Allow us to add our voice to Odd Grydeland’s displeasure with the treatment of the Norwegian flag and, indeed, the proud nation of Norway by anti-salmon farm protesters in not only public rallies but also in press releases and commentary left on campbellrivermirror.com.
Regardless of your feelings about salmon farming, desecrating a nation’s flag is unwarranted. Protesting the actions of a corporation does not give you licence to insult everybody in Norway. Given Norway’s democratic culture, you can be sure that not everybody there is in favour of salmon farming so if tainting an industry and its supporters with a brush is your goal, limit your insult to them and don’t condemn the whole nation, its history, culture and traditions. We wouldn’t all want to be included in the criticism of controversial Canadian mining companies or tar sands, would we?
The debate around salmon farming in the Campbell River area has focused too much on nationality of corporations. Would it be acceptable to condemn all Asian countries because of the actions of “Asian gangs” in Vancouver? Are all Americans warmongers because of their country’s military history? Research the history of the peace movement to see where that got started.
Are all Canadians to be blamed for the seal hunt? If Norwegians are to be blamed for salmon farming why aren’t Canadians? Why aren’t you stomping on Canadian flags? Does that make you feel uncomfortable? Bit selective in your criticism aren’t you?
Ridiculous? Of course it is. The nationality of wrongdoers – if that’s your point of view – is too easy a target and dangerously intolerant and misguided. On our own coast we have a disgraceful history of racial profiling when it came to the commercial fishing industry in the 1940s.
Let’s not go down that road again.
