It's not bullying
Editor: I am writing in response to Wally Martin’s letter (“It’s like Bullying, The Times, March 4).
Although I do not think it is appropriate for the federal Conservative Party to exercise the use of “attack ads” on opposing parties or leaders such as Michael Ignatieff, I find the comparison of these ads to bullying to be somewhat heavy-handed. There is a similarity when the intention of attacking a person is to discredit them, but it is hard to believe that the impact from this bullying of Ignatieff would be parallel to youth.
There is a large difference between trying to discredit someone and actual bullying, and it is well known that some cases of bullying have tragic endings.
Even if these ads may not have been the best choice for Canadian television, I don’t think that the Conservative Party was unintelligent to utilize “attack ads.” From a political standpoint, it may have worked for them in some cases. I think they have a good idea of what they are broadcasting and what they wish to extract from it as well.
The letter states that we should be “role models for our youth,” and as much as I am an advocate for positive role models, it begs the question just how many youth look to political ads for behaviour worth imitating?
Katie Clark,
Langley
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