Coded language of the Yellow Vest Mission Statement
I wrote the following specifically for a conversation in a Facebook group, but I suspect that conversation might be deleted and I thought I’d like to share these thoughts here:…
Christy Knockleby
Reflections on reading a book about Richard the Lionheart
Whenever I read a book, I try to spend a bit of time reflecting on it. I try to choose the most important details of it to retell to myself,…
Today’s Personal Epistemological Crisis
Today I’m having my own little epistemological crisis. My inspiration for these thoughts are a New York Times article talking about a theory on the recent pipe bombs sent to…
Searching for Justice and Equality in Ancient Times
One of the classes I’m teaching these days is a secular Bible study class. I treat the Bible like a work of literature. We discuss the different historical periods and…
Terrorist Activities Sanctions Act – or how to pick a fight with Trudeau and put Ontario health care at risk?
All citizens and permanent residents in Canada are entitled to health care, as set out by the Canada Health Care Act. Now the Conservative Provincial government in Ontario wants to…
Thoughts on Terri-Lynne McClintic being transfered to a healing lodge
There is a fair amount in the news these days about human trafficking, and how it doesn’t always look like someone being grabbed on the street and handcuffed. Most of…
A Slap in the Face
Brett Kavanaugh was right in saying that the whole investigation into him is a national disgrace. He’s wrong about why it is a national disgrace. It is a national disgrace…
Nellie McClung and the challenge of history
Up until a few weeks ago, if I was asked my impression of Nellie McClung I probably would have said “oh, she was that suffragette, right? The one people say…
more reflections on free speech
I’m still slowly reading a big book about 17th century arguments for and against religious tolerance. It is called John Locke, Toleration and Early Enlightenment Culture by John Marshall. I’m…
free speech and fair play
I’ve been fascinated by discussions of free speech recently. Now even a right-wing American group has decided to uninvite a horrid right-wing troll from speaking at their event. The topic…
recognizing racism in Northern Ontario
So there’s a story around here about a company promoting ice huts that said in their ad: “Please no status card users! You are not welcome in our huts. Equality…
December 6th – day of mourning for victims of men’s violence against women.
Today is December 6th. In Canada we remember the women killed this year in a massacre at École Polytechnique. Women were killed because they were women seeking training and jobs…
responding to those who voted for Trump
I’ve been thinking a lot about the questions of what it means to vote for Trump and who the Trump supporters are. I’ve seen lots of posts about how Trump…
Optimism vs Hope
I’m thinking about the difference between optimism and hope. One can be optimistic because one believes things will go well. In some cases optimism is good and natural. However optimism…
the day after the American election
I started blogging right after Stephen Harper was re-elected. Back then my blog was called “Another Step to Take…” I was sitting in shock, staring at election results, and feeling…
Gretta Vosper and the atheist church
Gretta Vosper is a minister in the United Church of Canada, at least for now. A committee in Toronto has recommended that she not be allowed to continue as a…
politics in Gulliver’s Travels
I’m reading Gulliver’s Travels again right now and wanted to share this excerpt from when Gulliver is explaining about British government to the king of the giants: He then desired…
reading 18th century history, reflecting on today
I’ve been reading about various wars in North America during the 1700s. Several things stand out to me. One is the idea that the governments were not able to control…
staying involved in activism while focusing on the homeschooling
The election is over and I am trying to think again about how I can be involved in making change in the world. I would like to be involved in…
PMOs office vetting refugees – not a good idea.
(The following is a guest post by my husband, James. –Christy) When I first heard this morning about the PMOs office “vetting” refugee claimants from Syria, I was struck by…