No accommodation was required

Re: No happy ending for disabled person at movie theatre, Citizen, Nov. 22.

The issue is, did that disabled person require any accommodation when purchasing a movie theatre ticket?

That disabled person in fact did not require any accommodation.

Cineplex.com does allow everyone the opportunity to purchase movie theatre tickets online, which could have been utilized by that disabled person.

The decision by the Cineplex staff and management at that theatre was the correct one because the disabled person knew in advance that he could wait outside with no risk at all to his health and thus why he didn’t buy his movie theatre ticket before he arrived at the movie theatre?

The people in the line allowed you to have that fellow brought to the front of the line more as a courtesy than a valid social contract so to speak.

I hope this helps you understand better about accommodations for a disabled person and why just because that person is disabled doesn’t automatically mean that he/she is totally helpless.

I use a four-wheel walker and would be a tad uncomfortable if you tried the same action with me that you did with that fellow.

For your information and consideration, from a disabled disability rights advocate. David Smith

Edmonton

Love, compassion, respect

I find it sad, disheartening and worrisome that in this land of free speech, we are prohibited by non-sensible rules or risk of offending someone from speaking (or singing) our mind.

Now I am definitely against hateful or condescending speech but differing opinions are a catalyst for dialogue. We all come from different backgrounds and therefore have differing points of view and beliefs.

The incident involving the Salvation Army singing Christian songs at Pine Centre Mall on Friday tarnished the kettle campaign startup and definitely the image of Pine Centre. It is well known that the Salvation Army is a Christian organization that joyously celebrates what they do – helping others in need. Mary’s Boy Child and Go Tell it on the Mountain are traditional Christian songs sharing the real message of Christmas, which is the birth of Christ. These are beloved songs that we grew up with. They are filled with messages of love and joy. How can these lyrics be offensive? It would be truly hypocritical of the mall to expect the Salvation Army to be singing Santa Claus is Coming to Town.

I feel sorry for whoever complained about the lyrics being offensive. To have a heart filled with anger and disrespect for others of different faiths or beliefs is truly sad. This world is already filled with so much hate, can we not, especially at this time of the year, treat others with love, compassion and respect? After all, that is what Christ’s birth is all about. Merry Christmas! Vickie Brown Prince George

Reverse religious racism

Once again the beautiful Christmas season with its universal message of love, peace, hope and goodwill toward all men, preached by a Christian prophet named Jesus Christ, whose symbolic and celebrated date of birth is Dec. 25 and the reason for the season, is upon us.

Alas, many Christmas traditions in Canada and elsewhere that honour the birth of Jesus Christ and His message of peace and love toward all men are apparently being suffocated, disrespected and treated with a callous disregard under the guise, metaphorically, of the dark side of a new religion or structure called diversity and inclusion and political correctness.

The recent and appalling debacle at the Pine Centre Mall in Prince George, where Christmas carols were clearly blacklisted, serves to illuminate diversity and inclusion and political correctness’s dark and draconian side, and its concerning and rapidly growing adverse effects on our cherished traditions.

To exclude Christmas carols, along with the indignity proffered to the Salvation Army via an edict by the Pine Centre Mall’s management not to play them in order it seems not to offend someone of a differing faith or those with a subjective perspective about Christmas traditions, or any other faux rationalization used by those “in charge” who now appear to be walking back their pathetic decision, is a backward approach to the concept of “inclusion for all.” But it’s only “inclusive for all” as long as some are excluded it seems – a hypocritical double-standard.

What’s transpired at the Pine Centre Mall is something far more insidious. It’s a loss of overall freedom for the many who enjoy and are comforted by the cherished tradition of listening to beautiful musical messages of peace, joy, hope and goodwill to all mankind, in order to cover up something that remains unspoken, ugly and cowardly but visible to those with eyes wide open.

What has transpired in Prince George, precipitated by unnamed complainants or decisions made by management, if not both, might aptly be called reverse religious racism at a maximum or snowflake stupid at a minimum, could it not? Sandra Craig Kelowna elect our leaders in the gathering storm of unanswered questions, confusion and controversy lurking in the uncharted waters of proportional representation?

B.C. voters need and deserve answers to many questions. Will our riding boundaries change? Will we be part of a new rural B.C. super riding? How many MLAs will we have? Will he or she or they be from our area? Will we even have a hometown constituency office? How many more MLAs will there be? How much more will they cost B.C. taxpayers? Will they all be elected by the people or will some be secretly chosen by leaders of the minority groups or coalitions they represent? Will all our votes really count? What happens if someone “crosses the floor?” How will the premier be selected? What about cabinet? How will by-elections work? Is PR designed to give the concentrated population base of Greater Vancouver and Vancouver Island the power to call the shots for the rest of B.C.? What about the rules for how fringe, special interest and extremist groups will form their coalitions? How would an unknown and untried B.C. PR model interact with present traditional local and federal government first-past-the-post models? Why was there no public consultation in determining the questions on the ballot? Since they are regulated by provincial acts, will B.C. local governments and school boards have to follow suit and adopt PR? How will big projects get done? How will anything get done?

And the latest question: has the integrity of the referendum been compromised by the premier’s apparent effort to manipulate the outcome by vetoing one of the three PR options midway through voting?

We’ve been told by the premier not to worry, to trust him as he’ll sort it all out after we’ve voted him a blank cheque to do whatever he has in mind.

I’m told I’m a fear monger. I fear this escapade will be deviously pulled off by a slim majority of votes cast by an even slimmer minority of eligible voters.

A fresh Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform is needed to openly consult with and listen to the people, and not the politicians, to propose a simple and singular question for the next election.

And I know I’m not the only one voting not to pull anchor. Ron Paull Quesnel