Tension and Turning-Points, G20-Style

Canadian news outlets have been overflowing with a sick swirl of violence, mass arrests, and illogical political demonstrations for hours now and it seems the garish spectacle will march on into the night.

I am struggling to form coherent thought over top of the pulsing anger I harbour for these supposed "protesters." Granted, I know the violent ones are a small demographic mixed in to the overall legitimate protesting groups -- but to see the shattered glass of Queen St. West and gutted police cars while comparing it to the gorgeous memories I garnered just last week launches me into this loop of anger, disbelief, and frustration.

The blood boils with each new storefront smashed and looted. And to know there are friends trapped in the downtown core based on the location of their homes pushes me further into this livid state.

Toronto is being ripped apart for what?

It seems like such a tragic joke to hear protesters yelling at police officers to, quote, "get a real job," even while these same shit disturbers have the time to march through the streets on weekday afternoons leading up to the actual G20 Summit. Go figure.

I admit, I have a bias toward Canadian officers at the heart of this ordeal. I have immediate connections with one of the officers donning riot gear this weekend. In fact, she holds quite a central position in the background of this blogette right here. When I was sixteen, she gave me a shot as an HMV employee when I had no previous work experience to speak of. She could be tough when she needed to, but she was patient with her employees and we knew she would support us in the face of customer-instigated adversity. In essence, she is the one manager I compare all other managers to. Her dream was to enter the police force and I am glad to note she achieved it after intense training and dedication to the cause.

On another clever note, she was also the first out and proud lesbian I met. She even helped me find that initial shot of self-confidence while I was first coming out to myself. Though I never came out to her while we worked together, it was just her presence and her openness about herself that helped me understand how to live as an out woman. She was a mentor without even realizing it.

And now, she is stationed in the downtown core for the express purpose of minimizing destruction and corralling protesters.

Ah, quite the woman.

Well, this has been an abrupt change of pace with this post. What started from a need to vent about the damage done to our fair city has transformed into praise for one helluva woman. I love how the mind works sometimes, especially once sleep-deprived and on the cusp of a cold.

I am sending out all positive vibes to the friends at the centre of "Fortress Toronto" and to the women and men in blue who are working around the clock for us all. Here is hoping the night proves to be a short one.