by Guy Page
Vermont Daily is taking a brief rest. Look for our next post on Tuesday.
John Klar’s story yesterday about Alex Katsnelson, Essex teenager fired from lifeguard job for speaking out about Critical Race Theory, really hit a nerve with our readers. And rightfully so. Katsnelson is now (at least) the second Vermont public employee fired for questioning the new racial orthodoxy. One year ago in June, Tiffany Riley was promptly fired from her job as a public school principal in Windsor for merely questioning the goals and tactics of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Here are a few of your 23 comments:
VT Independent: Kudos for Alex! He sounds like a thoughtful intelligent young man who is capable of critical thinking which is far more than the leftist SJW’s who run VT are able to do. Sad what we have sunk to.
Alex- whatever you do, don’t apologize. You are in the right. And you absolutely have a right to your own opinions, none of which would impact your work as a lifeguard! They are just punishing you for speaking your own mind (and having a mind!).
Carrie: This is absolutely outrageous. The only threat is being perpetrated by the people who fired this young man. It is chilling that the constitutional right to free speech has been so egregiously violated. I hope there will be a public outcry.
Colin: We seriously need to stop using their asinine terminology. They’re not “anti-racists”, they’re “segregationists”. This young man should absolutely sue, and I would happily contribute to any crowd-funding effort to cover the costs. He had the courage to stick his neck out, and I really hope he has the courage to stand up for himself after this disgusting attack on his character.
Ralph: This was one of the most well spoken young men I have heard in a long time. His voice should not be silenced nor should he be punished for speaking his mind.
To think that these CRT supporters equated him standing up for what he believes in with some sort of malice where he would not help someone based upon their color or beliefs is nothing less than projection and hugely insulting. It really does show who the racists really are and apparently they work at Essex schools and park and recs.
Not every reader supported Katsnelson.
Jody: My Dad was a lifeguard in the Navy in Penscacola, FL during WW 2. He was the lifeguard for the black people as the pool was segregated. Being from VT, it was determined that he could be trusted to actually save the back sailors and their families as it was clear that the southern guys would not. My father was horrified to learn about segregation and racism. They drained and washed pool for the white families to enjoy after the blacks had their time. Even as a right wing Republican and founding member of the John Birch Society, I think my Dad would agree that people who cannot be trusted to save everybody should not be lifeguards. If I were black, I would not want a life guard who is so afraid of people of my race. The sad fragility of white people astounds me. White guys from Essex VT honestly have very little to worry about in the world of reverse discrimination.
Keep the comments comin’. Be Your Own Media! See you Tuesday!