Before and now

1960 vs. 2010

Scenario: Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into school parking lot with shotgun in gun rack.

1960 - Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack’s shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.
2010 - School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.

Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.

1960 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.
2010 - Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.

Scenario: Jeffrey won’t be still in class, disrupts other students.

1960 - Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by the Principal. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.
2010 - Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADD. School gets extra money from state because Jeffrey has a disability.

Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor’s car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.

1960 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2010 - Billy’s dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang. State psychologist tells Billy’s sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy’s mom has affair with psychologist.

Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.

1960 - Mark shares aspirin with Principal out on the smoking dock.
2010 - Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations. Car searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario: Pedro fails high school English.

1960 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.
2010 - Pedro’s cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro’s English teacher. English banned from core curriculum. Pedro given diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.

Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane pain t bottle, blows up a red ant bed.

1960 - Ants die.
2010 - BATF, Homeland Security, FBI called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated, Johnny’s Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.

Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him.

1960 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2010 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.


What will it all look like in 50 years from now ?

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Garfield Weston Award - Leadership Conference 2010, Toronto

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I don't know how else to say this... I guess I just have to "spill" it out, however that turns out...
I am alone on this continent, from perspective of my family, friends and life that I knew for so long. Coming to Canada and spending these 3 years here were anything but easy.
When I came to a point of loneliness where I was not sure if and for how long I could still keep doing all of this that I now call life, it happened that I suddenly felt like I am not alone. Just for that brief moment, moment that was our weekend together, I felt like I am someone. I was not invisible, I was not a one of many strangers... I was not doubting who I am and what do I even know about myself.
I know I must have appeared strange at moments, might have said things that did not make much sense... I am not sure if I even scared some of you.
That was me tryng to understand what is happening to me; with me.
Just for a moment, I had a family.

Thank you for that, everyone.
♥

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Translated to French by Catherine Labrèche
Merci Catherine ♥


Je ne sais pas comment le dire autrement...
Je suis seul sur ce continent, loin de ma famille, de mes amis et de la vie que je connaissait jusque là. Venir au Canada et passé 3 année ici a été tout sauf facile.
Lorsque j'en suis venu à un mo...ment de solitude, je n'étais plus certain de pouvoir continuer à faire ce que je considère maintenant être LA VIE. Soudainement, je ne me suis plus senti seul.
Pour ce bref moment, notre fin de semaine ensemble, je me suis senti comme quelqu'un.
Je n'étais plus invisible, je n'étais plus seulement qu'un parmi tant d'autres
Je ne me demandais plus qui j'étais.
Je sais que j'ai dû paraître étrange parfois, que j'ai dû dire des choses qui ne faisait pas de sens. Je ne sais pas si j'en ai même effrayer quelqu'un.
C'était moi, essayant de comprendre ce qu'il m'arrivait.
Pour l'instant d'un moment, j'ai eu une famille.

Merci tout le monde pour cela
♥