and even those who do not own either are very defensive of their cultural status.
6) People think that wanting to live in a big house is part of human nature, and part of a natural order.
7) Most people actually believe that traffic would improve if 'everyone drove', even transit riders.
8) Most people actually believe that franchises produce better products than independent stores.
9) A lot of people have read many books, but these consist almost entirely of fiction.
10) Many Asian/South-Asian immigrants have views that align perfectly with conservative N. American values.

There were people for example who were very nice the first few weeks you met them, but then they'd say that women deserved to get raped for dressing like whores (!!!). Others were delightful until you heard them say gypsies should be eradicated. I met dozens of girls who were 'not allowed' to date people of x or y ethnicity. I met a guy whose girlfriend was taken away from him by her parents after they 'sold' her to someone else in exchange of a house! I met lots of white guys who didn't care about politics and lived for drugs, yet hated the poor (while being blatantly poor themselves).

Over the last 4 years living downtown I have not come into contact with anything like this. It's like a different country, in a different era even. Most people are very tolerant here, it's an absolute joy to meet new people in general, of all ethnicities and social classes.

I was shocked to see the levels of racism, hatred, and discrimination I encountered out in Toronto's suburbs. And it was very obvious to me that, since those people with viewpoints diverging widely from mine were a majority, it was a matter of time for a hateful populist to come along and ride that wave. Those people exist, there's hundreds of thousands of them, and 'we' are not getting through to them. They elected Rob Ford, and might strike again if we keep pretending they do not exist.

What kind of people are you hanging out with? I have lived in the suburbs Dufferin and Wilson and south of Lawrence and Keele and I must be a real loner because I only met some neighbours on the street and thats it. All families and never encountered what you say. Obviosuly you must of made a point of trying to find these people or its all lies. I mean who comes out to say women should be raped? The uneducated? The drunks? You cannot state suburbinites think this way.

 

[Kat_YYZ]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_tBxsXVlhs

I had no idea. I honestly never noticed. The song & video are cool.

anyways, thought this needed a caption

 

[RC8]

Ford did not campaign on any anti-gay position, so to claim everyone who voted for him is a homophobe would be a baseless statement, as is the idea that all his votes were just anti-gay votes against his gay opponent. So you might want to holster that sarcasm for the time being.

This shows how much you know. Rob Ford did campaign on an anti-gay position, just not in the English-speaking media.

But it's not just gays; it's cyclists, it's baristas, it's atheists, it's people who buy organic produce, it's independent outgoing women, it's environmentalists, it's university professors, it's me, it's you... anyone who challenges their long-held beliefs and entitlements, really.

The point is not to 'appease' these people, but to acknowledge they exist and not play straight into the hands of those who rally them. It is astonishing how unaware people in the Old City are of these very prevalent attitudes in the periphery. Only 60% of people in Ontario 'believe' in evolution... consider that.

 

[RC8]

I mean who comes out to say women should be raped? The uneducated? The drunks? You cannot state suburbinites think this way.

That jewel is actually from someone who now has a management degree. He is Canadian, although his background is Pakistani.

There's many sensible and intelligent people in the suburbs, of course, but the amount of intolerance once you infiltrate certain circles is shocking.

 

[ThinkRicky]

Right...so personal anecdotal evidence then, and therefore no facts to back up previous claims. Gotcha. And by outer suburbs, do you mean the 905, where none of them vote in City of Toronto elections?

And that still doesn't explain why "you" want to appease these homophobes???????

His analysis of people who live in the GTA is spot on if he's talking about the 905, and I wouldn't be surprised if there was a similar makeup in places that can and did vote for Ford. I disagree with tip-toeing around them, however.

I mean just recently I overheard a completely casual conversation where the idea of simply sterilizing poor people was floated and seriously considered with a hearty "cheers!" and no trace of sarcasm. Once you get past the veneer of politeness, the suburbs can be pretty awful.

 

[Kat_YYZ]

His analysis of people who live in the GTA is spot on if he's talking about the 905, and I wouldn't be surprised if there was a similar makeup in places that can and did vote for Ford. I disagree with tip-toeing around them, however.

I mean just recently I overheard a completely casual conversation where the idea of simply sterilizing poor people was floated and seriously considered with a hearty "cheers!" and no trace of sarcasm. Once you get past the veneer of politeness, the suburbs can be pretty awful.

These things have all been around before. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Modest_Proposal
There's nothing new under the sun. Just the same old BS repeating itself.