Dear Editor:
On Sept. 15, The House of Commons offered a one-minute standing ovation following a tribute from Conservative MP Rachael Thomas to Charlie Kirk, the Donald Trump ally and right-wing activist who was assassinated in the U.S. on Sept. 10.
Thomas stated political violence “destroys dialogue, it undermines democracy, and it breeds fear instead of understanding. True progress comes from persuasion, not intimidation.”
Although no peace-loving person would disagree with her condemnation of political violence, I could not help wondering how those eulogizing Kirk could so easily ignore the tactics of intimidation that he himself practiced.
After all, Kirk became famous by establishing a database designed to dox professors whose opinions he disliked so they would be intimidated and silenced. Some of these educators left their profession, while others suffered threats to their and their families’ lives.
In the arena of sports, when American gymnast Simone Biles was forced to withdraw from the women’s team final at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Kirk branded her a “sociopath,” telling listeners, “If she’s got all these mental health problems: don’t show up … She’s also very selfish, she’s immature, and she’s a shame to the country.”
Kirk expressed caustic disdain for Canada as well, describing it as “a really screwed up country and … a self-hating country, as you well know, that prides itself on being polite. This is a great lesson for those of us from the West that your favourable characteristics of being polite, nice and welcoming can also be your downfall.”
The senseless killing of a young father of two because of his political views is reprehensible. Few would argue that.
However, Parliament holding a tribute and minute of silence for a right-wing, Trump-supporting American podcaster whose views many Canadians do not share is disturbing, and seems to prioritize his death over all lives lost to gun violence south of the border, including `school shootings and targeted attacks upon politicians on both sides of the political spectrum, notably the recent assassination of Minnesota state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. Let us say their names, too.
I remain perplexed as to why the House of Commons chose to pay homage to someone who denigrated Canada and stood firmly against Canadian principles of civility and open-mindedness. Equally baffling is the CBC’s live coverage of the entire Charlie Kirk memorial.
At the very moment that Canada is introducing the Combatting Hate Act, our national broadcaster, supported by our tax dollars, chose to air speeches such as Stephen Miller’s virulent attacks on “our enemies,” by which he clearly meant anybody who does not hold his overtly racist and fascistic views.
Daniel Bratton,
Centre Wellington