A new era of civility?

It's shocking that discrimination still permeates society in this day and age. It's even more so when it's directed at people suffering from a physical ailment or disease.

Such was the case when a young woman from Winnipeg shaved her hair off to support her uncle, who was stricken with terminal cancer. The young woman - a waitress at a restaurant in Winnipeg - filed a complaint with the Manitoba Human Rights Commission, which was rebuffed! This woman should have been praised for her bravery and compassion. Instead, she was singled out - not once, but twice - by both the restaurant and the Commission.

What if she had been victimized by cancer, and lost her hair due to chemotherapy? What if she had been afflicted with alopecia areata? Would she have been fired then?

Life can be cruel, especially if you are the person affected by a disease or an ailment. If our politicians can promise a new era of civility, then we as humans should pledge to do the same. Here's hoping we can start today.