Uncategorized

Shifting From Protesting To Change

Drew Brees should not be the target of race issues when his only deed to apparently offend is to stand tall during the playing of the Star Spangled Banner. The race issue must be addressed at the ballot box and with legislative execution. The message has been delivered through protest. Now you must deliver administratively. You must work to effect change.  You have the right to organize. You have the right to raise funds. You have the right to appoint leadership toward the cause.

Additionally, you must vote. Your credibility is lost when you do not vote. Rates of voting in a democracy should be ninety-five per cent and not sixty. Apathy is not a good enough reason not to vote. Voting is most critical when one is most vulnerable.

Stop thinking that the sporting arena is where you think you’re going to affect change. Be bold. Write your legislators. Write your letters to the editor. Start your blog. Fundraise for your candidate. Chronicle the injustice. Challenge bigots for their statements. Showcase politicians whose votes align with oppression. Read the constitution. Examine case law and interpretations of judgments.  Support new protests with supplementary evidence. Request meetings with law makers through your organized association.   

Uncategorized

Some Credit To Trudeau

He was asked the inevitable question about Trump’s speech on Monday night and whether not commenting would send a message. Apparently, the time count to respond was 21 seconds and then referenced shortcomings in Canada in addressing the plight of “racialized Canadians”. Is he afraid of Trump? He may be. You know that if he said what he feels, he would be brandished by Trump given Trump’s incessant child minded need to retaliate criticism with insults. You know there would not likely be any good to come from directed remarks. Hence; let’s credit him with the silence. See – this conservative just gave credit to a liberal. If I can do it…you can do it. 

Uncategorized

U.S. In Decline

For those who didn’t see this all coming with the election of Donald Trump…..well here you go. If you elect a POTUS void of a moral compass accompanied by corrupt cronies and a propensity for bullying in the spirit of self interest you are going to get problems. If you complement the character of the man with an elected body who feels threatened by his tactics of persecution through retribution, then you’ve actually compromised the ideals of democracy. 

Philosophy, Politics

Protecting People From Themselves

Are civil liberties infringed upon when a non-physical discipline of therapy whether sanctioned by a professional body or not is restricted by a government? Is thought being regulated? These are the questions I have with respect to “conversion therapy” for those potentially confused by their sexuality who seek out a third party for consultation / therapy. What is a municipality doing in the minds of its citizens? Has psychological harm been perpetrated on an individual who has voluntarily sought conversion therapy sessions and has evidence of such harm been the motive for implementing a regulated restriction? Or, is it a repulsiveness in the minds of sexual minorities which is the motivating factor in leading authorities to take this matter up as an order of business?

Personally, I believe in peoples’ free will. If someone wants to seek out someone who he or she thinks can help them…then I believe they should be able to conduct their affairs in concert with their conscience so long as they are not hurting anybody. Here is the thing…..with this pending law, a government is telling an individual that the government thinks a person would be hurting oneself upon under-going the “therapy”. This puts the government in a position of thinking that it knows what’s best for an individual as opposed to the individual deciding what’s best for oneself.    

When I drive to work in the morning, I am encountering potholes. Next to my office is a fire station hosting firemen whose trucks travel this same road but fail to take up the pothole matter with their fellow civil servants in order to facilitate repair. This is why I pay taxes. I pay taxes for roads to be fixed and not to have politicians who serve me debate philosophy, witchcraft, sexual orientation, or the merits of conversion therapy. I don’t pay my civil servants to be my moral guide or the moral guide of someone who may be lacking in self esteem. Governmental over reach is going to cost me a trip to my auto repair shop to get my car’s front end fixed from unsuccessfully dodging potholes. Now that concerns me and should concern my city council. 

Economics, Politics

Editorials In Lock Down

Whenever I click an editorial on line and am prompted for a news subscription trial I come away thinking, “fat chance you’re going to get me to pay for this second rate opinion”. I harbour no ill will toward editorials in lock down and news outlets needing to fund their reason for being. I’ve just taken the opinion that since the internet company is taking a material payment from me monthly and I expose myself to the deluge of advertisements, I simply will not subscribe to one news outlet. Have you ever been frustrated by having cancelled a memberships with precise administrative protocol but then see the charge show up the following month? Exactly.

At the same time, it’s important to underscore the contribution which journalists make to society. Journalists ask questions which you don’t have time for because you are at work and tending to kids. Journalists serve you in that they isolate problems with government decision making which impact you. Journalists also expose injustices of humanity which would go otherwise unnoticed by those who can intervene.

There has been a new phrase coined recently – “fake news”. While there are degrees in quality of journalism largely because of the profit motive and stakeholder’s potential for bias, standards in journalism still exist and are being executed. To subjectively paint all journalists as compromised is simply irresponsible.

In fact, there has never been a larger role for journalists during this time in history when democracies are being administered more like “elected dictatorships” with ultra party partisanship and fear of voting ones’ conscience in elected houses as the new norm. Under these conditions in particular, the diligent reporter’s industrious efforts should be emboldened. In this light, I suggest to the journalism industry to lift your lock down of editorials for those of us suspicious of monthly credit card auto charges and appeal to us differently for your funding.