Q: Why did I start this blog?
A: Because I wanted to have stimulating political, ethical and moral arguments (um. discussions) with some like minded argumentalists.
Q: What will this blog contain?
A: Political musings, reflections on news of the day. And occasionally, my thoughts on human society. And hopefully, some healthy passionate disagreements.
I wanted to call this blog ‘Thank You for Arguing’ but alas, that clever name was already taken. The reason the title appeals to me is that it suggests an appreciation for a healthy, respectful meeting of minds that don’t happen to agree on everything. After all, I feel that the majority of my perspectives on peace, love and politics have come from engaging in debate with people that offer many differing views. I can also, honestly say that I wasn’t always respectful of people with views that differed from mine but with age comes wisdom and a boat load of humility. Both of which offer a person the chance to enjoy debating with people while appreciating the opportunity to learn what they believe and why. I am extremely fortunate to have friends from all different walks of life and I’m counting on them to engage in my posts to keep me honest and let everyone know when they feel that I’m spouting a load of bollocks!
My interest in politics is purely home grown. Those homes having been located in the West Coast of Canada for the majority of my formative early years; a large part of my professional life was spent on the East Coast of the United States which included a secondment of two years in the UK. As you can imagine, this offered me a wide range of perspectives on everything from, the death penalty, health care, same-sex marriage, abortion and education, to name just a few.
I’m currently in a position that has me working with young men and women who are still developing their political views. They openly admit that they don’t read newspapers, or watch the 24 hour news cycle. These are intelligent, well spoken human beings that many politicians claim to want out at the voting booths on election day. However, realistically they know that the percentage that do show up is not enough to have politicians tailoring their platforms to include anything substantive to make a real impact on their lives. I know that social media is the place where the news has to be in order for young adults to read and engage in the process. However, they won’t go looking for it, even on social media. It has to come to them. My hope and desire is to be a part of that delivery. I want to use my voice to start a dialogue that inspires debate. A debate that offers a window to how people can discuss issues and their opposing views with a huge dose of respect and a sprinkle of humor!
One of my favorite quotes:
“Prison sentences are like penises (penii?); If used correctly, even a short one will work!”
Whether you agree with the sentiment or not, if you laughed, then you and I are going to get along just fine.
