READERS WRITE
LETTERS WELCOME, 250-word maximum, full name required. Send to letters@thespec.com
Trustees need to resign
The four trustees alleged to have demonstrated racist behaviour toward Ahona Mehdi, the student trustee, must resign. Or does HWDSB tolerate breaching codes of conduct?
Callie Archer, Aldershot
United Way more vital than ever
Soaring pandemic numbers and lockdowns are distressing, isolating and the news cycle has us on constant high alert. It can all feel overwhelming.
We all face a challenging time, but we should not fool ourselves. I have heard it said this way: We are in the same storm, but not in the same boat.
That is so true. Some of us ride it out in a sturdy yacht or houseboat. Others are fighting their way in a canoe or life raft. The storm is the same, but our ability to withstand the deluge is not.
Your United Way supports more than 50 mental health resources that are a lifeline when our family, friends and neighbours need them most.
Among them: available to you and others is 211, a phone and live chat service that connects people to the resources they need 24-7 and in more than 100 languages; and Chalmers, an app helping people experiencing homelessness find meals, shelter and clothing.
We are entering the home stretch of the 2020-2021 campaign to raise $10 million for 129 local programs and front-line services. Every dollar is vital. Please consider making a donation that will help us ensure everyone who is struggling with mental health, poverty, isolation and domestic violence, among others, can find what they need to weather this storm.
John Chisholm, 2020-21 campaign chair,
United Way of Halton and Hamilton
Trump’s dubious ‘achievements’
Re: Where is the praise for Trump’s good work (Feb. 13)
Yes, we should all be aware of Trump’s achievements. Like taking hate and racism to new levels, spawning more neo-Nazi groups than Hitler could ever have dreamed of, given legitimacy to outfits like the Klan or Viking wannabe QAnon morons. A guy who has proved that any illiterate, tweet happy, reality TV show idiot that couldn’t string a proper sentence together to save his life, can become president of the good ol’ U.S. of A. Living proof that a (potentially) crooked real-estate criminal from the Big Apple with absolutely no political experience can bring out the “righteous” in rightwing extremism and inspire a whole bunch of other red neck Republicans to do the same.
The list goes on and on. Is the person who wrote this letter on the same planet as the rest of us?
Paul Casey, Ancaster
Trump did nothing wrong
I even quit receiving The Spec for some time because I was fed up with your anti-Trump journalism while you ignore the facts that Justin Trudeau and the Liberals are bringing our country to its knees (even before COVID-19). Your recent editorial stating Trump ordered the Capitol breach: Did you even note that on Jan. 6, Trump said “Peacefully, patriotically, make your voices heard?” Yes the rioters came with a purpose, yes it is disgraceful what happened there, but there is no proof that Trump sent them. Nellie DeHaan, Smithville
Trump’s track record
Re: Spec unfair to Trump, blind to Biden (Feb. 12)
I am relieved that Donald Trump is no longer U.S. president and that we don’t have to worry about what disaster he’s going to perpetrate next. And I really shouldn’t waste my time addressing this silly missive but … well … just this one last time ...
I’m wondering specifically which criticism of Trump by The Spec has upset the writer so terribly. Was it his warm embrace of white supremacists? His attempted suppression of every minority from Blacks to the LGBTQ community? His separating children from their parents for years? Alienating every western ally that the U.S. had? Cozying up to pretty much every despot from Putin to Bolsonaro? His monumental failure at handling the pandemic? His demand that Canada arrest Meng Wanzhou resulting in the two Michaels being held hostage for now over two hellish years? In the interest of brevity I’ll stop here but I mean let’s face it, the man was not beyond criticism.
The writer asks “Will Biden stand up to China..” Uh. yes. On his first call with Xi he brought up the subjects of China’s nefarious use of technology and unfair trade as well as human rights — something Trump never did because let’s be honest, he really didn’t give a damn. On the other hand, while Trump was conducting a disastrous trade war with China that never really did any good, China was repressing democracy in Hong Kong and tightening its grip on the South China Sea area with ne’er a word from Trump. Derek Elliott, Hamilton
Be careful pointing fingers
I read with amusement the op-ed by Mr. Whitehead about verification of facts before publication. He apparently is exempt from providing this same proof before levelling an allegation against a citizen, fellow councillor or a staff member himself. When one points a finger at another, there are three pointing back at themselves.
Colleen Wicken, Hamilton
A letter to Coun. Ferguson
Dear Coun. Ferguson: Welcome to reality. You are not the only one who doesn’t want a pot shop in their area. I am sure many people didn’t want one either. So just hum these two songs: “You can’t always get what you want” and “Money, Money, Money.” Sandra Lees, Hamilton