Logan Is Here. Get Ready to Rumble

Hi everyone. Logan here. Let’s get right down to it. I’m a progressive blogger and member of Canada’s New Democratic Party. Yes, that’s right. I have a bias. I am not a socialist though. I am a Free Market Lefist very much on the side of those like Gary Doer. I have been involved in provincial and federal politics since I was eighteen years old. I was one of the youngest members of a constituency association in BC when I was selected as the Vice President of my NDP constituency at the age of 19. I’ve kept myself involved and have been a consistent social activist.  I organized my local Canadians Against Proroguing Parliament protest and it was a stunning success. I currently live in China with my fiancee and will until April 20th 2011.

Now, why am I here? I would say that I’m angry, but I think’s that too simple a word to use to describe my horror at the lack of progressive presence in the media in Canada. I’m not under any illusion that I will be able to change the world by writting some words on a blog. I know how easy it is to ignore blogs. But I don’t want us to be ignored anymore. I’m tired of the right in this country constructing the narrative and shows like Power and Politics using Conservative talking points in every single debate or subject line that they report with. I watch with such sadness, because the CBC is suppose to be a place that Canadians can come together that allows for talk and debate without taking sides. As long as the CBC uses right wing talking points and continues to pandor to the government just so they can have ministers on the show continues to push debate farther and farther afield. Even moderate Liberals and red Tory viewers, who are pounded day after day after day with Conservative talking points from Pierre Polievre and Dimitri Soudas, will either just shut off and tune out. Or worse. They will agree with them.

So the time has truly come. It’s time to stop being afraid to challenge the right in this country. They cannot call us socialist just because was believe in a safety net for our nations poorest people or want strong environmental regulations. We can be radical and we can be passionate and not be socialist or even social democrats (not that being either of these things is bad). When the media becomes so concentrated with one message over and over, we have a dangerous situation.

The Left needs to consolidate, however it can. Yes, this means coalition, this means merging, this means coming together to fight the anti-fact(see the census issue), anti-diplomatic (see Conservative attitutdes towards Palistine), and anti-democratic (proroguations) Conservatives so we can deliver ourselves the country we want. In the last election 66% of us didn’t vote for the Conservatives. But they are in power. And we can no longer rest on our laurels and say “Oh well we didn’t vote for them.” Yes, we didn’t, but they are in power and will continue to be as the percentage of Canadians turn away from the polls. The vote will concentrate more and more in the hands of the right wing and the Conservative majority will come. For those who still aren’t convinced that there is a hidden agenda, just look to this past summer. The agenda came out. Harper has tried to put a lid on it, but the genie is out of the bottle.

How much is it going to take for progressives to band together and kick these guys out. They are not good for Canada. They are not good for our weakest and most marginalized, they aren’t good for our own democracy and they have proved that they are not good for those who depend on us abroad. This is the beginning for me. I will not rest until progressives are riled up and take to the streets. I’m not calling for violent protest. This just gives the right wing and mainstream media to call us radicals. I’m calling for logic and discussion. I’m calling for ideas and coming together. Let’s work hard in these next months and years to bring progressives and liberals together to form a powerful Bloc that can show the right wing that we will not be silent when it comes to their corporatist agenda.

This is what you can expect to come from Logan. My introduction and my first little rant. I hope you comment. I hope you like what I have to say. If you hate what I have to say, that’s great to. But let’s talk people. Our country is being taken from us and it’s time to take it back.