On Thursday my fellow Edmontonians (the ones who don't still have to go to work every day...I hear that's a thing) gathered en masse to protest the continued closures that were supposed to be a two week "break" to not "overtax the healthcare system" (which I notice I'm always being over-taxed to pay). Everybody from the yellow vests to United We Roll showed up, far exceeding the paltry total the organizer expected based on the Facebook RSVPs.
Note that in Lauren Boothby's story counter-protester David Williamson, who was a single contrarian at the rally, got a whopping three paragraphs in a 19-paragraph story (14 not counting the reaction of Hinshaw), though to be fair the paragraphs are ridiculously short (see sidebar).
I find it interesting and useful though: it's important to hold the Journal's feet to the fire on this one though: having just written an article about a protest so big the Viro Fascists had to shut it down but still devoting 16%-21% of the column to a single dissenter, they'd better start doing the same when the right does it to leftist protests.
A single counter-protester at the Fag Walk (delayed, crazy enough now, for two years) warning that their sick lifestyle is illegitimate? 16% coverage. One yellow vest at the 2021 May Day Rally? 16% coverage. One Proud Boy at the next #IdleNoMore pipeline protest? 16% coverage. We aren't just talking 16% coverage about his existence either: it actually quoted him and let him express his side without any reaction from the rally-goers.
Obviously they were quoting him to provide "man on the street" coverage for Hinshaw's discussion about how much smarter she is than all those people who are applying competing rationale than just strictly "health" when publicly protesting public policy. It will be important that the Edmonton Journal in general and Lauren Boothby in particular are held to this standard.
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