Regarding the chain of letters about the “Disdain for Cottagers”, it is most certainly not a right-wrong, black-and-white issue. There are a lot of opinions circulating and strong ones at that. It is critical for us all, now more than ever, to identify what is most important, to distill down all of the banter and to allow for a constructive and collaborative conversation about the root issues we are faced with today.
My last letter (issue #7 May 12 to May 26, 2020) was meant to emphasize just that. It was also an invitation for us all to question the validity of what we’re spoon-fed by mainstream media and perhaps consider the ulterior motives that may be behind said news. We must not allow ourselves to be pitted against one another during these trying and tumultuous times (that may soon get worse). We must band together more than ever and focus on building and maintaining constructive communities built on inclusivity and respect for one another.
Becoming hostile and territorial is just another form of prejudice, akin to the disgusting display of racism that we’ve seen in the area (re: Mr. Yin). Now is not the time to buckle under the stress. It’s the time to take a stand and defend one another’s rights to a peaceful life (thank you, Anne Kearsley, for doing just that). If we don’t have peace, we have nothing at all.
Stephanie Tkaczuk
