Readers face off over Cherry
Re ‘I don’t regret a thing,’ says Coach’s Corner host, Nov. 12
I am one of “you people.” I am and will forever be grateful that Canada let “us people” into Canada. I will always be thankful for the sacrifices made by soldiers and their families so that my family could emigrate to a country that so many would love to come to.
Like many immigrants, I have always worn the poppy with a mixture of pride, reverence, and gratitude. I have often attended Remembrance Day ceremonies or stood along the Highway of Heroes as a Canadian hero’s broken body was repatriated.
Canada isn’t utopia. There are sad parts to Canada’s history that we dare not forget. However, we should also remember that few countries are as generous, welcoming and inclusive. Is there a country that has done more to redeem itself?
Although I do not agree with Don Cherry’s stereotyping immigrants or approve of the hurtful and clumsy way he shared his message, I deeply lament his firing. It serves to further divide and polarize us and deepen the solitudes in Canada.
What I heard amid the vitriol is that we Canadians, adopted or born, are prone to whitewash or forget the evil ideologies our best fought against and the sacrifices they made. In this he is, of course, correct and he should be commended for reminding us time and again. Stefan Brüggemann, Toronto
It’s about time! From a true hockey fan who enjoys the sport and not fights. Lillian Shery, Toronto
I couldn’t help but notice that in Kevin McGran’s interview with Don Cherry, Don insisted that Sportsnet “listened to those people.” Judging from the complaints received by the Broadcast Standards Council and others, there must be an awful lot of those people.
I reflected on the value of immigrants while I honoured my late grandfather yesterday. He was an American who flew in the RCAF during the Second World War, and stayed in Canada to raise his family. He also always wore a poppy, as do his immigrant descendants.
It is really a pity Don Cherry is so out of touch with modern Canadians, but a good thing that he no longer has a platform for his anachronistic rants. He used to be entertaining; he has become sad and decisive. Doug Lewis, Clarington
Don Cherry should not have been fired. I am one of the “you people” he mentioned and did not take his comments personally. He is a passionate Canadian and has every right to state his observations and opinions.
Why aren’t his comments used to start a conversation? Why are people not choosing to wear a poppy to remember the sacrifices and show support for our military vets for a few days in November?
We can disagree with the words he used but firing him is just plain wrong and an infringement on his right to free speech. Stop this madness called political correctness that is used to silence and punish anyone who dares to use words social justice warriors disagree with. Jana Saracevic, Toronto
How is it that Don Cherry gets fired for his comments while Ron MacLean, who happily smiled, nodded his head throughout Don’s pontification and gave a huge smiling thumbs up at the conclusion, is unscathed? Talk about throwing somebody under the bus! And most people thought they were good friends. David Maki, Toronto
The collective uproar about and the sacking of Don Cherry for grousing about poppy-less immigrants seems a bit ironic, given that only weeks ago, Canadians voted to re-elect a PM who spent his university years majoring as a make-up artist specializing in black and/or brown face. In Canada, as well as here in the U.S., old white guys are apparently the low-hanging fruit for the PC police. Ed Armstrong, Winston, Ore.
Many have responded indignantly to the Cherry firing. The main argument I hear seems to be: Liberals re-elected Justin Trudeau despite his wearing blackface, a racist act. The same people castigate Cherry for his racism. Therefore you have hypocrisy.
This argument contains a fallacy. There was plenty of outrage (and deservedly so, by his own admission) when the Trudeau pictures came out, from minority groups, Liberals and Conservatives young and old.
But Trudeau apologized for his actions and recognized them as wrong. Cherry, on the other hand, still does get that what he said was wrong. He refuses to apologize. So comparing the two is a false equivalency. Tom Walsh, Stratford, Ont.
What next for the Coach’s Corner chief venom spitter who lost his job over his “you people” rant? Here’s an idea: Become a student of Canadian history. When he begins to listen and learn, Cherry is likely to learn about how “you people” have enriched this land of “milk and honey” beyond description, not only on the battlefield but on every other field of human endeavour: science, education, business, the arts, philanthropy — you name it. A history stint could lead Cherry to cheerlead “you people.” That will help cement his legacy to the country of “you people” he has offended so much over so long a time. Alan Rego, Toronto
Don Cherry is right in pointing out that many people did not wear poppies on Remembrance Day. The poppy began as a symbol of the sacrifices Canadians made over a century ago in the First World War, and many wars since. It has become a sacred Canadian tradition. Whether you are an immigrant, naturalized or native-born citizen, to not wear a poppy says you do not acknowledge or understand those sacrifices. Shame on you! Gerry Soucie, Toronto
Re A guy like Cherry can’t get by without enablers, Paradkar, Nov. 13
Well said. Without those enablers, there would never have been a Don Cherry rant on “Coaches Corner.” Those who bully and verbally abuse and discriminate against others always need someone to stand by and not say anything. Ron MacLean has been one of the most supportive of the Cherry rants and I am pleased that someone has finally identified enabling discrimination as an issue in our society. Jan Bowen, Peterborough, Ont.
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