聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 I feel like since I talked about religion last week, I should just get all the controversial stuff out of the way and talk a little bit about politics. Again these are just my views, feel free to read or not, feel free to agree with me or not, my job is to write my opinion each week which can be difficult to do.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The other day I was reading and came across a discussion. In the story written a person who had just finished their first year of university spoke with her father. She favoured higher taxes on large companies to support government programs and to redistribute wealth. Her father was a staunch conservative, however, and felt that what you work for is yours.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Both are valid, political views, are political opinions on what you think the best way to run the government is and a democracy lets us all have a choice.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The story continued, the girl and her father got into a heated debate about politics and her father eventually asked her how she was doing in school. The girl had a 4.0 GPA, which is pretty much as high as it gets. She told him how difficult it was to maintain that and how much work she put into it, how she didn鈥檛 have time for anything other than studying.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Her father asked how a friend of the girl鈥檚 was doing. The friend never went to class, parties all the time, and has a 2.0 GPA.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The father argued that she should go ask to have 1.0 GPA taken off his daughter鈥檚 grade and to put it on her friend鈥檚 grade so they each get a 3.0 GPA. The daughter couldn鈥檛 comprehend this and the father says, 鈥淲elcome to the conservative side of the fence.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 No, I probably wouldn鈥檛 want to give 1.0 of my GPA to that friend is this were me, but a different scenario crept into my mind. What about the person that only has a 2.0, but is working their butts off in class, working two jobs to put themselves through school, and have no time for anything other than school and work?
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 They鈥檙e trying to make a difference in their life; they鈥檙e trying to better themselves. Obviously the girl in the story above was well enough off that she could just study. What about the person that is attempting to do their absolute best, trying to change their situation by obtaining a degree, and are only at a 2.0 because they are tired after working two jobs and are attempting to study, but are so tired they can鈥檛 retain what they鈥檝e just read?
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 What about that person?
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I never had a 4.0 in university, but I wasn鈥檛 a slouch either and worked hard for everything I did accomplish. I had a high enough GPA though that if I were asked to give 1.0 away I would still pass and have my degree.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 So, because Canadians are of all walks of life and some are determined to work hard, while others likely do take advantage of the system, my choice is to give up a little of what I have to ensure others have an opportunity if they want to seize it.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The GPA example remains a good one. If I could give up 1.0 of my GPA, with .5 going to the friend that just parties in the example above and .5 going to that person who is doing everything in their power to better themselves then I would. When you apply for jobs after school they don鈥檛 ask what your GPA was, if you have a degree, you have a degree, that鈥檚 what they look for. The rest is on you to answer questions and get hired, the person hiring is going to see what work ethic looks like when they give you a chance to prove yourself.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 So, I would see that as a hand up to somebody who needs a break in life. I happened to be able to give them one in this scenario with the caveat that maybe someone who didn鈥檛 really deserve help got it anyways. But, across Canada isn鈥檛 this, what we should do. Try to help people up, rather than increase the disparity of wealth in the nation? Yes, some people will take advantage, but I guess my hope in people is that the majority out there are looking to work hard and better themselves, and hope that it鈥檚 very few who are taking advantage the system. But maybe I have too much faith in humankind.
