By Jason Menard
The world’s greatest city just got one heck of a black eye thanks to a bunch of allegedly smart kids parading around in blackface for the world to see.
The idea that a bunch of white kids would engage in this sort of activity in the first place is inane; the fact that they didn’t think that it would end up on YouTube for the world to see? That’s just mind-numbingly stupid. Continue reading
By Jason Menard
I’m all in favour of using appropriate language. I also strongly believe that the words we choose can harm – and that we should never be careless with our speech. Unfortunately, I hate the White Guy Linguistic Jig that it can sometimes create.
It’s not restricted to white guys, of course. But we’re just so darn good at it! Continue reading
By Jason Menard
The old adage states that actions speak louder than words. Until schools, police, and parents are willing to get tough on bullies, I fear that this latest anti-bullying endeavour – the Pledge to End Bullying – will amount to nothing more than empty words.
Essentially, the pledge states one’s belief that everyone in the community has a right to feel safe and that “I pledge to be respectful of others and stand up against bullying whenever and wherever I see it.”
Nice words. Great sentiment. But the ones who most need to follow those rules won’t be the ones lining up to take this pledge. If this sounds familiar, perhaps because it’s very similar to a piece I wrote in the Ottawa Citizen in May regarding a much-more graphic anti-sexual assault campaign. Continue reading
By Jason Menard
Why is it that so many so-called social media experts promote their craft with all the subtlety of a carnival barker? It’s true, the squeaky wheel gets the grease – but in the case of social networking, that grease is often little more than snake oil.
I’ve been heavily involved with social networking as part of my job for a few years now. I love it, I think I’m good at it, and I strongly believe in its potential for both business and personal applications. Continue reading
By Jason Menard
Ten years ago, terrorists tried to change the world. Today I can say that – for most of us – their efforts were a failure, as we have come through relatively unscathed.
Ten years ago today, a group of radical terrorists commandeered four planes: two of which were steered into – and ultimately brought down – the twin towers of the World Trade Center; one was flown into the Pentagon; and the other was brought down in a field near Shanksville, PA, by civilian passengers before it could reach its intended destination. Continue reading
The M-Dash by Jason Menard 