Squamish has known its share of divisive community issues.
Nearly 20 years ago, protests against logging in the Elaho Valley resulted in business boycotts. A proposed wood chip reload facility on the Cattermole Slough 15 years ago divided the town bitterly, culminating in a fiery public meeting with more than 1,000 people at Brennan Park.
But even at the height of those tense moments, we never saw actual violence – until last week, when an unknown person set fire to the Woodfibre LNG office on Cleveland Avenue.
Make no mistake: What happened last week is violence. It’s setting forces into motion that can’t necessarily be controlled. People could have been injured or killed, whether that was the intention of the arsonist or not.
Those opposed to Woodfibre LNG have condemned the incident, as well they should. They also have an obligation – in fact, everyone, regardless of their position on LNG, has an obligation to remember that words matter – that rhetoric in the wrong ears can lead to uncivil actions and even violence.
In our social media era, we have the ability to connect with those who agree with us – and those who don’t – instantly, yet indirectly. An argument on Facebook or Twitter can feel almost like a video game, with the opponent on the other end seeming less like a person and more like an object. That’s the sort of atmosphere that can turn a debate into a screaming match, and encourage some people – a very small group, but one’s all it takes – to turn words into deeds.
Squamish is an engaged and passionate community, which is one of our great strengths. We can’t let it become our downfall.
Here’s something to try the next time you’re engaged in a heated debate on social media: Go ahead and type out that witty, devastating response to your critic. But before you hit “return” and send those words out, never to be taken back, stop for a second and read them out loud. See how they sound.
Now picture that the person you’re saying them to is right in front of you. Would you say it the same way? Or might you make an adjustment or two?
Call us naïve, but that little exercise, done enough times by enough people, might just be a step towards slightly more civil discourse.
And who knows? Down the road, that might just stop a fire.
