Re: “Will Victoria find its way back from today’s prejudice?” commentary, May 6.

I so appreciated Eleanor Sweeney’s comment piece on getting hated on by the locals due to her California vehicle plate.

I don’t know how we’ve taken a hatred for a particular government and turned it into a hatred for Americans, but it is an ugly and divisive thing. Since when do we judge a people based on their government? Sure, we’re all very angry at the bullying and bombast of the U.S. president, but that is not at all the same thing as pointing hatred and contempt toward individual Americans.

I am recently back from a great trip to the southern U.S. with one of our grandsons. We have family in the U.S., so this idea of boycotting a country I have long loved to travel to isn’t for us. I would normally have posted many photos from the trip on my social media, but chose not to this time. I just couldn’t bear the thought of being judged and bullied by my many acquaintances feeling very self-righteous these days.

How many of these hypocritical locals judging everything American have visited other countries with distasteful political regimes without a thought? My spouse and I certainly wouldn’t have worked with Cuso International in Honduras if we boycotted countries whose governments we disagreed with.

Grow up, Victoria. These are truly worrying times, but flipping the bird at people just because of their citizenship not only solves nothing, but is a hateful act of racism and a loathsome display of superiority.

Jody Paterson

Victoria

How truly sad and disappointing it is to read about the rude reception a locally born visitor from California is getting in Victoria.

Victorians, and indeed all Canadians, should not be giving a rude reception to any Americans who are not flaunting membership in the MAGA movement: these individuals may well have the very same opinion as us about Trump and MAGA followers, and treating them badly is unjustified and disrespectful.

And to top it off, it may be self-defeating: If and when push comes to shove, and Trump becomes even more hostile and aggressive towards Canada, mistreated non-MAGA Americans may understandably be less willing then to be our allies and support us in that battle.

Gil Verrier

Esquimalt

I was surprised by the letter from “a Victoria native who now lives in California” about her experiences of hatred and prejudice by the people of Victoria.

My anecdotal experience of how Victorians have treated visitors from the U.S. is the opposite to this anecdotal letter. I have not witnessed a single instance of “open hostility,” “flipping off,” “glares” or being “honked at” by rude Victorians.

What I have witnessed and seen documented on local media is Victorians being welcomed by our friendly neighbours in Port Angeles, a tour group from the U.S. visiting Nanaimo and being embraced with tears and hugs and several on the street interviews with tourists reporting how well they have been received by Victorians.

She expresses how Victorians who show kindness “is calculation. The contempt remains barely hidden, waiting for an easier moment to strike.” Really?

I doubt this account of the cruelty, contempt and disgust displayed by the people of Victoria. When she explains to her........

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