I sincerely hope that the readers of this paper who have been sending in letters dramatically bemoaning the loss of their freedoms in this country are paying close attention to the situation in Ukraine and Russia and realizing just how impudent their whining comes across when presented with examples of what real oppression and real conflict look like.
“The government has declared war on its own people”? “Here lies Democracy, dead because of Dictatorship”? Some Canadians have really lost the plot.
How long have we seen “No more lockdowns” and “F*** Trudeau” signs and flags “gracing” the roads of our country with, unsurprisingly, zero repercussions? How long did the “Freedom Convoy” sit blocking other citizens from gainful employment or a good night’s rest before they were even asked to disperse?
Look to Russia where protests against the unlawful invasion of a neighboring country are instantly met with hundreds of arrests, where 18-year-old kids can get arrested for hanging a “No to war” sign from their apartment balcony – that is what real oppression looks like.
We’ve been spoiled rotten by decade after decade of peace and freedom, and that privilege appears to be lost on many. I can only hope that this awful turn of events in Europe is at least providing a wake-up call to those claiming to be the true champions of freedom that they’ve been busy tilting at windmills.
Jarrett Quan-Hin,
Erin