HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2016-11-30, Page 5Wednesday, November 30, 2016 • Huron Expositor 5
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Despite opponents' fears, U.S. will survive Trump
John Gormley
Get over it. The
United States --
that big, robust
and hopeful place -- will
survive Donald Trump.
It might struggle; it
might flourish. Who
knows?
But what we do know
are the rules of life that
apply to every disrup-
tive change. When the
unexpected tumbles
down on us, we tend to
spend more time and
anxiety fearing the
unknown than the
actual consequences of
the change.
From generally
benign changes to the
calamities, when we
accept the reality of
change we begin to
adapt.
Think no further than
June's Brexit vote to
withdraw the United
Kingdom from the
European Union. While
opinion polls showed a
close race, pundits,
political leaders and
the chattering classes
took every opportunity
to point out the folly
and absolute disaster
that would befall Brit-
ain if it withdrew from
the EU.
As the financial mar-
kets wobbled -- and the
same smug pro -EU
pundits predicted a
collapse -- no market
crash occurred and life
has returned pretty
much to normal,
although the EU
divorce has yet to be
finalized.
The cataclysmic
attacks on America 15
years ago that claimed
3,000 lives on 9/11
triggered an economic
recession and
bequeathed to us the
scourge of radical Islam-
ist terror. But people
rebuilt and moved on.
The aftermath of the
closely fought election
between Hillary Clinton
and Donald Trump
resembles the 2000 Bush -
Gore race -- the winner of
the popular vote did not
win the Electoral College.
But the anger, recrimina-
tions and pouting at this
result are without mod-
ern precedent.
Those of us who have
won (and then lost) elec-
tions know the voters are
always right. The correct-
ness of the voters' verdict
may be questioned, but it
is always final. And while
unhappy losers don't
have to agree with the
decision, they must
accept it.
Another historical gem found
The dictionary says
the word Expositor
is an individual,
who explains complex
viewpoints or theories;
the Latin form refers to
the word as explained
and exposed.
The Seaforth Huron
Expositor attempts to live
up to those expectations,
especially when the story
requires the help from our
readers on an antique find.
In the last year or so, sev-
eral curious locals have
reached out for answers in
numerous historical dis-
coveries they've managed
to get their hands on.
Practically every case has
the same articulation of how
they stumbled across such
items, "I was cleaning up
and found this." The sad
truth is nine times out of 10;
the same result materializes -
mission incomplete.
And like most requests,
since they are all so
Column
Shaun Gregory
ancient -there is not much
information we as a com-
munity can provide.
Seeing howproud these
individuals are, to then find
out we let them down -is
nothing short of depressing.
I strive to live up to the
word Expositor and
uncover that long -lost
information. It's the least
I can do as a journalist.
With saying that, I need
your help.
Anita Dale, 51 from Sea -
forth was in the midst of a
thorough clean-up around
her backyard.
"I was picking up some
leaves and it was near the
tree; she said in an enthusi-
astic tone. "I thought it was
just a bottle cap at first"
After a few kicks, it was
apparent that this
unknown object wasn't
coming out from the
ground, she went into
landscape mode and dug
out the mysterious item.
After a serious clean up,
"I noticed names:'
In a circular shaped piece
of iron with a rope patterned
all the way around it, IC.
Henderson Saddler Sea -
forth; was imprinted on it
Anita said she went to the
local library and the Sea -
forth Legion to search for
clues, but nothing came up
in her investigations.
"It (was) so interesting,
(particularly) what it's made
out of;' she said. "At first I
thought it was corrosion,
but this is actually metal':
I can understand how we
The freaking -out, los-
ing of minds and pro-
testing of results -- not
to mention painful
expressions of psycho-
logical trauma and soli-
darity by Democrats and
their friends in the
media -- are fair in a
society that cherishes
free speech and expres-
sion. But they are noth-
ing more than the tan-
trums of sore losers.
To be sure, Trump ran
the most unorthodox
primary and presiden-
tial campaigns in mod-
ern history. Name call-
ing, appealing to fear
and enthusiastically
embracing issues that
divide people are not
usually winning
formulas.
But Trump found a
sweet spot of alienation,
anger and disenfran-
chisement that was not
Shaun Gregory
A photo of the metal find.
have never found much
information behind some of
the items that are 100 -plus -
years -old. And it makes
sense about the nude pho-
tos we came across, really,
who's going to own up to
that Ifyouhave anyinfor-
mation call the office at 519-
527-0240 or you can email
me at shaun.gregory@sun-
media.ca
Signing out a couple
hours after the fabulous
Seaforth Santa Clause
Parade, Shaun AKA the guy
who's just looking for for
some backstory or any feed-
back on a fascinating chunk
of the town's history.
only invisible to main-
stream pundits but also
beyond their capacity to
understand. Even when
they tried to figure it out,
they couldn't overcome
the irresistible tempta-
tion to paint Trump sup-
porters as lesser moral
beings -- all 60 million of
them.
Despite his strongly
held views on illegal
immigration -- widely
held, incidentally --
and his campaigning
on fear of radical jihad -
ism, Trump no more
invented racism and
intolerance than
Hillary Clinton created
crony politics and
entitlement.
The American republic
-- as much as it cherishes
its origins in the pursuit
of liberty, its constitution,
an independent judiciary
and the rule of law -- is at
ea ort uronexeositor.co
its best when it shows its
immense optimism and
hope.
For every small town
poor boy who grew up to
be Ronald Reagan or Bill
Clinton or the improba-
ble trajectory of an Afri-
can-American kid from
Hawaii who became
Barack Obama, America
is a resilient place that
holds out great opportu-
nity. And it's better when
it pulls together under a
common sense of
purpose.
While Trump is a bil-
lionaire who plays the
outsider, a loud and unu-
sual anti -politics politi-
cian, America is bigger
than one man. And it will
be Trump's challenge and
opportunity to forge a
better nation.
John Gormley, a former
MP, writes for the Regina
Leader -Post.
HAVE AN
OPINION?
The Huron Expositor
welcomes letters to the
editor. They must be
signed and accompanied
by a phone number for
information clarification.
It is important to note, letters
will not be printed without
the author's name attached.
All letters are subject to
editing due to possible
space restriction.
Letters can be dropped off at
the office, mailed or emailed:
The Huron Expositor
8 Main St.
P.O. Box 69
Seaforth, ON
NOK 1WO
Shaun.Gregory@sunmedia.ca
www.seaforthhuronexpositor. co m