The recent elections were a revelation for many BC constituents. Many have realized that they are not alone in their values and may now feel more emboldened to speak on topics without the same fear of cancel culture targeting them or their businesses. Others, however, have come to understand that they may not be the ‘majority’ they thought they were, possibly because their group is often the loudest and frequently benefits from government grants awarded to those who align with the ‘correct’ mantras of the government.
At the root of many contentious issues, there seems to be a top-down strategy to keep neighbours fighting among themselves, rather than uniting against the true oppressors—the elites who care little for our communities in times of crisis.
It is, therefore, distressing to witness public institution employees, paid with our tax dollars, engaging in name-calling and divisive rhetoric. One such example is an SD79 employee who, after the preliminary election results, effectively labelled half her students’ parents as supporting a party that “welcomes homophobia, racism, conspiracy theories, misogyny, science denialism, and hate” by stating that “half our community could care less” about opposing these issues. Do they not realize that if half the community voted one way, many of the people they interact with—whether through non-profits they work with or as parents—may not share their core beliefs, and that should be acceptable? As a well-known meme states, if a child knows your politics as a teacher, you are not doing your job to teach them how to think, only what to think.
This is far from the first time public officials have dismissed a significant portion of the community, pretending their opinions are worthless because they have been labelled with the aforementioned terms as if that makes them unworthy of consideration. School Board staff have labelled concerned parents as “homophobic”. Our mayor has told constituents that if they don’t agree with the ‘climate agenda,’ they can wait to vote in the next election, effectively silencing a huge proportion of his constituents. Our MP has repeatedly used such labels as “extremist” and voted to implement the Emergency Act. Perhaps people felt emboldened after our own Prime Minister called a large portion of the Canadian population “science deniers” with “unacceptable views.”
What I find particularly odd is that many of the people using these labels often present themselves as virtuous, and morally superior, and claim to be champions of inclusivity, equity, and diversity, but are the loudest and first to cancel anyone who may not agree with every idol they worship. But I have to hand it to them, they are a well-oiled (and well-funded machine, in cases such as the federally funded Anti-Hate Network), and have been successful in making people afraid to speak out, BUT this past month people quietly made their voices heard at the polls creating the most historical uprising of a party in BC History. The visual should show how many people do NOT align with the current status quo.
A. Newerk
