To the Editor,
Re: Voters clear on the future, Opinion, May 18.
In the editorial, you state that, among other things, “In light of the results Tuesday, there are some clear facts the people of B.C. should strongly consider accepting, if they have not already: A clear majority of British Columbians -- even more in the Parksville-Qualicum riding -- believe in a free enterprise model of governance.”
I happen to live in this riding and wish to challenge your assumptions, stated as ‘facts’, on a number of counts.
First, an editorial is not a statement of fact, it is an opinion piece by the editors or contributors to the newspaper.
Second, making a blanket statement about the voting preferences of voters is verging on delusional, as even the so-called pollsters couldn’t predict the voters’ intentions.
And, third, assuming with confidence that the voters chose free enterprise rather than the other choices (not stated in the editorial), is presumptuous and highly pretentious.
Are you, by default, stating that the rest of the Nanaimo voters chose to reject free enterprise and therefore have some sort of death-wish? Are they therefore less knowledgeable, somehow, than are your ‘facts’?
It has been stated that the preferred electorate is an ill-informed one. Perhaps your policy is the same. That way the voters can be manipulated to vote the way of the ‘ruling’ class.
You have shown your true colours by treating your readers as in need of your facts. This reflects very well the position of our ‘ruling’ class. As a result, I certainly won’t be looking to your paper for some balanced thought, especially not in your editorial column.
Wally Roth
Nanaimo