A Note on Partisanship
There’s something that has caught my attention from the very start of the Regina Streets Magazine, and it continues to peak my interest since the start of this website. That is, we get just as many comments and compliments from the “right” of the political spectrum as we do from the “left”.
I think that partisanship is both detrimental and ridiculous, in politics and in life. Take this magazine. Do I have to be on the left to talk about the causes and effects of poverty? Do I have to be on the right to have a strong corporate business model and believe in microdevelopment? Absolutely not.
The Regina Streets Magazine has always been staunchly non-partisan because we value the opinions of more than one ‘perceived’ side of a coin. To create better dialogue, debate, and most importantly, change – we must set aside the words and attitudes that partisanship embodies, and work together. I can only give purposeful effort, and hope that one day I’ll get the opportunity to work for this change together with you…
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About Stacey: Stacey is a University of Regina grad in political science. She's interested in electoral politics, poverty, and how we all interact. In her day job, she works closely with industry in Saskatchewan. Personally, her interests range from critical race theory to particle physics and cooking. When she grows up, she wants to change the world! |
Great post, Stacey…
I resent being pigeon-holed on one side of the political spectrum. In fact, I think that a one dimensional/left-right political spectrum does a grave disservice to political dialogue. Let’s face it – politics/beliefs are contingent upon too many different factors to be described simply as left or right….
Perhaps the political spectrum is a heuristic worth scrapping?
Bravo Greg, bravo.
You stated that, “I think that a one dimensional/left-right political spectrum does a grave disservice to political dialogue”, and I wholeheartedly agree.
I also think your idea of scrapping the political spectrum is intriguing. The left-right divide is antiquated; that being said, we have political parties/independents (in theory) because people have different beliefs and ideas. *And that’s the important part*!
Thankfully there are diverse opinions and perspectives to be represented and inform our greater public policy. The time will come, and hopefully soon, when our politicians will have to set aside these petty differences, stop wasting valuable time, and work together in a meaningful and constructive way. That is how one creates change.