I've noticed something about the right wing.

[lightningandsnow]

I live in Toronto, Canada, and have been very invested in the upcoming city election. In municipal elections in Canada, candidates are not officially affiliated with any one political party. However, it's usually pretty easy to see where a candidate lies on the political spectrum.

There is a mayoral candidate, Rob Ford, who is extremely right-wing. His entire platform is to create huge spending cuts, with an added side of racism, classism, and homophobia.

I've been volunteering on a city councillor candidate's campaign since July, and, quite frankly, I am sick of rich conservatives who only care about "fiscal responsibility".

There is a real culture of selfishness that permeates the right wing here, especially the rich. The only thing I've seen them talk about is how we need to spend less, and how they need to be taxed less. Even the ones who find Rob Ford's many racist and homophobic remarks distasteful only seem to think so because they think he's a bad speaker who needs to know when to keep his mouth shut, not because they think racism and homophobia are actually morally wrong.

They never think they'll know anyone who's disadvantaged in some way. They never thing being disadvantaged will happen to them.

They don't care if homeless people die on our streets on subzero winter nights, because they don't see the homeless as real people. They see them as an annoyance. They know it will never happen to them.

They don't care about the bullying of LGBTQ students in schools, because they are sure that none of there children are gay or trans.

They don't care if subway stations are completely inaccessible, because they think they'll never have an accident or illness which requires them to use a mobility aid.

They don't care if people can't access HIV prevention programs, because they are convinced, as Rob Ford said himself, that "If you're not gay and you're not doing needles, you won't get AIDS."

Quite frankly, I am sick of people complaining about being taxed, and not caring that the tax cuts they want will hurt vital social programs.

We, as progressives, have to be different. We have to care about others. We have to fight for the most disadvantaged in our society, whether or not we are part of that group.

[sinkingfeeling]

1. It appears that being Right-wing is common across the globe. I still blame the mindset on two things

One is the complete lack of empathy. And I really believe there is a huge failing on the part of religion to teach it.

[yourout]

3. Hell yes....and a huge in your face attitute about it.

Most Republicans I know are very up front an loud about it.

Most Dems I know are happy to stay in the background and are much more willing to listen to other view points.

[lightningandsnow]

7. People definitely seem to have forgotten the golden rule.

[raccoon]

2. Sounds just like the American variety. Rec'd. nt

[lightningandsnow]

4. I think a lot of people think Canada is this liberal haven.

We're awesome and progressive in a lot of ways, but there's still this nasty right-wing element that's pretty strong.

[Lucy Goosey]

5. I don't understand why TO is about to elect that guy...

Although I guess I shouldn't judge - we (in Ottawa) elected our "Rob Ford" last time around - Larry O'Brien, a millionaire businessman with no history of public service who promised "no new taxes" (promise broken), and said he would run the city the way a CEO runs a company (I think Dubya said that too!) He actually had a jacket made that says "I own this town" on the back.

Also, the councilman from my ward - the poorest ward in Ottawa - wants to address the problem of homelessness by taking benches out of bus shelters and putting spikes on other surfaces that people can sit on. Because if homeless people can't sleep in bus shelters, or sit down anywhere in public, they'll just go buy homes, right? Problem solved! :eyes:

Anyway, it looks like we are about about to replace O'Brien with Liberal Jim Watson. Watson's not perfect, but he's so much better than the current mayor.

Is there a chance Ford won't win? I've mostly been getting my updates from my sister in Toronto, who seems resigned to the fact that Ford will be the next mayor.

[lightningandsnow]

6. George Smitherman (centre-left candidate) has a chance....

I'm not a fan of him either, but he would be better than Ford.

I voted on one of the advance voting days, and voted for Joe Pantalone, who's in third. I'm not a fan of strategic voting, and he's the true progressive choice.

I joked with one of my friends that at this rate, I'm definitely going to need alcohol after election night. I'm just going to be drinking more if Ford wins. :P