To the editor:
Re: How Quickly We Have Forgotten, letter to the editor, February 22, 2017 from Mr. Stephen Fuhr.
First, if the parliamentary motion in question “is not binding on the government nor can it change our laws or take away our rights and freedoms,” then what is the point of the whole exercise? Surely you have better things to do, no?
Second, why does the motion include the word “Islamophobia” (a word which, by the way, has no consistent definition)? If the government truly wants to study religious intolerance in Canada and come up with constructive ways to combat it (a worthy cause), then why single out one religion over all others? All that does is feed into the notion, rightly or wrongly, that politicians of all stripes tend to fall all over themselves trying to prove that they are not anti-Muslim. If you want, as you say, to “emphasize our inclusiveness,” then practice what you preach. Try leading on behalf of all Canadians rather than pandering for votes from particular sectors.
Mr. Fuhr, you seem to think that we lowly citizens don’t understand or are misguided. Trust me, we understand all too well: We are not stupid. You can either believe that millions of Canadians are racists (which we are not) or you can enact laws and table motions that truly reflect the attitudes and culture of the majority of Canadians, not just the select few.
Lloyd Vinish, Kelowna