Defacing signs not the way to prove a point
I saw, with a mix of despair and surprise, several Rhonda Chen (PPC) signs in our community where her face was cut out. Clearly someone did this with deliberate intent as a tool would be required to make such large and effective cuts. It is not uncommon to see the occasional sign kicked over, but in this case, the sign remains upright, a hole where a face should be. Clearly this is not a random or spontaneous act.
Regardless of anyone’s politics, defacing political signs is not a way to prove a point or make a statement. As the PPC is a party to the right on the political spectrum, it is reasonable to assume that whoever did this damage may well be further to the left. The tragic irony of literally defacing a minority, immigrant woman’s image is not lost on those who follow Canada’s increasingly polarized, identity politics.
I am saddened to think that our political discourse has devolved to this level. If citizens have an issue with a candidate’s politics, they should attend a town hall and/or email the candidate and express any policy concerns. Attack the ideas, not the individual.
I do not know Ms. Chen, but I would imagine she, like any candidate in this riding, is open to all reasonable, informed dialogue. It is through the sharing of ideas, and even confronting divisive issues, that we often discover we have more in common than not. We are always free to agree to disagree, but deliberate vandalism of this nature debases us all.
Kelly Davidson
Shawnigan Lake
