Brave Enough
I just noticed I haven't written a blog post since May 13th. That's unusual for me and usually means I'm in a funk. I spent 3 1/2 months in the US endlessly listening to their divided politics . I avoided the topic since I am a visitor in their country and it is none of my business. I arrived at home to find provincially we have two bright women and a scary man looking to be premier of the province. I have gone on my nightly walk with my head hung low as I walk thru a sea of blue. This is rural Ontario and traditionally very Conservative (colour blue).
In Canada we vote against people and not for them so the current Premier Liberal (colour red) is not very popular and has made some unpopular moves. She is a very bright woman.
So then we have the (colour orange) which is The New Democratic Party ( another bright woman) and my choice for many years although I have voted for all them. I don't know much about the Green Party but will be listening to the leader tomorrow on CBC radio.
So with all my neighbours being blue I wondered if I should put out my orange sign. Would I be pissing them off showing my politics? Do I dare be an outlier? Then my daughter Robin posted a picture of her and my grand daughter wearing orange out canvassing for her friend Nikki Lundquist the NDP candidate for Whitby/Oshawa.
What kind of father would I be if I didn't show the same strength and conviction that my kid a life long trade unionist has? She has the guts to go door to door. She didn't earn that job hiding behind the curtains and voting secretly.
Then there is this:
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out-
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out-
Because i was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out-
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me- and there was no one left to speak for me.
I have many Catholic friends and I believe in abortion. I have many gay friends and I'm as straight as an arrow. I have many vegetarian friends and I eat meat. Lots of very good people have different beliefs. I guess what I'm trying to say is go out and vote for whatever and whoever you believe in but for Gawd's sake vote. Don't let what happened in the US happen here.
My orange sign is going up and I made a donation to the party. I will walk taller tonight on my evening stroll. This outlier has lived his entire life being different from main stream. I like it there.
In Canada we vote against people and not for them so the current Premier Liberal (colour red) is not very popular and has made some unpopular moves. She is a very bright woman.
So then we have the (colour orange) which is The New Democratic Party ( another bright woman) and my choice for many years although I have voted for all them. I don't know much about the Green Party but will be listening to the leader tomorrow on CBC radio.
So with all my neighbours being blue I wondered if I should put out my orange sign. Would I be pissing them off showing my politics? Do I dare be an outlier? Then my daughter Robin posted a picture of her and my grand daughter wearing orange out canvassing for her friend Nikki Lundquist the NDP candidate for Whitby/Oshawa.
What kind of father would I be if I didn't show the same strength and conviction that my kid a life long trade unionist has? She has the guts to go door to door. She didn't earn that job hiding behind the curtains and voting secretly.
Then there is this:
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out-
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out-
Because i was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out-
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me- and there was no one left to speak for me.
I have many Catholic friends and I believe in abortion. I have many gay friends and I'm as straight as an arrow. I have many vegetarian friends and I eat meat. Lots of very good people have different beliefs. I guess what I'm trying to say is go out and vote for whatever and whoever you believe in but for Gawd's sake vote. Don't let what happened in the US happen here.
My orange sign is going up and I made a donation to the party. I will walk taller tonight on my evening stroll. This outlier has lived his entire life being different from main stream. I like it there.
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| The New Democratic Party |
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| The Liberal Party |
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| The Conservative Party |
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| The Green Party |
I ordered Cheryl Strayed's Brave Enough off Amazon today. I think it an appropriate read for me this week before the election.
Comments
Believe me, it’s not easy living in a country where our government causes daily, often hourly embarrassment.
This weekend, Memorial Day, we watched a film about Obama’s last year and DUNKIRK which showed ordinary people in a desperate time getting the job done.
Only the next few months will tell....