Putting Their Money Where Their Mouths Are
Photo Deborah Carew.
Last week two postal workers made headlines when they refused to deliver complimentary copies of the weekly newspaper, The Epoch Times. They were both suspended without pay for three days, forfeiting wages for principles. They weren’t the first to take this position about this particular publication.
Complimentary copies of that paper have been distributed in our community in recent weeks. It’s a sophisticated international publication, with content that includes articles about health and wellness, politics and technology. What’s not to like?
The publication was founded in the US in 2000 by members of the Falun Gong, a spiritual group being persecuted by the Chinese government. Its focus was to shine light on Communist Party repression and censorship in China and expose abuses by the Chinese Communist Party. This theme continues. The top three stories on the front page of the copy I received a few weeks ago bore the following headlines: “Canadian Pension Money Keeps Pouring Into China as Risks Escalate”; “$300 million Donation from Facebook’s Zuckerberg Used to Undermine US Election Violates Law”; and “Report; China Had COVID-like Patients Months Before Official Timeline”.
During the 2020 election campaign, the paper has found an audience for its alt-right conspiracy theories in the followers of Donald Trump. According to NBC it now has one of the highest social media following of any news outlet. Among its views that troubled the Postal Workers in question was that the coronavirus was created in a Chinese lab, possibly for the purposes of developing a bio-weapon. The publication has also expressed support for QAnon and anti-vaccination theories.
Photo Deborah Carew.
The point is, these Crown Corporation employees drew a line and held it. As fear, confusion and misinformation abound, our own lines will be tested more and more. Our first defense is to define our own values so when the time comes to stand up for what we believe in, we will be ready. KG
