No more hiding out and playing it safe – we need to open hearts and minds, to stop arguing about who is right and who is wrong
We all have opinions about the validity of glass ceilings, racism, religion, victimization and such, but what makes an idea true for you? What moment(s) in time made you believe it? Your opinions have often been nurtured over years of paying attention to information that confirms firmly-held beliefs while ignoring information that challenges those beliefs.…
New tolerance demands that we accept either the most popular view or the view of the most vocal group or shut up
“I am intolerant of intolerance” has become something of a mantra for suppressing unpopular opinions. Today’s “new tolerance”, as it is called in academic circles, is redefining our understanding of tolerance and shaping our behaviour in public spaces, but it is no friend to the exercise of conscience and freedom of speech. In the past,…
Tolerance is about how you treat people who disagree with you, even when you may not respect their point of view
“Tolerance isn't about not having beliefs. It's about how your beliefs lead you to treat people who disagree with you.” – Pastor and theologian Timothy Keller There is much focus on teaching tolerance and respect these days, but what's this doing to society? Perhaps it’s best to start with what we mean by the terms…
Trudeau is just the man to heal the wounds. After all, he’s been dressing up and imitating so many different cultures that he identifies with everybody
“Hey, buddy,” Chuck smiled as he leaned across the fence, “you’re goanna find this hard to believe, but I’m beginning to feel sorry for your boy Justin. I mean, the whole world’s jumping on his bones over this black-face thing. “Cripes,” he continued, “even that disgusting Jeffery Epstein is getting better press than your man.”…
Modern progressives see proof of social oppression around every corner. They believe society in general is to blame
The breaking point for me was Pittsburgh. This murderous act of anti-Semitic horror, when combined with the relentless breakdown in social civility, has made me face an unpalatable truth: something has gone very wrong with modern society. Our entire civilization is speeding to toward fragmentation and decay – Brexit, Donald Trump, warring political partisanship, rising…
Special interest groups demanding a say in casting choices flies in the face of diversity and freedom of expression
Visiting the Globe Theatre in London, England, is an unforgettable experience. When viewing the modest grounds and realizing that the ‘groundlings’ – the people in the cheap seats – were sometimes privileged to see original Shakespeare plays, it brings home the long and important history of the performing arts. On our tour of the theatre,…
It’s imperative for our political leaders to continue being strong custodians of Canada’s pluralistic identity
It’s a time of reckoning for Canada’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. A new poll shows that many among us want to see the number of immigrants coming into our country lowered. According to the Angus Reid Institute, 49 per cent of surveyed Canadians want to see the federal government's 2018 target of 310,000 immigrants…
The feminist war against men isn't only against bad men. It’s a war is against all men
It’s become a regular experience in Canada and the United States for a man to be accused of sexual misconduct and for an almost immediate pile-on of haters adding every accusation the mind can imagine. Contemporary feminists have done a brilliant job in their war against men. Unsubstantiated accusations are treated as proven guilt. Due…
Beware the arrogance of the new age. Attempting to cleanse history is a fool’s or, worse, a tyrant’s errand
In the interest of righting a genuine and grave historic wrong – the suffering of our Indigenous peoples – the historical hubris of our present Canadian age is distorting history yet again. Enter the City of Victoria and Sir John A. Macdonald. In removing his statue from in front of Victoria City Hall, the denizens…
As we interact with those who appear to be different, we realize that much more unites us than separates us
American actor Alan Alda recently said, “I’m not really listening unless I’m willing to be changed by the other person.” This is a powerful statement and one that could easily be misinterpreted. Alda has created a podcast called Clear + Vivid where he discusses using communication to improve understanding between people. In this context, he’s…
We all have opinions about the validity of glass ceilings, racism, religion, victimization and such, but what makes an idea true for you? What moment(s) in time made you believe it? Your opinions have often been nurtured over years of paying attention to information that confirms firmly-held beliefs while ignoring information that challenges those beliefs.…
