I do not understand.
11:15 p.m.
At the beginning of my 11:30 lesson this morning, I let slip to my student, a just-18-year-old, the fact that there were a lot of upset people on the internet today. She asked me, Did Bush win? and I answered, Apparently so. An enormous smile spread across her face. This is a Canadian, folks, not an American. This is a girl from a small town whose admittedly �best friend� is Jesus. I have not discussed my own ideology with her, and she did admit that perhaps Bush wouldn�t have been her first choice for a president, but his party and what it stands for is. I merely plunged into the warm-up exercises and no more was said on the matter. But here is an example of a religious fundamentalist who is probably anti-abortion, anti same-sex marriage and who has been totally brainwashed by the elders of her church into believing whatever they tell her, because she has never learned to think for herself. It made me sick.
The only thing, and I mean the only thing that kept Canada from electing a conservative government in our last election was the Bloc Qu�becois, a party whose very existence and mandate demand the separation of Quebec from the rest of Canada. Quebecers voted overwhelmingly for them, not because they want to separate, but because they want the best deal for Quebec and having the Bloc in the House keeps the other parties honest. Add to that the �leftness� of the Bloc, and you have a guarantee that the Conservative Party cannot form an alliance with them and topple the minority Liberal government now in session. It�s perfect.
I think it is high time the United States overhauled its outdated two-party system and allowed a more British-style government. Two parties do not adequately reflect the needs and desires of the electorate. But this will never happen. Even now, there is a deep-seated fear in the States of anything that even hints at communism, and a socialist party would be suspect from the start. Where would Canada be without the NDP? Well, for one, we wouldn�t have a national health care policy, or welfare or unemployment insurance. Without politicians who are willing to vote for what they personally believe in and not just tow the party line, we would still have capital punishment, simple marijuana possession would still be a criminal offence, and five provinces would not already have legalized same-sex marriage.
Apart from all that, I really don�t know what else to say. I mourn for my American friends and neighbours. I mourn for the families of the young men who are going to die in Iraq. Did Michael M00re�s film have absolutely no effect at all on the American psyche? Did anyone actually see it? I just don�t understand.
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