This issue of Humanist Perspectives focuses on the challenges facing liberal democracy and the rule of law as well as Canadian patriotism, business & environment, the humanist peace school and current wars.
This issue of Humanist Perspectives focuses on the challenges facing liberal democracy and the rule of law. Other compelling topics include Canadian patriotism and nationalism, recognizing personal bias, humanism in children’s literature, the war in Ukraine, the situation in Palestine and Canadian Indian residential schools.
- One of the core tenets of liberal democracy is freedom of speech. Paradoxically, the detractors of liberalism employ their freedom to speak to denigrate liberalism. In the past century or more, fascism has repeatedly attacked western liberal democracy but these attacks have mostly been repelled. However, the past decade has seen an increase in American and global populism, and liberal democracies are again under siege.
- Freedom and dignity are two features of liberal democracy. These are protected by laws but what happens if the laws are ignored by the governments sworn to uphold them. Laws in the world’s leading democracy are being over-written, overruled and ignored. Even judges and judicial decisions are being challenged. Freedom and dignity are being diminished. Will America continue to submit to tyranny or will it rise up to defend itself?
- The rule of law is paramount in a democracy but law can also be used to subjugate citizens and deny freedoms. Government are elected to do the bidding of the people, but once in power, leaders can act in ways that serve their own personal interests by ignoring certain laws and enacting others.
- Patriotism and Nationalism; do we need both? Patriotism is love for one’s country. Is Patriotism enough or do we need Nationalism too? Nationalism is providing support to one’s country, often to the detriment of others and other nations. Can we be patriotic while exercising a positive nationalism?
- Education is of utmost importance for our children but it is not always easy to find a school that offers a comprehensive learning environment. Many parents feel that a humanist education is the best option for a well-balanced and comprehensive curriculum.
- Humanism in literature has always played a prominent role in rejecting oppression and encouraging positive values. More than any other literary genre, children’s stories have played a profound role in rejecting authoritarianism, behavioral control, and social domination, instead fostering values such as empathy, freedom, and individuality in young minds.
- On fostering values, can we acknowledge that we are all a little bit of everything? For example, what if gay were a continuum? Barely perceptibly gay to gay-all-the-way; it would not matter. Those of us who are barely perceptibly gay are still gay, and we need to recognize equal rights not only for ourselves but for those who are gay-all-the-way.
- Humanism promotes the peaceful resolution of conflict. How should humanists view the war in Ukraine? How should we judge Russia and Ukraine? Does the right of self-defence outweigh the pursuit of peace, or do we need the former to achieve the latter?
- Moving to the middle east, wars being waged in and around Israel continues to horrify people around the world. What is a humanist response to the savagery? How did this mutual hatred of Jews and Palestinians begin? It is revealing to take an unbiased look at the history of the region.
Critical thinking points out that wrong assumptions are often made in the absence of evidence. Note how Indian residential schools in Canada have received much attention over the past few years. There has been much speculation about mass graves of school children. This was based on the detection of soil disturbances on the grounds of one or more residential schools. However, no bodies have yet been found. Are there really mass graves or was it hastily drawn conclusions made in support of a presumed narrative? 