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Everyone is entitled to an opinion – even a bad one

We must take time to consider, instead of spewing immediate reactions

A lot of polarized vitriol has been published in the opinions section of the Gazette lately. Regarding the issue of murdered Indigenous women, for example, Mr. Allred voiced his opinion, and Ms. Felske and Mr. Banville retorted. In the end, both sides simply exchanged opinions. The problem with opinions is that everyone is entitled to one, even when those opinions are inaccurate or heavily biased. Just because you believe something, or say something loudly, doesn’t make it true or right.

We are certainly within our rights to take offence to opinions that differ from ours, BUT we must take time to consider, instead of spewing immediate reactions. This problem of polarized anger, too often stamped with labels like “leftist,” “alt-right,” “racist,” has only gotten worse via social media, where our rage is instant. Too many people don’t think before blurting ill-conceived, egregious and belittling opinions. Both “sides” are equally guilty, despite their convictions that they are righteous.

What bothers me most is that many of these opinion writers have attacked the Gazette for publishing letters that don’t conform to their personal beliefs. The Gazette is our community voice in St. Albert. It is the duty of the Gazette to inform citizens of local news, first and foremost, but also to voice the concerns of our citizenry and allow others to read those concerns.

As fortunate citizens of arguably the most free and democratic nation on Earth, we have the privilege to be able to voice our varying opinions without fear. That being said, in our current “politically correct” climate, too many folks often DO fear to speak their mind, for fear of being ostracized or labelled. This is unacceptable in a society that claims to support freedom of speech.

We need to be extremely careful. While censorship is sometimes necessary, it is a very slippery slope. Where do we draw the line between “hate speech” and something that we just don’t agree with, for example? This ties very well into the argument over the term “genocide.” While I’m not taking one side or the other, I will say that both sides should be heard, so that folks can decide for themselves. Just because something hurts, or we don’t agree with it, doesn’t mean it should be censored!

In too many countries around the world, freedom of speech and freedom of the press do not exist. In such countries, the state bans all opinions that it doesn’t agree with. In many nations, the state actually persecutes those who voice opinions counter to those sponsored by the state. In Canada, we MUST not fall into that trap! We MUST defend our rights to freedom of speech and freedom of the press, even when the words are hard to hear, lest we become the next Nazi Germany or Soviet Union.

Those who study history know that censorship is something that humanity has struggled with for a very long time. In 1906, English author Evelyn Beatrice Hall wrote: “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” Euripides, who died in 406 BC, said, “This is true liberty: when free born men, having to advise the public, may speak free.”

R. Tombstone, St. Albert

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