Protesters have a more sinister agenda
Re: “Stop bleating and try braying,” letter, March 11.
The writer objects to having virtue-signalling writers scolding people who are willing to stand up for what they believe in.
Like the writer, I support people who stand up for their beliefs. We have the freedom to do that. But not in a manner that takes away our freedom to clean air, to be free of ear-splitting noises, to use our streets for what they were intended and to take pride in our national flag.
If I object to the efforts of our government to contain the current epidemic, I have the freedom to alter my daily life to minimize the impact of mandates and masks that are accepted by more than 90% of my fellow citizens. Lucky for the writer, and thanks to the 90%-plus who accepting mandates, masks and vaccines, the current “convoy” will have nothing left to protest on that score. If they do, then obviously their stated protests are a cover for other and more sinister issues.
Vince Devries
Ladysmith
Talk to protesters, you might be surprised
Over the past several weeks I have read various letters in the TC commenting on the truckers’ convoy. Those taking part in protests have variously been described in negative or disparaging terms implying or accusing them of being ignorant, self-serving or not deserving of our support or concern.
It was interesting for me, a person who has been vaccinated and gotten his “passport,” to discover when I visited the protest rallies that the people I spoke with were intelligent, articulate individuals who spoke knowledgeably about the virus and the vaccines. Those who had not been vaccinated had made that decision after extensive research, and often at the cost of significant personal hardship. Also worth noting, while there was frequent honking of horns and cheering by the thousands of people attending, there was virtually no evidence of antisocial or extremist elements in the crowds.
Conversely, I have found when speaking with people who have been vaccinated that they most frequently got the jab with little or no research as to the safety of vaccines. And they often took it, or had their kids take it, in order to do things like cross the border, or to fit in with friends. They frequently described “the unvaxxed” in very negative terms, even though most have not talked to anyone who made the decision not to get vaccinated.
Monocultures of the mind only encourage authoritarianism.
David Stott
Victoria
Trucker convoy has little to do with God
In a recent episode of The Fifth Estate, James Bauder “explained” that the reason that he had organized the convoy (at that time to Ottawa), was because “God told him to.” How convenient. It’s fine to believe in God, but don’t hide behind him.
Joanne Wiggins
Victoria
Hey protesters: At least you’re not in Russia
With the terrible news about war in the Ukraine, don’t fall into the trap of equating a dictatorial Russian regime with the people of that country or their culture, music, literature and the beautiful land itself. Once upon a time, I took a Viking River Cruise between St. Petersburg and Moscow. As a tourist who doesn’t speak Russian, I only got a vacationer’s view. I thought that I’d like to return to St. Petersburg with my Russian-speaking sister-in-law from former East Germany. But that’s not likely to happen in the foreseeable future.
Some people have written me saying that there are Russian Ukrainians who are happy that Russia is retaking Ukraine. Well, I think about their claim this way: What if we Anglos lived in Quebec and then Quebec decided to separate from the rest of Canada? Of course, we’d want Quebec to rejoin former Canada, but what would we think if Anglo Canada blew up our Quebec schools, hospitals, apartments, homes, wrecked our infrastructure and killed many of our friends and family members? Would we be enchanted by the takeover then?
Putin is ruthless. He was head of the KGB in East Germany for 16 years and ruled behind the scenes with an iron fist. He came from a modest family, but by now he has amassed a gigantic fortune, is probably the richest man in the world and would like to be the new czar of greater Russia.
Canada is very free. We are extremely fortunate. So anti-vaxxers: Quit crabbing! Try living in police-state Russia.
Marilyn Hansen
Summerland
Convoy protesters little more than terrorists
These people are what I swore an oath for when I joined the Navy: “To protect Canada from enemies both foreign and domestic.”
They are domestic terrorists and should be treated as same.
Paul Crozier Smith
Victoria
Weeds as a parable for Vladimir Putin
I am a farmer, and the other day I was trying to clear an area on my farm that was getting overtaken by thorny blackberry bushes. I hadn’t cleared these weeds for a few years, and they were aggressively trying to cover a small shed on my property. I guess the weed felt it was its right to retake that piece of property.
Looking at these thorny bushes and their tenacious ability to try and reclaim this property, I suddenly thought of Vladimir Putin and his attempt to reclaim Ukraine. The parallels were not so far off. We the democratic world (i.e.: the farmer) have ignored, for the most part, Putin (the weed) for the past number of years. His threat to our democracy (the shed) was ignored until it became apparent the weed will completely cover over and destroy the shed.
As I attempt to eradicate the blackberry weed, which will never end its quest to reclaim either fertile soil or structures, we as a collective body must now work hard to stop Putin from taking over the world. We have no choice, unless we wish to allow the farm to be overtaken by Putin, the thorny blackberry bush.
David C. Berndt
Saanichton
Editorial shows extreme naïveté
Re: “No easy answers to Russian invasion of Ukraine,” editorial, March 10.
Seldom have I read such bunk as in this editorial. You have asked a lot of questions and posed absolutely zero answers.
We are in the midst of a catastrophe in Ukraine, and you look to be supporting business as usual with Russia by suggesting that, amongst others, that pianist Alexander Malofeev be allowed to come and play.
I am ashamed at the naïveté of your message. We need to stand up in no uncertain terms with all the resources at our disposal to decry the awful and unnecessary war crimes going on in Ukraine.
Nick Gudewill
Victoria
Praise for a job well done
There is a very good news story that receives far too little attention, so let me highlight it in this letter. As of last week, British Columbia had 2,896 COVID fatalities, a rate of 557 deaths per million residents. That is almost half of Canada’s rate (967 deaths per million), and less than a quarter of the U.S.’s 2,889 COVID deaths per million. If we had the U.S. fatality rate, an additional 12,127 British Columbians would be dead, perhaps including you or me.
Well done B.C.!
Thanks Dr. Henry for your thoughtful leadership, thanks to all of our responsible friends and neighbours who observe the often-challenging pandemic rules, and no thanks to the foolish, immature and mean critics of our very effective pandemic response.
Todd Litman
Victoria
Ukraine editorial misses the point
Your editorial can Ukraine misses an important observation. The Russian people, in the majority, support Putin. The only way of addressing this genocide is by not issuing visas to anyone with a Russian passport.
Tony Gage
Saanich
Extra gravy with your Zelenskyy?
This is an open letter to all restaurants and other eateries. If you have poutine on your menu, please change the name to Zelenskyy, and donate as much as you can of the profits from the sale of that dish to the Red Cross Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal.
You will certainly get my custom, and that of many others, I am sure.
Dave Peck
Colwood
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