After two years, 46 issues, a lot of positive feedback and
even some
press, I’ve decided it’s time to fold X-Ray. As much as I love the magazine,
I find it harder and harder to commit the time to publishing it.
As you may know, I spent most of March in Zambia, where I
was born. Most of that time was spent with my brother, Nicholas, and it took us
about 5 minutes to conclude that we want to work together and live in
Africa.
I returned to Canada full of new ideas, ambition, and
direction. In May I started a tattoo apprenticeship at Future Skin here in
Ottawa, with an eye to specializing in African tribal designs, and one day
opening my own shop in Lusaka.
That apprenticeship, combined with my full-time job waiting
tables, has monopolized my time. I simply don’t have the time anymore to commit
to X-Ray, and a half-assed political magazine is not my idea of a good thing.
X-Ray was always a labour of love, and besides the
satisfaction I derived from creating it, the support and enthusiasm I received
from the magazine made the venture entirely worthwhile.
And if you’ll miss X-Ray, I encourage you to read and
support the progressive Canadian electronic media phenomenon that I was lucky
enough to a part of: the Tyee, Straight Goods News, Canadian Dimension and True North Perspectives, to name a
few. In many cases, these publications put my little e-zine to shame.
I want to be clear that I’m not quitting because of
frustration with the current political climate. If anything, I’m sorry X-Ray
won’t be around to celebrate the demise of our Dear Leader and his political
cronies.
It’s only a matter of time and public will. I have a firm
belief that despite how awful things seem to be under the dead-eyed glare of
Harperland, we the people will find some way to restore---and maybe even
revolutionize---Canadian society.
The House of Harper can’t stand forever. Neither can Liberal
Democracy, and the tyranny of modern capitalism. And so, as we draw X-Ray to a
close, I’ve decided to focus on what can
be done, what is possible, what we
can potentially work toward, and look forward to.
It’s said that “another world is
possible”. And why not? There must be other ways of running our
democracies, our societies, and our economies than what we’re told by the
ruling elites.
In this Final Edition, X-Ray’s favourite contributor and
“deep politics” columnist, Stephen James Kerr, explores how participatory democracy could revolutionize the way we govern ourselves.
Progressive heavy-weigh Murray Dobbin muses about the Big Ideas that can and should inspire Canadians and rekindle the ideals, freedoms and ambitions the country
was founded on.
And dissident economist and lefty favourite, Jim Stanford,
lends a chapter of his book, Economics
for Everyone, to explain how our economy can be made to work for the goodof the majority, rather than the greed of the 1%.
Also, we take one last wander through the Watering Hole,
where the intrepid beavers attempt to keep their own dams from
bursting. Plus the usual odds and ends I will miss so much.
I hope you’ve enjoyed X-Ray, and that you will let me know,
and perhaps help me celebrate the magazine by commenting below, or sending me
an email.
Thank you.
David Julian Wightman
Publisher slash editor slash all-round journeyman
Davidjwightman [at] xraymagazine [dot] ca
PS. I don’t like long goodbyes, but it would be wrong to
sign off without a note of thanks to some of the people who helped make X-Ray
what it was. Thanks to Rob Sherwood, web-designer extraordinaire, who had the
patience to put up with me… Amanda Quance, X-Ray’s earliest and most eagle-eyed
supporter… Colin White, not only for a comic strip that fit the magazine perfectly,
but for hours and hours of political conversations and all-round goodness…
Stephen James Kerr, for years of inspiration (he’s still the most-fashionable
and fabulous leftist I know) and some of the best writing I’ll ever have the
privilege of publishing… Shawn Whitney, David McLaren, Murray Dobbin, Jim
Stanford, Liam Roberts, David Macdonald, and many others, including the
venerable Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, for allowing me to use their
work. Thanks to X-Ray’s godfather, Ted Rushton, as well as George Bihus, the
Msimang family, and many other readers and supporters who contributed funds and
moral support to the magazine. And finally, thanks to those of you who
commented on or shared X-Ray on Facebook or Twitter, and otherwise made this
little e-zine worthwhile.