Johnson Smith’s Meghan Markle moment
Dear Editor,
On her now infamous interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan Markle sought to bring the British Royal Family into disrepute by alleging racism about concern over the colour of her son’s skin while refusing to name the member of the family to whom allegations referred.
While racism is shameful, Markle’s refusal to state who exactly in her husband’s family was guilty of such behaviour left a dark cloud over the entire family, and I believe she should have said absolutely nothing or been far more specific and named the person, as against painting the family with one broad racism brush based on a comment allegedly made by one of its members.
Similarly, I saw Minister Senator Kamina Johnson Smith’s take the anonymity stance in the Senate, alleging that a member from the Opposition side had sent her threatening e-mail which had been reported to the police some years ago.
As concerning as any such allegation would be, Johnson Smith refused to give added details or to name the supposed Senator from the Opposition benches who had allegedly threatened her, thereby calling into question the actions and integrity of every one on the other side.
I join with Senator Damion Crawford and others in encouraging the goodly minister to name the individual she was making reference to, as well as to make public the e-mail she referenced, so that those who heard her utterances in the Senate can make their own judgement.
To those who say it is a private matter, I respond by saying it may have been until Senator
Johnson Smith made it a public one. Having done so, she ought to either withdraw the comments and apologise to every single one of the Opposition Senators or substantiate her allegations with fact.
To do anything else would suggest that Senator “Markle” was using the all-important and topical issue of violence against women as nothing more than a political football.
Pat C patcarr253@gmail.com