Editor,

There is a special place in hell for those who drive though a line of people who are legitimately and peacefully exercising their right to demonstrate an unfair workplace. The men who drove into the women picketing the Owen Sound Medical Centre on Thursday and again on Friday have booked their place there.

It doesn't matter that you don't like unions, or that you have an appointment with a doctor, or you don't like women standing up for their rights. You don't use your vehicle as a battering ram just because you don't like what (or who) is front of you.

On Friday August 24, according to eyewitnesses, the driver of a large white truck drove into one entrance and hit two women. He backed out and went into another entrance where he another woman. One of those hit required emergency treatment.

The day before, a driver stopped briefly at the line, revved his engine, then gunned his car through the line. The women dove for cover but he ran over the foot of one of them breaking it in three places.

Police were already on scene both days. No arrests were made.

In spite of the attacks on August 23 and 24, by August 26 the women of OPSEU Local 276 were already planning to be back on their picket line early Monday morning. They're strong and determined not be bullied into silence. They deserve our respect.

Discussion is always better than confrontation and at least social media is good for that even if some posters are saying, "Well if you don't want to get hurt, don't stand in front of cars." Trouble is, delaying access to a workplace being struck is a legal part of labour action – the women were well within their rights to do so.

I would invite those who want to blame the two women for getting themselves run over to flip their argument: "If you don't want to hurt someone, don't hit them with your car."

People who walk a picket line – or anyone exercising their right to speak freely – are deserving of consideration and protection. You and I don't have to agree with what's being said; but we do have to agree they have a right to say it, and to say it without fear of being harmed. To do otherwise is to surrender that freedom and all our other freedoms to the haters and the bullies.

David McLaren
Neyaashiinigmiing