Civic Duty (yes, politics)

 I Voted.

When I was in high school, I benefited from having young and enthusiastic teachers.  Social Studies class became particularly interesting because they covered 'current events' and - at the time - Canada was going through some tempestuous times.  We learned about the history of my own country as the basis of understanding what was happening.  It was illuminating.

If you have never heard of the FLQ, especially if you are a Canadian, time you learned.

My teachers were thorough, covering the rights of different regions in Canada, but they were also aware of the history of The Indian Act, and how shabbily colonial populations had treated the First Nations - something I didn't know very much about, but I am grateful I learned about that part of our history. 

Now, some people might criticize my teachers for teaching our history, including the things that were done that weren't very 'Christian' or even very 'humane', but I have always appreciated them teaching such a broad class in such a way as to give us the facts - and then let the students make up their minds about those facts.

For me, it was 'easy'.  I had read books, not just fiction, but non-fiction, in part because I found things interesting.  Understanding, even at a rudimentary level, how things worked?  Seemed like something I should know.

Understanding how things happened in the past, helped understand what was happening then and there.  

I will never forget the day we were discussing the FLQ and the rights of Quebecois, and one student stuck his hand up and said that if the French didn't like living in Canada they should go back to France.  I put my hand up and said that given how the French had been 'here' before the British, why should they go back?

And then my teacher, one of my favourite (there have been many but I will never forget Mr. Gordon) said, I wonder how the 'Indians' (the term First Nations wasn't commonly in use in 1966) feel about sending us *all* back to Europe?

It was like a gigantic bucket of cold water thrown over me and I sat back and chewed on that thought for a while.

Now, Mr. Gordon did NOT 'turn' me into a 'liberal'.  The tendency was there all along.  I was a Sunday School attendee, then did a bible study course so that I could become a full fledged member of the church (so yes, I've been baptized twice as some 'born again' person insisted all 'true' Christians were supposed to be), and took the teachings of Jesus to heart.  

I also learned about the Crusades, the Holy Roman Empire, the Christian excuse for conquering the 'new world', etc.

My tendency to be 'liberal' continued long after I graduated high school, and my exploration of my world outside of my reality bubble continues to this day.

We are in a perilous time.  I don't know how this election will turn out.  I *hope* the alt right gets beaten back from the gates, but I doubt we can get them out of our world entirely.

In the meantime, I still have the right to vote, so I exercised that right today.  It's been referred to as our 'right to bitch' card.  But elections are not decided by just one riding (ours is historically right wing, ever more right as the months have gone by), but hopefully the majority of Canadians will get out over the next few days and vote and keep this country more 'liberal' than 'fascist'.

As I stood in line (almost unheard of in this riding! - I expect the numbers to be surprising) and thought about my father and father-in-law and other family friends who served in WWII.  The least I can do is get out and cast my vote...