The Nameless

They vulnerably lay in the streets with no names.

Everyday I see them, faces shielded away from the innocent observer’s condescending eyes. Filth overwhelms their exteriors while torment stripes their souls. Neglect, torture, and disdain are spelt out in the contours of their disheveled skin. A life of aberrations and missteps is apparent but who am I to pass judgment. Moment by moment mistakes are made yet life moves on. We accept these individual bundles as part of the ‘life-cycle’; the learning curve of maturity and development. Justified under the helm of the momentarily misguided conscious or the seemingly faultless moral compass going astray, individual stumbles are accepted as facts of life that we all must endure. Indeed, one who claims a life clear of these personal errors is discredited immediately on the basis of utter and pure falsehood. They are labeled as insecure and apprehensive, unable to admit their own ills. Overall, we accommodate these transitory lapses that cause little pain. We find ourselves up and willing to move on. But, what happens when these momentary slips, the careless oversights collude together and happen as one? What results when the majority deviates from their collective conscious simultaneously? Are we then so complacent?

Unfortunately, current 21st century movements suggests yes. From the continual genocides taking place in Darfur and Iraq (just to name a few) to the homeless pandemic reeking havoc across Vancouver’s streets, we have all continued to make the same misstep as the next. Omission, inattention and disrespect continue to plague and poison our minds. Why? I do not know. Maybe it is the sense of disconnect, the lack of interconnectedness we are able to create. The sense that ‘they’ are there and ‘I’ am here and this is the way it was intended to be. Others may shout the Darwinian survival of the fittest and press forward. Further, some may claim that these senseless deaths are simply part of the equilibrium, the necessary balance of global population to keep our resources plentiful and at our disposal. Whatever the case may be, the simple point remains: individually and thus, collectively, we have swayed terribly off course. Our understanding of what is ‘just’ has been severely tainted; democracy itself is a word that we now know little about.

As it is, until things change they will remain continuously lying in the streets with no names.

Peer

They’re looking, I know they are. They always do.

No matter the place, time, setting, or circumstance, they are continually there, peering, judging, evaluating, and ultimately, scrutinizing. Their faces are blank lifeless forms of plastic big box specials there to satisfy their own perverse inclinations; their futile wants, needs and desires they have been molded to have. Their intoxicated eyes, piercing ribs, and boneless backs are enough to cause death to the mightiest of soles; the one’s that can withstand years of insistent punishment and torment. Everything about them seems so factitious; a construed array of selected elements from every manufactured snapshot imaginable.

Nevertheless, they move on. Like a well commanded force trudging its way over a hill, they remain in sync, en masse, as one. They conjointly sway to the roles in the streets, halting to a stop and then proceeding forward in a faultless fashion.

Life seems so easy for them- hassle-free- consistently maximizing their elitist positions in the societal structures of life. And as always, they peer. They stare into the eyes of those who have not yet confined to their superficial way of life. Endlessly, they look down, down on those whom they see as primitive jackanapes unprepared for their virtuous way of life. They peer.

Unfortunately for all of society, they grow. Incessantly, we have allowed their exponential expansion to become a perfunctory aspect of life- a seeming impertinent fact in the eyes of all.

But I warn: this is what they want, this is their ultimate goal. We have been defeated, they are victorious.

They peer on.

My Sanctum

I look through her not at her, but she knows no difference. My seeming attentiveness is nothing more than a fabricated delusional wall there to satisfying her unquenchable needs. She rambles on unrelentingly, draining out the beauty of the moment. The sounds, often unheard and barely recognizable, are once again overtaken by nothingness. She thinks I appreciate her insight, but I do not, it puts me to sleep; and not one of those comforting soothing rests sought by many, but rather the forced escapist drowning out mastered by all. I search for my sanctum in another state, the only way to make time even remotely elapse. So I consider where I am and whom I am with and then throw it all away. The faces around me suddenly become obsolete and the structures vanish. Time and motion becomes still, as the noise begins to change. The ramblings are drowned out and something new and fresh becomes clear. Faint rumblings from a passing train and the flickering of a light are now poignant as ever. The sounds that I truly want to hear, the just sonances I need, are with me for the moment. To my sheer dismay, time here remains limited. I find it a cumbersome task to remold my mind. Within an instance the faces reappear, the structures are back in front, and the noises recur. My ears throb with pain as the rambling is once again merciless. The unseen beauty is no more as reality once again returns. But I do not fret for I know with certainty that my sanctum will never disappear. It will remain unconscious, yet paradoxically so known. I will never forget it nor will I ever let it be shown. It will continue to be at my disposal, a comforting place where only I can go.

The Flaw in Gender Typing: a conversation

John: I have been thinking. Specifically, I have come to realize that I have a bit of an issue with the feminist push for equality when it comes to certain situations. Actually, that’s no fair. My limited knowledge of the feminist movement leads me unable to specify certain calls and campaigns to their cause. Notwithstanding, I have recently taken serious issue with the continual cries for greater gender equity within the firefighting task force. That is the claim that we need more women firefighters within all precincts. Why is this? Do we really? Who is behind this absurd charge? Personally, I don’t think women should be employed as your prototypical firefighter. They do not have what it takes to complete the necessary and potentially life saving maneuvers that a firefighter must be able to do. I know that if I were to be so unfortunate as to be placed in a situation of dire straits where my life was on the line, I would rather see the face of a male firefighter making his way up the ladder rather than a woman. It is as simple as this: certain jobs can only be completed by certain genders. We should accept this fact and leave it alone.

Sam: Well John, I never took you to be such an opinionated and emotionally encumbered man. It seems you are vehemently apposed to women firefighters.

John: Indeed I am. Can you not see where I am coming from? In fact, I have raised this issue with many females in the past and even some of them agree. It is just not their place; it is unreasonable to coerce otherwise.

Sam: Unfortunately John, I believe that you have strayed severely off course with this argument. In fact, you have veered to the extent that you have become blind to a serious flaw in your argument that renders it absurd.

John: Do tell.

Sam: Let me first ask you this, why is it that you would feel overly comforted with a man wearing that iconic red suite but not a woman? What is it about having solely male firefighters that causes you to be so allayed and assuaged?

John: It comes down to this: men are physically stronger than women and thus, they are more likely to be able to complete the tasks that are often times required by a firefighter. Moreover, men tend to be taller than women, which is another advantageous attribute to possess. In essence, the male specie is more physically equipped and better prescribed to take on the crucial challenges that firefighters must be able to perform.

Sam: I figured you would say that. It seems reasonable enough; when you are in a situation that requires what we may call a feat of strength, you would rather have one of those fortunate souls inhabited with that muscular stature so sought by many to come to your aid. I concur. I would also prefer this individual at my side. But does this premise lead to the conclusion that solely men should be firefighters? If we are in search for the qualities layed out above, should they not be of chief concern? What role does gender even play?
You see, it is not because you have a penis and not a vagina that makes you strong. You are strong due to many factors, not the least of which is completely derived from your gender. Familial DNA, daily routine, workout habits, diet and social structures are just some of the cornucopia of factors that will all play a role in determining the physical strength of an individual. For, as axiomatic as it may sound, not all men are stronger than women, and not all women are stronger than men. I will concede that when averaged out, women are most likely the physically weaker specie, but importantly, this is not always the case. Indeed, I know many woman who are stronger that I. In fact, the majority of women probably are. I ask you then, would you rather have me, a male, but a severely weak and pathetically short individual making my way up that ladder to your rescue or, would you prefer the sight of a strapping young lady with a physical presence unparalleled by many?

John: Well, I guess I would rather see the woman.

Sam: Exactly! Because she possesses the qualities we deemed so necessary above (that is, muscular strength and height). Therefore, as you can see, when you take your argument and consider it through the effectual lens of reason and logic we come to realize that you do not hold some deep animosity towards the idea a woman firefighter rather, you are simply oppose to the idea that we have ill-equipped members on the force; a seemingly reasonable and expectable claim. Furthermore, it must be said that muscular strength itself is rather arbitrary. That is to say, no one is completely inhibited from being able to train to the extent that allows them to form the muscles that you think so necessary for a firefighter. Dare I say that even I, if passionate or fervent enough, could also commit to the personal development of this muscular stature. While it may take certain individuals slightly longer than others, few if any are completely deprived of this capability. Thus, as I see it, your claim that women should not be firefighters is utterly absurd and completely erroneous.

John: But can it not be said that, as you earlier conceded, men are more likely to be physically stronger and taller than women and thus, on the whole of it, be the preferred firefighter? Put another way, if I told you that you had to pick between two individuals to occupy the last position as a firefighter, one of whom is a man, the other a women, which would you choose?

Sam: As you probably might expect, I would choose the man because as you noted, there is a greater probability that he will be physically stronger than the hypothetical woman and therefore better equipping him with some of the firefighter necessities. But, don’t you see the sever detriment that could arise when you begin to play the game of gender barriers and bias?

John: No, its just simple probability statistics.

Sam: Not completely so. By making the statement, as statistically reasonable as it may initially sound, that women cannot be firefighters because it is less probable that they have the physical strength to be able to complete the necessary tasks required of the typical firefighter, you are engaging in simple discrimination; a canard. Furthermore, by utilizing such gender biased language, you may promote further sexism and discrimination against women both during the hiring process (despite the fact that they may be well qualified) and in the actual fire halls; where, need I add, a pervasive problem of patriarchy already exists. Moreover, and as I showed above, your argument itself is absolutely ridiculous.
So, as I see it, the only reasonable statement that one could make is the following, “firefighters should possess the qualities of physical strength and vertical height (although neither is necessary nor sufficient; an argument for another day). Whether they are female or male is a non-issue, both genders could potentially have them and thus, be a well-trained and successful firefighter”.

John: Point taken. I will try to avoid the use of gender typing when speaking on this issue for as you have shown, it is not a question of gender at all.