Value our democracy
They’re fighting for what we’re lucky enough to already have.
In Hong Kong, protests by huge numbers of citizens are now in their 12th week, and the stakes keep getting higher.
Hong Kong police on Sunday brought water cannons into play, in concert with rubber bullets and tear gas, to try and control the almost-daily protests, some of which have boasted well over a million protestors. The move came after protestors also escalated their methods, cutting down “smart” surveillance lampposts, and throwing bricks and gasoline bombs.
The protests started in response to a bill that would have seen Hong Kong residents extradited to face trial in mainland China, a move seen as eroding Hong Kong’s independence.
The bill was withdrawn, but pro-democracy protests have gone on: there have been general strikes, airport shutdowns, and almost-daily protests. Meanwhile, there have been threatening moves from China, including troop movements and near-by staging areas set up for armed personnel carriers and training for soldiers in detention methods.
The writing is on the wall, and the upcoming violence it seems to portend is alarming.
It should also be a message to Canadians about how valuable democracy actually is to people who don’t have it, and how frequently we simply take it for granted.
We are in a wonderful and enviable position; we get to choose our governments in open elections, their policies (mostly) on clear display, without police or state officials blocking access to polling stations, without people fearing for their lives or careers when they do their civic duty and head for polling stations.
Yet there are plenty who not only don’t vote, but even some who crow proudly about how they choose not to vote for any of the available candidates, because “they’re all the same.”
How about running yourself, then? Because you can. That’s how open our democratic process really is.
Canadian elections are not without their own particular concerns: first and foremost for the upcoming federal election is probably the use and abuse of social media, especially attempts by foreign nations to interfere with the political process. There’s also, quite legitimately, concerns about the way that third party involvement, either by business or other groups, could skew voters’ opinions. The current party system also leaves the selection of viable, electable candidates pretty much under the standards of the existing federal parties.
It’s far better though than staring into the barrel of a gun that maybe be firing a harmful rubber bullet, or worse.
Scores of Canadians fought for our democracy, and many died for it. At this point, all we have to do is to thoughtfully and carefully exercise it.
Do your homework, make your choice, walk into the polling station.
You don’t even need to prepare for tear-gassing.