Be like your dog

A beating update.

The guy who handed me my ass, kicked me in the head when I lay in a ditch and creamed my eyeball was arrested. He was charged. Now it’s up to the courts.

I filed a victim impact statement, which felt completely weird. It’s the first time in my lengthy life that I’ve ever been a victim. “Just don’t call yourself a survivor,” said Dorothy. “Don’t be a drama queen.”

This is why we have spouses.

Unknown is when the legal system might deal with this guy (who lives four blocks away), or the outcome. I saw the cop who handled the case Friday morning when he was walking the beat in the early morning sunshine. “Out of my hands now,” he said., “but I’m attaching your statement to my report and submitting it all.”

“I saw that you wrote about the assault,” he added. “That was pretty good.”

Yeah, and good did come out of the bad, as I detailed. Neighbours and strangers hugged me. They dropped off cookies. They came to the door. People gave support online. They helped identify the perp. And now it’s time to move on.

It made me wonder, though. Are we unique in our society in abhorring violence and supporting those who encounter it? Are we inherently more peaceful than, say, the Americans who live next door? More ethical and moral, or just delusional and conceited in our misplaced maple superiority?

A blog dog went me this chart. It suggests we are Godly. Or at least dogly. (Canines have zero malice, judge nobody and love unconditionally. This is the epitome of morality, no?)

So, class, are we really so moral? Or just more moral than the heathens who live in other countries?

Canada has its share of racism, anti-immigrant sentiment and a growing white supremacist movement. There are millions of people who, supposedly, hate woke and the elitism they believe created it. There are comments here continuously about cutting off our foreign aid to less-favoured nations, and questions about the money allocated to support the Indigenous population.

The stuff published by Canadians against those of Indian or SE Asian heritage is intense and disturbing. And how about the hatred between generations, as Boomers are blamed for every sparrow that falls plus  every house that costs too much? And everybody, it seems, thinks it is completely moral and ethical to cheat on taxes, game the system and screw the government.

Are we better, or just pretending to be so? Maybe living beside the MAGA nation to the south would make anyone look pristine.

Well, let’s hear what you think. What defines morality? Do you have a moral compass?

I recently met someone who does not.

About the picture: “This is Rudy,” writes Louis. “One the all time great Brittanys, pictured here in her summer glory.”

To be in touch or send a picture of your beast, email to ‘garth@garth.ca’.

Source: https://www.greaterfool.ca/2026/06/29/be-like-your-dog/