Marc Kitteringham’s diatribe against individualism (Feb. 17, Democracy v. individualism) didn’t age well. And why are those two words at odds?
Basically Marc says the truckers are selfish and do not care for the rules that governments enact for our protection. He also says that this opposition to mandates is divisive which leads to authoritarianism. I have another take.
The Ottawa truckers have risked everything to protect the freedom of all Canadians. And they are fighting for our Charter-protected (the highest law in Canada) right to travel freely. That’s selfish? It is Trudeau who is breaking the law. And it is Trudeau who is incredibly divisive with his disparaging lies. “They are racist and often misogynist. Why do we tolerate these people? (Really? How did this clown win three elections?) Sounds an awful lot like a certain lederhosen wearer from a few years back.
Trudeau’s minister warned that anyone who contributed to the convoy should worry about having their bank accounts frozen. How frigging authoritarian is that? Was Trudeau the dictator Marc was worried about?
Marc says a healthy democracy needs informed and involved people. That’s true. But democracy is merely the least of evils as Churchill said. Marc, Why don’t you, myself, and my wife go for lunch? We’ll vote on who pays. That’s silly but that is the state of democracy today. I’m not working so you must pay for my meal, and give the waiter (government) an 80 per cent tip.
People are losing faith in democracy because we are losing faith in government. Truth be told, I never had any. Government is too big, too costly, too intrusive, too blunt, too arrogant, too condescending, too impersonal, too removed from reality. I would like to see it drastically down-sized. But we’ve been conditioned to fear accountability and self-responsibility so that’s unlikely.
We are also losing trust (finally!) in media. That’s a good thing because media is overwhelmingly statist. But that’s an issue for another day.
Martin Macdonald
Campbell River