Commentary

You don’t agree?

September 4, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

As a columnist, I don’t expect everyone to agree with my opinion.

It would be a very boring world if we all thought the same way and we all had the very same opinion about everything.

If you throw a bunch of strangers in a room and ask their thoughts on a particular subject, it would be very rare to find a group of people who all thought the same way. I guess it could happen, but it’s not likely.

For the most part, I get a lot of positive feedback from readers. Many approach me in public or at events and mention a column that I’ve written, and they liked.

That is especially true if I have tried to promote something that would help people.

For example, a few years ago, I wrote about the misuse of handicapped parking spaces.

That involved several weeks of observation, as well as an incident where a friend of mine, who has been physically disabled since birth, had to be carried into a hockey game because all of the handicapped parking spaces were full, and he could not walk the entire distance from where he had parked.

I received a huge amount of feedback from people who were thankful this was pointed out, as they had handicapped family members who went through the same frustrating situation of not being able to find parking, only to see a family with several able-bodied children run from their car to the front door of an arena.

This type of feedback makes me feel that, in some small way, I have helped promote something that will help other people.

I also get negative feedback from time to time. Sometimes it is from someone who just doesn’t like what I’ve written.

Other times, I have received some pretty nasty notes. Although the real nasty ones, complete with name calling, have come from organized groups from outside of the region.

I guess some groups monitor all news from across the country, so they attack those who don’t agree with their agenda.

I don’t mind negative feedback. You have to have a thick skin in such a situation and just let it roll off of your back.

However, when someone sends negative feedback, apparently based on reading a two-word headline, then makes incorrect or completely wrong comments after obviously not reading the entire column – well, that’s not good.

I recently wrote a column on the work ethic. The point was, having a job is a good thing that impacts your life, the country, and the economy.

I referenced a guy who made a video telling his countrymen to apply as refugees when coming to Canada because they would make more money.

A reader wrote in, saying I had been the ‘victim’ of misleading information.

Well, no, that’s not quite right.

If the reader had actually read the column, they would have known I did not make that claim, and never said it was fact.

I was repeating misleading information stated by another person.

The reader states, “Do the ETHICAL WORK of checking the actual facts.”

Well, yes, the reader should have done the ethical work of checking the facts and reading the column before accusing me of providing false information.

They obviously did not read the column and absorb the information.

In that column, I also made reference to the fact that Poland does not want refugees.

The reader again tried to argue, saying Poland has accepted almost 1 million Ukrainian refugees.

I guess I should have specified they don’t want refugees from the Middle East and other countries.

However, the reader is apparently not up on current world news, as this fact is well known and documented.

“Poland will not accept anyone sending illegal migrants to its territory, says PM.” – Reuters, May 7, 2025.

“Poland suspends migrants’ right to apply for asylum.” – BBC, May 27, 2025.  

“EU will not force Poland to take in more migrants, says PM.” – Polish News Agency, May 2024.

“Poland won’t accept migrant relocation mechanism, PM says.” – Reuters, April 10, 2024.

“Poland shuts asylum door at Belarus border with EU backing.” – Politico, March 21, 2025

“Migrants face expulsion at Polish border under new law.” – BBC Oct. 15, 2021.

Funny enough, the day I received the note from the reader about Ukrainian refugees, the first headline I saw was “Polish president blocks law to extend social welfare to Ukrainian refugees.” – AFP Aug. 28, 2025. That was followed by “Poland’s president blocks child benefit law for Ukrainian refugees.” – The Munich Eye.

If you don’t agree with me, that’s fine. I’m like Ricky Gervais – “I don’t care, I really don’t.”

But if you do disagree and want to make it known, at least read the column and check your facts.

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