2y ago

‘Take Back Alberta’ Organizer Leading Campaign Against Rainbow Crosswalk in Small Town Alberta

When you allow far right attitudes to grow ... they are like weeds that start appearing everywhere.

My general rule of thumb is .... if one's ideals and beliefs start affecting the lives of others ... then their beliefs are not about them, they believe in wanting to control the lives of others.

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Imagine being this afraid of a god damn rainbow
- The rhetoric of the right .... not wanting people to impose their beliefs on others by imposing their beliefs on others
As a straight man, I've been to two Pride events this month, and they were just so filled with positivity, hope, and love.
I've also witnessed my fair share of extremist right-wing “protests” locally, and they are just filled with hate, despair, and negativity.
You tell me which future I want to see for Canada, and I'll always pick the side of love, positivity, and hope. Always.
- I’ve also witnessed my fair share of extremist right-wing “protests” locally,
  One demographic blocks ambulances. I've learned enough to make a decision from that alone.
The issue is that these people genuinely feel that the presence of normalization of lgbtq folks is “someone else’s views impeding on their life”.
- Yeah, I’m trying to teach my brother that this isn’t true. He was bitching about the Elks name change again today and it’s fucking incredible how much energy he puts in to being pissed off about something that has literally zero tangible effect on his life.
  Like seriously. You don’t have to like it, but it in the end it doesn’t fucking matter.
  Same goes for rainbow crosswalks.
  Editing this to add: it’s like those beeping crosswalks. No one really likes them, but it’s not a big deal because we know they help people with diminished or no vision.
  I’m pretty indifferent towards rainbow crosswalks myself. They’re kind of nice when they’re fresh, but they keep getting driven over and become ugly. The coloured paint just doesn’t hold up as well. However, I know that it represents a supportive community and I like that.
  
  Ya this is the goal. People only remember snippets of headlines so if you can pump out a lot of them with your agenda, that’s all anyone will believe regardless of it’s truth. I’m sorry you had to deal with someone who found a headline they really liked and tethered themselves to it.
  I’ve had this issue with my whole immediate family with the exception of my grandmother. They genuinely live in a completely separate world where left wingers are predatory and steal kids and force them to get transition surgery (?!?!?!). Some peoples lives depend on holding up this illusion.
- It's the fear of change .... they enjoyed living in a world where they felt like they were at the top and that they could say, treat and act in certain negative ways towards 'others' that they considered lower or lesser than them.
  The world is changing and everyone is beginning to realize that we all just want to equally enjoy life as we want without interfering with others.
  Conservatives who feel that they are above everyone else are shaking at the knees thinking that they are actually losing their place in the world .... when in reality, no one really cared about what they thought in the first place.
  
  100% I think internet and social media use has really spread the whole “we just wanna live and be happy” message among everyone and that’s challenging some peoples views about “others”.
I'm not surprised its in Alberta tbh. Plus it's a rainbow crosswalk, its not like its gonna turn the whole town gay.
- I always find that thought funny .... if your beliefs are so weak and flimsy that a simple painted crosswalk or a flag is enough to inflame your sensibilities or challenge your faith ... then your beliefs were never that strong to begin with.
Man we gotta build a wall around Alberta
- I can understand the sentiment but it should be understood that the ultimate goal of Take Back Alberta is to have Alberta join the USA as a state. The last thing we should be doing to counter them is closing our borders and hearts to our siblings in Alberta.
- As someone living in Calgary, please don't make it harder to leave when I can eventually afford to.
- As much as conservatism is a cancer Alberta is showing signs of becoming more progressive. As the boomers drop off and Gen z/millennials continue to reject conservatism as a whole I believe Alberta has a real chance. Don't forget the goal of take back Alberta is to get Canadians to hate Alberta and eventually have them join the USA as a state. They are traitors to Canada and Albertans.
I just can't imagine how stressful it must be to be so hateful that a little paint on the road reminding you that people you fear and hate exist causes you to be so triggered.
I almost feel sorry for them.
- It goes to show how shallow and weak their faith can be ... just a small simple challenge to their beliefs is enough to shake their faith ... it goes to show how weak their faith actually was.
  
  I don't blame their faith since their faith teaches them to love and accept and leave judgement to god. This is just pure personal fear, hatred, and often self-loathing.
Just gross.
That's not how democracy works, restricting people's ability to express their emotions only further radicalizes them - that's how you get insurrections and civil wars.
- Agreed .... my point is that right wing extreme views have a right to say what they want ... they just don't have the right to stop others from expressing their views for themselves. The cross walk was allowed to go through by young people in the community and many in the community supported it ... it was the right wing extremists who wanted to stop the crosswalk from being promoted or celebrated.
  The difference between the left and the right is ... the left are willing to fight for the rights of everyone, including their opponents ... the right only want to fight for their own rights regardless of how it affects anyone else.

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