CL Pauwels at Large

I’ve moved this from my home page where it was originally posted February 1, 2017.

The standard wisdom in the publishing world is for authors to avoid controversial topics on their websites and social media for fear of alienating potential readers. I’ve debated that subject in other venues and I’m finally done talking about it.

Given the current state of affairs in this country (USA, in case I have any overseas readers) and in the world, my priorities have changed. I can no longer be silent and complacent for fear of offending someone.

“Politics” from the Greek polis – “a state or society especially when characterized by a sense of community” – is not the Republican/Democrat divide we deal with in the US. Politics, according to one of the many definitions given by Merriam-Webster is “the total complex of relations between people living in society.”

Until we as a people move past the GOP/Dem divide of US government today, that total complex of relations between people will never improve, never heal, never find solutions to the myriad issues facing our society.

This is the definition of “politics” I choose to address. By necessity, my discussion will veer into the broken two-party system we are hampered with, but I hope to focus on individual issues, not partisanship.

If this offends you, I would first ask you to consider why. Then, if you feel the need to stop reading my work, so be it. I would rather you stick around and engage in thoughtful, respectful, fact-based debate so that together we can be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

But I can be silent no longer.