Business with principle

The conspiracy theorist David Icke has apparently found a Vancouver venue in the form of the Vancouver East Cinema. The theatre, in the heart of the Commercial Drive cultural hub, will certainly prove an incongruous backdrop for his thinly veiled anti-Semitism.

But finding a venue was not easy, thanks to the decency of owners of other theatres in town. Icke's organizers first approached the Ridge Theatre, which turned him down. They were then rebuffed by the Vogue and the Hollywood. In an age when theatres are competing with countless entertainment alternatives, each of these venues could well have used the money offered by Icke's presenters. Each refused on moral grounds, regardless of the financial implications.

We can all be quick to criticize when people or organizations do things we don't like. We are less apt to offer support to those who have made a sacrifice on our behalf.

It wouldn't hurt to take a moment to thank the operators of the Ridge (604-732-3352), the Vogue (604-331-7900) and the Hollywood (604-738-3211) for their principled decisions.