The recent protest of Jenn Smith’s planned talk in Oak Bay was seriously flawed by hooliganism.
READ ALSO: Hundreds of protesters drown out anti-SOGI speakers in Oak Bay
The protesters heckled a trans-identified person, paraded intolerance of any view but their own and displayed general contempt for civil discourse.
Ryan Painter was quoted in the Oak Bay News as saying “It’s hard because there’s so much hatred out there. This is about elevating love, acceptance, and hope and allowing LGBTQ and gender non-binary to speak their truth.”
The hypocrisy should not escape us.
Both sides of this debate need to find a higher ground of civility and dialogue instead of mindlessly shouting down the opposition.
READ ALSO: Anti-SOGI speaker threatens criminal charges against school trustee Ryan Painter
Mark deLeeuw
Saanich
