Debate needed on crosswalks

Dear Editor,

re: Public can comment on potential rainbow crosswalk locations, Feb. 26 edition of The Oshawa Express

Having recently moved to Oshawa from Toronto, I was encouraged to see there is still something resembling democratic debate happening in this city.

In Toronto, the totalitarian cult of diversity and inclusion is so ingrained that to even gently question it is now tantamount to career and personal suicide.

In Oshawa, it appears politicians can still have a discussion about whether it is smart or even sane to spend $10,000 (and probably more) to spray paint some tarmac with the colors of a rainbow without being shown the door.

Ward 2 city councillor Jane Hurst raises solid points – the need to put up symbols to advance ‘rights’ is sad, and putting the question of whether or not we want the rainbow crosswalks to residents is fair. Advocates of the rainbow crosswalks like to paint a picture that we’re still living in an actively homophobic society, when it reality most people, myself included, are of the mindset of “live and let live.”

Plus, although they wouldn’t admit it, painting rainbow crosswalks is much more about attracting investment from politically correct corporations than actually supporting the gay community. If they were honest about this, the investment would at least make some sense to residents.

People are most likely to vandalize rainbow crosswalks to protest the wasteful spending and to push back against the cult-like totalitarianism of painting them without giving residents a choice.

People don’t like being told what to believe, or the feeling of having their democratic voice taken away.

Whether this is an issue we should be discussing at all, of course, is another matter altogether. The leaders of a society built on reasonable values should be focusing on much more important problems.

Adam Winfield