Editorial was grounds for firing

Sep 28, 2007

To the Editor:

After reading Pat Hope’s response to the editorial of Sept. 14, I thought I would make up my own mind and read the offending editorial, which I had missed.

After reading it carefully, I felt that two sentences were definitely offensive, so I went online to review sections 318-320 of the Criminal Code of Canada, regarding the publishing of hate literature. It is a crime in Canada to incite hatred of an identifiable group on grounds of race, religion or sexual orientation, so I was very surprised to see that (the Forester) let someone print an incitement to hatred of Catholics on the grounds of their religion and an accusation that they are involved in some evil plot to brainwash their children.

In fact, the beliefs mentioned are not exclusive to Catholics. Many other Christian religions also share the same beliefs, including most fundamentalist Christians, as do Orthodox Jews and Muslims. I’m astonished that they were not included in this invective just for the sake of equal bigotry for all.

I was also surprised that (the Forester) had allowed this reporter to get so far off the topic of Mr. McGuinty’s political hypocrisy as to use a personal attack on the religion of 33 per cent of your readers and advertisers as some kind of justification for his argument.

The personal beliefs of Catholics – or in fact of any identifiable religion – are completely irrelevant. The debate is about extension of funding. Fairness and equality are the arguments. If you can’t keep the debate on topic, don’t descend into hate literature.

In Canada, people are free to practise whatever religion they see fit and we do not persecute them for that, nor do we hold their beliefs up to public ridicule and contempt.

Whether within the meaning of the act or not, you have violated that principle and you should apologize to your readers for sinking so low.

The reporter in question should be fired. Let him get a job with Ernst Zundel.

Celia Finley
Burk’s Falls, ON