Re: “Sympathy for all fatalities,” Letters, The Leader, Nov. 29.
While I wouldn’t doubt that Mr. Calder’s statement of sympathy is genuine, the overall tone of his letter appears to be slightly condescending (or perhaps corrective in nature) comparing the media coverage given to Surrey RCMP Const. Adrian Oliver’s death “on the job” as being more important than that of a construction worker who loses his/her life on the job.
It also appears to me that Mr. Calder is comparing apples to oranges. The reason media coverage is given to a fallen police officer is obvious. They’re frontline people, whereas construction workers are not.
By frontline, I mean police put their lives on the line for the public every time they step into uniform. I doubt a construction worker puts his life on the line for the public each time he picks up a tool.
That doesn’t mean construction workers should receive less sympathy or media coverage if they lose their life on the job, however, I believe the reason I stated speaks for itself.
Unfortunately, by nature, the public is more curious about police officers, firefighters, paramedics, etc., whereupon the media would tend to shine the spotlight more brightly than others.
Brian Batke, Cloverdale