Feucht in Canada; Astronomical PR move; Quote me
3 Things this week and a poem from my recent contest
When the humidity settles in like a warm blanket. When the green world is buzzing and alive. This is summer.
If your a diehard reader, I send my apologies for not dropping a Thursday article. I was ready to share my latest article on MAiD, but it ended up getting picked up by The Federalist, so I held it back. I hope to share it this week when it's published on their platform.
It involves a famous cartoonist, a new Canadian MP, and a terrifying future. I hope it was worth your wait. Stay tuned!
Here's this week's link round up and a poem from my recent poetry contest that received an honourable mention.
Feucht in Canada
Can someone tell the mayor of Montreal that we have a Charter of Rights and Freedoms in Canada?
In fact, can we share the news with municipalities and leaders across the country? The Charter guarantees Fundamental Freedoms and protects the freedom of conscience, religion, thought, belief, opinion, expression, peaceful assembly, and association.
But then Sean Feucht came to Canada to lead some worship services.
This week the CBC took issue with the American worship leader's political persuasion and painted him as a danger. The attention they gave was the sort of press Sean Feucht leveraged to highlight just how much this fundamental freedom is being put to the test.
At least there was an arrest. After a protester stormed the church with a smoke bomb as the gathered worshipped, the police intervened. The city of Montreal has fined the church that hosted the event.
The story gets more and more bizarre. Venues continue to get cancelled for “safety” reasons and so churches or supporters find other places to have the worship concerts. But it’s moving Canadians from all walks of life to respond. You don’t have to know the guy, like his music, be a Christian, or attend the concerts to have concerns.
If you care about your religious freedoms and your right to gather and worship, this is a story that you should follow.
Astronomical PR move
If you're going to sustain a massive PR crisis that introduces the world to your brand when it didn't know about you before but upon first impression only associates you to scandal, then this is the absolute right response.
This week the Astronomer team put together a pitch perfect video that went viral for. It's sharp and self-deprecating response to the recent crisis, when it’s former CEO and head of HR revealed their affair unexpectedly on the kisscam at a Coldplay concert.
Gwyneth Paltrow, the former spouse of Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, helped the brand consciously uncouple from the public relations nightmare, leveraging her experience. Serving as temporary spokesman, this tongue-in-cheek video was a great response to what otherwise was a crazy moment that could have subsumed the brand for good.
Lulu Chen Meservey gave some insightful commentary on why this was such a good response. She's an excellent commentator helping laymen understand why going direct is the right way to go for CEOs and brands, and her analysis here is spot on.
Quote me
I was thrilled to see the Nuance podcast which I've been part of with Compassion International get a new home on Great American PureFlix, the streaming service.
It's a great moment for partnerships and this is a great fit for this content. The series is all about having meaningful conversations in a generous and compassionate ways. To have it homed on a channel known for its faith content is really wonderful.
If you're a subscriber, you can go check out the series. The first four episodes are there, and one will release each week for the next few months.
I talked with the The Gazette about why we created the series and how the partnership came to be.
An Honourable Mention from the First Ever TIWD Poetry Contest
Melanie Cole
God Bless the Bottom Feeders
Someone told me that eating bottom feeders is a sin
But I grew up with the Holy Trinity– onions, green bell peppers, and celery
Our church wasn’t through those doors but in the kitchen
Hot sweat rolling down our necks like holy water, “Praise be!”
Someone told me that eating bottom feeders is a sin
But they ain’t never met a shrimpin’ man and the boat that provides for his kin
Or a workin’ noodler, sticking his hands into muddy holes
Hoping to God that a snake doesn’t bite back, singin’ “Praise be!”
Someone told me that eating bottom feeders is a sin
But I take it very seriously when I stir the crawfish in their giant pot
Knowing I’m cooking them just right, so their meat is juicy and tender
And that pot is used in the family for years and years, ”Praise be!”
Someone told me that eating bottom feeders is a sin
So I went to the church and I asked the priest and he pointed to the Bible
And He said, “I’ll tell you a secret.” He said, “Baby! We all bottom feeders.”
“We wrap ourselves around each other like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle and we make love and oh Lord do we pray and do we sing! Praise be!”
About Melanie Cole
Melanie Cole is a poet and writer from Tacoma, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest. Her writing focuses on place, resilience, the natural world, and unusual storytelling. She has been published in Grit City Magazine, the Tacoma News Tribune, and on The Mighty. Melanie runs her own literary journal called The Faoileánach Journal. You can find her at www.melaniewrites.com or melanieannecole.substack.com.