We like to think northern Albertans are basically good people.
Sure, we all can name at least one or two dickheads, or dickettes if you want to spread the love around. But we don’t hear very often of someone walking over to the neighbours and screaming death threats because a wayward cat likes relieving itself in a prized flower bed. The owner may be thinking that, but natural civility, and the law of course, prevails. A local lawyer did often comment “The only thing keeping most people from doing bad things is the fear of getting caught.” Ah yes, the law.
We don’t know why, but both civility and good behaviour is taking a down turn in most parts of the world. Maybe that lawyer has a good point. Lawrence Magee, a southern Alberta resident prides himself on his outspoken views online. In a recent CBC news item, he is quoted as saying “I didn’t tell anybody to go threaten anybody. But this is the internet. This is the new era. This is what people feel (they can) do. I get threats on a daily basis because of my political opinion and ideology.”
Threats on a daily basis? What the heck?
Before we talk further on this, we have to say again, maybe it’s because northern Albertans are basically good people we have never heard of anybody getting threats on a “daily basis.” Maybe a couple of harsh words once in awhile. Certainly a call here and there for a boycott of some sort. Usually resolved by a quick apology.
We have indeed often heard at council meetings a councillor say “I got lots of calls” over some issue. Really? What’s a definition of “lots?” Three? How many other councillors got calls. One or two might say they heard about the issue in the coffee shop. It has to be said, exaggeration is often used to make a politician look more important that he or she is. If every councillor on a local government gets at least a couple of calls on an issue, you can bet something is up. One or two saying they got “lots?” About as believable as Mr. Magee getting daily threats.
On the other hand, it is indeed believable that on some, hot button issues, a lot of gossip can be generated. As for instance, the recent flap over the Sundre rodeo parade float. In this instance, an Alberta flag themed float was deemed too political to be allowed into the parade. As is quite normal these days, social media lit up like a badly run backwoods meth lab. And that was after the float was allowed back in!
The entire situation is really quite unbelievable. One person is quoted in the story saying “I really wish the political aspect can be left out of it… politics in general have divided society so much over the years now.”
To that we can add the fact the law seems to have no interest at all in policing what is said on social media.
Mainstream media, like this newspaper, and radio and television in Canada, all are accountable for content and police content. But the lawyer above said, when there is no fear, it is indeed the wild west.