I have been following the debate regarding your decision to post a letter claiming that vaccines are harmful and read your editorial statement in response to that debate. You stated that you support the right of everyone to share their opinions and made a grand B次元官网网址渇ree speech for allB次元官网网址� declaration, however, I think you are confusing the validity of sharing opinions with making false statements.

For example, there has been lots of debate about the expansion of bike lanes in downtown Victoria B次元官网网址� there are both pros and cons to this issue and valid points on both sides and therefore, there are various opinions. However, other topics, such as the B次元官网网址渇lat earthB次元官网网址� conspiracy are clearly in violation of every single scientific fact. Would you feel comfortable printing two articles B次元官网网址� one supporting the round earth belief and one supporting the flat earth belief B次元官网网址� with equal footing? No B次元官网网址� because that isnB次元官网网址檛 responsible reporting.

This is exactly how the Trump presidency has twisted the truth. Even though every single metric proved that there were more people at ObamaB次元官网网址檚 inauguration, their team claimed that it was B次元官网网址渢heir opinionB次元官网网址� that more people came to see Trump. That isnB次元官网网址檛 an opinion B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 a lie, and when you promote the kind of lies expressed by the anti-vaxxer you published, you arenB次元官网网址檛 just promoting a lie, you are threatening peopleB次元官网网址檚 lives.

Please reconsider next time.

Claire McCutcheon

Saanich