Jim Taylor's Columns - 'Soft Edges' and 'Sharp Edges'

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9

Oct

2016

Hillary Clinton barred from old boys’ club

Author: Jim Taylor
As the news stories pile up about police shootings of black men in the U.S., there can no longer be any doubt about the country being deeply rooted in racism. As Hillary Clinton said, when she addressed a black church in Charlotte, North Carolina, “Because my grandchildren are white… they won’t face the kind of fear that we heard from the young children testifying before your city council." Clinton was referring to the children who spoke to the Charlotte Council after the police shooting of Keith Lamont Scott. There was a catch in Clinton’s voice. It was either genuine emotion, or exceptional acting. But the reactions to Clinton herself embody something else, perhaps even deeper than racism. The U.S. is also undeniably sexist.
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2

Oct

2016

The second half of communication

Author: Jim Taylor
The newspaper for which I write these columns tells me that it sometimes run short of letters to the editor. I can’t personally remedy that shortage. But because I was partly responsible for them starting a “Letters to the Editor” page, many years ago, I feel some obligation at least to consider the matter. Letters to the editor are, I contend, the essential second half of communication. The first half is the message sent out, by whatever means. Including blogs, FaceBook, and, yes, handwritten letters. It’s one person talking. The second half is the other person responding. If no response is possible, communication might as well fall on deaf ears. I don’t know about you, but I lose interest very quickly whenever I encounter speakers who are interested only in hearing their own opinions.
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25

Sep

2016

Close votes reveal division, not decision

Author: Jim Taylor
A mere 27 votes defeated West Kelowna’s plan to build a new city hall. A three per cent shortfall squashed B.C.’s 1995 referendum on electoral reform. Last June, fewer than two per cent of British voters pulled the plug on the European Union. Do these kinds of figures reflect a clear mandate for action? If just 14 people had voted differently in the West Kelowna referendum, the city council would now be negotiating $15 million in funding, instead of licking its wounds. That’s democracy, some will say. If you give the people a vote, you have to accept their decision. But do a few votes either way genuinely reflect the will of the people? The 1995 referendum on Quebec sovereignty failed by less than one per cent. The margin was tiny; the consequences massive. A figurative handful of voters could have broken up a country of 30 million people.
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20

Sep

2016

Letters re Gretta Vosper

Author: Jim Taylor
I’ve been overwhelmed by both the quantity and the quality of the letters I have received over the last few days, about my column comparing the United Church’s examination of Gretta Vosper’s ministry to the Inquisition. Forty letters is a new record! The quantity -- 40 letters, covering 18 pages when print out! -- makes it impossible for me to simply append them to this coming Sunday’s Sharp Edges column. The quality of the letters’ reasoning also makes it difficult for me to reduce them to Twitter-length excerpts. Even so, I have done some editing -- mostly for length, but I hope without distorting anyone’s intent. Warning: even with some editing, this is a very long mailing. So instead of the usual “Your Turn” section in the regular Sunday mailing, I’ve set up this special mailing entirely of your letters.
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Categories: Sharp Edges

Tags: Gretta Vosper

18

Sep

2016

When beliefs matter more than behaviour

Author: Jim Taylor
If there is a life after death, Torquemada must be clapping his hands in glee. My church, The United Church of Canada, has re-instituted the Inquisition. Torquemada, you may recall, headed the Inquisition, the Roman Catholic Church’s attempt to stamp out heresy. A week ago, a 23-member committee appointed by the United Church’s Toronto Conference recommended revoking the Rev. Gretta Vosper’s ordination. Her non-standard theology offended too many traditionalists. The mandate of the Inquisition -- sorry, the committee -- was to examine Vosper’s fitness for ministry. They did not do that. In their own words, “This interview did not assess whether Ms. Vosper meets the Standards of Practice with respect to administration, community outreach and social justice, continuing education, denomination and communities, leadership, pastoral care and self-care. The question that Toronto Conference asked this Committee to address was limited to her beliefs and her theology…
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