I did get to talk to my sister yesterday, who mentioned the terrorist attacks in Belgium that morning there, which was news to me when I called. The CBC National had it in the news here of course, along with the federal Budget and the passing of Toronto’s former Mayor Rob Ford. In 1959/60 Nathan Philips claimed to be a mayor of the people, but Rob Ford was so acclaimed by the people themselves.

Last night I finally went to take in a show at the Globe Movie Theatre. I say finally, because it is a relic of an intent dating back to 2003 on which I acted just once. That was and still is, to take myself out at least once a month to see a movie, play or other entertainment.

I call the movie ‘Forsaken’ a requiem for the old Western of the nineteen fifties and sixties, such as ‘Gun Smoke’ and Have Gun Will Travel’.

I chose the most popular of the two shows titled ‘Forsaken’. Some people applauded at its close, but I shook my head. The nostalgia for the old true western was evident from the acting and the scenes, but absent from its weak narrative.

I call the movie ‘Forsaken’ a requiem for the old Western of the nineteen fifties and sixties, such as ‘Gun Smoke’ and ‘Have Gun Will Travel’. They had heroes with causes. “Forsaken’s” hero John Henry Clayton fades into the story of the town in the aftermath of ‘The [ US-civil] War’ and fades out into a surmised intractable future elsewhere. No cause here, but a fade to phantom.

A word about Tuesday’s dual ISIS terrorist attacks in Belgium. Some weeks ago I read an article on the Trouw.nl website by a professional conflict negotiator. He said that as unpalatable as it may seem, ‘we’, that is ‘the West’, will have to talk to ISIS if peace is to come to Syria. Therefore I see the recent attacks by ISIS in Turkey and now in Belgium as notice by ISIS that their exclusion from the present Syria peace talks is not practicable.

As the expert opined: “Eventually we will have to find out what it is that ISIS wants“. Our western press has made this possibility a no-go in the public arena, but I suspect that behind the well known scenes at least feelers are sent out probing ‘the lay of the land’ in this regard.

Present power structures are realigning themselves on our planet, with some in ascendance and others in retreat from old and long held positions of influence.

ISIS comes forth out of the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and its subsequent destruction - cowboy western style. Leaving town and riding into the sunset in this case is no option, as the facts on the ground in Iraq and now in Europe starkly and painfully drive home.

Present power structures are realigning themselves on our planet, with some in ascendance and others in retreat from old and long held positions of influence. The sooner we recognise this process and act accordingly, the less will be the shedding of blood, destruction of heritage and human lives.
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