"A close mouth catches no flies."

So here I sit spitting out the little critters by the hundreds! And learning my own lessons as I go (as that can never be the sole purview of youth). Having perhaps been a tad too adamant in the original post about what actually occurred as opposed to what may have occurred at the OYL elections this weekend, I find myself more moved by the comments calling for a non-rush to judgment rather than those simply calling for heads to roll. More, however. Not entirely.

That not all the facts are out is a valid point (and Quixotique takes note for future posts) but does not negate the fact that something happened, and that something must have a basis somewhere (apologies to Ken Dryden). And this party needs to have to the courage to examine why. Not one comment to date (oops! there's one now as I tap this out: BC Voice of reason @ 1:45) has approached this question or offered any explanations as to how we got here or proposed any solutions beyond "off with their heads"; "let's put it behind us"; "let's move on"; or, "what's done is done".

Rather than ignore or sweep these things under the rug, because they come at an inconvenient time, or will draw the attention of little bits of road kill, an open and transparent party, intent on constantly seeking to improve itself, will see benefit in shedding light and trying to exact something positive from a negative. If, as some say, this is nothing more than he said/she said and without any foundation whatsoever other than mistrust, shouldn't we still examine what led to that mistrust?

Quixotique is keenly aware of living up to the practice of engaging in futile activity in calling for some young liberal anonymous or otherwise to step up to the plate and offer, not recriminations or invective, but some concrete suggestions to make sure this "stuff" doesn't happen again, or at least to have a discussion about it.

You know, these crunchy munchies ain't half bad when you're on your third or fourth mouthful.

"A good name is better than riches."

Just what the "h" is going on in this party? Unsettling, yet unsurprising news today from the OYL convention in Ottawa: contenders for OYL executive positions have "confessed" to cheating, with at least one poor young neophyte reduced to tears after being convinced to participate in nothing less than than voter fraud - and getting caught. Bad enough that slates (read factions) are the order of the day in the youth wing of the party, now it's confirmed that winning at all costs is more important than say, er, um, democracy.

Word is that supporters of OYL Presidential candidate Krista Balsom, who was running a slate, talked a young, high-school aged, new liberal in to voting a second time using the credentials of another delegate who had to leave before polls opened, as they were concerned about a tight race for one of the few contested positions. And, surprise, surprise - she got caught. The "perps" have apparently confessed, and one of them, themselves a member of the YLC national executive, is under intense pressure to resign that position, or be otherwise be swiftly "impeached".

And the worst part is, one can hear the old CSNY classic playing softly in the background: Teach your children well.