The words "equality" and "rights" get thrown around alot in today's political environment - in case you hadn't noticed. To listen to the parties talk they would have you believe that they are the only ones actually for freedom and equality, and that the other parties are the ones against it. This applies to all parties. Except maybe for the Rhinos, who instead run on a platform of "Sex, Drugs, & Rock n' Roll" or some variation thereof - this is the Rhinoceros Party we are talking about after all.
On the upside, at least this means freedom of speech is alive and well in the legislative chambers of this country. After all, you cannot be sued for anything said within the House of Commons - the antithesis to the "safe spaces" popping up in academia across the country these days. Nevertheless, one has to question who is "right" in their assertions. Well... all of them. And none of them. As in all of them are about equality and human rights... with regards to certain issues... and elevating some rights above others... and allowing double standards to exist when it suits their purposes. Conservatives, for example, claim to be all about freedom of religion... except when it comes to Islam. Yet when it comes to Islam, they claim to be pro-women's rights, despite their lack of concessions to people demanding an inquiry into violence against aboriginal women, and despite the fact that many a feminist wants Stephen Harper's head on a platter. The left of centre parties are no different. They claim to be all for equal rights, yet they let LGBT "rights" take precedence over religious rights. I could go on.
These hypocrisies and double standards aren't just limited to political parties and positions on rights issues. They extend to every political movement, and nigh on every issue. The NDP whine and stomp their feet about the government's lack of accountability, transparency, and oversight, yet rail against the same principles when they are applied to First Nations groups and Unions. I can tell you why they oppose the latter (see Bill C-377) - if Unions had to show how they spend their members obligatory dues payments, it would probably at least disgruntle Conservative voting Union members to see how much Union money is donated to the NDP and PACs like "Engage Canada". Sorry "D'ppers", but your beloved NDP is just as beholden to the almighty loonie as the rest of 'em.
One more example. Feminists cry out for more women in leadership roles, yet proceed to gripe when ones are elected who just happen to lean right of centre. I guarantee you the vast majority of them voted for the NDP in the last BC election, despite the fact that the Liberal leader and current premier Christy Clark is a WOMAN, and NDP leader Adrian Dix was a MAN. Same goes for Alberta and Alison Redford, and the federal government and Kim Campbell.
Point is, the smear jobs and personality assassinations need to stop. Political parties and groups attacking one another is just the pot calling the kettle black. Over. And over. And over. Can we actually have some properly intelligent and rhetoric based arguments instead of baseless insults in the Canadian political forum?
This is what I plan on trying to do in my upcoming posts. My summer job is exceedingly tedious, but it does allow me to listen to various entertaining media while I work (thank GOD for the internet). This has included a variety of sociopolitical commentary. Henceforth the next few posts will formatted as "an open letter to social justice warriors" and I will argue my opinion against the common leftist counterpoints. The point will be to get some actual DISCUSSION for once. The lack of comments or dissenting opinions is almost painful. I can hear crickets chirping and and that is a PROBLEM. In other news, I plan on getting a recipe for laksa posted soon. It just needs typing up, and copying others content instead of writing original stuff like this can be boring so... be patient with me.
A brief word on scandals in the age of social media. Stop adding the suffix "gate" to whatever your scandal is about. JUST STOP. "Gamergate" "deflategate" and "shirtgate" have nothing to do with and are nowhere NEAR as significant as the actual Watergate - one of the most infamous political scandals of the 20th century. So unless your issue in question is POTUS-resignation level significant, call it SOMETHING ELSE. Otherwise you are trivializing the original from which those stupid names are derived - WATERGATE! Rant over.
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