Words matter. They are powerful.
Used carelessly or thoughtlessly, words can be hurtful and counter-productive. Used with malign intent, they can be downright dangerous.
The power of words has been on display in recent days, from Ottawa to Toronto to the United Nations to Washington and Pyongyang, North Korea.
Justin Trudeau and his band of “sunny ways” Liberals have approached the political equivalent of the continental divide – two years in and two years to go before the next election on Oct. 21, 2019. They have had two years to enjoy the fruits of victory and to keep – or not – their campaign promises. Now they face two years of heavier slogging as they try to build momentum for re-election.
To appreciate the gravity of the confrontation between North Korea and the United States – or, if you prefer, between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump – flip the calendar back 55 years to October 1962 and the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Check out this new article by LISPOP associate Christopher Alcantara and Michael Morden:
http://rsa.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/21622671.2017.1360197
Abstract:
LISPOP Associate Christopher Alcantara comments on the recent reorganization of Indigenous Affairs.
Check it out here: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-dissolve-indigenous-affairs-worr...
The chorus of criticism facing President Donald Trump's reluctance in condemning the white supremacist violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, is only the tip of the frustration confronting Republican officials. The president's inclination to pick fights with almost everyone around him (Russian President Vladimir Putin excepted) and to consistently ignore mainstream advice is leading to increased skepticism and disillusionment even among erstwhile supporters.
In the world of politics, the internet can be a force for good of for ill – the jury is still out on that. What can be said with some certainty is that the web can lead you to unexpected places.
“We are determined to take our country back. We are going to fulfil the promises of Donald Trump. That’s why we voted for Donald Trump.” – David Duke, former Imperial Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, on the white supremacist-inspired violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, at the weekend.
There is such a thing as leadership.
There was a time, less than a million years ago, when the federal Liberals prided themselves on their ability to get things done.
They might not have been lovable or even very likeable, and most of the time they weren’t. They were not a warm and cuddly outfit. They didn’t take selfies, hug voters, or remove their shirts in public. (Can anyone imagine “Uncle Louis” St. Laurent – his most famous quote: “If we are to preserve civilization, we must first remain civilized” – on a beach showing off his tattoos?)
Donald Trump’s White House has to be the most fascinating workplace in the western world.
I do not mean “fascinating” in the customary sense of being alluring or charming. I’m thinking of “fascinate” in what my dictionary says is its obsolete meaning: to “bewitch” or “cast an evil spell on.”
Obsolete or not, it is impossible escape the spell cast by a world power centre commanded by an uninformed and irrational head of state who thrives on chaos, who rules by tweet and whose three-step modus operandi is: deny, lie and attack.
Opinion-Policy Nexus is a forum of opinion and commentary on topics related to public opinion and public policy. Views expressed in any blog entry are those of the author and do not reflect LISPOP's positions.
