The social justice scene in Halifax is getting out of control and I want to point out some the glaring inconsistencies in the logic of these warriors. They seem to target many local businesses and hold them to standards that are extreme. If a local business has a target demographic or a niche clientele they serve to and you are not included in it, that does not mean they have done anything wrong. Making public claim that a barber shop is sexist or hates women because they offer short hair cuts only, or publicly labeling a tattooist non queer-friendly because they didn’t want to tattoo the concept you brought them or harassing local companies for trying to capitalize off of marketable opportunities most big company’s partake in is bullying. All the people making life harder for locals do not show the same attitudes towards big conglomerate companies. We don’t see the people in the mall lingerie stores screaming that you can’t buy both men’s and women’s underwear there. You don’t see people going into an suit store screaming they can’t get there wedding dress there.
Businesses are set up to serve specific interest. If they didn’t serve a special interest and everyone tried to accommodate everyone, we would have nothing but Walmarts. The fact so many people are trying to hurt local businesses with this attitude shows they are not trying to make the world a better place, they are trying to make it a worse place for someone specifically and we should not be silent and watch this happen anymore. We should be protecting and nurturing our local business owners. They are the ones you can talk directly to and voice concerns you have and find conclusions unlike the latter. They are run by real people working to stimulate a local economy that is very badly needed in Halifax but most people are just fishing for online drama not caring about the real life hardships they are bringing to someone in their community. If you think you are helping your community by only seeing your own exclusion than you are only trying to help yourself. —So Stop Throwing Stones
This article appears in Jan 25-31, 2018.
I want to buy my underwear at Lily’s! Protest! Men unite!
Well said
It seems selfishness & short-sightedness is in
& it’s not just Halifax
Well said OP
Wonder if I can get OP a beer? Just glad to see someone calling out those hypocrites.
I know a number of local small business owners. I couldn’t do it. They work extremely long hours for very modest amounts of money. Staffing is particularly treacherous since it’s hard to find reliable honest people who won’t pilfer goods, shared tips, etc. I also know they cherish and appreciate their regular customers. So, the OB’s post really resonates.
I would suggest that if someone is unhappy with a service that is being offered, or not offered, then the gracious thing to do is to go see the owner and have a face to face discussion. Give them the opportunity to explain why things are the way they are and maybe they will decide to accept your suggestions. Jumping on social media to launch into a one sided rant to disparage the business or, worse, to try to hurt the business owner by mounting an online lynch mob (boycott) – without even talking to the business owner about your concerns – is nothing less than cowardly. It is then more about you and your own insecurities than the “problem” you are pointing out.
Ultimately, we are not measured by our accumulated wealth, activism, achievement and so on. We are remembered and judged on our character and how we conduct ourselves. Act accordingly.