Trump’s ‘free speech’ sexist, bigoted
: Several letters in the April 7 issue defended MP Marilyn Gladu’s support of Donald Trump commentary, took potshots by describing Liberals as ‘over educated, corrupt elites,’ and professed that Trump, Rob Ford, Mike Harris and Stephen Harper spoke for ‘the average citizen’ et al…
Elitism? If Harper’s retrofitting of the name of the ‘Government of Canada’ to ‘The Harper Government’ isn’t a description of ‘elitism,’ what is?
How does Trump, an elitist worth billions, speak for ‘the average person?’ Those defending him say they do so because he is neither beholden to lobbyists or billionaires, but the comeback is so blatantly obvious you would think they would see it coming: Trump IS a lobbyist and a billionaire.
Corruption? The CPC under Stephen Harper didn’t run a clean campaign in any election. The In & Out fraud of 2006; Del Mastro’s overspending fraud in 2008; a federal judge finding the CPC guilty of deliberately misdirecting voters to fake vote booths in the 2011 campaign. If we want to talk about ‘corruption’ or ‘elitism’ then by all means let’s talk about it; although we just had a national discussion on that very subject last October 19.
Defending Trump’s right to ‘free speech,’ even though it has included sexist, bigoted, racist and misogynistic overtones, allows some of the conservative element to make the absurd semantic argument that ‘Those intolerant of ‘free speech’ are more intolerant than those who say actual intolerant things!’
It is a canard often used to berate liberals by pointing out (like Trump commentary or ‘snitch phone lines’) various forms of prejudice, bigotry, sexism, homophobia and racism.
The other point of it is to invent a phony pretext to clumsily drag the word LIBERAL through the mud. The problem remains - much of what Trump says is both dumb and awful.
If it is being ‘over–educated’ to oppose dumb and awful, then colour me guilty.
Stanton Earle
Sarnia
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Trump wants to protect freedom
Sir: In response to Eileen Viola’s letter, "Trump praise disappointing," she can speak for herself.
I myself have the same opinion as Marylyn Gladu. If you make a statement, and a Liberal or a Democrat doesn’t like it, then you're a bully,
When Donald Trump talks about protecting the border he's a racist, talks about fat women he's a bully, and everything he says is supposedly wrong. People don't see it, but since the 1950s people are losing more and more freedom.
Before labeling Trump as a bad person, go on the Internet and watch the Clinton Chronicles. Then people will be able to form an opinion, unless it hurts them too much to see the reality, and then they will probably come up with the idea that the Internet should be censured!
Furthermore, search the history of every candidate and past president and you may find surprising answers.
Politicians put their self-interest first, instead of working for the people that have elected them, and Trump wants to protect what's left of the freedom.
Also, go on YouTube and watch the man holding a placard with Trump's name then changing it for Sanders and see for yourself which supporters are incited to violence.
Anyway, the U.S. needs Trump and Canada needs Kevin O'Leary.
Maurice Colpron
Sarnia
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City must take action against vandals
Sir: Re: Vandals costing us in other ways.
This editorial was needed a long time ago.
I have written e-mails to Mayor Bradley which he passed on to the Chief of Police concerning our, as you described them, local lunkheads (fittingly, a term in Mad Magazine 50 years ago). From carvings created in the round-about grass by tires, beach parking lot donuts, and drag racing on Sandy Lane before it reaches Point Edward, there is a problem.
I would think a heightened police presence may help but perhaps an unmarked car would be more beneficial. I watch all this from my balcony and wonder when the dog walker or the seniors on their bikes, or the moms pushing buggies will be hit crossing over from the waterfront walkway to Canatara Park.
A pedestrian crossing light would put a serious crimp in the speed issue and provide a way of making the situation a little safer.
Don Ballantyne
Sarnia
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Many reasons to save SCITS
Sir: I’m writing this letter not just as an alumni or the parent of a SCITS student, but as a citizen of the City of Sarnia.
When I first heard that SCITS could close I thought, ‘There goes something else from this end of town.’ This area has already lost so much: Devine St. School, St. Joseph’s School, a couple of churches and the hospital.
These are the things that help hold this community together. If we lose SCITS as well, then we will see a slow and steady death of this community.
Some would like to believe that SCITS will get purchased and repurposed. Whatever gave them that idea I will never know, but the fact that the hospital sits empty, the fact that Devine Street School sits empty, speaks volumes. I’m petty sure we can’t afford to take the chance that SCITS won’t sit empty too.
The talk is that SCITS, being the older school, costs more to run and needs more repairs. If we close St. Clair (SCSS) then we save the $12 million in backlogged work there.
This savings could be put into SCITS and would cover the $6 million needed over the next five years for the capital repairs, as well as the $1.3 million for structural work.
The school board wants to ask the Ministry of Education for $14 million to make repairs and add an auditorium at SCSS. Why not reduce that number and the burden on taxpayers by asking for less, just enough to cover the work needed at SCITS?
The SCSS site has the better chance to be repurposed. The board itself could use the school for the Sherwood Village elementary school. If not, then I have no doubt some investor will purchase the school and build either a business or houses there.
We have to preserve what little historical presence we have left in this city. The best way for SCITS to survive is by keeping it as a high school. We must keep SCITS open for generations to come.
Lloyd Baker
Sarnia
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Our mayor is underpaid
Sir: I find it surprising that we pay our mayor so little in comparison to the other staff at City Hall.
Surely, we need to increase the salary to continue to attract competent people.
Jean MacIntyre
Sarnia