The Difference Between Tommy Douglas And Tom Lukiwski

Found at thescottross


"Clearly there is a difference between saying what one thinks is true and one saying what one knows to be hateful. "

Some have wrongly responded to those that criticize Tom Lukiwski for his discriminatory comments with references of far greater men then he making outrageous comments. For instance, Tom Lukiwski's comments are compared to those made by Tommy Douglas where he suggested being gay was a mental illness.

The problem with such a comparison is that in regards to the situation of Tommy Douglas, he didn't know better, no one did. The American Psychiatric Association up until 1975 had homosexuality on a list of mental disorders. So in regards to Tommy Douglas, he made certain comments not out of hate but out of ignorance. Tom Lukiwski on the other hand was motivated purely by hate.

Lukwiski's comments were known to be offensive by most if not all in 1991; no one could publicly utter "faggot," or suggest homosexuals are unclean and that they "spread diseases." even in rural Saskatchewan. It's easily acknowledged that Tom Lukiwski said these comments in private, but because he did, highlights the very fact he knew what he was saying was not publicly acceptable. He knew what he was saying offended others, and said it anyway.

In 1991 the opinion of hate held by Tom Lukiwski was not commonly held. In 1968 the opinion of ignorance held by Tommy Douglas was commonly held. Tom Lukiwski said what he said about homosexuals out of hate. Tommy Douglas said what he said about homosexuals because he didn't know better.

Tom Lukiwski knew what he was saying was wrong and hateful, and he said them anyway. The fact he made the decision to say such comments speaks to the character he developed for the first 40 years of his life.

Now what Tommy Douglas said was wrong, but his motivation was not hateful, Tom Lukiwski's was. It is on that note that the ignorant remarks of Tommy Douglas and other men differ from the hateful remarks of Tom Lukiwski's and cannot be compared. For others to suggest Douglas's comments are even comparable to Lukiwski's takes their motivations completely out of consideration. Clearly there is a difference between saying what one thinks is true and one saying what one knows to be hateful.