September 22, 2025

Language, Politics, and the Weight of Words in a Divided Time

The murder of Charlie Kirk has ignited a storm of reactions — grief, shock, anger, and, inevitably, division. Some mourn a man they saw as a leader; others wrestle with the harm his rhetoric caused. But beyond the tragedy itself, this moment exposes a deeper truth: we are living in a time when silence is not neutral. Ignoring what is happening around us will not make it disappear.

Silence condones. Neutrality empowers oppression.

When vulnerable people and communities are being targeted by governments, politicians, and extremists, we cannot afford to “not do politics.” We cannot retreat into the comfort of “staying out of it.” Human rights are being stripped away in real time, and the choice to disengage is itself a political act — one that benefits those who seek power through division.

The Weight of Words

Language matters. Words are not empty. When we call someone a “racist,” a “bigot,” or say their rhetoric fuels “hate,” those words carry definition and history. They are not insults — they describe actions and ideologies:

Bigot: one who is obstinately intolerant of other groups.
Racist: one who believes racial superiority determines worth.
Hate: extreme aversion or hostility, often politicized and weaponized to ‘other’ communities.

In Canada, hate speech is legally defined as the public promotion of hatred against an identifiable group. Protected groups include race, religion, gender identity, disability, and more. These protections exist because words — especially when amplified by politics or media — can become weapons.

That’s why I will not apologize for saying: defending racism is racist.

Excusing bigotry is enabling it. Shielding hate is fueling it.

Exploiting Fear

I understand why so many people are angry and confused. When we are afraid, when change feels overwhelming, fear and anger are natural. But this is exactly what extremist politics thrives on — rage farming. Leaders who cannot lead cultivate enemies instead. They redirect fear toward “the other.” They frame equality as oppression.

Because here’s the uncomfortable truth:

When you are accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.

And politicians are exploiting that feeling — weaponizing it to push religious and political agendas, to cling to power and profit, even if it means dismantling democracy itself.

We see it in the demonization of Antifa — a word that literally means anti-fascism. Fascism is not a buzzword; it is an ideology rooted in authoritarian control, suppression of opposition, and the elevation of nation and race above all else. If opposing that makes us “terrorists,” then perhaps we all need to proudly embrace the that label in the form of resistance.

We should all be Anti-Fa.

The only people who are not Anti-Fascism are in fact, Fascists.

The Responsibility to Resist

No one deserves to die for their beliefs. Celebrating death is never okay. But neither is silence in the face of oppression. History has shown us, time and again, that silence allows hate to grow.

We must resist.
We must speak.
We must get involved.

Not because politics is easy, but because politics shapes the dignity, safety, and freedoms of our neighbors. Not because resistance is comfortable, but because ignoring oppression makes us complicit.

Here’s what I believe we must hold onto:

We all share common ground, if we choose to see it.
Politicians who thrive on division are not leaders, they are exploiters.
Rage farming only works when we give it oxygen.
Equality is not oppression.
Silence protects the oppressor, never the oppressed.
Accountability is not censorship.
Facts matter, even when inconvenient.
Neutrality in the face of hate is not neutrality — it’s surrender.

At this moment, we are called to resist — not with violence, but with courage, with truth, with solidarity. Democracy, justice, and equality only survive when ordinary people refuse to be silent.

Because if history has taught us anything, it’s this:

Hate grows where silence lives.

~ Michelle Budiwski, MBA(HRmgt)

September 22, 2025