Sunday, April 26, 2009

Campaign Day 13...(cont'd)....Just What, Exactly, Is A B.C. Liberal Anyway?

WhoNeedsThirteenYearOldEMails
WhenYou'veGotActions&DeedsVille


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Update: We have a fan of Ms. Polak on the comment thread line who unabashedly supports her somewhat less than small 'l' liberal views on tolerance...Feel free to have a look and leave a comment if you like....Alternatively, if you feel more comfortable commenting off-line, I'm always happy to receive Email... The address is: pacificgazette@yahoo.ca
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First, The Merriam-Webster Dictionary.....
Main Entry: lib·er·al
Function:noun
Date:1820 :

a: person who is liberal: as a: one who is open-minded or not strict in the observance of orthodox, traditional, or established forms or ways.
b capitalized: a member or supporter of a liberal political party
c:
an advocate or adherent of liberalism especially in individual rights


Second, The British Columbian Librarians Association on Censorship.....
On December 21, 2002 the Supreme Court presented its ruling that the ban on books about gay and lesbian parents has no place in a public school system that claims to promote diversity and tolerance. Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin wrote in the 7-2 ruling that "parental views, however important, cannot override the imperative placed upon the British Columbia public schools to mirror diversity of the community and teach tolerance and understanding of difference." Throughout the 35-page ruling, the Chief Justice repeatedly stressed the importance for a secular school board to avoid caving in to pressure from religious parents to the point of excluding the values of other members of the community. However, the judgement returned the decision of whether to approve the books back to the School Board and Mary Polak, chair of the Board, said that she could not predict what decision the board might make next time.

On June 12, 2003 the school board voted 5-2 again to ban the three contentious books from use the classroom. The vote came after six years of controversy and over $1 million in legal costs for the school board.



So, does Gordon Campbell's Minister of 'Healthy Living And Sport', Mary Polak, who is running for re-election in Langley fit the definition of someone who is a 'liberal'?

I would submit that she most definitely does not.

But a much more important question is the following.....

How could any voter who is even the smallest 'l' liberal, ever support a candidate (or a party that supports such a candidate for that matter) who worked so long and so tirelessly to promote censorship, close-mindedness, and intolerance?


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Image at the top of post: The Speeder and The Censor....
And, yes Virginia,
Lotusland really does have a minister of 'Healthy Living And Sport'.....Which can only make you wonder if, during a third mandate, the good burghers of LINOville plan to add 'Clean Minds' to the mandate.....


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