EDITOR:
The unfortunate incident at the Tignish Legion will be resolved imperfectly. A formal apology will be given. The men insulted will not return. An opportunity for a greater reconciliation will be missed. When people have a chance to see eye-to-eye, shake hands and speak civilly, our better natures often get the better of us and we make peace.
The story possibly missed in this incident is the true clash of cultures, one that has nothing to do with turbans but with the increasing use of video and ensuing questions of privacy.
To millennials and the tech savvy, the impulse to video and capture images is instinctive. To others, a sense of privacy still takes precedence. Video can be essential in situations where one is in need of evidence. Use of uninvited video can also be invasive enough to provoke antagonism and create greater tension.
The best human relations are those that take place when we are not performing for or responding to a camera but when we act out of respect and empathy.
Manoeuvering through this new era of cell phones, street cams, and amateur media will only get more complicated so don't forget to smile for the camera.
Michael Pendergast,
Station Rd., Tracadie
