Being a Heathen is Political: A Canadian Perspective
The more openly Heathen I become, the more I realize that my existence is inherently political. At first I tried to separate my religious identity from my political identity but it soon became clear that I cannot have those two things be separate. I tried to not engage people in my kindred in political discussions, but during covid I finally got bored and decided to have those discussions. I realized how vital they were to my identity in Heathenry. I also realized that I needed to stand up for other people in order to be able to stand up for what I believed in. For example if I want religious freedom then I have to stand up for other people's religious freedoms too. This is the reason why I'm a huge advocate for giving space for my Muslim students to pray, and making sure any provided snacks are halal.
At this point I feel I cannot stay silent about political issues anymore, as they currently have huge impacts on my world. So for all of you who are going to argue this is not a political blog, this is a theological blog, then you can show yourselves out. This is a Canadian Heathen blog and I'm talking about things that affect Canadian Heathens right now.
Donald Trump. I know, I know, he is the American president. But his tariffs and other things he is saying about Canada are shaping what sort of election we are about to have. It doesn't matter what your political views are, this is true. I am listening to everyone around me, and their myriad of perspectives. Something that keeps coming up is in fascism, marginalized groups sound the alarm first. My African American friend is sounding the alarm. And she is being very clear to me how to be an ally in this moment. The LGBTQ+ community is sounding the alarm too. Women in my circles are sounding the alarm. At what point to we have to start really taking this seriously? At what point is it already too late?
I hear from outside my echo chamber that maybe we are being too sensitive. Are we? Why then did my penpal who has always voted Republican, say what she did to me the other day? She said, “Trump likes to joke but some people misunderstand that. At least, I hope he's joking.” I hope. There is a seed of doubt growing even among lifelong Republican voters. I hope. We all hope for a better world. We don't always agree on how to get there. My penpal is always respectful of other people who are different from her, but she seems complacent in causing those same people harm. I wonder sometimes, if this was Nazi Germany, would she be a sympathist? And then what does that mean for me? But I know also from research that the quickest way to ensure someone goes further right into dangerous territory is for them to feel like they have no community left to fall back on when they finally realize this isn't where they want to be. What is the correct course? We all are just guessing.
I feel very much I don't want to be political at all, but like many things in life it may be a condition of living. Perhaps by not being political at all I am doing this existence a disservice. Change doesn't come from stagnation. Perhaps by not being political at all you are still being political.
I was interviewed by an academic about my Heathen practice last year. He asked me what I wanted most. I said I wanted every person to be able to live their best life. I want that for myself, so by necessity I want it for others as well. So I guess those are my politics, being a decent person to the best of my ability, so other people can also have good lives. And I hope other people are doing the same so I can have a good life too. I am pretty sure not everyone has mine (or anyone’s) best interests in mind though. I am pretty sure life experience has made me too jaded.
But what of Canadian politics right now? This election is like a reflection on a choppy lake. We have taken American politics and distorted it until the image is completely without meaning. Now debate. But are we even focusing on the issues that need attention? We are all very wrapped up in the carnival going on to the south of us. That is going to be key to this election. Who is a strong leader and negotiator? Who will do what needs to be done? But is that enough?
Canadians have been coming together across the country and across walks of life to help each other in the face of these uncertain times, but how can the government help us to continue to bolster this sense of community with one another? How can we use this moment to fix a rupture in community that has existed for too long? We haven’t been thinking very much about other Canadians. How is the guy in Northern British Columbia doing who owns a small business distributing bread with a single truck? How is the oil sands worker doing? What about French-Canadians? They sang our anthem pretty loud in Montreal at the Four Nations Face Off. I have heard first hand that some Quebeckers feel like a part of Canada for the first time. How are the Indigenous peoples feeling as we suddenly are hearing Donald Trump talk about redrawing borders on their own native land? What about Ukrainian immigrants, working hard just to support their families in this country. They pay taxes but may not even be Canadian citizens. What about people in the tech industry, who feel they have to leave for other countries because there aren't enough Canadian companies to employ them? What about the recently graduated doctors, also leaving in droves because they can't make enough to pay off their student loans, let alone buy their first house and settle down? How can the government help us to help all these people and more? How can we help each other?
It starts with grassroots, and grassroots grow, deep into the Prairie soil. Meter long roots cling firm to the Prairie soil. Grassroots grow tentatively in the cracks of rocks on the Canadian shield, and sporadically in semi-desert of Osoyoos, British Columbia where tufts of grass are caressed by hot sand. The grassroots grow lush in the fertile soil along the Saint Lawrence River. They dangle from the cliffs by the sea in New Brunswick. The grass whispers in the wind filling the Canadian air with its soft symphony. We have never been so close together as this moment. We have never been so far apart. We must tend to these grassroots with loving care, under Sol’s ever-warming rays. As the grassroots slowly take over the landscape, trees also tentatively find places to grow. They provide shade against the elements that would be too harsh. They are strong, and flexible in the face of storms, rising up to meet the challenge of the days ahead.
Trees can share resources through their roots. They are able to provide mutual aid when the times get rough.
Fungus grows too in the shade of the trees, amidst the grassroots, because even decay is necessary to the cycles of life. A vast mycelium network stretches out over Turtle Island. We have never been more connected. We have never been further apart. We don’t need stagnance, but very slow and steady growth. We need connection to the cycles of all life, to the plants, and animals, and each other. The first step is to let Sol’s light fill us, and just breathe.
