Dear Editor:
RE: ‘Intellectually hollow,’ May 30.
Why do we feel the need to call people nasty names? People have different opinions. It’s a fact to be celebrated. In our diverse society we can have free debate. It doesn’t make the other side “bigoted”, “hateful”, or “intellectually hollow”. Let’s not be intolerant of others’ views. There are pros and cons to be considered respectfully in everything. Respectful debate should be taught to all children in school, a skill which will serve them well all through life.
To have a mandatory celebration of one group at municipal expense to the exclusion of other groups for an entire month is going to invite some dissent. Anyone would question the wisdom of that if it were one particular civic group like Lions, or one fundraising cause like muscular dystrophy, or one political party. Somebody might even start a petition to tone it down a bit.
Why would one group have a public right of flags, banners, parades and celebrations everywhere, a privilege not afforded to any other group?
I would welcome a celebration of Pride in the same ways that other groups make themselves known; for instance an information table set up by permission, where people come and go, with real people sitting there ready to talk to me about what their organization stands for, it’s latest projects, and policies it supports. Hand me some informational material, a website, maybe even a raffle ticket to raise money. Please let me know where your table will be set up.
As your neighbour, I would love to stop by and hear about your hopes and dreams and maybe have a meaty discussion on policies you support. Let’s not just do this in the newspaper or by flags flown. I would like to sit down with a real person.
Claudette Stevens,
Southgate
*Editor’s note: “Flags, banners, parades and celebrations” are used regularly and year-round by countless other groups in municipalities across the province. Pride events are not “mandatory” celebrations.