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.

Sanitizing Frosh

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"...devil worshippers and spousal abusers?"

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It is that time of year again with Universities starting to fill up, and of course the new recruits we know as frosh, are roaming the grounds, wide eyed, terrified, lost and unnerved. It is also time for the news to be filled with “inappropriate” frosh activities, excessive drinking, rowdy parties, group chants with inappropriate wordage and on and on.

The university community of administrators, and even those who are completely uninvolved with university life are up in arms with the inappropriateness of the most trivial activities of a frosh week.

It does not take too deep of a dive into local newspapers or newscasts where some member of a frosh organizing committee is being held accountable for political inappropriateness of an activity or two. Even to the point of community outrage for signs posted on dorm walls, or time honoured rituals that now seem to rub the fur of righteous community leaders.

First off, I expect that most of the “adults” judging and demanding change in frosh behaviour were themselves at one point university graduates, and I also feel I am safe in assuming that they too were involved in similar activities (maybe they have just forgotten).. But I am pretty sure that very few of these impeccably moral folks turned out to be savages, lifelong criminals, or deviant adults
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I think these annual outrages insult our new university attendees (or even 2nd, 3rd and 4th year students). Do we have such little faith in our future Engineers, PhD’s, Lawyers, Nurses etc., that wordage in a traditional chant or song (granted politically incorrect) will steer them down a road of devil worshippers and spousal abusers?

 I suggest that the tradition of frosh activities is more valuable than the analysis of being put a microscope to ensure they meet community standards. I, as a frosh, chanted house themes, faculty songs, and paid little attention to the words, or inappropriate allusions – rather I grew socially with the camaraderie, and feeling a part of the university life.

First year university students have lives outside of school, and many it is their first year away from home. They are faced hourly with making mature decisions in order to survive, Bad decisions are met with bad consequences, and good decisions are learned from and repeated. Why then, do we feel that the moment they step on the campus, they must be sheltered and steered from situations that they are required to decide on their own what is right and wrong.

We cannot follow steps in front of these new adults ensuring their paths are clear of political correctness, positive behaviour, and clean living. Let them make their own decisions and learn from them.

University is an opportunity to learn more than Calculus, or Physics – it is the best opportunity to learn about life, and if we insist, as a community, to sanitize their environment.. we are doing our future leaders a true disservice.