Dear Imaginary Friends,
I was going to make this a Dear Dragon but what I have to say is for you.
As I’m typing, I’m vibrating with anger. I’m going to structure this into three parts to avoid it devolving into a curse filled rant.
Background (This isn’t new)
South of the border, or in Canada’s Pants, we’ve been seeing increasing acts of violence and hate. The Google Manifesto and the atrocious events in Virginia are only the newest in a long line of hateful, vile, putrescent evil. However they’re not new. Nor are they worse than what we’ve seen.
Two years ago just as many horrifying things were happening, but the political climate, news, and public were less informed. It was still happening, it was just as horrific, and it was just as open.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m extremely happy that these things are being noticed and people are speaking out about them, but they are not new. It might have gotten worse, but it’s not new.
Canadians: wipe that smug smile off your faces. We have all the same issues here as they do in the states. Just look into some of our CPC candidates and you’ll get the idea that maybe we aren’t as progressive as we think. We have as much hatred and racism here. Expect the white nationalists, nazis, white supremacists, anti-minority, and canadian values crowds to start protesting more and more openly.
Don’t believe me? Ask a minority or look up the debate on Bill C-16 that extended basic human rights to Transgender people.
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms or shut the hell up about Free Speech
Calling for the mass killing of an entire demographic of people is not Free Speech. It is Hate Speech. NO ONE has the right to spew hate.
Unfortunately, yelling and saying that one kind of person is better than another isn’t hate speech.
Free Speech means you can’t be prosecuted for your opinion. It controls what the government can and will do in response to what you say. It doesn’t protect you from your employer, friends, family, or media’s judgement. Eg; You can say nasty things about a subset of people in the comments of this post and the government won’t arrest you. I, however, can delete the comment or send it to your mother.
Your Rights and Freedoms should only extend to the point where they infringe on someone else’s health and safety.
You’re human beings, start acting like it!
This is for all those who agree with Trump, Kellie Leitch, and Pauline Marois; that some people are better than others.
Ignorance is not an excuse for hatred! Get the fuck over yourselves and start trying to understand how your problems are of your own making and all people are the same.
It is our responsibility to help our fellow humans and to stop hate when we see it.
Be better, act better, and stop others when they aren’t.
Éric