LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Why so quick to judge Kanye West?

Re: Kanye test, March 31. The “controversy” surrounding Kanye West’s Bluesfest appearance would be hilarious if it didn’t hint at something supremely sinister about our culture. Aside from his haters’ complete ignorance about his vast contributions to the hip hop genre, what does it say when a group of naysayers are so quick to judge and vilify a black man whose only crime is openly declaring that he loves himself?

Where is the hate for white artists with similarly sized egos? John Lennon said he was bigger than Jesus. More recently, actor Matthew McConaughey dedicated an entire Oscar speech to his greatest hero — himself. Kanye may love himself, but at the end of the day, he’s not spewing bigotry or hate. What is so dangerous and unnerving about Kanye’s confidence? I wish Kanye’s haters would critically examine why they feel so strongly about him. Because if the worst thing that Kanye West has ever done is interrupt a boring and meaningless awards show to stand up for another artist (and a black woman, no less), then he’s fine by me.

So on behalf of all true Ye fans, I say thanks for booking Kanye, Bluesfest! We look forward to welcoming Yeezy on July 10. Melanie Karin Brown, Ottawa

Reason for public service woes is easy

Re: Major mental health deal for public service, March 28. My wife and I had a good laugh at this Citizen article. She chuckled at the mention of the task force and offered to tell them what’s wrong, for free: cutbacks after cutbacks and public servants are still expected to do the same amount of work or more with less resources. And that’s not just in the public service. No wonder we’re stressed.

We would not be surprised if Treasury Board President Tony Clement balks at the findings of the task force and decides to implement what he’s already decided on, whatever that may be.

Clement was reported as saying that he “aims to make the public service Canada’s model employer as a psychologically healthy place to work.” This coming from a man who has repeatedly bashed and questioned the integrity of public servants. I’m reminded of the saying: “The beatings will continue until morale improves.” Peter Miller, Ottawa

Pride in student trailblazers

Re: Two girls honoured for gay-straight alliance they began, March 30. Congratulations to Quinn Maloney-Tavares and Polly Hamilton, the Grade 6 students from St. George School, for their remarkable, outstanding work in forming the first gay-straight alliance at a Catholic elementary school in Canada. The cherished French principles of “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” come to mind.

I am so very proud of these two young ladies! Margie Pratt, Kingston

‘Aggression is the supreme crime’

Re: MPs vote to support expanded ISIL mission, March 31. We are being propelled into an expanded role in the war between ISIL and its opponents. Ostensibly, this is in the name of humanity, to save the innocent from barbarity. This seems righteous.

However, the West’s invasion of Iraq more than a decade ago was driven by similar sentiments. This has led to hundreds of thousands of deaths, and the instability we are now trying to address.

Our involvement in Libya has similarly yielded chaos. More remotely, our support of the Afghan Northern Alliance in the 1980s helped give rise to the Taliban. Several years ago, the West had wanted to support militarily those rising against Syria President Bashar Assad. Now we are to fight against the foes of Assad.

These conflicts are extraordinarily complex and our brute-force incursions cannot solve them. We can reasonably assist, with either military or humanitarian support, the Kurds or the legitimate government of Iraq. But we are foolish to think smart bombs and drones can solve what was triggered by the invasion of Iraq.

We are now proposing to wage war in Syria, a sovereign nation. This is simply illegal by any standards, our own included, the rants and threats of ISIL from thousands of kilometres away notwithstanding. Perhaps our leaders should consider the war-weary words of those at Nuremberg 70 years ago, that “aggression is the supreme international crime, differing only from other crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole.” Steve Kravcik, Manotick