The political left’s vilification of individuals with whom they disagree must stop. As a once-proud liberal Democrat from the U.S. who volunteered for former president Barack Obama’s first presidential campaign, I am horrified by what has become of “progressivism.” Once a movement that revered free speech and civil liberties, liberalism has devolved into an authoritarian cult that bullies anyone who strays from woke dogma.
Cases in point: , was recently removed from a virtual school board meeting after expressing concerns about the age-appropriateness of some resources in school libraries. Board members then took to social media where they accused Ms. Burjoski — without evidence — of violating the Ontario Human Rights Code. Ms. Burjoski has since been banned from her school and placed under investigation.
who was born in Lebanon during the horrors of a civil war, was suspended without pay after students complained about her creating an “unsafe space” on campus. Her crime? She criticized the Black Lives Matter movement and questioned whether Canada is a “systemically racist” country.
And now the massive convoy of truckers making its way across Canada to protest COVID-19 restrictions is being tarred as an alt-right hate mob. who never misses an opportunity to signal his woke credentials, characterized the convoy as a “fringe minority” with “unacceptable views.” NDP leader Jagmeet Singh smeared the caravan tweeting, “Conservative MPS have endorsed a convoy led by those that claim superiority of the white bloodline and equate Islam to a disease.” A celebrated Canadian author posted a thread tying the convoy to “anti-immigrant and anti-LGBT sentiments.” The ugly hashtag #FluTrucksKlan” is now trending on Twitter.
I am vaccinated, boosted, and acknowledge COVID is a serious health issue. But I stand with the truckers because I believe free speech is the cornerstone of a free society. And because, I, like many Canadians, have grown troubled by the steady erosion of civil liberties in this country. After two years of economic hardship, intermittent shuttering of small businesses, virtual classrooms, and vaccine and mask mandates, it seems the “cure” may be worse than the disease. during the pandemic. Depression, alcoholism, and suicide have also spiked in large part due to social isolation over the past two years. Children have been robbed of some of the most important celebratory experiences of their lives, including proms, graduation ceremonies, and sporting events.
We should be able to debate the government’s COVID response without fear of being branded “white supremacists.” It is shameful leaders have denigrated hard-working truckers who do the tough — often thankless job — of moving goods across Canada.
Brian Vincent
Squamish
