… and other musings.

The yesterday-today-tomorrow mindset…do you ever find yourself caught in a whirlwind, with nothing to hold onto? Like in the movie,Twister, when the HUGE tornado is coming and the two characters strap themselves with leather belts onto a bar that is buried deep into the ground in order to not be lost up in the storm.

Consider this: if there were three bars to choose from, and you have ENOUGH time to make the decisions, which bar would you go for?

That first one… you’ve actually past it already. The yesterday choice. It is there that you see what was… the place where decisions sit decided, dreams remain still yet to come true, and promises made have been kept or forgotten. So many things surround it… the beginning of life, where you made your initial mistakes and scored some winning points; an accountability of all your firsts The metal has been weathered by the passing of time… so much that you know if you try holding onto it for much longer, the smooth and worn down surface will cause your hands to lose grip and slide off…

You take a step to the next one but your eye catches as the sun glistens off the one even farther away. Tomorrow… your future. The pole is brand new, nothing has touched it or tainted it in any way. You must decide whether to put all of your strength and energy into something that might be so unreal that it truly doesnt exist… will you strap yourself on where you cannot predict how well you will be able to keep holding onto it? It has yet to be experienced… so new you can see a reflection of possibility, change, mistakes, perseverence, and things you never dreamed could be yours. But would you really want to stand there and stare into its shiny surface for so long that you forget to grab onto it… and the other moments pass you by?

Not even noticing, you’re resting on the middle post. The bar not shiny or smooth. Just sort of in between. In the wind it tends to sway and in the sun it gets very hot. You certainly don’t know if you can trust it to hold you, as it is slightly unstable and offers no guarantees. This is today. It’s not wishing for the future or desiring what was. It’s ONLY making promises you intend to keep. It’s actually having a dream. It’s making mistakes but having nothing to worry about. It’s not holding a grudge. It’s making a friend and keeping him there. It’s DEFINITELY not being angry. It’s making the decision to be only YOU and loving every minute of it. It’s taking a chance on things that you are completely unsure of. It’s a risk. And it’s what makes today.

What bar would you choose? Could you trust another person to make the decision for you? Would you decide to even raise the bar even HIGHER… far out of your reach, because you’re not going to hang onto anything; instead, let this life just carry you away?

Hey, this is for ALL the readers of my little journal here (so all of you, that I don’t even know read it, please take part in this…you can remain anonymous).. I was just wondering if you think I should change my layout… if it is difficult to read, too dark, or you can’t hide it from your bosses at work. Problem is that I cant find any that I necessarily like other than the plainness of this but please let me know in a comment if you think it needs to change… then I will just find anything to change it to. Thanks. And have a nice day.

So in our philosophy of ethics class this morning, our professor poised this question:

Should people who have been incarcerated (serving time) in prison maintain their right to vote?

Megan, myself, two fine gentleman, and another lady all formed a group in order to justify our opinions on this matter. We were supposed to pretend to be ‘judges’ in a courtroom and by applying the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, we were to determine whether prisoners should be allowed to vote or not.

The cool part about debates such as these are that BOTH sides are totally justifiable… for example:

Against –> prisoners shouldn’t vote because they’ve violated human rights in committing these crimes (robbery, murder, money laundering, etc) therefore their own rights should be abolished.

For–> prisoners are still Canadian citizens, and their right to vote may not help themselves (life term sentences) but it may enhance the quality of life for their families… and possibly life in prison.

Against–> They’ve been removed from society for reasons, therefore not a part of society anymore.

For–> How can they feel a part of society upon re-entry if they are stripped of the aspects society allows.

Here’s some key points from the charter:

Rights and freedoms in Canada

1. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the rights and freedoms set out in it subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.

and number 2:

Fundamental freedoms

2. Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms:
a) freedom of conscience and religion;
b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication;
c) freedom of peaceful assembly; and
d) freedom of association.

and lastly:

Democratic rights of citizens

3. Every citizen of Canada has the right to vote in an election of members of the House of Commons or of a legislative assembly and to be qualified for membership therein.

Your thoughts? Yes, please.