Rick Mercer Report - Jack Layton Compilation

Rick Mercer Report - Priceless...

Rex Murphy - Canada's Smilin Warrior Jack Layton

TVO - a retrospective of Jack Layton

The evolution of Jack Layton from Toronto City councillor to leader of Canada's New Democratic Party. A retrospective of appearances by Jack Layton on TVO.

Stephen Lewis - Inspiring Eulogy of Jack Layton

  From Rabble.ca

Never in our collective lifetime have we seen such an outpouring, so much emotional intensity, from every corner of this country. There have been occasions, historically, when we've seen respect and admiration but never so much love, never such a shocked sense of personal loss.

Jack was so alive, so much fun, so engaged in daily life with so much gusto, so unpretentious, that it was hard while he lived to focus on how incredibly important that was to us, he was to us. Until he was so suddenly gone, cruelly gone, at the pinnacle of his career.

To hear so many Canadians speak so open-heartedly of love, to see young and old take chalk in hand to write without embarrassment of hope, or hang banners from overpasses to express their grief and loss. It's astonishing.

Jack Layton's letter to a Nation - text

A year ago, Jack Layton passed away, cancer taking him. One of the last things he did was write a letter to Canadians. I have copied the text below...

August 20, 2011
Toronto, Ontario

Dear Friends,

Tens of thousands of Canadians have written to me in recent weeks to wish me well. I want to thank each and every one of you for your thoughtful, inspiring and often beautiful notes, cards and gifts. Your spirit and love have lit up my home, my spirit, and my determination.

Unfortunately my treatment has not worked out as I hoped. So I am giving this letter to my partner Olivia to share with you in the circumstance in which I cannot continue.

Gay sex workers ready for the GOP team in Tampa

It seems sex workers are gearing up for the Republican convention in Tampa Florida.

Check out this report...

from Bilerico
Okay, maybe a few of you shouldn't have looked. If you are married to a republican politician or operative, pretend you didn't see this... it's better that way, trust me..

Akin should have stuck to the code - Forcible Rape

The Republicans are attacking one of their own.  Now that's exciting right?  He must be way out there for Karl Rove and Senator McConnell to call for GOP Senatorial candidate Todd Akin to pull out of the race. 

See this from potential Presidential Candidate in 2016, Chris Christie for the GOP here... 

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) on Monday called Rep. Todd Akin's (R-Mo.)suggestion that victims of "legitimate rape" rarely get pregnant "reprehensible."  The GOP governor, who will deliver the keynote speech at the Republican National Convention next week in Tampa, blasted the congressman's statement as "absolutely asinine" and "ridiculous," according to CBS New York. "He should be ashamed of himself to be talking about it in that way," Christie said. "It’s stunning to me that somebody who’s offering themselves for high office like that would have those kind of thoughts and use that kind of language."

That's an amazing attack. Yet it really was all about words.  See if Todd Akin had said Forcible Rape none of this would have come up. Earlier this year, every Republican in the House along with some 16 Blue Dog Democrats voted for a bill that would have redefined rape in federal statutes to be "forcible rape." If this bill had become law, then statutory rape, the rape of a drugged or mentally impaired woman, or any rape where the rapist did not use physical force would not be considered rape. The bill died in the Senate. When Akin said "legitimate rape" he undoubtedly meant "forcible rape" as defined by the House bill but forgot the exact terminology.

All of this is a smokescreen. A candidate for the GOP said what is the reality behind their plans to change rape laws. If the woman somehow doesn't scratch the hell out of the attackers back and claw his eyes out, its not 'forcible rape'.

Legitimate Rape has been part of the GOP anti-abortion lexicon for years. Garance Franke-Ruta at the Atlantic goes into much of the background here. These folks generally see women as asking to be raped. Sure the guy shouldn't have done it, but yeah, I understand how any red blooded American man would succumb to a woman's charms. 

The sin of Todd Akin was not that he opposed abortion for rape victims that weren't legitimate rape, but that he called it the way most the GOP see it.  They have a word for it, forcible.   The GOP are using language to hide their intent. Akin spoke the GOP truth. It makes you wonder, when a rape is not forcible.  Legitimate Rape is what they want, Forcible is what they call it. Either way its repugnant to democracy and especially to women that have been raped.

If Akin had stuck to the GOP code words, Forcible Rape, we would be sitting back and watching his lead grow over the Democratic incumbent.

Dear Jack Celebration - Toronto

On August 22, Canadians will gather across the country to celebrate the life and accomplishments of Jack Layton.

In Toronto these celebrations will be held at Nathan Phillips Square beginning at 6pm.

More on facebook here,

Dear Jack: A Celebration




UPDATE: August 16

The Performers for the Jack Layton Celebration on August 22 in Toronto at Nathan Phillips Square   include: Raffi, Jason Collett, Ron Sexsmith, Lorraine Segato, actors Wendy Crewson, Eric Peterson