Letters to The Province, April 28, 2022: The real problem is our own apathy

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Opinion: Letters to The Province, April 28, 2022.

Ukrainian soldiers stand on their armored personnel carrier (APC), not far from the front-line with Russian troops, in the Izyum district, Kharkiv region, on April 18 during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainian soldiers stand on their armored personnel carrier (APC), not far from the front-line with Russian troops, in the Izyum district, Kharkiv region, on April 18 during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Photo by ANATOLII STEPANOV /AFP via Getty Images

We like our fictional heroes and heroines to be honorable, courageous and even modest, as well as being willing to make personal sacrifices in the pursuit of our version of justice. We expect them to lead by example and in so doing inspire us to awaken those same qualities that most of us want to believe we also possess.

Only fictional heroes and heroines can be perfect. Our leaders will always have flaws, just like the rest of us. They should be judged on their intelligence, their aptitude, their compassion, their ethics and their determination to do what is right.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt and President Nelson Mandela come to mind.

Inspirational, principled heroes and heroines are hard to find. Unsuitable candidates in a democracy often become leaders because an over-blemished incumbent gets voted out of office.

Unfortunately, the Conservatives are still prepared to drive in a narrow ditch rather than on the wide right-hand lane.

Companies invest enormous amounts of money to convince us to buy their products. Most consumers don’t take the time to investigate and compare their options before buying. Corporate executives know razzle-dazzle and half-truths pay off (almost) every time, providing bad publicity can be avoided.

Political strategists are no different. They learned long ago that promoting simple solutions for complex problems, or singling out a minority group to blame for specific problems usually pays big dividends on election day.

It’s tempting to point an accusatory finger at corporate executives and elected politicians but the real problem is our own apathy. Perhaps we should have a frank discussion with the person we see every day in the mirror.

We could start by mentioning the high price Ukrainians are willing to pay to defend the rights and freedoms we take for granted.

Lloyd Atkins, Vernon

What are you doing on the street that requires privacy?

It seems that Vancouver city councilors who are opposing the proposal of having CCTV surveillance cameras in Vancouver need reminding that in this day and age, at any given time, anyone can take your picture or video and post it on social media without your consent or knowledge . There is no privacy when you are on a public street. What are you doing on the street that requires privacy? Surveillance cameras may not detect crime, but they can help solve crime. It would be nice if for once, victims were protected more than criminals.

Sylvia Taylor, Surrey

Re: Postmedia reporter Bolan lands second CAJ award nomination.

Congratulations Kim Bolan on being nominated for a CAJ Award. She deserves to win.

Caroline Duncan, North Vancouver

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