To the editor:
Today at school (Oct. 12 2017) at Okanagan College - Kelowna campus, I witnessed something that wasn’t totally unfair but parts of it was. I believe everyone has the right to voice their opinion, but in the right way that isn’t harmful, bullying or harassing others.
There were approximately a dozen pro life protesters at the school, with very disruptive, sad six-foot tall images posted in the courtyard of our school of little fetus’. I’m not here to argue about pro life or pro choice but I myself am wanting to make a change for those who had no choice but to see these photos. While walking through the courtyard today I saw multiple girls/young women walking away from these protesters in tears.
Related: Pro life a facade
I as an Early Childhood Educator (ECE) see this as a very sad situation. There are young children that walk through that courtyard each day to get to daycare, preschool or workshops at the college that my fellow classmates organize for them, they don’t need to see the sad six-foot tall photos that were plastered through the court yard.
A protester stopped me today and my argument to the lady that stopped me was that it’s everyone’s own independent choice. She argued and argued with me and then began to notice my ECE sweater and she said to me, “you wouldn’t want to see a little child cut up in tiny pieces would you?”
That was enough to hurt me. That was enough to hurt the ones around me, my colleagues, fellow students and teachers. If they want to come to the college, great, let them, but give the students there a warning, not everyone wants to see the horrific photos that were plastered.
I’ve included some of the sayings that were written on the sidewalk today. Everyone has a right to their opinion, and everyone can have a voice. But there is a line of too much; this event crossed this line.
The student union doesn’t want this event to happen either, we have a choice.
Sincerely,
A hurt, bullied student,
Melanie Darbyshire, Kelowna