I read the latest letter and the beefs responding to Angela Bennett鈥檚 letter about a housing development in Comox.

The attacks on her seemed pretty virulent, so I went online to read Bennett鈥檚 letter of March 12 (Resident says 鈥榖oomer鈥� sense of entitlement evident at public hearing for Comox development).

I didn鈥檛 see the kind of name-calling in her letter that I saw in the other two pieces. From the March 17 B&Bs, she is called a 鈥渞anter鈥� whose comments are described as 鈥渋nflammatory鈥� and 鈥渉ateful.鈥� The piece ends with a (mis)interpretation of her message. Then, the March 19 letter from Peter Abbott 鈥� who, like Bennett, at least put their names behind their words (Meeting attendee disappointed but not surprised with the letter attacking opposition to Comox development) 鈥� contains the kind of ad hominem attack that he accuses Bennett of. Bennett at least includes some real facts about high rental prices and low vacancy rates in Comox; the claim that she 鈥渃an鈥檛 debate the facts鈥� so she attacks the person has no merit. The only provocative words in her letter are 鈥渟elfishness鈥� and 鈥渟hameful.鈥� And maybe they鈥檙e just accurate. She even includes herself in the problem.

Compare this to Abbott鈥檚 letter, with his own invectives of 鈥渟hameful, brutal, self-serving鈥� because Bennett does not 鈥渟hare [his] point of view.鈥� Her opinion is 鈥渧ulgar鈥� and she is declared immature and petulant. However, he does agree with her plea for affordable housing and daycare. But what is his ultimate argument against the project? That it will 鈥渋mpact the community.鈥� Sounds like NIMBYism to me.

But my reason for writing this letter is not to argue for or against development. It is to make us more aware of our speech and our treatment of each other. Non-violent communication is a method of honestly expressing ourselves and listening empathetically. It leaves judgment (and shaming and guilt and anger) at the door. Bennett has simply expressed a frustration felt by many. And you are free to have a separate opinion. But an opinion is not name-calling or verbally attacking people鈥檚 character. So maybe you could apologize to Angela, not for your passion, but for your method of communicating.

Judy Johnson,

Comox