Dear Editor:
This is in response to the North Shore News article entitled WV Citizens Oppose Density: Survey.
For the first time in over 30 years, I am afraid to publicly share my opinion. I am afraid because I know that there will be repercussions – that your reaction to differing opinions is to attack, to bully, to yell, to mock or to belittle. But I am tired of your tirades, your demonstrating and marching in our streets, your presumption that you are correct in directing the future of West Van, that only you and your group know what is right for our community. I am upset and angry that you claim to speak on behalf of the residents of West Vancouver. Let me be very clear: you do not speak on my behalf.
I have seen you in action over the past eight months disagreeing with many well-thought-out projects, programs that would address serious community needs like housing affordability and traffic congestion. I have seen you mock and denigrate our democratically elected mayor and council. I have seen you bully youth when they too have opinions about improving our community and our world. I have seen you posture and strut around our community flexing your opinions while daring anyone to disagree with you.
Here’s a news flash for you: our community and our world are changing and there is very little you can do to counter that. In fact, some of the recent negative changes in West Vancouver can be directly tied to your actions which have angered and divided our community.
It is reported that you commissioned a community survey – contacting mainly “older people” about, as the mayor called them, “grossly oversimplified” issues. Those you surveyed may have your reported opinions, but 408 residents do not represent our community of over 42,000. You never asked me any questions – I was not part of your survey. Let me repeat: your survey and your community group may use this information for your own agenda, but you do not speak for me and you do not represent my opinion on any community projects or my vision for West Vancouver.
So, here are some questions for you: How dare you presume to hijack the agenda of our democratically elected mayor and council? How dare you set up an un-elected parallel executive to determine priorities in our community? How dare you divide our community? How dare you presume to know my opinion on WV plans and its future?
So, attack my beliefs if you must. It could be a reflection on your need to control, your need for power, or perhaps your need to receive accolades from those who financially support your group. I believe that the future of any community needs respectful communication, active listening and compromise. The future of our world needs a great deal of co-operation and understanding. One fact I know is that our world is changing, and no matter how much you yell and bully, our “charming little place” will continue to evolve. Our world is changing, so why aren’t you?
Charlotte McLaughlin
West Vancouver
Editor’s note: The survey was conducted by Angus Reid Global and is considered accurate within 4.8 percentage points 19 times out of 20.
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