Dear Editor:
RE: Rainbow criticism, June 9.
While eating breakfast I often read letters to the editor, which is a habit I should probably give up in favour of proper digestion. I usually survey my neighbours’ thoughts on the world and discuss them within my household.
But the letter submitted by Diane Breukelman upset me so deeply I felt it was time to take discussion beyond the dinner table.
It would be easy to go on the attack and counter many of the ideas expressed, but I would like to take a different approach. Shouting matches are polarizing and do little to move us in a positive direction.
Instead, I’d like to attempt to answer the important question Ms. Breukelman has posed, “What do we tell our children?”
How about … Our county museum wants everyone to know that even though we are all different people (like all the colours of the rainbow) our community sticks together and supports each person for who they are. How we feel on the inside can be different than the way we look on the outside, and that’s not something to feel ashamed about, in fact it should be celebrated. Some children and adults don’t feel safe being themselves in public places because others have been taught to be angry and afraid of what appears to make us different, but we can change this.
I agree with Diane on at least one thing: that we should “Let our children be children.’’ If we did let them be who they are, and not load them up with notions of fear and distrust, we’d be living in a better world.
Maybe then we wouldn’t feel the need to fly flags and paint rainbows on stairs if we truly loved and accepted each other, and 2SLGBTQIA+ folk wouldn’t feel the need to fight just to be themselves … but then again, who doesn’t love rainbows?
Michael van Huisseling,
Fergus