We aren’t strong unless we pull together
By Letter to the Editor on May 5, 2021.
Editor: We moved to Lethbridge late last year in the hope that our lives would be improved. I have lived in almost every province in this country and have visited every province and territory.
Many years ago as a senior police official I observed that if I had a choice of people to select as a contingent to take on an important public service task it would be Canadian East Coasters. I said this because I could see that in their character they had a willingness to put their shoulder to the wheel and push hard, or to hold out a hand and help others in need.
Their collective personalities to be there in spades when called upon are probably the result of family and community influences.
After many years my belief in that view has not been shaken.
In fact this pandemic only served to strengthen that belief. Sadly, the province I now live in has developed a reputation as being exactly the opposite. An unwillingness to act in the interest of many of our citizens during this crisis has branded the character of this province as that of a petulant teenager.
We aren’t strong unless we pull together, in the same direction on the rope. To those that defy public health orders or self righteously refuse to help curb this scourge in the name of “personal freedoms” don’t fool yourself. Our freedoms are secure, thanks to the spirit of good people, like East Coasters, or decent Prairie folk, who I have not given up on.
Peter Burns
Lethbridge
-1
Thanks for the back handed compliment, I guess. You paint the people of Alberta as petulant teenagers because of the actions of a small minority of people. The majority of Albertans are following the restrictions. You said you were a senior police official how would you feel if I did the same to you because of the actions of a few officers? Especially because of the incident one year ago.
Bad mouthing Peter doesn’t make you look very smart when we have phony conservative MLAs leading the pack of deniers, led by Drew Barnes creating this mess. Why aren’t you bashing them?
The big question the true conservatives in my world keep asking is why were they elected in the first place?
The answer is simple it’s because Albertans were too dumb to look at the facts, instead they believed the lies they were fed. You would have to be a damn fool to think Notley could repair in only 4 years what these phony conservatives created in 25.
A large portion of our senior friends are from eastern Canada and I certainly agree with Peter. They came to Alberta for the jobs and aren’t dumb enough to buy into the lies these phony conservatives, starting with Ralph Klein, have been feeding us. You won’t see any of them ignoring the health care restrictions.
I haven’t forgotten the remarks of the American oilmen that I was involved with either who called Albertans the dumbest people on the planet for letting Klein give away our oil wealth like he was doing. Guess what these Reformers are still doing it and have increased the tax breaks for their rich friends. .
Now Albertans have proven it by showing the world they have no respect for our doctors and nurses, by deliberately creating a worse mess for them to handle. Where is the intelligence in that
I wonder how many will leave because they haven’t been shown the respect they so rightly deserve?
Retired doctor friends have said for years that Canadian doctors and nurses are highly regarded and are in great demand. They can work anywhere they want to in the world.
albertans do have a way of coming together in the positive, and the floods of 7 years ago and the fires of several years ago attest to that. however, the writer correctly notes there is much resistance to the concepts of working cooperatively, and supporting those in need. self service remains preeminent in our culture here, as does judgement of others. however, there is nevertheless a strong and ever emerging contingent of people that rising above themselves regularly.
i would suggest, people that care, that you continue to shine your light as often and as brightly as you may; i suspect your service will be ever appreciated, and your actions will continue to the light the way to the better path for others to see.
net neg 1 lol who is the troll, the one that loves to jump on every comment i place with a neg. have you an actual thought? please share. not sure what bugs you about this comment. is it the idea of sharing (you flunk out of kindergarten?); is it the idea of cooperation (have you been brainwashed into thinking the old ussr, and china are real and true examples of what cooperation is?); do you not agree that albertans stepped up during the floods and fires (maybe you did not); do you not agree with or not like the fact that albertans are increasingly opening up to the reality that there is actually strength and benefits to all through helping one another; do you think judgement is a positive?
Thanks for such an interesting post. I think that personal beliefs and freedoms and beliefs is what actually makes us stronger, but the collective personalities have the positive impact on changes in society as well. I have completed a college project with the help of https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/personal-beliefs/ resource and can tell that in this specific case, the society and police should change the attitude to such important public services.