“Come, my friends
Tis not too late to seek a newer world..."
- Alfred, Lord Tennyson
I don't post nearly as prolifically as I once did, in large part, I suspect, because I have lost the hope that things can be improved in ways that change the world from its present, ineluctable trajectory. The Tennyson quote given at the top is something I no longer believe in, for reasons I discussed
recently. Rather, I think about tending my own garden, in the sense intended by Voltaire.
That does not, however, mean I have lost my taste for truth, at least my interpretation of it. I do abide by the maxim, "Better a bitter truth than a sweet lie."
It is in that spirit that I take issue with The Star's
latest editorial, which sees the record-low turnout of voters for our June 2 provincial election as largely the failure of the parties opposing Ford's Progressive Conservatives to offer a compelling reason to vote for them. As one who has held his nose in countless elections, that view holds little currency with me.
Rather, the following letter from the print edition of today's Star speaks a deeper and darker truth, in my view:
Election result reveals a greedy, selfish Ontario
Ford celebrates his majority win; Del Duca steps down, June 2
Dear Ontario,
You allowed the refund of your licence plate stickers to buy your vote. You voted selfishly, with only your own interests in mind.
You forgot about the thousands of seniors who died, lonely and neglected, in our longterm-care homes during the pandemic.
You forgot about the unravelling of some of the best environmental protection legislation in the country.
You forgot about the dozens of Ministerial Zoning Orders that pushed through developments against the wishes of communities.
The goodness of a society is measured by how well it takes care of those less fortunate and those who can’t speak for themselves. Our seniors, our needy, our disabled, our birds and insects and wild animals and rivers and lakes and wetlands and farmlands — they needed you to vote on their behalf.
This election revealed a greedy, selfish Ontario with a short memory, and a willingness to destroy our environment for short-term gain. How will you explain the consequences of your actions to your children and grandchildren?
Shame on you.
Karen Heisz, Toronto
Amen, Karen.
Can't it be both? I think definitely there's a horrific level of apathy and full on individualism/narcissism that I didn't believe was possible at this time and place in history. Haven't we learned anything from the past? But there were also forces that led people to think it was a done deal, that neither Del Duca nor Horwath could take it anyway, so why bother. And neither are leaders that inspire a following. My students hadn't even heard of Del Duca at the start of the term. Add that to a growing list of questionable mix-ups at polling stations. But, I agree that it's come down to tending our own gardens. Not despair so much as sorrow.
ReplyDeleteNo doubt it is a combination of the two, Marie; uninspired leadership feeds into apathy, but where I draw the distinction is that absolutely nothing, in my view, justifies sitting out an election. It is as if the public needs to be cajoled, entertained and bribed to do their duty. If that is the case, perhaps democracy is already almost dead.
DeleteI wrote here about being able to get only a 6% turnout in my school's Student Vote this time around despite cajoling, entertaining, and bribing kids to vote -- and teachers to take just a few minutes from class to walk them through it!! And it was all online, so they just had to click a button. But it involves some reading and thinking, and I'm blown away by how few are willing to read unless immediately rewarded. Even with rewards of marks, I can't get most kids to read a short passage and do a reading quiz unless they're trying for big scholarships. We're just all going to lie down on the ground and be vegetables more and more until the fighting starts over food shortages. Blarg.
DeleteI just read that post, Marie, and it is sobering. I despair at all the implications we live with today. BTW, I wrote a comment on your most recent post. I don't know if you received it.
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