Today, Hamilton City Council has an opportunity to take a stand against intolerance and hatred.
Today they must decline Paul Fromm’s request to appear before Council on the issue of Council’s newly adopted anti-hatred protocol .
Fromm describes himself as a white nationalist, which is a rather benign characterization of his views.
The National Post once described him as one of Canada’s most notorious white supremacists, which seems to be a more apt depiction of the man.
Council’s anti-hate protocol was constructed to curb the racist and homophobic rhetoric that has become all to familiar to our community lately.
Fromm and his advocates are entitled to their opinions and they have taken full advantage of their civil rights to express their views.
But there is a line between freedom of expression and hate speech and white supremacists and racists , not only cross that line, they take up permanent residence on the wrong side of what our community and our society should tolerate.
Council’s anti-hate policies are not perfect, but they are, I think, a sincere attempt to allow freedom of expression but also to reflect Hamilton’s desire to be a safe and welcoming community to all, regardless of race, religion or gender.
Council need not provide a platform for those who would oppose that laudable goal.
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