Anti-Gay, Anti-First Nations, Anti-Feminism... Anti, Anti Anti.

I had a difficult decision to make as I set up my account several years ago when creating this blog. Do I write anonymously or use my real name (and photo)?. It was a challenging decision as expressing ones business, personal and political views can be risky when you associate your name with it. Of course, blogging is not my sole income, and I have a professional persona that I must protect.

I decided, in order to have any credibility to the articles I write, I should be prepared to stand behind them.. Thus my decision to associate my writings openly.

I write so often motivated by our public radio station (CBC), and although I now have a well developed "filter" on how they deliver interviews, news stories and human interest stories, I tongue in cheek think of the old drinking game we had as teenagers was to watch the children's cartoon series "The Smurfs".. which required every time the word "Smurf" was spoken, all participants were to take a drink. Of course the program offered up the word "Smurf" so frequently that the game rarely lasted the duration of the 1/2 hour programme, due to over consumption of alcohol.

How does the "Smurf drinking game" tie to this topic??  "Smurfs" was chosen as the television show, as  the word was used in almost every sentence. Likewise, my regular listening to CBC offers an equally disproportionate reference to LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender), as well as First Nations, and coming up a close third - Feminism. So, the Adult "CBC Drinking game" could be equally destructive to ones liver, as the Smurf game, if, one were to take a drink every time a reference to LGBT, First Nations or Feminism was made - I think one could take any hour of CBC radio, and easily need assistance in finding ones bed.

If you think I am off base - try it.. any hour, any day.. but be prepared for a nasty hangover.

So, the reaction to your reading this is clearly I don't understand the issues of these minority groups and I am a callous, bigotted, homophobic social outcast.

Well, NOTHING could be further from the truth. I have a great deal of respect for the above mentioned groups, and strive to understand all of the issues surrounding each of these groups.

But, to the point of this article, speaking publicly about any negative aspects of ANY minority is taboo.. or done at the risk of being called a bigot or prejudiced (now there is an antique word). Without exception, these minority groups demand (and deserve) equality and fair representation in the public  realm. Protests, parades, lobby groups public demonstrations are almost solely presented for a demand of equality.

Part of equality within our social system, of course deserves equal treatment of rights, and community acceptance - and again, I feel it necessary to express that I agree and support this status 100%.

However, with this equality, one must also accept scrutiny and challenges as all non-minority groups receive, it should be acceptable to question First Nations spending, natural resources utilization etc, or appropriateness of LGBT parades, etc, or women's rights issues.

But, it is socially and (small p) politically incorrect to challenge any activity of these groups - as well (large P) Political suicide to counter the positions held or presented by these groups.

Questioning a Native Blockade of a major highway is not accepted as a public disturbance, rather questioning the heritage and rights of a First Nations Society. Even this statement I am sure will raise hairs on the neck of teh average reader.. But a non first Nations Blockade is certainly looked on with a different view that a Native one - and is reported on, and justified at a completely different level of acceptance.

So, the deserved equality should be a double edged sword, to obtain the rights and the respect that are deserved, but as an equal, should be willing and publicly accepted to be questioned and challenged.

The cake and eat it too seems to be a fit, where it is Taboo to publicly challenge these groups as equals, yet, equality for all of the rights and freedoms. Equality is a broad state - the good, the bad and the ugly.

My "in jest" suggestion of the "Adult Drinking Game" for CBC listeners, is not a critique of the minority topics that are woven into near every story, rather questioning the balance of this programming.

Next time, before tagging a challenger of a minority activity as an anti-minority bigot.. maybe it is just a step that these groups are actually gaining equality thus the scrutiny that comes with it.