Not every voice deserves to be heard
My friend Eric posted this disturbing letter on Facebook yesterday, it was a letter to the editor in our local newspaper and it’s caused a fair amount of outrage in the people I know, and follow on social media.
This letter angers me, that intolerance like this exists at all, let alone in Canada (and worse my hometown) but I think what bothers me more is media giving these people a platform to spread their hatred.
I can hear the cries already.
“We’re entitled to free speech!” “It’s his/her opinion, they’re entitled to have an opinion!” “The media simply reports, publishing opinions does not mean they endorse an opinion” “We have to hear from both sides!”
We are entitled to free speech. We are lucky enough to live in a free country, and that gives us the right to voice our opinions, publicly or privately, regardless of whether they are right or wrong (by the way, opinion can be, and often is, wrong. There is this comical idea that you can have any opinion you want, and because you qualify it as an opinion that somehow excludes it from being wrong. Doesn’t work that way people). However, hate speech laws exist for a reason and having the right to say what you want doesn’t mean other people aren’t allowed to disagree with it, or as is the case here be outraged by it.
The media stopped just reporting news a long time ago. Media is business, it’s owned by people with opinions and political agendas. We all know this, Fox “News” is a great example of what a joke mainstream media has become (and yes I know there are left wing media outlets that are just as outrageously biased). So arguing that they are just reporting something, or allowing someone to voice their opinion just doesn’t work any more.
The ends do not always justify the means.
I don’t want this to turn into a piece about Trump, so I’ll keep this bit as short as possible. There have been claims and reports lately that Trump was just playing the odds. That his policies won’t be as racist and sexist and vile as the platform he ran on, that he was just tapping the fears of some Americans to push his popularity. It’s a theory friends and I discussed way back in the beginning of this campaign. The problem is that doesn’t make it okay. The ends do not always justify the means, and his hate spewing comments have given rise to a vile underbelly of society, given them the courage to share their hate filled message publicly. F Stevens is an example of a scared little person with a small mind that wants someone to blame, that was buoyed and given the idea that their opinion somehow had validity by the Trump campaign. This is not okay, it never was, it never will be. Enough about Trump.
My real issue hear is the freedom of speech and everyone deserves to be heard, that I am sure the Hamilton Spectator is going to use as an excuse for publishing F Stevens sad little commentary. This also, is not okay.
To F Stevens: I believe that you are a minority in our society. That your opinions are not indicative of the average person and that it’s a little bit sad that in 2016 people still need to scapegoat and vilify immigrants for their own shortcomings.
To The Hamilton Spectator: giving F Stevens a platform, a voice, is inexcusable. Your job is to report, to give us facts and to help inform. Editorial or letters to the editor need to be vetted and weighed on their value. F Stevens letter has value only to strengthen the resolve of similar small minded and racist readers. It has no value to the city or society in general. Giving people with these views a public platform lends credibility and validity to their reprehensible views and that is unacceptable.
To my immigrant neighbours: Welcome, I hope you find what you were looking for in Hamilton, and in Canada. Please understand that most of us do not share F Stevens views of you and your family. We wish you health, happiness and safety in our land.
Not every voice deserves to be heard.
