‘Cleavage between us’

Dear Editor:

RE: Like 1930s Germany? (April 9). 

First of all, I should say what I didn’t say, that the cartoonist was funny. I think the cartoonist is way better than funny. His ironic humour, like the Family Day depiction of everyone on their cell phones. 

It is a great portrait of many a modern family. Eating at restaurants, more often than not, family members don’t talk – they journey into their screens. So, I applaud it for being insightful characterization. 

Now Trump.

But let’s go down a rabbit hole first. My parents were staunch Conservatives. CFRB radio was always on. And come hell or high water my parents were loyal to Diefenbaker and Conservative candidates like Elwood Madill, regardless of platform. And there is the danger – no critical assessment beyond the party line.

My parents were also Evangelicals. I wish they were around to see Trump with his expletive threat-laden vitriol – to destroy a civilization, to maim and murder thousands of civilians. How that jives with “love your neighbour” or “do unto others” escapes me. 

What Trump has done to Cuba, Venezuela, Iran and with his buddy Netanyahu in Gaza is beyond disturbing. In North America you better not criticize, but around the world they see it differently. One couldn’t run a better ad campaign for anti-Israeli and anti-American sentiment.

We’re polarized as a country. Some of Mr. Baker’s concerns are my concerns; some are oppositional.

I’m not like my parents. I’m not blindly loyal to any party. I find it disgusting that the truckers could take over our capital city. Where else in the world would that happen?

If the police weren’t supportive of the truckers and of the anti-Trudeau movement, they would have put police tape up and towed the trucks to a pound. 

I don’t think there is an honest politician anywhere in Canadian politics. Carney is making a big mistake on defence spending. 

We are a country of 40 million with huge geographical boundaries. War is all about using up stockpiles of soon-to-be-outdated weaponry. Einstein, when asked about third world war weaponry said he didn’t know, but the fourth world war would be fought with sticks and stones.

The root problem is the cleavage between us. The letters to the editor are so representative of deep splits. There are more lines in the sand than you can shake a stick at. On April 9 it was reported that (as part of a new book coming out) Trump is still talking about annexing Canada and Greenland.

Try your convoy then and see how many days it lasts.

David Courtney,
Belwood