Guest Post - "Be Brave. Speak Up"

I am pleased & proud to host this Guest Post by Tammy Gibb-James; a compelling read and an important issue we can all relate to and all work to overcome.

Be Brave.  Speak up.   

The events in our community during the week of February 14 have inspired this letter.

I was a bullied child and teen.  Every day to & from school I was picked on, tormented really.  To say high school was hell is an understatement.  Popular wisdom at the time said “ignore them, they’ll go away”.  It obviously didn’t work.

Bullies don’t go away.  They grow up.  They get jobs. They become parents.  They become volunteers.  They own businesses.  But here’s the thing, many are still bullies.  They take to Facebook, Twitter, and the coffee shop.  They have moved from the back of the bus and the school hallway, but all that has changed is their location.  They may be at church, parent groups, your office or your local arena.

The greater community needs to find our voice.  We need to stop silently shaking our heads and rolling our eyes at these people.  They need to be held accountable for their actions.  The reason adult bullies still have voices is because their audiences listen & don’t act.  Children are now taught that bystanders have power; calling bullies on their behavior has the ability to change it.

The next time you are at a meeting, sports event or community gathering please be brave; use your voice and call these bullies out.  Let them know they will now be held to a higher standard, the same standard to which we hold our children.  We need to restore civility to our community and this would be a good first step.

Sincerely,

Tammy Gibb-James    

My Response to the Events in our Community Over the Past Few Days

The events of the past few days have ignited a heated conversation in the Killam community.  Community members, former community members, neighbours and others have passionately weighed in on this topic.  I personally have fielded calls, texts, etc., from many of you.

Now it’s my turn to share my thoughts.

First and foremost, I fundamentally believe that if one person, through words or actions (or inaction), causes another person to be or feel hurt, then effort should be made to lessen or eliminate that hurt.  This is a part of my core beliefs and I will not waiver from it.

I believe the sign in question is hurtful to some people.  You may argue that some first nations folks don’t care if they are referred to as ‘Indians’ and that is likely true, but it is obvious to me, judging by the social media storm, that there are many who do care.

Even if you don’t believe this is an issue, others do.  And it reflects on our community. 

Secondly, my wish is that our community be a viable place to live for the next generation – I want my grandchildren to be able to choose Killam if they desire.  We need to make the right decisions now to make that a reality for them.  We need to understand how our decisions now impact the community in 20, 30, 50 or more years.

The goal of Council should be to achieve modest growth in population and the business sector.  Failure to do this means our municipality is not financially sustainable in the long term.  However, what is the likelihood that a progressive business owner will invest in Killam, or that families with school aged children will choose to move here, when a simple web or Facebook search reveals that we are not friendly to a particular group (or groups) of people.  Add to that the events of the past few days and you can see we have a big problem.

This not about a hockey game or a playoff series.  If you really believe it is then you are mistaken – this is far bigger than that.

Some comments have questioned the dedication of Councillors to our community.  I for one will happily put my community service track record up against anyone else.  For all my adult life I have been involved in community work, serving as a member, executive member, treasurer, chairperson, etc. on almost every organization or committee that existed in the Town of Killam.  Our family has personally invested in this community.  Our family business has invested heavily in the community, and has donated to every silent auction & fundraiser we were made aware of.  Others on Council have a similar story.  So don’t question our commitment.

Some have stated that Council is not supporting the will of the electorate.  I believe the role of an elected representative, at any level, is to make decisions based on what they think is best for the community.  This isn’t about making the popular decision; it’s about making the right decision, and I will always choose the right decision.  If you are not happy with my performance you have a chance to dump me at the next general election.  This is how democracy works.

Some comments coming to Council have been of a personal nature.  This is simply wrong.  Your Council has stepped up and committed hundred of hours of work with the goal of making our community the best it can be, nothing less.  I know that each of my colleagues would be happy to debate any issue with you.  But personal attacks are never appropriate.

I am proud of the sports history of our community, and agree it should be celebrated.  (By the way, I have served as a board member for the Killam Indians Hockey Club, representing the team at the league level and with Hockey Alberta.)  I believe that we can find another way to pay tribute to those teams and players.  But I believe the signs have to come down.

I know many will still disagree with my position and will post their comments here.  However, if you agree with me, in whole or in part, you too need to post a comment.  It’s important that we get feedback from all of our citizens.

Please carefully consider where you stand on this issue.  This is not as simple as whether a sign stays up or is taken down; this will define, for the world to see, who we are as a community.

Thank you.

Regards,

Bud James

Mayor