I'm amused at all the letters to the editor stating that the mayors of St. Albert and Edmonton should be apologizing to MP Michael Cooper because they dared to call him out for being at the so-called freedom rally in Ottawa.
The only person that should be apologizing is Cooper. I don't buy for a second that he was unaware that people at these rallies have deeply offensive messaging. I think most people are aware by now that these are not mostly "truckers" at these rallies, but rather people from the alt-right movements. It's a nice cover, though.
I take offence to all the people who actually support these rallies to begin with, which includes Cooper. This has nothing to do with freedom, but rather trying to bully people so that they run the country your way. This talk about freedom is just laughable. You should try visiting some countries where there actually is no freedom. Freedom is not the right to do whatever you want. If that this was true, I might as well go kill whoever I want because they looked at me a wrong way. No law and order needed. Do these protesters realize that is what they are preaching for?
With freedom comes responsibilities to your fellow citizens, which all these people at the rallies, including Cooper, don't seem to understand. And probably never will. So, the only people who should be disappointed are those who align themselves with this movement, which sadly includes our local MP and premier.
I am by no means opposed to protests, that is part of our rights. But I expect civility and respect for one another, which clearly is not the case with these particular protesters. It's really heartbreaking that we have a such a serve yourself rather than your community mentality.
Robert Bokenfohr, St. Albert
