NO MERE PAIN IN THE BUTT

Hanns F Skoutajan

“Sciatica” is a pain in the butt, one with which I have some familiarity. The pain

originates at the “sciatic notch” which is located near the hip joint of the human

anatomy. From there it fans down the leg all the way to the foot and makes life

miserable along the way.

The condition does not seem to be relegated to age nor is there any known

reason for it. It is treated more or less successfully by physiotherapy, chiropractic

and acupuncture. Mostly the pain is suppressed by medications such as tylenol

and other similar medications that suppress the pain with the hope that the

source will go away on its own, sometimes, unfortunately, to return.

This pain in the butt has some political affinity especially in times of

electioneering when the citizenry is badgered endlessly for funds and votes. The

party with the most funds, it is believed, has the best chance of winning most

votes, we are told.

But hopefully democracy is not dependent on the purchase of votes, that voters

are more intelligent than to be swayed by a plethora of lawn signs and attack ads

on the media. Surely leadership debates as we have recently witnessed the first

one, when party leaders must clarify their policies and give account of

themselves to the voting public is pivotal to the democratic system. Let us not

succumb to cheap electioneering. There are many serious issues at stake,

issues that have to do with our way of life and our relationship to the world.

I grew up in a very political family. My father, as well as my mother, to a lesser

extent, campaigned hard against fascism and for that reason we had to flee the

country when the Nazi party with the help of Chamberlain of Britain, Mussolini of

Italy and Daladier of France won against democracy. Much of the German

population of Czechoslovakia in the fall of 1938 welcomed Hitler’s forces into my

homeland. My family and others like us had to flee but were welcomed to Britain

and Sweden.

I have no sympathy for fascism. The term is mostly associated with prewar

Germany, Italy, Spain and Portugal but in fact has its supporters in our time, in

right wing dictatorships as it was in Chile a few decades ago.

Bertram Gross has written a most interesting and revealing book with the

intriguing title Friendly Fascism. It was related to the Reagan era in the United

States and Margaret Thatcher in Britain. Fascism is a nasty term and no one in

our time aspires to that designation. Fascism is a dirty word but according to

Gross there is a friendly form of it. He exposes and warns Americans about this

creeping ideology, now more than just creeping , that is influencing the

population and can best be seen in the Tea Party movement. As the American

election campaign heats up a year ahead of time the candidates such as Donald

Trump with seemingly unlimited funds stand out as an example of modern day

friendly fascism and not even so friendly at that.

It goes by the name of “populism”, convincing voters that government is the

problem , that the smaller the government the better. Friendly Fascism is usually

against labour, public ownership of health and education and for a strong military,

lower taxes for the rich and corporations, bigger prisons and harsher punishment.

It thrives on fear of terrorism . The book is worth reading again in our time.

A few days ago Canadians mourned the death of Flora MacDonald , minister of

external affairs in the short lived Joe Clarke government. She was by no means a

fascist. She was a Progressive Conservative. The term “progressive” was

dropped by the Harper government. But “Red Tories” as they came to be known

were a truly Canadian form of conservatism. You need not be a fascist to be

conservative.

Her’s were times when parliamentarians of decidedly different ideology and

agenda were nevertheless allowed to communicate with one another in

constructive and even a friendly manner. Now it is sciatica from butt to heel, all

the way.

In the electioneering that is now in progress, in the longest and most expensive

campaign ever, it behooves Canadian voters to look carefully into the policies of

the political parties and to discover “friendly fascism” for what it really is. It is only

too easy to be swayed by promises of freedom, security and wealth.

After October 19 friendly fascism may not be merely a pain in the butt but a full

blown terminal disease of democracy for which there is little effective remedy. I

believe that what we do on that ominous day 10 weeks from now is the most

important decision Canadians will ever make.

Spirit Quest , August 2015