Subject: Press Release: I LIKE MIKE

From: [email-masked] (Zeljko "Zed" Zidaric)
Date: Mon, 25 Mar 1996 23:15:05 GMT

Well... I did it.  I went down to Queen's Park today and looked the dragon
in the eye.

I went down there again with my I LIKE MIKE sign and received quite a bit
of attention.  Yes, some of the union thugs tried to intimidate me but I
stood my ground.  The following is a copy of the press release that I sent
to various Toronto based media agencies.

Since I know that the media is left-leaning they probably will not print
what I had to say... so I will say it here in this last open forum where
the average person can speak his mind.

PRESS RELEASE
RE: Queen's Park OPSEU Rally
March 25, 1996

I was the individual who was carrying the "I LIKE MIKE" placard.  I am
sending you this press release so that you can have a better explanation of
why I did what I did this morning.  In the commotion at Queen's Park I do
not think that I was able to explain myself properly and in enough detail
to the reporters who were out there.

 Just as background, I'll let you know that I have gotten fed up with
everyone criticizing Mike Harris for what he is doing (what he has to do!)
I respect Mike Harris because he is the FIRST politician in quite some time
who told us what he was going to do when he got elected and then actually
made good on his promises!

Who am I?

Name: Zeljko Zidaric
Age: 28
Address: Mississauga
Occupation: In transition.  I just recently left the Canadian Forces where
I was an Air Force Officer and this fall I will be attending the University
of Western Ontario MBA program.
Political Affiliations: I have no provincial political affiliations.  I was
not paid to do what I did.
I did what I did on my own.

Why was I out there?

I was out at Queen's Park giving Premier Mike Harris my support.  There are
MANY people who support our Premier but are not heard because I feel that
the ‘liberal/left leaning' media is distorting socio-political reality in
this province.  I feel that the media is trying to manipulate the situation
to meet their own agenda(s).  The media is painting a picture that everyone
is against Premier Mike Harris.  I wanted to be a visible sign, that would
be difficult to ignore, showing that there are people that support the
Premier.

Why do I like Premier Mike Harris?

I feel that he is an honest politician and I respect him (one of the few
along with the Reform Party).  We all know that Ontario is in financial and
economic trouble.  During his election campaign Mike Harris told us what
his plans were for solving our problems.  We agreed with him and we elected
him to carry out his plans.  He is actually doing what he promised he would
do.  He is making some difficult decisions which MUST be made if our future
is to be saved.  Better that we feel a little bit of pain now than a lot of
pain sometime in the future.

Why do we need the changes that the Premier is proposing?

Ontario is in financial and economic trouble.  We need our problems fixed.
Just look at certain precedents such as New Zealand, Sweden and Alberta.
All those places are enjoying improved economic conditions after certain
problems were solved.

Why was I the only person out there supporting Premier Mike Harris?

I feel that I am a representative for all of the hard working tax paying
Ontarians who support Mike Harris and would like to have their voices heard
but couldn't be at Queen's Park because they have to WORK!   I may have
been out there alone in body, but there were many people out there in
spirit!

Do I have support?  Does Mike Harris have support?

I was out with my "I LIKE MIKE" sign on Friday afternoon and I received a
lot of support.  A lot of people honked and gave me the ‘thumbs up'.  Yes,
there were some people who told me I was wrong and gave me the ‘finger',
but those were in the minority.  My impression was that it was a 10:1 ratio
in support of Mike Harris.  Because of this, I felt that it would be
worthwhile to be out this morning as well.  Today as well I received a lot
of support from people driving by.  In conversations on the Internet I
received a lot of support as well.  I have also heard that the Premier's
office receives MANY telephone calls with people voicing their support.  As
we all know, the silent majority does not stage visible signs of support,
they have their say at the election booth.  There is support for Mike
Harris, I just wish that the media would report this!

Was I afraid?

Yes, I was afraid to a certain extent.  If you want to accomplish anything
you must put your fear behind you and stand up for what you believe in.   I
had heard stories about the ‘aggressive' nature of the Steelworkers and
Teamsters and other ‘union goons' who are brought in to boost the OPSEU
lines.  Yes I was afraid of potential union thuggery.  Even the police told
me to be careful.  But, being the optimist, I was hoping that the OPSEU
members would respect my right to freedom of expression.

Right now, I am hoping that OPSEU members will not carry out any actions
against myself nor my home... as I have heard unions thugs like to do.

Did OPSEU try to intimidate me?

At the start some OPSEU members did try to intimidate me.  A lot of verbal
insults were thrown at me as were a lot of insinuations.  While I was
peacefully walking on the sidewalk some OPSEU members tried to block my
path and forced me onto the road (a potentially dangerous situation).  When
the OPSEU members saw that I was not being intimidated and that I would not
leave they decided to leave me alone and ignore me.

I also would like to voice my opinion that OPSEU in their motto, "No
Justice, No Peace" is threatening each and every citizen of this province
with violence.  This is not right.

Do I plan on being out there again?

Yes.  I would like to have as many people as possible to come out this
Friday afternoon at 1:00 pm to show their support for our Premier.

What happened with the police?

Earlier in the morning, the police advised me that in the sake of my own
personal safety that I stay away from the main body of OPSEU strikers.
They also told me that if some OPSEU members did get ‘aggressive' or ‘jump'
me that it would be difficult to help me.  They also told me to be careful
because I could also be charged with trying to incite a riot.   I followed
that advice staying within the area that the police laid out.  I told them
that I had no intentions of inciting any riot.

After the rally was under way, I stayed out of the way.  When the rally
passed by me  I stood up on a park bench and held up my "I LIKE MIKE" sign.
This got the attention of the media who quickly came to interview me.
Again, I was doing nothing illegal but exercising my right to expression.
I did not chant, I did not try to block anyone's way, I did not shove my
sign in anyone's face.  At this point the OPSEU rally which was walking by
started to hurl insults at me.  When this happened one of the police
officers came over to me an nicely told me that it would be a good idea to
leave.  I told him that I would in a few minutes.  A while later, while I
was still being interviewed, one of  the police officers told me to get off
of the bench and told me that if I did not leave he would have to charge me
with trying to incite a riot.  He also told me that he did not want to see
me in front of the Justice Buildings.  At this point, not wanting to get
into trouble with the police and feeling I had accomplished what I came out
to do, I left.

I do not think that this is fair.  I was a lone peaceful citizen voicing my
support for the government (not something you see often) and I was being
told to leave and threatened with charges of inciting a riot.  While the
OPSEU protesters are allowed to get as loud and as violent as they want, my
civil liberties were being suppressed.