The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge - "There's Something Rotten At The Core Of This Nation"

Episode Date: May 26, 2022

The latest US mass shooting is awful but will anything change?  That's just one of the subjects on this week's Your Turn, your thoughts, ideas and comments about the issues of the day.

And hello there, Peter Mansbridge here. You're just moments away from the latest episode of The Bridge. It's Thursday, that means the mailbag, your turn, your thoughts and comments and ideas about the issues of the day. And these days, the Mansbridge in Toronto for this day. Welcome to Thursday. It started when the young man decided that he was going to shoot a relative. And he did that in his home, his mother, I think. Then he crossed town, went to a place of education,

went to a school, and started shooting students. It lasted about an hour and a half. And the scene was terrible. It happened in Texas. And if you think I'm talking about Texas this week, well, I'm not. I'm talking about Texas in 1966, the summer of 1966. It was August the 1st, 1966. And it happened in Austin, Texas. The main building, the tower of the University of Texas at Austin. The man went up into that tower.

This is after shooting his mother and his wife at his home. He crossed town, went to the university, went up in the tower to the top floor, which was well up there around the 20th floor, I think. And from the tower, he set up his two guns and started shooting people on the ground. In total, there were 14 people killed. It lasted an hour and a half until two policemen and a civilian managed to get up in the tower up to the floor the gunman was on, and shot and killed him.

Now, why do I mention this? Well, the summer of 1966 was a pivotal summer for me. I'd dropped out of high school. I was just weeks away from joining the Navy. And these kind of things didn't happen, these mass shootings. It was the first one that I remember during my lifetime. And it garnered an enormous amount of media attention, not just in Austin, not just in the States,

not just in North America, but around the world. This horrible event. It was different than all the other horrible events that one read about or saw. I was 18, just turned 18. And I can remember being consumed by that story, reading everything I could about it, listening to every discussion about it, and thinking, of course, that this was a one-off. This wasn't going to happen again. How could it happen again. But as we all know, in fact,

it did happen again and again and again and again with such regularity that it has now become a situation where mass shootings, you hardly get over one

before you suddenly hear about the next one. Almost exclusively in the United States, but not only in the United States. We've had mass shootings in our country as well. Nothing like the extent of what happens in the States. There are over 400 million what happens in the States. There are over 400 million guns in the United States. And gun control seems like a term

that means nothing in the United States. During this podcast, the length of this podcast, four people will die by guns in the United States. That's what the statistics show. you know, they're still burying the victims of the Buffalo shooting less than two weeks ago. When on top of it comes this latest incident in Texas where an 18-year-old on his birthday

last week was able to purchase two assault weapons legally. No questions asked. Assault weapons. Weapons of war, and used them

to do what he did in an elementary school. After shooting his grandmother at home and then crossing town and going to the elementary school and shooting At home. And then crossing town. And going to the elementary school. And shooting. All these young kids. Grades two, three, and four. And two teachers.

You know, when I first heard this story this week, my mind flashed back to that August 1966 story in Austin, Texas, and all the other ones that we've heard of and seen and witnessed and read about since. And I just threw out my hands and I said, I can't. I just can't accept the United States anymore. You know, I have friends, I have relatives in the U.S. There are things about that country I love, always will love. But this, how can this keep happening? They're screwed. That's the polite way

of describing what I was saying about the U.S. Now, I didn't say anything like that on the air yesterday and instead had a different conversation related somewhat but about the U.S. media and how it's different than the Canadian media and the British media. But that's what I felt at the all day yesterday, and I watched more television than I perhaps should have

to hear the discussions that were taking place. And then at one moment, late yesterday afternoon or early evening, I saw a U.S. senator on the air, a Democrat. He's from Connecticut. He'd been there. That school that had been shot up and many kids died, Sandy Hook Elementary School,

in his home state of Connecticut, a few years ago. He'd witnessed that. He'd consoled parents. He'd fought for better gun control and was up against those senators supported by the National Rifle Association, the NRA, who lobbied so hard against new gun control measures.

Anyway, there was Senator Chris Murphy yesterday, a U.S. Senator. and he he was saying he was saying something that was almost similar to what I'd said to myself about the state of things in the US right now it's what he said something is rotten in the core of this nation.

Something is rotten in the core of this nation. Now, I know he's deeply involved in this battle over gun control. It's a deeply emotional issue for a lot of people. Certainly for him. You think of where he's been. He was in that room with those parents at the school in Connecticut as they waited to find out

whether their kids had died in the slaughter that took place in that school. For hours on end, all authorities tried to determine who had died in the pile of bodies they saw on the floor of that school. The same kind of thing was in Texas. Those weapons due to a body such damage that even trying to identify

the body takes DNA samples to do it. Something is rotten in the core of this nation. So what are they going to do about it? What are they going to do about it? All right. all right Thursdays are for your comments

and I know I've taken some of your time but we're going to move on now to your letters on a variety of different topics over the last week and we'll do that right after this. And welcome back.

Peter Mansbridge here in Toronto. This is The Bridge. It's the Thursday Your Turn edition. You're listening on Sirius XM. Channel 167 Canada Talks. or on your favorite podcast platform. Let's get right to your letters. There were a lot of really, really long letters this week. I got to remind you that in some cases they just can't be condensed.

And I can't read them all. I can't read all the long, long letters. And I know you feel passionate about the things you say and I do read them, you know, to myself, but on the air, I'm just looking for a few sentences from each one to try and get a sense of the way people feel about things. So if you could please keep that in mind and remember to, you know, to send where you're writing from as well. Even if you've written before, don't assume that means I can remember where you're writing from. We get hundreds and hundreds of letters every week. And I say we, I mean me.

You're listening to the bridge. You're listening to the staff of the bridge. When we have the staff meetings, there's me and then there's me. Now, my son Willie does help out remotely from a distance on some of the technical stuff. But basically, beyond that, it's all me. All right, let's get to some mail michael brisson and this is about actually yesterday's discussion about right-wing television why it works in the states doesn't work in canada or at least hasn't so far nor in the in the britain

in the united kingdom and one of the reasons was well you know you know, do we have the same kind of like big personalities like the Americans have with their, you know, Sean Hannity's and Tucker Carlson or whatever his name is? You know, do we have those kind of people? In terms of big names that everybody knows of when you talk about Tucker Carlson, everybody knows who you're talking about. And Bruce and I kind of fumbled around trying to think of, you know, that maybe in the older days there were big names. Not so much in today's media world in Canada. Some local, but not necessarily national.

So anyway, Michael writes, he added some names to the list of those who were, you know, like names in their day. Gordon Sinclair, that's for sure. Alan Fotheringham, to a degree, the Fath, Dr. Fath. Don Heron, who was Charlie Farquharson, the Parry Sound Observer, and his thoughts. All good names, and all bring back memories of a different era of Canadian journalism. Cindy Kilpatrick writes from Alberta.

I'm listening to you and Bruce exploring the reasons for the failure of right-wing TV in Canada and Britain. The failure so far. I like the idea that we don't appreciate yelly discourse. That's what Bruce called it, you know, like yelling. However, I think the far right in Canada are already glued to Fox News in the US

and at times even seem to forget that Canada and the US actually have different political systems. I agree with you there, Cindy. There's no doubt there are people like that. Why would they switch to Canadian news of any stripe? From Fox, they're getting all the drama and support for their ideals that they need. Connor Whelan in Flusherton, Ontario.

I agree that there's a lot of right-wing populist-style rhetoric that generates lots of enthusiasm. This certainly leads to what can be a very divisive style of politics. I disagree with Bruce very much, however, that this is one-sided. Whether it's Jagmeet Singh saying the main reason for inflation is corporate greed, as if corporations just found out what greed was last year, to GINEP support with his more socialist-leaning base, or Justin Trudeau calling large swaths of people who have very different viewpoints, racist or misogynist, homophobic, transphobic, etc., etc., this can hardly be blamed on just one side. What worries me the most is that neither side seems to want to realize that they are part of the problem we are facing. Everyone just buries their feet in the ground, their heads in the sand, and pretends they're good guys. No self-reflection at any point. This is what leads to American-style politics.

This is what we need to avoid at all costs, and all sides have a part to play. I just hope our leaders will one day realize that before it's too late. Ed Polesny from Lakefield, Ontario. The path of destruction of the Ontario storm, that's a huge storm that swept through Ontario and parts of Western Quebec over the weekend, past weekend. The path of destruction of the storm left 10 people dead, likely extensive unreported injuries, and a huge strain on our overrun

emergency response and health care system. For many of us, that survived a harrowing experience of having a part of your roof ripped off or narrowly escaping falling electrical pole lines or trees. It brings home the message that our climate is rapidly changing and no one is immune to the next assault of an extreme weather event. The environmental toll of this past weekend's storm is immeasurable. Many of Ontario's few remaining mature white pine or hardwood forests in southern Ontario were sadly blown down. Southwestern Ontario has only about five percent forest cover and is already struggling to keep up with the rate of deforestation to sustain what's left. These forests provide critical habitat for many native plants, birds, and wildlife.

They are part of the natural beauty of Ontario and the shorelines of the many cottage heritage and tourism lakes. Most importantly, they are the lungs of the natural world that helps to remove carbon dioxide, gas, store carbon, and produce oxygen for us humans to breathe. What Ed's worried about most is that it hasn't been a discussion point in the Ontario election campaign that winds up next week, June 2nd, isn't it, please? Election date. Yvonne Hemstra has similar concerns. Yvonne writes from Kingston, Ontario.

This is another one of these really, really long letters that I'm just going to read a couple of sentences from. For the better part of the past two years, you've had commentary from various people about the COVID crisis weekly. It was treated as a crisis which is needed to be. Could we have similar updates on the climate crisis weekly? This might be too much to ask, and I know you get flack for seeming to be on the left side of the spectrum, but if we reinforce the scientific aspect of this issue like COVID, this should be more objective and less of a problem. Frankly, more media attention may be what saves our future. I don't think climate is a left-right issue.

I know there are those who argue that climate change isn't real. And there are those who argue, the majority who argue that it is. I don't think it's left right. And so I don't care what people may think one way or the other on that part of the issue. However, you know, in suggesting what you're suggesting, a weekly climate change update like we did with COVID, I think that may be a little overtaught. Can we do more on the climate issue? Yeah, perhaps.

I can tell you I spent the last 20 years doing the climate change story long before it was popular. And I did it on TV. I've done it on radio. I've done it in documentaries. I just had a major documentary on. And I've done it on this podcast. And I'll keep doing it. But I don't think you're going to see a weekly update.

It's not like COVID that was changing on an almost weekly basis in terms of what we needed to know and what was happening on the issue. But I don't forget climate change, trust me. Mike Rego writes, Mike's one of these guys who has two addresses, one in Cambridge, Ontario, and one in Avondale, Arizona. Must be a snowbird, right? One of his thoughts, I'd like to echo the letter you got asking for Brian Stewart to publish a book. I think his insights would not only be good reading,

but likely informative to many people on foreign affairs and relations. It might even be developed into an educational curriculum. I'm not going to argue with that, Mike. Brian's got a lot to offer and, you know, should offer it. Craig Stinson, he's a social studies teacher. The Costash School. I think he's in Alberta. Yeah, he's in Alberta.

Last Monday, and again on Thursday, this is like last week, you stated with certainty that there's no province in Canada in which teaching the Holocaust is mandatory, even after being corrected by a teacher who hails from Fort Saskatchewan, where I also reside. I take no pleasure in saying this, but you are incorrect, Mr. Mansbridge. Okay, first of all, when I first mentioned this, it was in a discussion where it was put forward that the belief was that there was no province, not school district, not school board, not city, not school, but no, that concluded the same thing.

No province-wide part of the curriculum. Anyway, Craig goes on to say, if you are wondering why this is such a concern to me, Mr. Mance-Rigid, it's because for too long I've heard talking heads comment about, that's people like me, a talking head, about how schools aren't teaching this or teaching that, residential schools, D-Day, the Holocaust, when in reality these things are a regular part of the curriculum and have been for quite a long time. I can't speak with any authority for what happens in other jurisdictions, but I feel like the record needs to be corrected on this issue. Indeed, teachers in Alberta instruct their students about the Holocaust and other genocides in grade 11. I made a point of saying more than a few times last week that in the end this comes down to teachers and their decisions of what to teach in certain parts of their curriculum and the holocaust is definitely a part of some of the history teachings

in not only alberta but in the provinces across the country the issue was whether there was a mandate provincially to do that and so far i'm you know quoting as i said from a report just a couple of months old that said there wasn't in Canada that. Now, there have been indications that in BC, and you're suggesting in Alberta, they're moving rapidly, perhaps, to a province-wide mandate on that. So far, I haven't seen it.

But nevertheless, Craig, I hear what you're saying, and I'll continue to look for that. And, you know, if I get a note from the Minister of Education in Alberta saying here's what we've done, I'm happy to read it, as I do with other ministers from other provinces or the federal government on other issues. Ian Hutchinson from Grey County, Ontario. You made a statement this week regarding the Buffalo shooting that assault weapons

should be banned. I'd like you to elaborate and explore that idea a little. I don't remember actually making that blanket statement, but I wouldn't disagree with it. I don't understand what the need is for assault weapons in the hands of ordinary Canadians. Assault weapons are for that, assault on the part of armies against other armies. Assault weapons are made to kill people, not deer prancing through the woods.

I think it was Joe Biden who said the other night, you know, deer don't wear body armor when they're prancing through the woods. So I don't know why there's a need for those kind of weapons. And quite frankly, the hunters and gun owners I know say the same thing to me. You know, maybe I only know a certain kind of gun owner, but, you know, I live in rural Ontario, and there are a lot of gun owners here,

and I don't dispute that or argue with them about their right to own a gun. I do have issues about assault weapons. And something tells me that if you went into that classroom after assault weapons were used in Texas this week, you might say the same thing. Nathan Rollman. I'm a Stratfordite. I remember the program I did last week was about my hometown, Stratford, and the campaign by one woman that's now been supported at all levels in the community of ensuring that kids have the opportunity to learn more about, in this particular case, the Holocaust, by her organizing visits to the local museum

where the Anne Frank exhibit was being shown. So busloads of kids from different grades and different schools have been going to the museum, thanks to the efforts of one person. And these efforts came as a result of acts of anti-Semitism in the community. Anyway, Nathan writes, I'm a Stratfordite, born and raised, the Confederate flag flying,

hateful people of this community have truly taken on a bigger role than they deserve. They make us look bad and have no place in this city. I respect what your guest is doing, as my family came from Holland in the 1950s on a bigger role than they deserve. They make us look bad and have no place in this city. I respect what your guest is doing, as my family came from Holland in the 1950s and being part of the underground hiding Jewish people. It sickens me that people don't believe in the Holocaust and what that did to so many. Anyway, I thought I'd get that off my chest.

I really appreciate the opportunity. Peter Burbage. Harassment or harassment? I think I know why you might pronounce it as you do, and I agree. One has a sort of vulgar word deep in the middle. Or maybe you like to be unique. No, I just like to pronounce it the way my dictionary says is an option. They're both acceptable pronunciations. And as I've said before, you don't say embarrassment, you say embarrassment.

So why would you say harassment when you can say harassment? That's just my opinion. And on this one, I'm in the minority. Lenora DeFeo writes from Hamilton. I do understand that when things seem amiss in society, that providing education on a subject is necessary and often added to the curriculum. I am a recently retired teacher after 36 years

and understand that that is the place to start. My observation from personal experience is that while facts are presented and experience is provided, such as Carrie's organization, that's the woman in Stratford, of trips to the Holocaust Memorial, children learn what they live at home. Many children learn facts at school that are not supported and actually differ than those presented at home. Who will children believe? Most often those that they must live with, who love them, and who provide the measures and necessities of life. I've heard, that's not what my dad mom says often enough over these years. Boy, Lenora, that's so true, and it must be a real challenge for teachers to deal with when they hear that.

Robert Bjarnason from Carberry, Manitoba, writes to us again. The repetitious mass shootings and other hate crimes are tied together by fear, greed, and power. It's a vicious cycle of political inaction and societal weakness. Elected officials do nothing in an effort to maintain power and not upset the economic upside of social media platforms and the gun industry. Individuals who perceive their way of life their power and their privilege threatened resort to hate speech and hateful acts this is further exasperated by some politicians stoking the flames of anger and division i don't believe the will to address these issues will ever

rise above the impetus of personal and political bias. Looking at Canada, why haven't we banned all assault rifles and handguns? Also, why are we not holding social media companies ethically and financially responsible? That debate is coming, let me tell you. We're going to end today with a letter from a civic leader. Remember last week we dealt extensively with this issue around Jagmeet Singh and the reception

you know, touching on violent that he had in Peterborough, Ontario, when he went there to speak on behalf of a local candidate. It was ugly and it was violent. There were no charges laid, but it was ugly and it was a stain on the reputation of Peterborough that there's no doubt. Well, we spent a fair amount of time.

I thought it was underreported nationally. It wasn't ignored, but I thought it was underreported. I think there's a story there that is a real issue about the safety of public officials in our country. And the way these kind of demonstrations are increasing. In their vulgarity. And their potential violence. Anyway, I got a letter from the mayor of Peterborough. Diane Tarian. And I appreciate this, Mayor.

It's fairly lengthy, but I'm going to read part of it this incident is one of many that our and other communities have been subjected to in recent months the purpose of this behavior is to intimidate it is to incite others to join in the rage, anger, and violence. It's intended to disrupt our freedom to safely and securely participate in the democratic process. It is to distract us from working together to address the issues that truly matter and are increasingly urgent for all of us. Climate change, mental health, drug addiction, child poverty, housing affordability, and the list goes on. These are deliberate and very damaging distractions. The result of this behavior is a corrosive poisoning of our communities. The amplification of racism and misogyny and the deterioration of the peace, order, and good government

that Canadians continue to fight and die for. We are better than this. The city of Peterborough is better than this. We all must be better than this. She concludes her letter this way. Finally, we, the council for the city of Peterborough, will bring forward

a motion at our next council meeting to invite Mr. Singh back to our city, to show solidarity, to stand united with him, and to let him know that we are better than this. Mayor Diane Therrien of Peterborough, Ontario. And on that note, we're going to wrap this one up.

Tomorrow is Smoke, Mirrors and the Truth. Chantelle Hébert will join us from British Columbia, where she is this week, and Bruce will do his last show from Scotland. That's tomorrow on Good Talk, right here on the bridge. Looking forward to talking to you. Thanks for listening today. I'm Peter Mansbridge.

We'll talk to you again in 24 hours.