Re: “They Live Among Us” by Tony Wilson BarTalk October 2022

“I read with hesitation the above-noted article, the title of which very effectively gives a heads-up to a coming display of the arrogant elitist/supremacist and condescending tone so often indulged in by the author of this column. In the course of a single page, Mr. Wilson proceeds to ridicule those holding opposing and/or very divergent views in areas as serious as electoral integrity, public health safety and efficacy, and human rights, including the right to peacefully protest. He concentrates mostly on attacking specific people clearly suffering from serious ignorance and/or mental illness, mostly through contemptuous dismissal or ad hominem insults, and thereby seems to marginalize any fact-based or logic-based concerns in those important areas, concerns shared by many who could never reasonably or justly be called “conspiracy theorists,” “anti-vaxxers,” or “crackpots.” What is this — Grade 3 level name-calling during recess? This sort of cheap, sneering bullying — “punching down” actually — by people who seem to consider themselves members of some truth-guarding elite has no place in a publication such as this. It is a disgrace and an affront to the legal profession’s support for reason, civility, freedom of expression and the pursuit of justice, regardless of whether one agrees with any of the admittedly fatally-flawed arguments these people put forth. Did it not occur to you that these non-lawyers were not represented by counsel, a luxury few can afford?

Congratulations, Mr. Wilson — you just embraced and held up to a worshipful level the irrational, uncivil and non-evidence-based behaviours you claim to decry. Instead of this sort of anti-intellectual bully-boy tirade, I look forward to seeing an article from you some day in which you seek instead to analyze and expound on your own undoubtedly stunningly valuable views on these various topics. Then perhaps the ignorant, uneducated and mentally ill who struggle through an often incomprehensible world full of real-life harms and injustices could benefit from the constructive contributions of someone with a legal background, rather than simply be further beaten down by more of the same destructive and hatred-filled put-downs.

By the way, the title “They Live Among Us” is possibly the most disgusting short-hand way possible to describe other fellow human beings, and brings to mind that this is how some people actually describe the mentally ill, the drug-addicted and/or the homeless, i.e., as not being human. No doubt you didn’t mean to display support for a society divided in various classes or castes, but next time you might at least consider the divisive and mean-spirited nature of your choice of words. There’s been plenty of vilification going around for the past few years already, and many of us are simply sick of it.

This was a strongly critical letter, yes, but I am relieved that I was able to write something this restrained and civil, particularly since the first four words that came to mind after reading this horrific piece were the four (profane) words by the Mayor of Peterborough that you so admiringly quoted.”

— Trevor Wiebe, North Vancouver, BC

“In a profession that thrives on differing opinions, I have always welcomed comments from readers who agree or disagree with my opinions in “Nothing Official.” Getting a reaction, even if it’s negative, means that people have actually read a column of mine, and in this reader’s case, are motivated enough to strongly disagree with me, which is what any opinion columnist should hope for. If an opinion columnist like me doesn’t have an opinion about something, or the column doesn’t motivate readers to think, laugh, or disagree with me, then “Nothing Official” is a merely public relations column and not worth reading.”

— Tony Wilson, KC