There’s a great old saying that asks “whose ox is being gored?” when it comes to the issues of the day. In other words, who is being affected the most and how much is it connected to the tone and volume of their outrage?
Just before COVID-19 turned the world upside down, there were many non-Indigenous Canadians that wanted every pipeline protester in the country blocking a road or a rail line to be thrown in jail for disturbing the peace, vandalism and any other criminal charge that could stick.
Exactly two years later, many of the same non-Indigenous Canadians were either protesting on Parliament Hill or supporting those who were, demanding to be heard and arguing their right to freedom of assembly and expression.
There’s another old saying about the shoe being on the other foot that applies here.
But nobody should feel superior to anybody else, least of all this earnest newspaper editor who argues for free speech while deleting online comments posted by readers violating website guidelines. (Say what you want on social media or anywhere else but if you want to play in our playground, you have to play by our rules.)
Whether it’s free speech, taxes, law enforcement, vaccine mandates or anything else, most people cheer when it’s somebody else those in power are going after (that’s called authority) but are furious when it’s they and/or their friends who are the target (now it’s called oppression).
There is a lot of anger and distrust throughout society now and it can’t all be blamed on social media. Previously marginalized groups and individuals (by race, gender, culture, religion and so on) are now using their new political power and authority to shout down and shut up dissenting views in the process of raising their own. Previously elevated groups and individuals (white patriarchy) are outraged that their power, their beliefs and their social status have been diminished and discredited.
The worst offenders on both sides of the equation can’t see how identical they are in their self-righteousness and their shared disdain for people who won’t pick a side. Lots of folks would still rather sit out the various struggles of the day because they’re just too busy working, raising kids, paying bills or just plain surviving and making it to another tomorrow to care much about causes, protesters and pontificating pundits.
Until it’s their ox being gored.
