Hello readers! I had the wonderful priviledge to interview the author of a new children's book. You can get a copy on Amazon here.
You have recently written a children's book titled, "Strawberries are Red: A Story about compelled speech." What led you to want to write this book? First of all, David, I want to thank you for the opportunity to discuss this project and thank you for the work you are doing through your website. As for the book, it wasn't an active process or anything; the concept just sprung into my head one day. It started with a meme I put on Twitter depicting a picture of some strawberries and a caption that read something like, "the existence of colourblindness means strawberries should no longer be referred to as red." Clearly hyperbolic, it was a humorous way of alleviating stress resulting from the continual onslaught of progressive ideologies. The last six years have come hard and fast. Soon after the meme, I got the idea to turn the concept into a children's book. Around the same time, the Government of Canada rolled out a policy that removed its employees' rights to use gender pronouns when writing performance reviews: an approach that still doesn't sit well with me. As it stands, if I'm writing a subordinate's review and we both identify as males, I am still required to exclude gender pronouns altogether regardless of any understanding that the two of us may have. Just so that everyone is on the same page, can you explain what you mean by compelled speech and how you see this played out in our country? Simply put, the word compelled means to be forced or obliged. To provide somewhat of a backdrop, the idea of compelled speech made headlines a few years ago when Dr. Jordan B. Peterson took a stand against the University of Toronto's mandate forcing him to use specific gender pronouns when dealing with his students. For example, if a male student self-identified as female, Dr. Peterson was told he would need to use the student's preferred pronouns and address them as she/her. Compelling speech comes about in two ways. By removing our ability or obliging us to use certain words - even if it goes against personal conscience: a clear violation of our freedom of expression. I strongly agree with Jordan Peterson when he says, "freedom of speech is a precondition to mental and social health." When our actions are incongruent with our beliefs, we often experience cognitive dissonance - being aware of contradictory ideas. Currently, most groups and governments are focused on compelling people to use others' preferred gender pronouns. I fear this is merely the beginning, and we may soon see words associated with dissenting ideas labelled and censored as well. This topic could be viewed by some as being beyond the grasp of children and by others as being a source of anxiety. As a father, how would you respond to these objections? That's a tricky question - one which some family members have already asked me. Writing about this topic runs the risk of creating built-in assumptions about my character and potential inability to tolerate those different from me. I can assure you that separating individuals from their personal and political ideologies is paramount to me. I want to see people as Jesus does. I want to love them where I meet them, but this doesn't mean endorsing their beliefs. In essence, this is the very definition of tolerance. So yes, this topic can present a source of anxiety and may even run into our modern-day cancel culture - something I have considered. But to quote Professor Peterson again, "when you have something to say, silence is a lie." And so - I felt it needed saying, and it was essential to present it to younger readers. And yes, I agree; while the mature reader might be quick to see the symbolic nature of the story, comprehending it may be more challenging for young children. The intent was to present the story as a lesson and have parents read it alongside their child, unpacking and explaining it however they see fit. My wife and I homeschool our three children and enjoy our freedom and flexibility when introducing specific topics to them. I most definitely had involved parents in mind when I was coming up with the book's concept. I'm a young father of one. Why should I be concerned about teaching my daughter about compelled speech? Well, I'm not here to tell you what to teach your daughter but knowing you as I do, I'm confident you believe in the concept of absolute truth: something an increasingly progressive and post-modernist world seems to reject. I think acting in contrast with our beliefs is harmful to our development, and we know deep down when we're being disingenuous. This problem goes far beyond the topic at hand. But as for compelled speech, I think genuine charity, and by charity, I mean being charitable, is most effective when done voluntarily. Suppose the government mandates elements of speech to protect a minority group. In that case, they aren't necessarily changing any hearts in the process but potentially merely shifting the harm elsewhere by some disciplinary action. Let me be clear; I'm not talking about hate speech here. I'm talking about instances where two individuals could come to some form of an agreement. Instead, they are mandated to avoid or implement certain words to prevent any future offence. Policing gender pronouns, for example, is not a legitimate role of government, and it gives precedence to future imposed ideas that may go against individual conscience. As a Christian, you approach the world through a biblical worldview. I'm curious, how does your knowledge of God impact your storytelling? God's spirit inspires and guides my work, and His word prompts me to speak out and take a stand in a world that celebrates each individual's version of the truth. When I look at a child's sex, I don't see it as negotiable; I see God's design, His order, and His will. There's a difference between loving and protecting individuals at odds with birth characteristics versus advancing an entire ideology through the school system, bringing God's vision of humanity into question. And Jesus' love and compassion, which abide in all who fellowship with Him, most definitely guide my tone. His spirit ensures I choose my words wisely, showing empathy and humility. After all, He didn't come to condemn the world but to save it. I realize some may interpret my ideas as intolerant, but that's because tolerance has recently been understood as accepting one's ideas. In actuality, and as I mentioned earlier, tolerance is the ability to love others despite our differences, something we Christians do daily in a fallen world gone mad. Jesus' words in Matthew 5:11 strengthen us when we come under persecution for His name's sake, when we stand on His Word, and when we honour His design. I shall count it a blessing if I receive hatred for graciously speaking the truth. Thanks for taking the time to respond to these questions. Before we come to the end of the interview, can you share with my readers how we can get a copy of your book? Thank you, David. I've thoroughly enjoyed answering your questions, challenging as they were. The book is available on numerous Amazon marketplaces around the world. Currently, it's only available in paperback form, but I may look to release hardcover and ebook formats shortly. Thanks again, and may God bless you and your family and the work you are doing through your website. Shalom.
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