So let me start this by saying I’m no pundit, especially when it comes to last night’s election. It is Wednesday morning as I write, and it is still utterly fresh, but this is a newspaper and it would be ridiculous to publish this week without acknowledging it.
I generally dislike comparisons of current politics/politicians to 1930s-style Fascism, but it is almost Remembrance Day so why not consider a few lessons from that history? Firstly, as we are reminded so often this time of year, “they died for our freedoms.” Included is the freedom to cast a ballot (although we should also remember many groups in both Canada and the US still did not have that right after the war).
Secondly, propaganda works: particularly on populations that feel isolated, hopeless, and ignored.
Thirdly, there are so many things our leaders and our populations could have done, beyond the realm of militarism, to help the people suffering under the rule of hate. Our leaders, and the dominant population of Canada at the time also took the war and hatred into their hearts and punished loyal and innocent Canadians of Japanese descent simply for their ancestry.
Whatever you’re feeling right now, resist the temptation to be angry with the people whose votes decided this election. Generalizations and self-righteousness, they don’t get us anywhere. Not now, not ever.
