I am not part of the LGBTQ+ community. I am not Muslim. I am not a person of colour. I am not a farmer. I am not a whistle-blower. I am not a member of a labour union (although I have been in the past). I am not a member of an ethnic minority. I am not a refugee or immigrant. I am not aboriginal. I am not poor (although I have been, and that memory will never go away). I am not a veteran. I am not an inmate. I am not a young person. I am not a student. I am not a frequent user of our health care system (although I deeply appreciate that it is there should I or someone I love needs it). I am not a single parent. I am not a fisherman. I am not trying to get EI. I am not mentally ill (as far as I know). I am not a medical marijuana user, nor am I an addict on the lower east side of Vancouver or in any other major city. I am not a sex worker. I am not an environmental activist (although I have been involved in protests in years gone by). I am not disabled. I am not elderly (although I aspire to be one day). So why do I spend so much time and energy being outraged and vocal about what the Harper government is doing to all these groups, of which I am not a member? Because I am Canadian. And they are Canadian. And when the wolf is at the door, we need to look out for one another. What may seem like someone else's problem today is really OUR problem. And we all need to speak up, to vote, to learn all we can about what is going on. So all Canadians can enjoy a peaceful productive life in this most wonderful of countries. It's not about me. It's about US.
