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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2001-09-19, Page 4NESPOLON anthoesp@wiecom.nel They have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind! PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2001 Editorials Opinions Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising Manager, Jeannette McNeil The Citizen is published 50 times a year in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $28.00/year ($26.17 + $1.83 G.S.T.) in Canada; $62.00/year in U.S.A. and $100/year in other foreign countries. 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 newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are 4:t Copyright We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs. Publications Mail Reg. No. 09244 Canadian Publication Mail Agreement No. 40050141 ocna + CNA :6'7 Member of the Ontario Press Coun..il MINZIO:=1 P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. NOM 1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.com Website www.northhuron.on.ca The Citizen P.O.Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 In their response to last week's terrible terrorists' atrocities in New York and Washington, two of Canada's opposition leaders showed why Canadians can be grateful for not electing them to head the government last year. Playing their partisan cards, Alliance leader Stockwell Day and Conservative leader Joe Clark both criticized the Canadian government for not leaping to promise unconditional support for whatever the U.S. government decides to do in retaliation for the hijacking of four airliners that were then crashed into buildings, taking more than 5,000 lives. There is no doubt some Canadians agree with Day and Clark. Seeking some kind of justice, they want some kind of immediate response. But what response? If indeed Osama bin Laden is guilty of masterminding this gruesome act, how do you strike back? Though comparisons to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour have been made, there is no visible enemy this time. Instead, the U.S., in trying to find the enemy, faces much the same dilemma it encountered in the Vietnam war where it could defeat the enemy if they could only tight in an open battle, but that never happened. The Vietnam comparison would be even more accurate if the U.S. should decide to invade Afghanistan, the country that has given bin Laden sanctuary. Major powers like Britain in the 19th century and Russia in the 20th have been defeated in attempts to invade. The Soviet Union's defeat, leaving thousands of their troops dead, may have contributed to the collapse of the Communist regime. With polls showing 85 per cent of Americans wanting action, the temptation for George Bush will be to show his decisiveness by do ing something — doing anything. That could lead to a destructive attack that would only create more innocent victims and more martyrs for the Muslim fundamentalist movement. Canada can't just sign a blank cheque for the Americans to fill in. We can't for instance, let an American declaration of war commit our troops to a dangerous task like invading Afghanistan without at least debating the issue and making up our own minds. We spent much of the 20th century escaping that kind of relationship with Britain and establishing our sovereignty. We can't give that up in a moment of anger and frustration. The government was right to express our strong support: we must be willing to go to almost any lengths to defeat this kind of international terrorism, which threatens the very freedom our countries stand for. We must, however, be able to decide what those lengths are. We do not want to commit ourselves to some foolish action taken in anger.— KR No blank cheques Looking Back Through the Years Letters to the Editor THE EDITOR, Like most I'm horrified, shocked and saddened by recent events in the U.S. A scenario imaginable only in the movies took place pretty close to home. Undoubtedly. the loss of a great number of innocent lives makes this an immense tragely. However, with thf subsequent sabre-rattling and threats of retaliation on a massive scale, I feel there . are other things fuelling the outrage of many' Americans, injured national pride and a sense of invulnerability removed, Not to mention a military-industrial complex with its own invested interests and an insatiable appetite for an ever-greater share of the national budget, and opportunistic political leaders who will do what is expedient to score points, no matter what the long-term results. I am concerned Canadians may be taken headlong into a doomsday scenario. We must maintain an independent voice at the UN and within NATO. While support of friends is worthy, there is also a time for critical questioning of friends when their actions threaten the well-being of others or themselves. Being a cheerleader is not always very helpful. President Bush has stated that, "The terrorists, and those who harbour them will be hunted down and rooted out." One has to wonder if those who train terrorists will also be called to account. How many . North_ Americans are aware of the U.S. Military School of the AMericas in Georgia which routinely trains Latin . Americans in terrorist techniques and whose students have been implicated in the murder of Oscar Romero? Those now being• blamed for last week's attack, may well, have received training from. CIA- supported bases in Pakistan when they were useful for fighting the former Soviet-backed leadership of Afghanistan. The enemies of my enemies do not always remain my friends! I believe violence begets violence, and there would not be terrorism unless there was first repression. This is not to in any way excuse or rationalize what happened last week, but we need to carefully think about what reaction our responses will inevitably provoke. Fundamentalism, both religious and political, sees the world in simplistic, black-and-white terms, demonizing whatever it does not understand. Add to this the modern desire for "quick (technological) fixes," and we have a potent recipe for further disaster on a world scale. The reality is that whatever military action is taken in the next days and weeks will either decrease or increase the size of fundamentalist terrorist hotbeds. And thoughts of American invulnerability from further attacks are totally illusory. It is quite likely Continued on page 5 Sept. 20, 1950 A story told of a costly stolen kiss: "A kiss can give more pain than pleasure, as Thomas Saverland found out. In 1837 he brought an action against Caroline Newton for biting his nose when he tried to kiss her. He got no comfort from the judge, who ruled that 'when a man kisses a woman against her will she if fully entitled to bite his nose if she so pleases.' The laws of some countries ban public kissing and a kiss often results dn a tine. For one Australian it didn't stop there. yielding to the fascination of a pretty face he kissed the owner. He was taken before the magistrate and heavily fined. Then the fun started. The girls brothers horsewhipped him; his wife worried him into a brain -.fever and the clergyman of the parish made the indictment a text for a sermon in the iniquity of kissing. The cost of a kiss to the Duke of Clarence who later became William IV was a ore seat. once when in a barber's shop in North America the Duke was just rising from a chair when the barber's wife, a comely woman, looked in. William kissed her heartily and said, 'There! Now tell your countrywomen that the son of the King of England has given a royal kiss to a Yankee barber's wife.' Her husband seized him by the shoulders, kicked him out of the shop, shouting, 'Now you can go and tell your countrywomen that a yankee barber has given a royal kick to the son of the King of England'." Sept. 17, 1986 An Auburn-area man was listed in serious condition in University Hospital, London, after being stabbed eight times with a knife in a fight outside the Bedford Hotel in Goderich. Both Jack Riddell and Murray Elston announced their intention to seek the Liberal nomination in he two new ridings created in a riding - boundary shift. Riddell, Minister of Agriculture in the Ontario legislature and MPP for the riding' of Huron -Middlesex sought the nomination for the riding of Huron, while Elston, Minister of Health and MPP for Huron-Bruce was running for the riding of Bruce. Brussels Queen of the Fair was Linda TenPas. Runner-up was Charlene Stephenson, while Leanne Armstrong _won the congeniality award. The new Blyth Lions executive was: Ernie Phillips, John Stewart, Don Stewart, Stewart Ament, Murray Musty, Charlie Shaw, Paul Kerr, Frank Hallahan, Ken Cucksey and.Gerald Kerr. There were 2,300 entries at the 66th Belgrave, Blyth, Brussels School Fair. The Brussels and District Horticultural Society presented awarded for the August flower show at its September meeting to: over-all winner, Shirley Wheeler; arrangement, Helen Dobson: roses, Jane White; house plants, Jean Veitch; specimens, Evelyn Mair. Two juniors tied for overall winner, Dana Mathers and Tatum Mathers, while Jennifer Machan won the specimen class. The Brussels Legion Pipe Ban won second prize at the Lambeth harvest Festival parade. The B-Line Boomers won the Blyth Industrial Slow Pitch League tournament. Members were: Don deBoer, Gary Hesselwood. Ken Quipp, Pat Cronin. Murray Louttit, lance Livingstone, Kevin Lee, Bob Watkins, Kent Howatt, Bill deVos. Jeff deBoer, Dave Marshall, Doug deBoer and Manager Dean Hackwell. Sept. 20, 1989 Margaret Whyte of Londesboro was presented with her plaque as the Blyth and area Citizen of the Year. Robin Dunbar of Ethel and members of the Brussels Boy Scouts took. part in the re-enactment of battles of the War of 1812 in Niagara -on-the-Lake at historic Fort George. Sept. 20, 1995 The Brussels Terry Fox Run raised $4,500. There were 129 participants, Which was down from the previous year. but the total surpassed that raised from 1994. The Brussels fire hall was officially opened at a gala ceremony. On hand for the ribbon cutting were Reeve Gord Workman, former Brussels councillor and volunteer firefighter Dave Hastings, Fire Chief Murray McArter, MPP Helen Johns and MP Paul Steckle.- The Brussels Lions new executive was: Frank Workman, Bob Thomas. Greg Ducharme, Gerrit VanKeulen. Bruce Hahn, Ron Clarkson, Jim Armstrong, Tim Prior, Robert Hesse, Al Teeft, John McKercher, John Harrison, John Exel &I'd Dale Newman. MP Paul Steckle presented Gavin VanCamp with an award for earning top overall points at the 75th Belgrave, Blyth, Brussels School Fair. Huron County Board of Education trustee for Brussels and Grey, Don McDonald, presented Brussels Public School teacher Jim Prior with a certificate acknowledging exemplary contribution to the Huron public education system. prior developed the computer program for the new report cards used by the county. The certificate, signed by Director of Education Paul Carroll, praised his efforts.