In February 14’s issue I wrote about how some politicians define “freedom” as the ability personally to do what you want (like disobeying masks and vaccine mandates) while also being able to restrict what other people do (like teaching about race in school). Since that column appeared, many new rights-restrictive bills have appeared in US…
In 1983, ABC showed a made-for TV movie called “The Day After,” which told the story of Kansas families caught in a nuclear war between the USSR and NATO. A lot of us kids watched that movie and were traumatized. I’ll be honest – I didn’t even have the guts to watch it. Kids in…
I met James in 2008 when I interviewed him for a job. He was about my age. He had a son about my son’s age. He was recently divorced, too, just like me. He liked politics, Star Trek, old movies and NFL football, and I liked three out of four of those things, too. It…
At some point, it became all about “freedom.” I first noticed it about 20 years ago, just after 9/11. George W. Bush was addressing a joint session of congress. Answering why terrorists hate America, Bush said: “They hate our freedoms.” In the 20 years since, protecting “our freedoms” has been the foundation of a lot…
Medieval Christmas traditions would seem a little weird to most of us. In fact, the kind of Christmas that my ancestors likely observed in the fishing villages of Medieval North Holland probably looked a lot more like Halloween than Christmas. Take caroling, for example. We think of caroling as a joyful, cheer-sharing pastime meant to…
Canadian anti-vaccination activists have been throwing a tantrum. They’ve been blockading hospitals. During the election they were throwing gravel at political events. Yelling and swearing at candidates. Vandalizing candidates’ personal property and election signs. They say it’s because they’ve been “pushed too far.” They say that the government is limiting freedom. They claim they want…
Movies make political campaigns look dramatic. There’s always some veteran campaigner with rolled up shirtsleeves and a loose necktie running a “war room,” yelling at junior staffers, throwing papers around and smoking cigarettes. There’s always a huge scandal, and the chief strategist has a brilliant idea that turns the whole election around. I’ve been on…
It’s election season again in Canada. You can tell, because the robocalls have started, the requests for donations are more urgent, and politicians across the country have bought some new shoes for door-knocking. This should be a happy time for Canadians. We are champions of “peace, order and good government,” which is why having a…
As I pushed the stroller down the path, I met a couple coming towards me. “Oh, what a beautiful baby girl,” said the woman. “You must be so proud of your. . .” and she froze, mid-sentence, looking at my white hair. “Daughter,” I said. “Daughter,” she replied, relieved. “You have a lovely daughter.” There…
In 2016, I wrote an article for Christian Courier called “Disruptive Theology.” I said that in the digital age, churches are less about where you live, and more about a community of believers with a shared understanding of faith. That digital ways of connecting with each other were becoming more important to many of us…
Everything has changed in politics, since Trump. I should know. In 1999 I was contracted to write speeches for Ontario Premier Mike Harris. A few years later, I was called up to work for Dalton McGuinty, a job I kept until 2012. I also worked in the last election in 2018. So, in total, I’ve…
“So, how much money do you make?” It’s hard to imagine starting a conversation this way. You can ask about a person’s education and grades. You can ask what music they like. You can even ask why they still follow a certain Toronto Hockey Team even though they haven’t won a Stanley Cup in the…
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