May 1, 2019
It is usually not deemed professional for a journalist to write a Letter to the Editor. In my case, though, sometimes when, as an activist, and when I am not working as a journalist, something rattles me enough I do write a Letter to the Editor.
Rules, after all, are sometimes made to be broken. The following is a rare Letter to the Editor that I wrote:
The Gulf Islands Driftwood
November 30, 2005
Letters to the Editor
Disturbing
by Tanya Lester
I am glad that the local election is over. I hope most people got through it relatively unscathed.
Something happened to me that I find disconcerting. At the Trust-CRD all-candidates debate at ArtSpring, I turned to the person next to me and asked if I could be excused– there were four people to get by — so I could get up to the microphone to ask a question about affordable housing.
She said to me, “You can’t just jump up there.” She was a big woman and was determined not to let me by.
I was stunned into inactivity for a moment, as I cannot remember ever being blocked from getting up and speaking in a public place.
Freedom of expression is something I have taken for granted, I guess. By that time, several people , including someone asking about incorporation from the group that would like a municipality, had got up to the microphone. I realized that the woman who was blocking my path was part of this group as well.
I again asked to be excused so I could get up and this time she let me by. However, I probably had to wait an hour longer than I would have otherwise in the line to the microphone.
I find this kind of intimidation really scary and it certainly does nothing to win me over to the incorporation group.
I know people are frustrated and angry on both sides of this issue, but the sun really will continue to rise and set on Salt Spring no matter what happens. Let’s not be abusive.
Tanya Lester
Ganges
–END–
Tanya Lester has worked as a psychic counsellor to over two decades now. In her ‘toolbox’ is tea leaf reading, tarot, psychic channelling, mediumship and gypsy card reading. She is also a reiki master and fulltime housesitter. For more about her unsual career, go to her website at teareading.wordpress.com To book a reading, reiki session or discuss a housesit, text/call her at 250-538-0086 or email: tealeaf.56@gmail.com
To read more posts on this blog of eclectic topics and genres, go to writingsmall.wordpress.com or tealeaf56.wordpress.com
Tanya’s books are: Confessions of a Tea Leaf Reader, Friends I Never Knew, Dreams and Tricksters as well as Women Rights/Writes. Search for them in public libraries, amazon.ca, in the Legislative Library of Manitoba or contact Tanya directly.
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