Here is an interesting study about how misinformed Fox News viewers are about the truth. Seems that the misinformation is deliberate too. This is beyond sad and dangerous to democracy. Wonder how much Fox News North will mimic their American cousins in this style of "journalism." I wonder what a comparative Canadian study of Hardcore Conservatives in Canada and Alberta would show.
The fundamental foundations of citizenship and democracy are truth, trust and respect. Sorely lacking principles by what we see from the political tactics of Hardcore Conservatives - on both sides of the 49th Parallel.
Progressives can't be content anymore with rolling their eyes as this kind of abuse of the truth and assault on informed free speech. It is morally reprehensible behaviour and must be challenged. Those who perpetuate and promote this kind of ignorance are in positions of political power or gaining political power. That power is over the rest of us and we risk losing control of our democracy as a result. This is a recipe for disaster.
This is happening because too many of us who are progressive, caring and compassionate people are siting on the political sidelines. We are merely abdicating our duties as citizens by our indifference. We are inadvertently abetting the erosion of our democracy as a result. Because of this irresponsible lack of response by Progressive, we are letting the Hardcore Conservatives take over the political and public agenda. Their goal is all about taking away hard won rights, freedoms and progressive values. And we are letting them get away with it.
The Hardcore Conservatives can't handle the truth. They don't feel comfortable considering competing ideas at a time. It drives them to distraction. Without the truth and respect for a diversity of opinions politics becomes more and more about deception, subterfuge and misinformation... coercion and suppression. Citizenship suffers and democracy declines...civil society disappears.
"All men make mistakes but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong and repairs the evil. The only sin is pride." ~Sophocles.
"The hottest places in hell are reserved for those, who in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality." ~Dante
Progressive thinking citizens in ALBERTA have to get re-engaged in the political culture of our times. We have to do more than just step up to the plate. We have to upset the Hardcore Conservative applecart as well.
Progressives once again trying to shut down those opinions they do not agree with.
ReplyDeleteProgressives call those who disagree with them "stupid".
I am utterly fed up with these so called progressives. I find them to be petty and intolerant.
Hey Anon at 9:06 pm What is up with being anonymous? You are not credible as a result - come out of your fear and into the light.
ReplyDeleteFreedom of speech must be exercised by citizens unafraid to identify themselves to be preserved.
Why are you Hardcore Conservatives so afraid?
Hi Ken
ReplyDeleteWell no surprise with anonymous comments against progressives. That has been the strategy for many decades and the fact of the matter is that it has worked so far.
I agree with you about Progressives having to get up and fight this atmosphere of fear, spinning and disrespect for true democratic values but I have to add that the reason for that is quite obvious. Obama is just a last example of how this people use the Progressive umbrella to get elected and then once there it is everything but Progressive. People are tired, desilusioned and are being very careful with what they are supporting these days. Even the Alberta Party which is the closest I can think of a possibility of a great change in Alberta is something people will not easily warm up to. I represent one of those people and I will move forward but with a lot of caution. People have been raised in the last few decades to be greedy and ultra individualistic and that does not change very quickly.
Carlos Beca
Good column, Ken.I am in support of so much of what you've said here -- that progressives are sitting on the sidelines, etc., that Tories "don't feel comfortable considering competing ideas at a time"... and don't appreciate the truth and hold "respect for a diversity of opinions politics," etc.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I suggest that the problem with progressives in Alberta ISN'T only that they sit on the sidelines, but that hard working members of all 4 parties - NDP, Liberals, AP, and new Greens (Vision 2012 Society)-- work against each other, despite their many common ideologies. The problem is one of focus and STRENGTH IN UNITY.
To counteract this, of course, the AP is basically asking long-time supporters of Alberta progressive parties to drop their old allegiances and to vote for them. Good idea... in theory. I submit, however, that as much as much as many of us would like to see that happen, it isn't going to -- at least not in the near future, according to what I'm hearing from those who belong to those other parties across the province who hold to their allegiances near and dear.
Isn't it apparent that, just like the Tories, we need to respect those parties for THEIR (albeit often minor) differences, philosophies, histories, and build towards some kind of loose cooperative strategy between them? Comparisons to the Wildrose are not logical. Recall that the WR was apparently handed 3 million from the oil lobby to kick start itself off like a rocket. By comparison, the AP, like all the other progressive parties, is fiscally weak.
If, however, the AP would join the Liberals and perhaps the new Greens in a vocal call for a cooperative voting strategy, I think you'd see there would be, eventually, a move by voters towards unity and perhaps one party down the line. So far, the AP seems to only be contributing to the splintering of the centre-left vote.
(It looks as though the AP will be relying heavily on the youth vote. Great. But isn't that what the Greens do federally... and how's that workin' for them?)
Freaking BINGO,
ReplyDeleteFor the longest time I've been wondering if I'm really a progressive or not. I fight tooth and nail with the idea that progressives need to be genteel in defense of progress ideas. Screw that.
It's time to take extreme conservatism on... to the mat (as it were) and pin them down with facts and rational argument without the soft-sell.
As for anon, he apparently hates being belittled by facts and rationale. When he (they) can't fight back with anything more than innuendo and insult, they resort to talk of elitism and being talked down to.
Sadly, he's right about that.... Progressives often discount many people's gut fears and concerns by tritely brushing them off rather than trusting they can understand complex explanations.
Ken is the champion of free speech yet belittles others and says that right wing news makes you stupid. Shows you try hypocrisy at its worst.
ReplyDelete