A “straight” pride flag! Come on! What was Chipman Mayor Carson Atkinson thinking? What were the members of the town council thinking? Thanks to the outrage and condemnation from the many who recognized the stunning insensitivity of this idea, the “international flag of ignorance and intolerance” is no longer flying. Good. Because here in what many New Brunswickers and I lovingly refer to as God’s Country, there’s no room for symbols that create division and spawn dissension.
Like the Fredericton writer and political commentator Duncan Matheson, who penned a thoughtful piece about this issue on his blog (www.duncanmatheson.ca), I don’t want to pile more condemnation on the people involved in this decision. They are good people — hardworking New Brunswickers — who didn’t think it through. They made a mistake. It happens to the best of us, and they have probably learned a valuable lesson about the significance of symbols.
In a broader sense, though, the people of Chipman have done us all a favour especially during this time of what appears to be political and cultural gridlock. They have reminded us that symbols are important, especially positive symbols that represent the ideology of a particular culture or have positive meaning within a culture — symbols that must be valued and respected.
Here in New Brunswick, we sometimes forget, or worse, are not even aware of, the significance of “our” symbols; powerful symbols such as our provincial flag, and the inspiration for it, our provincial motto: Spem Reduxit: Hope Restored.
Hope Restored. Think about those words and the powerful sentiment they convey — a fresh start, another chance, and an opportunity to move forward. Rebirth: a powerful concept upon which many world religions are built.
A fresh start — another chance — is what this land meant for the Loyalists who came here during and after the American Revolution. It’s what it meant to the Acadian People who eventually returned to their homeland after being scattered like seeds to the wind by Le Grand Dérangement, from 1775 to 1783.
And to our Indigenous People, who for hundreds of years endured the denigration of their cultural symbols, we owe our respect and understanding. Their symbols reflect the dignity and perseverance of the Maliseet, Mi’kmaq and Passamaquoddy people. Their cultural renewal is New Brunswick’s cultural renewal. Spem Reduxit.
Another chance. Another opportunity to move forward. That’s the way I ‘ve felt each time I’ve returned home to New Brunswick after having lived elsewhere. Many New Brunswickers feel the same way.
Some back-to-the-landers I know, who moved to New Brunswick in the 60s to escape the tragedy of the Vietnam War, still, after all these years, refer to the province as God’s Country. For them, as it has been for the many who have moved here seeking a simpler and safer life, New Brunswick is the Promised Land. I know the Syrian family who lives next door would agree. Better neighbours I have never had. As I write these words, I am watching two of their children playing in the snow outside my window. Hope Restored. Perhaps the sentiment our Provincial Motto conveys is why New Brunswick welcomed so many Syrian refugees, more, per capita, than any other province.
During this crazy, up-is-down-and-down-is-up time, when everyone seems to be putting up walls and worrying only about themselves, it’s a good idea to give some thought to our province, its symbols and why living here enriches our lives.
With anger, negativity and division surrounding us every day, it’s easy to lose faith. But we can’t. Just ask the members of the LGBTQ community who stood up with so many other New Brunswickers over what happened in Chipman. Their faith in what is right is why the “international flag of ignorance and intolerance” no longer flies in New Brunswick.
We’re all looking for the same thing — respect, peace, harmony and love. To find it, we have to believe that if we open up our hearts and minds wide enough we’ll get there. It’s a long and winding road; let’s all remain confident and keep the faith. That’s what being in God’s Country is all about.
No doubt, my Syrian neighbours would agree.
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Lane MacIntosh has been writing about Canada’s natural and cultural landscape for more than 30 years (lanecmacintosh@gmail.com)
