OrilliaMatters welcomes letters to the editor at [email protected]. Please include your daytime phone number and address (for verification of authorship, not publication). The following letter is in response to the story 'Not welcome': Truck rally at mall leaves damage in its wake, published on June 5.
What would you call the raucous and recurring gathering of trucks in the shopping malls in Barrie and cars in Wasaga Beach?
Are they acts of ‘civil disorder’ — meaning public disturbances involving violence by groups which result in danger to the public or damage to property? According to police there was no danger to the public, but there was risk for the participants and, in some cases, damage to private property. So partly, yes.
You might also wonder why are these ‘events’ happening? Are they demonstrations against economic hardship, social injustice, political issues? Doesn’t appear so.
Are they infections from the civil unrest in the U.S.A. caused by the former dysfunctional president or copy-cat versions of the big trucker event in Ottawa? Are the participants suffering a mental hangover from the COVID epidemic or are they motorhead enthusiasts seeking public attention and notoriety? Dunno.
In any case, if the shenanigans are not supporting an issue or seemingly against one, what are they about? Rebellion?
Some might remember the 50's movie — Rebel Without a Cause starring James Dean. No biggie if you’re not old enough or haven’t seen it. It’s a classic about rebellious youths that were dissatisfied with society but didn’t have a specific aim to fight for — or against. Is delinquency the name that we’re looking for in this case — or is it simply misspent youth?
Whatever the reasons are for the groups creating the automotive chaos, public admission by the police that they’re unable to prevent or deal with these ‘happenings’ is equally concerning.
Allan Baker
Oro-Medonte
