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The Citizen, 1994-12-21, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1994. C itizenTheNorthHuron P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. N0M1H0 Phono 523-47! FAX 523-9140 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1 HO Phone 807-9114 FAX 807-9021 Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Sales Representatives, Jeannette McNeil and Julie Mitchell The Citizen is published weekly in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $23.00/year ($21.50 plus $1.50 G.S.T.) for local; $33.00/year ($30.85 plus $2.15 G.S.T.) for local letter carrier in Goderich, Hanover, Listowel, etc. and out-of-area (40 miles from Brussels); $62.00/year for U.S.A, and Foreign. Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error, only that portion of the advertisement will be credited. Advertising Deadlines: Monday, 2 p.m. - Brussels; Monday, 4 p.m. - Blyth. We are not responsible for unsolicited newscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright. Publications Mail Registration No. 6968 E ditorial Showing people’s good side For 50 weeks a year it sometimes seems people, particularly in the news business, concentrate on the bad side of human beings. War, crime, sexism, racism, sneaky politics, business manoeuverings of questionable ethics — one would think human beings were irredeemable. But for two weeks around Christmas we seem to spend at least some of our time looking for the good stories that are always there, but get lost in the sea of gloom. So on front pages last week was the story of the young Windsor boy who found a wallet with $1,400 in it. There was never a doubt in the boy's mind what he had to do. He turned the wallet over to the police who contacted the owner. But that was just the beginning of the story. The owner of the wallet rewarded the boy with a $10 reward, hardly enough for him to justify his honesty to his friends who were questioning his sanity for giving up his potential windfall. But when the word got out in the media about the boy's action and the meagre reward for his honesty, others started coming forward. At last count he had received $600 in cash and gifts as a reward for his honesty. Now, as his teacher says, others in his class know that honesty does pay. Wouldn't it be nice if it always did. In the harsh 90s it seems sometimes the country doesn't have a heart but the plight of a Toronto mother last week showed people still do care. The mother is dying of cervical cancer but she had one dream: she wanted to take her son to Disney World before she died. The problem was she didn't have the money. Word of her dream reached the public through a Toronto newspaper. Soon offers of help were pouring in and the woman was able to promise her son the trip. Would that we could see all the individuals behind the statistics of unemployment and poverty. Humans can be kind and caring. Unfprtunately we concentrate so much of our energies in distrust and easy condemnation of others. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could see the bright side year 'round. — KR Don’t downgrade Christianity Strange that the one time Christianity seems to have any place in our smug, smart hip culture these days is at Christmas. Those who dismiss the religion still like the warm feeling the season brings. The smart set that controls the media, the institutions of higher learning and the arts, has respect for every religion but Christianity. Native spirituality and mysticism is much admired and portrayed with sympathy in movies and on television. Modern thinkers can find wonderful things to say about the beauty of Hinduism and Buddism. The Muslim faith is given respect aside from the fanaticism of extremists and the downgrading of the place of women. Even witches have a certain glamour in the modem media. But Christianity, when dealt with by the intelligentsia, is a subject mostly for condemnation and ridicule. It is a reminder of the past, of colonialism, of the European hegemony against non-Europeans, from Africans to native Indians. It is definitely not politically correct. So we hear about the terrible things done by Newfoundland priests. We hear about the growing power of the religious right in U.S. politics. We hear of the fanaticism of pro-life supporters with the whole movement painted with the brush of violence because a few idiots have physically attacked doctors who carry out abortions. We hear about attempts of some Christian churches to keep women "in their place". We deal with the religious extremists who manage to turn the Christian message of peace into a reason to wage war in places like Northern Ireland or Croatia. Everything is presented as bad with the impression that the sooner we put this superstitious past behind us, the better for the world. No one with intellectual pretensions would admit being Christian. Yet suddenly at Christmas the Christian virtues come to the fore. Oh the media tries to stay as far away from the actual Christmas story as possible, but even the secular parts of Christmas are the outward illustration of the beauties of the Christian teachings: things like peace and sharing. Plenty of people have perverted the teachings of Christ over the centuries, creating instead intolerance, hatred, war and suppression. Yet the religion also formed the spiritual basis for the creation of some of the most peaceful societies in the world. The Christianity of the Christmas story, of the Beatitudes and the Parables, can be one of the most powerful influences for good in the world. All religions should be respected. Christianity deserves to be treated as well by cultural leaders as all others. — KR Photo by Bonnie Gropp Deer me Letters THE EDITOR, At the recent Ontario Federation of Agriculture annual meeting Liberal Leader Lyn McLeod told the delegates that the NDP had passed a resolution which called for a $10 per hour minimum wage. Her information, she claimed was based on media reports, "since none of us have access to the closed session." This statement, as the premier pointed out, was "totally, utterly and completely false.” New Democratic Parly conventions have always debated their resolutions in public. There was no resolution of the kind Ms McLeod alleged. As Leader of the Opposition, Ms McLeod has a responsibility io check out the facts. Her willingness to use false and unsubstantiated charges speak volumes about what she and her parly arc offering Ontarians. She owes an apology to the premier, to our parly and to the people of Ontario. Sincerely, Paul Klopp, MPP. THE EDITOR, The Huron Chapter of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario firmly supports Bill 119, newly proclaimed legislation which, among other things, limits and in some cases prohibits, access to tobacco to young people. The facts concerning smoking and young people are quite shocking. One out of every six teenagers smokes. Because they smoke, one out of every five of these smokers will die before they reach 70. Smoking will kill eight times more teens than drugs, car accidents, suicide, murder and AIDS combined. Recent research demonstrates that tobacco smoke is particularly dangerous to children and pets. Second-hand smoke - smoke that is inhaled by non-smokers - contains more carbon monoxide and other dangerous chemicals than the smoke inhaled directly by the smoker. We need smoke-free workplaces, restaurants and other public places and applaud the proclamation of Bill 119. The Heart and Stroke Foundation strongly urges young people who have started smoking to quit. And to those who are thinking about starting, don't. Kittie MacGregor President, Huron Chapter. Guest column Old Testament tells story By Mrs. Femmy Van Amersfoort It is Christmas time again, and like other years, we make many preparations. To understand what Christmas is all about we need to go back to the Old Testament. In Genesis we read that at the conclusion of creation, God saw all that He made and it was very good. After God had made Adam and Eve, He placed them in the garden of Eden arid made them ruler over all the animals. God planted a tree in the middle of the garden and told them not to eat from it or they would surely die. But Satan came and spoiled God's beautiful world by templing Eve and then Adam lo cal from the tree. Now the world was in sin and darkness. God talked lo Adam often, but this time was different, they were hiding among the trees. When God called Adam, he was afraid to answer. God punished them but also promised a Messiah. God never leaves His children alone, and He told them through the Old Testament prophets that some day the.Messiah would come and take away the sin of the world. When the time had come, the angel Gabriel visited Mary, a virgin, and said lo her, "Don't be afraid, for you have found favour with God. You will have a baby, a Son and you shall call him Jesus. He is the son of God." . Mary was troubled, for she did not understand how this.would happen. God had told Joseph in a drcam the wonderful thing that would happen to Mary, his betrothed. So Joseph did not hesitate to take Mary for his wife. They both believed that what God promised, would come true. Continued on page 37