Amongst the sad rants of one Bill Carroll of CFRA was his anger that the Calgary Flames had allowed its coach, Peters, to resign instead of firing him and the NHL suspending him from hockey for using a racial epithet against an athlete ten years ago. In Mr. Carroll's world of the avenging angel of righteousness there is no place for one simple concept: forgiveness and its penitentiary handmaid - proportionality. Would any of us think it would be right for us to be fired for a matter that happened a decade ago rather than simply straitened by a warning, a fine, a suspension without pay or some such other penalty that balanced justice, offence and decency in equal measures? Is that what the athlete wanted?
Now first let me get this straight. I have never used a racial, ethnic or religious epithet against anyone orally or in writing in my entire life. I hate racism in all its forms and will always assist those who wish to denounce it and, yes, punish it, so that it does not dwell in majesty in any sector of our life. Mind, I would also not carry on in black face or fire native women for simply standing up for what is right. But I also happen not to think, unlike Mr. Carroll, Mr. Trudeau and many others of the elite, powerful influential sort, that the transgressor in these matters will always learn more and be all the more chastened when he sees us deal with him in a generous, gracious, compassionate and humane way.
By doing so, we show how much bigger we are than the tiny person who commits such errors. That's one of the reasons we're world renowned - not for our thirsty desire for revenge but for our honest broker attitude of "live and let live" and tolerance even for the intolerable. After all, did we not prove it in this last election writ large - we allowed the PM to keep his job despite several patently racist, misogynist and insensitive acts but only after he was denied the absolute power he had before.
I call for the same standard for Peters as for Trudeau. What is more I promise I would call for the same standard for Don Cherry, too, as for a professor at the University of Alberta, MacDonald, who recently called the Hoblomor a hoax perpetrated by the Ukrainian Canadian community. I just want fairness and proportionality for all regardless of the transgression they perpetrate (as long as of course they were not dishonest about it or proven to be chronic incurable recidivist offenders). That's the Canadian Way.
Say no to the PC Reign of Terror and show confidence in your good offices that you do not have to destroy a person's life just to prove them.
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