LETTER: Protest, but don't force opinions on others

MidlandToday welcomes letters to the editor at [email protected] or via our website. Please include your full name, daytime phone number and address (for verification of authorship, not publication). The following letter is in response to an article about a protest organized by Simcoe County 4 Palestine, published Jan. 27.

In the Old West, the gunslinger ran the town, killed and stole at will, and the people stood aside and let him do it because they were scared for themselves.

They did not fight for or protect those who suffered at the criminal’s hands until someone fought back to apply the law and establish order, which probably included many deaths.

I wonder if there were protests about these deaths.

History shows that prior to the First and Second World Wars, there were many politicians and others who objected to war and followed the same feelings that people had in the Old West — self-interest — resulting in many people dying needlessly, while there was much procrastination making decisions.

As the dictators grew in power, it eventually became clear that nations must stand together to stop this tyranny but were lax in doing so because they were likely scared of losing any freedoms or power they had that might be in danger. Once this was done to defend, did anyone protest about the people that suffered loss of family and death in enemy territories while this elimination of tyranny was taking place? I doubt it, except for our own families who lost loved ones.

Today, we are faced with enemies that are intent and convinced on destroying the other side, who purposely hide behind innocent people as a defensive tactic so when the attacked party defends themselves by attempting to eliminate the threat of the attacker’s aggression, they can be blamed for genocide by world opinion.

War is offensive and an attacker sets the tone. The defender must defend themselves against the tyranny and the world must condemn the attacker and not the one who is being victimized. When war is declared, there has always been only one survivor. That is why war is so offensive.

Those who protest have the right to protest, but they do not have the right to force their opinions on others who do not feel as they do, including demanding apologies or retractions of our political leaders. They have opinions as well.

Keith Elliott
Orillia