Standing Up for Monika Schaefer — People Rally to Her Cause
On Saturday, February 2. CAFE posted Monika Schaefer’s account of the way she’d been humiliated and denied photocopying services by Sonja Dickey owner of the 3 Sheets Stationary Store & Laundromat in Jasper, Alberta. Miss Dickey refused to do some photocopying because Monika was a “hateful” person.
It is heartening so see the torrent of support from Britain, Europe and across North America admonishing the small town snowflake Dickey and backing Monika.
Well done, free speech supporters.
Here’s just a sample of the e-mails sent thus far.
Paul Fromm
Director
CANADIAN ASSOCIATION FOR FREE EXPRESSION
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Canadian Association for Free Expression
Box 332,
Rexdale, Ontario, M9W 5L3
Ph: 905-289-674-4455; FAX: 289-674-4820;
Website http://cafe.nfshost.com
Paul Fromm, B.Ed, M.A. Director
February 2, 2019
Sonja Dickey
P.O. Box 2098,
Jasper, AB,
T0E 1E0
Dear Miss Dickey:
I read on the Internet about a recent incident in your store where you refused to provide service — running off photocopies — to local musician Monika Schaefer because you believe she’s a “hateful” person.
You are in the business of serving the public, not running a private club. You are obligated to serve anyone who behaves and can pay her bill. Your treatment of Miss Schaefer may well be a violation not only of her rights but of provincial statute. I have asked our in- house counsel to review the law so that we might advise Miss Schaefer further.
I do a nightly radio show entitled “The Fighting Side of Me”. I invite you to be a guest on my show to explain your actions. I heard Miss Schaefer speak recently in Toronto, as part of a cross-Canada tour. Her treatment at the hands of some people in Jasper — shunning, banned from the Legion, subject of a smear campaign to ruin her violin lesson business — was disgusting. Jasper sounds, at times, like a bigoted, judgemental small town right out of some old movie.
I hope you’ll reconsider your treatment of her and consider coming on my show. We can hook up by Skype.
Sincerely yours,
Paul Fromm
Director
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Dear Ms. Dickey,
Along with Monika Schaefer I would like to know what you meant when you said you did not want to serve someone ‘who hates’.
According to the Merriam – Webster dictionary the definition of the verb ‘to hate’ is:
1: to feel extreme enmity toward
2: to have a strong aversion to
So…
Do you think ‘hate’ should be quantified on a scale of, say, 0 to 100 according to which 0 means no hate, that is, no dislike or aversion and 100 means complete hate, that is, total and complete dislike or aversion?
In my view, on such a scale Monika’s forthright regard and search for historical truth along with her honorable exercise of the valuable principle of Freedom of Speech merit her an award of 0 on that scale.
What level of hate would you assign to Monika, and for what?
Because of the unprincipled way you treated Monika, I would award you a value of 70 or 75 on that scale.
Now that you know that I feel some dislike of, and disrespect for, what you have done, do you now hate me? If so, at what level?
Sincerely,
Rudy List, Ph.D. (Mathematics)
P.S. If I come to Jasper, would you be willing to discuss this with me?
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Dear Sonja,
Recently, you refused service to a brave Monika Schaefer. You need to know that Monika does not hate anyone, as you fervently believe, but stood up for the right to disagree on something – that is not hate – it is our right to debate – to disagree – to challenge – any and all ideas – in Canada so far – to scare people like yourself to keep quiet. You are fearful and obedient to the idea that someone who simply states that she does not believe the official story about something must be run out of town and destroyed – this is the despicable act you and your friends have done – shame on you.
You seem to not understand that your very business depends on free speech – the right to print free ideas. Try that in old Soviet Union, or North Korea or Cuba – you will go to jail for expressing free speech – you could not run your little printing business there – did you know that? Canada is so far not there but you need to understand that Monika stood up for you and me and 35 million Canadians to protect that right. So you can run a business that operates on the principle of free speech that people like Monika Schaefer are willing to fight for on your behalf – and for that you stab her in the back?
The obvious subject is Holocaust gas chambers which has been proven wrong by scientists and engineers – most people, myself included, and many politicians, scientists, academics, lay people, see the Holocaust as a big lie – these were work camps – nothing more – there was and is not any evidence of anything sinister happening there. All Monika did was express her belief that the Holocaust never happened – that is not hate – that is simply a belief and our Canadian right to do so.
Unfortunately you have been drawn into the fear of speaking for yourself and maybe thinking for yourself. Speaking about any subject is not hate speech. It is about questioning the official story. I know for a fact that Monika Schaefer does not “hate” as you put it – she simply reserves the right to express her opinion which I wholly agree with as do millions of others.
By disallowing Monika to use your services you are making a strong statement that you agree that free speech must be killed and stifled if someone does not like your point of view. Well, that is a dangerous thing – I may not agree with you, for example, but I don’t prevent you from running your business or conducting your life. We discuss. We disagree. But we walk away agreeing we disagree – but we do not chastise or disenfranchise each other. Jasper has bullied Monika shamefully. I hope you are proud.
Because Monika stood up for her convictions she was imprisoned in Germany. She was brave and she stood up for principles of free speech, the most fundamental right humans have in a free society. Jasper should be ashamed for victimizing a wonderful productive peaceful soul. In Medieval times people like you watched accused people tied up and burned at the stake and I’m sure you would have been right there watching, cheering and happy at someone being killed for some idea that others disagreed with – is that the world you want? I do hope you have a deep serious think on your actions. I hope you and your fellow Jasperians have a reflection on how you treated a fellow citizen for simply standing up for basic Canadian rights.
Maybe one day you will actually get some guts and conviction and realize that the free speech Monika stands up for is more than you and your many fellow Jasperians have done except condemn someone for protecting what you don’t even know you have. I am sad for you and your friends – you have lots to think about.
Al Majauskas
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Dear Ms. Dickey:
It has come to my attention that you have a customer who is a friend of mine: namely, Monika Schaefer who lives in your beautiful town of Jasper.
Monika reports that you recently asked her to leave your store because you believed she was a “hateful” person. This seems very curious to me. A very odd and inexplicable story.
I know that there are always two sides to everything, and I would like to hear yours.
I am a native Texan who lives in New Orleans, Louisiana, but I have lived all over and was once offered a job at the University of Calgary and then another at the Royal Tyrrell (I didn’t take either of them because I was afraid of the winters—but that was before global warming really set in, I guess…). Anyhow, I love the Canadian Rockies and the province of Alberta and have had great friends up there throughout my life, Banff, Calgary, Edmonton, Drumheller, Fort Macleod, Lake Louise…. so I don’t feel I am a total stranger to the setting… I think Canada is a lovely place and I have always had very special affection for the Canadian people…..
I am writing as a great fan of Monika Schaefer to ask whether you would like to appear on my extremely informal podcast talk show, either with Monika or alone, and explain to her, to my audience, and the world, why you think Monika Schaefer or her work embodies or represents any kind of hatred?
I suppose we are all (all of Monika’s friends and admirers) wondering why you would see fit to exclude a civil rights heroine from your store, to refuse to do business with her.
Won’t you explain, please? To me privately if not to the world.
I happen to find Monika to be one of the kindest and gentlest, sincerest and truest people I know on earth. To me, Monika Schaefer and her brother Alfred stand for LOVE and TRUTH above all. If you disagree, I would like you to tell me, and the world, why.
If you think that the world is an exceedingly simple place, of black and white, I’d like to know how you can possibly put Monika Schaefer in among the forces of darkness.
My invitation is quite real and sincere and my podcast (based in New Orleans) is very informal. You would not be embarrassed or “trapped” by any of my questions, but I think if you believe sincerely that Monika Schaefer is wrong about something—you should tell her “to her face” in a public forum…..
I hope that you will consider accepting my invitation to speak about why certain people should not be allowed in your store….. why you think their money would “taint” you or your equipment…..
I absolutely believe in freedom of association, and I certainly respect every person’s right to have opinions and even prejudices, but if these opinions are based on a perception different from mine, I am always very interested in hearing it.
To my mind, Monika Schaefer is just a superior person in every way. But we should never be trapped inside our own worlds, unable to see through other people’s eyes.
Won’t you please explain to me why you would treat this lovely lady so badly as to order her out of your store?
I really want to hear YOUR side of this story… and I think a lot of other people would also…
Charles Edward Lincoln, III
“Ich bin der Geist der stets verneint, und das mit recht,
denn alles was entsteht, Ist werth daß es zu Grunde geht.”
Deo Vindice/Tierra Limpia
This is what I emailed: (Joe Rizoli)
I just read this incident that you had with Monika Schaefer and I really have to say this, how could you hate somebody so much to refuse their business? Its incomprehensible that people can act like this in this day and age.
If Monika was gay, black, an immigrant, Jewish or anything else this would be front page news.
Monica is a wonderful person and for you to treat her in this way is really disappointing to me…or better yet, shameful…
Joe Rizoli
Framingham, Massachusetts USA
Dear Ms. Sonja Dickey:
I just learned about what happened to my dear friend, Monika, in her attempt to acquire services at your copy business. I’ve visited Canada for years and am continually astounded at the increasing restrictions and soviet-style prohibitions imposed on regular Canadians for what? AND what did she do to you? I can only conclude that you must have received word from the higher-up soviet-style elite to tell you what to do or like she said, that you ARE afraid of consequences to doing normal business with her.
I do understand the concern about retribution (though I doubt you fully understand other than what someone MIGHT have told you about her), but I don’t accept the ‘ caving’ into their thugocracy.
We of those who cherish freedoms are appalled at your behavior and truly, you SHOULD be ashamed. You owe her an apology at the very least and some free service for her trouble. You can fix this.
Disgusted,
Diane King
Nacogdoches, TX, USA
Dear Sonja,
I hope this email finds you inundated with comments regarding your refusal to serve Truth Warrior, Monika Schaefer based on spurious allegations flung at her by a certain international group of trouble makers who have a significant nest in Jasper. Refusing someone a service which you advertise you will perform for recompense based on lies, innuendos, and ignorance is not a very good way to conduct business. Especially not in a nation where free speech is still valued; albeit seriously under attack by the entity you no doubt are aware of and who likely contacted you and scared the bejeebies out of you. In my opinion, you are a coward and stand contrary to the Canadian Bill of Rights. If you are a Canadian citizen, you should be ashamed of yourself.
Sincerely, Gertjan Zwiggelaar, B.A., B.Ed. &c.
Dear Ms. Dickey,
I write to you as a Briton who as a young man lived in Canada. In the 1960s I lived in the province of Ontario and worked in the smelter of a nickel-mining company at Falkenbridge, Sudbury.
I learn that you have refused to serve in your store a woman whom I have got to know, Monika Schaefer. As you might know Monika Schaefer was recently released from a jail in Germany where she had been incarcerated for eleven months for the “crime” of expressing her non-violent opinions. All shame on the German judicial authorities that their law-books make Free Speech a criminal offence. Thank goodness that we Britons and including Canadians, of course, enjoy Free Speech in our lands.
All that said, I cannot understand your refusing to serve Monika Schaefer and your talk of “hatred”. Monika Schaefer, a music teacher and resident of your town of Jasper, is a pleasant, mild mannered middle-aged woman who takes a lively open-minded interest in the world. Surely we can all rub along and leave talk of “hatred” behind us ?
Yours sincerely, Richard Edmonds
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Dear Ms. Dickey,
Well said, Mr. Richard Edmonds!
Good grief, your ill-treatment of dear Monika, a sweeter person of non-hatefilled disposition one could ever hope to meet!
A shop-keeper who cannot allow herself to recognise her own personal experience of Monika’s firm but sweet nature – a personal experience which should over-ride that shop-keeper’s evidently media-emboldened, hate-indoctrinating prejudice.
Talk about turn-speak!
Bravo Monika Schaefer for standing your ground as always with role-model courteous dignity; shame on any media-gullible, hate-compliant shop-keeper.
Yours truly, Lady M. Renouf
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Subject: to Sonja Dickey in Jasper, Alberta: regarding your treatment of Monika Schaefer
To: <3sheets@telus.net>
Hello Sonja,
As a defender of free speech I’m dismayed at the way you treated Monika Schaefer. Please consider that when it comes to being turned into an outcast for speaking your mind she is historically in good company. You can go back into early Greek society where you find the philosopher Socrates who had to drink poison because his opinion did not agree with that prevailing among the people of Athens. Others that come to mind are Galileo and Martin Luther. A Czech religious leader, Jan Huss, was burned at the stake for proposing a change in the creed of his time – and there are many more.
Why are you giving support to what we call the “Politically Correct”? That is the tyranny of the ruling oligarchy that has produced one war after the other. Why are so many people acting like
brainless sheep? In the end they will all be led to the slaughter. Why don’t people start to think on their own rather than relying on the opinion of others? All it requires is to inform oneself beyond the
mass media and read some books that certain people try to suppress? Of course, Sonja, it is much more convenient to follow the herd than to do your own research. What else can I say? I feel sorry for you for having been brainwashed.
Chris Klein, President,
Coalition of Victims and Survivors of World War II
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