We need dialogue, not more tribal warfare
By Lethbridge Herald on September 4, 2025.
Tadashi (Tad) Mitsui
For the Herald
Scott Sakatch’s observation about the Conservative movement in Alberta reminds me of the peculiar Alberta politics. (July 29, 2025) Alberta conservatives (in small “c”) have gone through so many transformations that it looks like a coalition of several political factions with a sole purpose to keep “socialists” out. As soon as they succeed to form a government, internal conflict takes over.
They destroy themselves more often than defeating the opponent. That seems to be the nature of the Alberta conservatives. Why they can not stay together in good times and bad?
Granted politics change and evolve constantly even within one party. Why then Alberta party politics cannot maintain unity by compromise.
A Toronto MP, who happened to be a clergy person, said to me that the most important fight to win is the debate within a party while keeping party unity. Yesterday’s enemy may be an ally tomorrow. So they better watch the language.
Likewise, why dirty tricks and questionable tactics? Don’t they realize such venom will come back to poison them also?
Nothing is static in the real world. Constant change is normal. There is nothing wrong with change. Change is the sign of life. No change means death.
It also means there is no such thing as complete uniformity. It is like a river. You cannot touch the same water twice. Continual change and countless varieties is the fact of life.
It is the same with religion. In the recent movie “Conclave”, the Dean of the College of Cardinals in charge of the electoral process said, “Certitude is the enemy of faith.”
We accept what is uncertain in faith not as the knowledge of changeless truth. That is why it is “faith” not knowledge. You can not trust one who claims to possess the knowledge of the eternal never changing truth: he is a liar.
Yet verbal political battles are like religious war. Doctrinal differences divided Christendom and caused the bloodiest and the longest war in Europe (Thirty Years War). Likewise politics.
Today, most of us have accepted that difference is normal and certitude is an idol worship. So do not speak of your political party or your religion as though it possesses panacea and others are infidels or terrorists. I
f constant change is normal, why do we fight over differences instead of engaging in dialog? Humans have killed each other over differences in politics, religion, and in culture and race throughout history.
I think it’s a sickness that will lead us to our ultimate demise. Yuval Harari’s graphic book, “Sapiens” put the date of the end of Homo Sapiens seventy-five years from now. Judging from the way we are behaving, Harari’s prediction may not be far-fetched.
There is nothing wrong with the difference. Difference is normal. It’s important to acknowledge that. It is not racism nor xenophobia.
There is nothing wrong noticing differences between people, neither is it wrong to be cautious of something you have no experience dealing with. It is natural.
However, it is unacceptable to make value judgement on the difference. It’s merely different, neither good nor bad. Another pitfall is to attach ideology or political party affiliation to the difference.
Damage can be serious even lethal if you don’t detach a simple difference from a political idea or a value. We all belong to the same species. Never call them names.
Uneasy reactions are temporary. Desmond Tutu said, “We are all Africans who emerged in East Africa. Some migrated to Europe and to Asia. They did not get enough Sun.”
However, the real danger is when it comes to ideological, political, and religious issues. The difference in political or religious question stirs up extreme emotion and even hostility as though a tiny difference can be life threatening. To notice differences between people is not racism. It’s natural.
But there is absolutely no reason to judge a certain color, appearance, habit, custom, or taste wrong. It’s simply a difference.
Difference and value are not synonyms. So I want civility in our political discourse. Once you start calling names, there will be no u-turn.
23-22
Poilievre, Thomas et al, take note!
Mr. Mitsui, it is time you read the correct side of the corn flake box. Maybe then you would understand reality. Surmising from your diction your spectrum of resources is not consistent rather a spattering of opinions from here there and everywhere. Your prerogative absolutely. However your concept of “Faith” is by no means Biblical and predictions of the end of the age are not Biblical either. Surely your Toronto clergy could direct you on both issues OR you could read the Holy Scriptures and learn the truth therein.