An Issue of Integrity

For the love of pete. I am seriously frustrated by the idea that we are all so very free to say whatever our wee hearts desire, but when someone does and it's offensive to another, the big public apology comes out.

First off: I enjoy Heather Mallick. I think she's a smart cookie and her writing generally appeals to me greatly. I may not always fully agree with her, but I really dig her style. She's opinionated, she's strong, and she doesn't mince words. These are among the most admirable characteristics that I can imagine a person having.

So did you see this? It's in response to Mallick's September 5 column, posted on CBC's site.

Well, the CBC has now issued this apology for allowing it to be posted, despite originally standing behind Mallick and supporting its editorial policy, which accepts that its writers will hold varying positions and diversity in opinion.

Blagh. This kind of thing just frustrates the living daylights out of me. How on earth do we, as a culture, think it's okay to check our values at the door when we are publicly challenged? How do we not politicize basic freedoms upon which we claim our foundation lays? What the living hell are we teaching ourselves and our growing generations of thinkers and leaders about integrity and standing up for what we believe when we lose the former due to an incapacity to undertake the latter?

Again: blagh.