LETTER

LETTRE

Aylmer's 175th: "cultural genocide" is extreme

 

We could have a long, perhaps civilized, debate about renaming streets and other monuments in Aylmer.  The names of public spaces should reflect the nature and diversity of any community, and every citizen has the right to respectfully express his or her opinion on the matter.  This is just common sense.
    Unfortunately, Mr. Stephane Hepworth's letter has thrown words like "cultural genocide" and "nationalist wars" from Eastern Europe into the debate.
    To protect himself, I presume, he used the words "cultural genocide" in an interrogative sentence.  In this way, he can argue that he did not say that the renaming of streets was the equivalent of "cultural genocide", he can say that he simply raised the question.  That would be a very easy way out. As we often say in French: Poser la question, c'est y répondre. Words such as those used by Mr. Hepworth have no place in this debate.
Alain Cossette
Aylmer