Dear Editor:
RE: Don’t be selfish – wear a mask, Sept. 24.
Kudos to Nichola McEwan and the group of citizens from Minto and Mapleton who showed up to the Minto town council meeting to peacefully protest against the mask mandates imposed by unelected public health departments and shame on editor Chris Daponte for demonizing these courageous people with irrational ad hominem attacks.
Mr. Daponte’s vilification of people who do not share his opinion will only serve to further polarize an already fragile and emotionally exhausted community.
People can disagree with you without being cast as pariahs and grandma killers. Believe it or not, just because some have a differing opinion on the use of masks, they are not callous nor selfish.
Public health mandates should always be questioned and those doing the questioning should never be demonized, Mr. Daponte.
Shame on you. Your rhetoric and baseless arguments potentially endanger those of us who dare to bravely stand up for truth and transparency. You unironically accuse people of ignoring science and reason and resort to name calling.
You owe the brave people who voiced their dissent using their democratic right to peaceful protest, whether you agree with them or not, a public apology.
Dr. Steven Innocente, PhD,
Elora