Being a bit of a pragmatist.

I'm probably as liberal as they come but I'm also older. When I do vote compasses I'm always square in the social and fiscal liberal columns.

That said, I am friends with people from all walks of life and I can tell you the general consensus is that things have swung too far to the left and what we are seeing is a swing back to the right. It's all a pendulum. I've had this conversation with pretty much every one from every background so it's not just a white people thing. People need to understand that people from many different backgrounds being their own flavour of hatred and bigotry to the conversation. Asians are notoriously racist. Black people are notoriously homophobic (my African girlfriend doesn't like my earrings or the fact I wear colourful socks for Christsake).

What truly amazes me is how fast and how hard the pendulum has swung the other direction in America and damn does it not look good. In Canada it's swinging right but far more measured and the hope is not much farther.

Even as progressive as I am my daughter has an after school program called "Girls Inc" and I have thought to myself why don't my sons have a Boys Inc to which the response in my head is it's still a mans world and if I tried to make one I'd be accused of something negative I'm sure so I never pursue it.

I will say right now if the expression is "a rising tide lifts all ships" we have not been paying adequate attention to the ships that are not rising as fast or as much. This is what is causing the pendulum swings IMHO and without addressing the deep underlying and systemic issues it's only going to get worse.