Bullying Unacceptable on Gabriola

Last Saturday, with the property owner’s permission, we set up a table outside the pharmacy at Folklife Village with the following petition:

We, the undersigned, urge the Islands Trust to dismiss the zoning application #  GB-RZ-2010.2  for rezoning from Forestry to Institutional. We do not support the sacrifice of forested lands when there are affordable and viable alternatives available.

The response was phenomenal. We were thanked profusely for providing an opportunity for the people of Gabriola to voice their opinion in a supported and democratic way. Emails and phone calls continue to echo this response and we are still accepting signatures. In turn, we would like to thank everyone for their overwhelming outpourings of support to us during this process.

On the other hand, we were inundated with transparent attempts on behalf of GHCS supporters to disrupt, intimidate, threaten and bully us into stopping the petition.

To all of those who attempted to provoke, intimidate, blackmail etc… last Saturday:

Please don’t mistake our politeness in the face of intense provocation and bullying tactics for compliance. It’s called breeding, good manners and the respect of another human being’s way of thinking – something these bullies appear to have lost along the way.

When anyone who claims to support the clinic keeps stating repeatedly: “What you write is against the clinic, it’s against the clinic!” (while we are trying to talk to others) and refuses to listen to our explanation that this petition is against the rezoning, and not the clinic. – that’s disruption.

When someone we’ve never met comes up to us as we’re sitting quietly next to our table and says: “You should be ashamed. You should be ashamed of yourself” – that’s intimidation.

When someone says: “If Doctor Rooks sees this he will pull out and it will be your fault” -- that’s emotional blackmail.

When members of the GHCS Board of Directors hover repeatedly without speaking, preventing others from accessing the petition – that’s intimidation.

(Note: I had previously called one of these individuals only two days earlier, clearly identified myself, what I represented and what I was intending doing)

When people send back loud, intimidating emails which read:

take me OFF you(r) email list NOW

and

 “This is offensive and an insult to all the hard working people that have given so much to help make this island a better community. What motivates you to do this is beyond me.”  (from a member of the Chamber of Commerce) in response to a blanket  email notifying people of the time and place of the petition – that’s just plain ignorant

( please note our email said: Please and Thank You)

When another individual mocks loudly: “Stop this. Stop this. You don’t know what you are talking about.” – that’s intimidation.

When this same individual keeps shouting over us and interrupting others interested in the petition, then throws his hands up in disgust, and as his embarrassed wife pulls him away, keeps yelling over his shoulder from across the parking lot “Just stop what you’re doing and go and donate. Don’t be so cheap.” – that’s bullying.

When a concerted effort requires one man distracting the male petitioner so that a tall, imposing man belligerently and loudly attempts to intimidate the (sitting) female petitioner – that’s bullying… (and cowardice)

When you put this all together and consider that attack is a first line of defense, you have to ask yourself “What is the GHCS so afraid of? What do they have to hide?”

GHCS does NOT represent the whole of Gabriola, not by a very long shot. And people are starting to voice this, in spite of continued harassment and intimidation.

Gabriolans are not easily intimidated. Do not make the error of seeing tolerance and acceptance as compliance.

We don’t respond to petty fear tactics.

We don’t like to be coerced.

And we especially do not accept being bullied.

It simply makes us stop, take a deep breath, take a closer look and begin to wonder: What are these bullies so afraid of? What is it they have to hide? And what exactly are they planning to do with OUR money?