In Memory of Jack...

It is with great sadness that the nation has learned of the sudden passing of the Honourable Jack Layton this morning. In many ways, Jack Layton has touched the hearts and lives of many Canadians, whether they know him personally or not. This year, it was strange not seeing Jack Layton going onto the streets to personally chat with people on the Danforth for the annual festival in Greektown, his riding. His presence was greatly missed. Every year, I see him heartily greet and shake hands with dozens of Canadians, welcoming them with the genuine warmth of his trademark smile and enthusiasm. Jack is one-of-a-kind, a rare breed in the world of politics, as he displays genuine passion and determination to work hard for the people. Politicians often forget that, that they are representing the people. He fought for the little guys that society often neglects, bringing awareness to issues such as homelessness, AIDS and environmentalism. Whether you agree with his party's policy or not, you cannot not like the guy. He is a leader with an exceptional drive and passion, working and fighting hard for the lower income Canadians.

Having followed politics actively since 2003, I've watched his leadership emerge from when it started. He is such an honest, determined man with a great vision to better Canada that he will be sorely missed in parliament.  Jack appears to be such a down-to-earth, friendly type of guy who demonstrates such genuineness  in character to help other Canadians and is so trustworthy and civilized, qualities that are hard to come by in politicians today. With all the mud slinging across the party floors, Jack never engages in such attacks and is certainly a class act in all aspects. He never attacks personally and is full of respect for all, friend or foe.

When the NDP swept the country with a wave of orange crush earlier this year, you couldn't help but be happy for him, a man full of energy and direction for Canada, especially after a tough year of fighting prostate cancer and a hip fracture. 

It was really unexpected and sad when he announced that he was battling a second cancer, and in his announcement, he looked thin and he sounded raspy. It was a shock to see him in such a condition and I think we all really wished him the best in his recovery and expected to see him back healthy, going at it again in fighting for the people in Ottawa. Sadly, this will never come into reality....

Jack reminds me of an Atticus quote from To Kill a Mockingbird:

" I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand.  It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what.  You rarely win, but sometimes you do." 

Jack Layton truly displayed true courage, and even as he faced an uphill battle, he stilled faced life with a smile and optimism.

I can only imagine what Canada would look like if NDP came into power under Jack Layton as prime minister. As a leader, I've always admired his fire, passion and determination that drives him forward, yet they are all so gracefully tied together by his civility and humbleness. I used to think that if we had a presidential system, I would've picked him as leader. I've never really warmed to the idea of an ndp government, as I believed that a left wing agenda would bankrupt the country and lead it into despair. However, maybe all we needed was a man like Jack to pull it off. A man that fights for social rights and environmentalism. Two of the things I take heart of. How different would Canada have been if we've given him the chance for change?

It is a sad loss for his family and this country. He has inspired so many Canadians and especially the youths to stand up for their country and be active in shaping this country. In his last words to all Canadians, Jack displays the character that we all love in him:

"My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world."

Rest in peace, bon Jack.

Homelessless May Finally Disappear...for the wrong reasons.

Taken from CityNews, August 10, 2011

Coun. Giorgio Mammoliti believes the best way to deal with the homeless is transitional housing.  He just doesn't think the city should pay for it.  In the meantime, he wants all homeless people to be removed from Toronto's streets and placed in hospitals until the federal or provincial governments fork over the cash to house them. 

"It is a huge problem and this administration knows it's a huge problem - a problem we can't afford," Mammoliti told CityNews on Tuesday.

"We do need to take them off the streets and we need to do it forcefully."

"I would rather use police resources and actually take them off the streets and put them in the hospitals, and continue to put them in the hospitals until the province recognizes it's best to give the municipalities the money that they need to be able to deal with this long term - which is resources and housing."

"Jail is not the place to put them because it costs us $3000/day per person."


----

Now, before I proceed to lashing out at this article, I would like to make it clear that I am not a radical left-wing socialist.  But this is another outrageous idea that will continue to wreak havoc in this great city that we love! First, the city suggests to set up a special district for prostitution, now it decides to clean the streets of homeless and treat them like trash. literally. Councillor Mammoliti says that homelessness is a huge problem and is a problem that we can't afford. On the contrary, it is such attitude that creates a negative stigma in society, in which it spurs society to ostracize the homeless. Homelessness is not a problem. If most of these people have a choice, do you think they would like to live out on the streets, not knowing if they might see another day? Indeed, homelessness is NOT the problem. In fact, rounding up the homeless like a herd of cattles and locking them up in hospitals will not be beneficial, and by the way, it is a step backwards for the city. In the 1980s, when the government released the people from mental hospitals after realizing they do not get better being locked up in psychiatric wards and can be integrated back into society. However, at the time, they had no sufficient plan and resources to help them, and therefore many of them ended up on the streets to fend for themselves.

According to a recent City of Toronto's report, at least 2/3 of the homeless suffer from some sort of psychological disorder. Now by locking them up in hospitals, or even jails would definitely not have a positive outcome. Instead of targeting homelessness as a problem, these people needs to be treated with love and compassion, and the problems CAUSING homelessness needs to be tackled. The city cannot expect them to find a job, get a house and voila, the issue's gone. Each and every individual on the streets has a different story. Whether it's drugs and alcohol, domestic abuse, job loss, or other reasons, what the city needs to invest in are the social programs that offer assistance to them. In addition, many homeless people are victims are situations and conditions, like rising house market prices, high unemployment rates, sluggish economy, family violence and have fallen into them not because they want to. These issues may be harder to improve on in the short term, but the city can invest in job training programs and counselling that will help these people have a chance to get back on the right track. 

Some of these people are hooked on alcohol and drugs to provide them with relief from reality or are dealing with addictions and the government should look at how we can treat and offer the support ready that they need if they choose to take it.  By providing them with the proper resources and guidance many of them need to re-integrate as productive citizens of this city. It will be costly, but it will be a step in the right direction.  But throwing these people into the hospital and expecting this "problem" to fix itself is not gonna happen. 

Any thoughts?




Also, for more on my view on homelessness, please take a look at my three part series from February 2011.

Rocket!

--3:30pm, August 6, 2011, Bloor-Yonge platform, Toronto, ON.

(On my way back from the Taste of the Danforth)

As I waited for the northbound train to roll into the station, I noticed a pair of boys talking loudly and making a huge commotion as they wait. "Probably drunk from Beerfest," I thought. I looked up at the screen and it informed me that the next train will arrive in 4 minutes. I went on to stare pointlessly at nothing as I waited. As the seconds ticked on, a distant orange glow could be seen coming closer through the tunnel. There was a strange hue to the incoming train that seemed out of the ordinary. As passengers leaned out for a better view, I couldn't help but grin. So we meet again, I thought.

As the object became more distinct, one of the drunk guy yelled and motioned his hand in a circle, " HEY EVERYBODY, IT'S A NEW TRAIN!!!!" Many passengers turned their attention to the tunnel. There it was, shooting out like a rocket, the newly minted, Toronto Rocket, with its sleek design at the front and a shiny stainless steel shell all around, its orange headlights glowing like a ball of fire. As the train rolled into the station,it was greeted by outrageous applause and loud cheering, and there was a sense of excitement as everybody chattered about their upcoming journey. As the doors opened to allow access onto the new train, it was bound to be an adventure and a moment worth to be cherished in photo, via smartphones, of course! :)

Source: Urban Toronto

Never have I encountered such excitement about taking public transit in Toronto. It certainly brought a little joy to everyone's day! People are buzzing about taking the new subway all over the internet. The new trains are smooth, quiet and comfy. It has put the "Rocket" back into "riding the rocket". As I entered the doors, I was immediately greeted by a glowing map. I couldn't help but smile :)

Word of God Speak.

Word of God Speak
Would You pour down like rain 
Washing my eyes to see Your majesty   
To be still and know that You're in this place
Please let me stay and rest 
In Your holiness, Word of God speak

Outrageous politics.

Recently, Toronto Councillor Georgio Mammoliti repping York West, ward 15 (including jane+finch area) suggested closing and reducing various city services, including closing the 3 'rarely' used libraries in his ward because it's a waste of money. Yet he suggests to open a Red Light District on Centre Island and invite strippers and prostitutes to operate their "business" beside a family-friendly park.

How can you not support the operation of an essential city service that provides access to books, children's and teens program and the internet and as a meeting space for a community made of mostly lower to middle income households? Yes circulation at these 3 libraries are lower than most, but they still come at a rate of a few tens of thousands a year. I wouldn't say the use of thousands of Canadians count as rarely.

Now, libraries educate people and help the country advance and innovate. Red light Districts, attract pedos and sex criminals to lurk in the city, and may have unpleasant consequences.

Councillor, your attitude at times when speaking to the public is atrocious and disrespectful, with no regards to democracy, as you tried to shut down the marathon meeting several times because people made comments that did not favour you. and No, I am not a left-wing hippie, if anything I support the moderate right. But as a representative of the people, you should listen to the people, and the majority of the people would much rather have books than prostitutes.

Christian in the 21st Century: Relationships

When I was in Hong Kong earlier this year, I had two observations: 1. I stuck out amongst the crowd on Nathan Road in the heart of Mong Kok. No, it's not that my Cantonese ain't good enough, but because I just looked out of place, even if I am Chinese. My height, average in North America, was on the taller side in Asia, and on top of that, I had an AA hoodie over my Hollister t shirt, plus a backwards cap. Now that sort of fashion sense is kinda unseen in Hong Kong. 2. Relationships were everywhere. I stuck out being a single young male walking down the street. It's something I've noticed time and time again. Young people in Hong Kong are mostly seen to be in a relationship, holding hands, or kissing or other acts of intimacy. At the same time, it is also prominently noted in the media that sexual activity is on the rise, with pop culture influence and the lack of sex education in the city. It saddens me to know that so many of these young people are falling into moral sins, committing lustful acts and adultery.

It is also an undeniable fact that at this age, as we mature, the temptations increase and as humans are wired to make attachments, it is a time where young people begin to be consumed by attraction. Even amongst my high school friends, every time I see time, I notice more and more of them being in a relationship. Which isn't a bad thing. Relationships are designed to be made amongst people. I myself have flirted with a few potential experiences in the past couple of years. Up until recently, my concept of romantic relationships have very well been influenced by our culture, with an emphasis on emotions. It is through making and learning from the mistakes I've made that I truly begin to grasp what it means to have a relationship that truly reflects God idea of a relationship with the opposite gender.

Only lately have I realize that being a single can be a blessing. God does not necessarily call all of us to be in a relationship at the moment. Often, we feel pressured to be in a relationship because of our peers, the media or to culture. In fact, being single can be a time of joy and blessing where one may have an opportunity to grow deeper in love with our Father.

This year, relationships has been a topic of issue, and I have slowly and sometimes painfully discovered that being a Christian and being in a relationship is just about the most challenging thing, next to organic chemistry. In fact, many of what we perceive relationships to be about, influenced by our friends or movies and TV shows should not apply to a Christian relationship. The points I will talk about may see crazy to the world, but for Christians, it is practical to hold on on romantic relationships if these conditions are not met:

1. Honour God through your relationship. Most importantly, the relationship has to be God-centered. What does that mean, you ask? As Christians, Christ should be the centre of our lives, and this doubly applies to a relationship. This means that our focus should be on our walks with God, on establishing a healthy relationship with God first. Ultimately, God created everything. God creates for His glory. He created relationships and marriages. Each relationship should glorify Him. This means God comes first in the relationship ahead of your boyfriend or girlfriend. Your focus should not be solely on your bf or gf that you lose sight of Him. In fact, CS Lewis says that a "Woman's Heart Should Be So Close To God's That a Man Has To Seek Him To Find Her."

Moral of the Story is: Before you can get into a relationship with a member of the opposite gender, you need to have a healthy relationship with God first :)

2. Dating towards marriage. Nugh said. Pretty self-explanatory. This should be your ultimate goal in a relationship. With every word and action, this is what you're aiming towards in the long term. In Genesis, we know that God designed a relationship for one man and woman to be united as one flesh. If this is not what you have in mind for the prospective future, than I would have to question the time you've spent going on casual dates and where your relationship is headed. 

But for clarification, I'm not saying that you should go on your first date and ask the girl or boy to marry you. That would be plain creepy. (and i guarantee you the relationship won't last long)

3. Keep it holy and pure!

I think we all know the usual deal: no premarital sex, as God designed it solely for the pleasure of a married couple. But it doesn't just stop there. When you're in the relationship, are you speaking and acting out of lust or out of purity? In 1 Timothy 5:1-2, it says: 

“Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity." 

This is something that really hit me until recently, but is so true! Before you are married, your girlfriend or boyfriend is still your brother or sister-in-Christ! As Timothy points out, they should be treated with absolute purity. wow. Just because, they're your gf or bf doesn't give them a special VIP pass for being treated differently than to your brothers or sisters. All this sounds harsh, yes. But God wants us to be pure. Even "normal" acts of romance, as dictated by the world should be avoided. This is so hard for the 21st century Christians, as these acts of intimacy is defined by the movies, shows, and ads we see around us. Kissing, making out or other intimate physical acts would very easily bring you under temptation, leading to impurity and would most likely cause you to sin. 

2 Timothy 2:22 says: "Flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”

Timothy says, FLEE! That means RUN! GET AWAY! It doesn't say to approach it or how close to the boundary can I get. It says, flee.

Boundaries have to be set, kept and respected throughout the relationship.
This means both physically and emotionally. We are to guard our hearts for our future husband or wife. A healthy romantic relationship should watch that boundary or margin from a distance. For with moral sins, there is no yellow warning line to tell you to move back like on the subway platforms. Once you cross that line, you fall. HARD and in the line of danger and it will have unpleasant consequences. Just as you would keep away from the edge of the platform, a relationship should also observe its sexual/moral boundaries. Otherwise, you cannot honour God and be holy and pure when dating your brother or sister!

Being Christian in the 21st century: Ma Jesus bling.

No doubt, our clothes and accessories often outwardly defines us in the eyes of society. Many of these are based on fads and trends in pop culture. An increasingly popular trend based on my observation is the abundance of um, "Christian swag". From the "Jesus is ma Homeboy" t-shirts to Christian earrings to huge wooden cross necklaces going with gangsta outfits. Others would prefer tattoos of a cross or Jesus.

Many of my friends have  cross necklaces or are thinking of purchasing one. I used to have one as a child myself. I was pondering about getting one again. But that got me thinking....

What good is a cross around your neck? Yes, it identifies you to others that you are "Christian", but are you really?

Are you being hypocritical by wearing a reminder of your Lord and Saviour Jesus, but does not live like a Christian?

As Christians, we don't need a symbol of a cross on our clothes or jewelery to identify us as Christians. Our behavior  lifestyle and the words from our tongue should clearly display publicly as a testament of our faith to Jesus. 

Jesus himself said: Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." Luke 9:23

As often as we pick up our outfits and accessories everyday, do we pick up our daily cross? Are we willing to surrender to him, everything we have to follow Him? 

Now, don't get me wrong. I am not saying having a necklace or shirt displaying your faith is bad. In fact, I think it may be good at times. 

But let me leave with a word of advice, and I think it's the most important regardless if you wear or do not wear such items:

 Remember to take up your daily cross :)