Harping on Harper
From the Washington Times:
Why does President Bush hope Christmas comes a little late this year? Because on January 23, Canada may elect the most pro-American leader in the Western world. Free-market economist Stephen Harper, leader of the opposition Conservative Party, is pro-free trade, pro-Iraq war, anti-Kyoto, and socially conservative. Move over Tony Blair: If elected, Mr. Harper will quickly become Mr. Bush's new best friend internationally and the poster boy for his ideal foreign leader.
In other words, a puppet of the American administration. I refuse to allow my country to participate in the unprovoked attack on another country, the way the U.S. attacked (and continues to occupy) Iraq. It's called being a bully and I will have no part in it.
Why does Stephen Harper hate the immigrants, homosexuals, heathens, and poor people so much? He ought to learn how to bring himself up without putting others down. He actually has some interesting ideas around senate reform, western inclusion, and fiscal responsibility. But these get lost in the cloud: do we really need an intolerant bigot as our prime minister?
It is terribly frightening to me that 30% of Canadians support his party. Perhaps they do not realize that the only way he could garner enough seats to form a government would be to form a coalition with the Bloc Quebecois - a separatist party dedicated to seeking independence for Quebec. What a shame it would be to break up our country.
Look at his policy announcements so far: a reduction in the GST - which Brian Mulroney's Conservatives introduced 20 years ago; reduction in hospital wait times - which, in Ontario, soared under funding cuts from Mike Harris's provincial Conservatives. The list goes on. Does he think voters are stupid enough to vote in someone to undo the past mistakes of their own party?
Well, I'm not. Like most Canadians, I'm voting ABC - Anybody But Conservative. That means the Liberal or New Democrat candidate in your riding, whichever you feel is more likely to win the seat. As long as Stephen Harper continues to appeal to the worst in people, he will find it impossible to get enough votes to form even a minority government. And that speaks highly about the majority of Canadians.
Comments
You've fallen for for the anti-harper fear mongering!
/sarcasm off
The really sad thing is I know so many people that think Harper is the best thing since slavery, and will do wonders for the reformation of Canada back to a Christian state...
Let me tell you why this scares me. I was born in Iran which, prior to 1979, was a secular state: the majority of the population were Muslim, but there was no state-sanctioned religion. People were generally free to do as they pleased, the economy was prospering, and women were allowed to vote and run for public office.
A revolution in 1979 led to the formation of a new government that instilled, as law, the most oppressive kind of religious fundamentalism you can imagine. They proclaimed the country an Islamic republic, rounded up and executed tens of thousands of political opponents, and took away many of the most basic freedoms that Iranians once enjoyed - all in the name of their religion.
Now, women get flogged (flogged!) for wearing their veil improperly. Political dissidents, among them journalists, are routinely imprisoned or executed. Over 4,000 homosexuals have been executed for the crime of homosexuality since 1979, although they do have the "freedom" of choosing one of four deathstyles: being hanged, stoned, halved by a sword, or dropped from the highest perch.
This was not a good thing.
The fact is, Canada is already a Christian state. And a Jewish state. And a Muslim state. And a Hindu, Buddhist, and Animist state. Are you Sikh? Okay! Are you Rastafarian? No problem! Everybody is free to practise their religion. And in my case, as an atheist, I have the freedom to practise no religion. It's my choice.
I think when people say they want Canada to be a "Christian state" what they really want is for everybody to become Christian, or for Christians to have special legal status. I don't see the need for this when Christians (and everybody else) are already free to practise their religion any way they want (as long as it doesn't infringe on others' rights, of course).
There there is the question of which particular Christian beliefs become the law of the land. Protestant? Catholic? Episcopal? Greek Orthodox? Lutheran? Baptist? Mennonite? If Mennonite, will it be Old Order or New Order, and what about the Amish???
Codifying one set of beliefs as superior to others, in law, sets the stage for Canada becoming the type of country Iran has become since 1979.
Think that's ridiculous? That it couldn't happen here? That's what Iranians used to think too.
I don't want that to happen in Canada. I prefer freedom for everybody like we have today.
Also, Stephen Harper will boil your children alive and eat them for dinner, so you really shouldn't vote for the Conservatives.
See ya.
;-)