HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2001-10-03, Page 5THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2001. PAGE 5.
Other Views
There is more that we've lost
n the science-fiction novels Sirens of Titan, /
Kurt Vonnegut suggested that the whole
point of human civilization on Earth - from
crouching in caves to cruising through deep
space - had been to facilitate the delivery of a
spare part for a stranded space ship from
another planet.
It's a bit of a stretch, but I feel that way about
TV now: And by 'now' I mean ever since the
morning of Tuesday, Sept. II, 2001 AD.
I don't normally watch daytime TV if I can
avoid it, but the radio program I usually listen
to wasn't delivering the customary news,
weather and sports that morning. Instead the
host was repeating something heretical .in
radio circles. He was telling listeners to turn on
the TV. So I did.
I remember flicking _!power' on the remote
and seeing two shiny office towers loom up on
the screen, one of which seemed to be
billowing smoke.
The next thing I was conscious of was
swallowing and finding it curiously painful.
That's because my mouth was dry. It had been
hanging open for close to an hour.
I wasn't glued to what you'd call
sophisticated TV - just a static shot, no clever
pans or zoomy close-ups. And the
commentators ... well, if they were
The story is told of a group of tourists
who were visiting Peru. As the bus took
them on a tour of Lima, the capital, it
passed a large structure.
"What is that?" asked one of the tourists.
"That, madame, is a bull ring. There are bull
fights during which a matador fights a bull
until he finally kills it. That is the favourite
sport in this country."
The tourist expressed her opinion of that by
stating, " I think it's revolting."
"No madame," replied the guide. " You are
mistaken. That is the second favourite sport."
It goes without saying that some countries
have more than their share of revolts but,
whatever the number, I can't help but feel that
revolting is not what it used to be. When I
watch those 'demonstrators at the various
summit meetings, including the one recently at
Quebec City, I can only shake my head and
lament the bad name they are giving the name
of revolution.
This is not to say we have nothing to revolt
about. There are any number of suitable causes,
including global warming, pollution, poverty,
unfair taxation, Mel Lastman, political
correctness. Why the list is almost endless.
For those of you, then, who feel that we need
another good revolution, allow me to make a
few suggestions as to how to go about it.
For openers, get a charismatic leader. Have
you noticed anybody newsworthy leading the
pack at the summit demonstrations? Not a
leader among them, not even a semblance of
one. This is an insult to a good cause. Even in
my most revolutionary days, I wouldn't be
caught dead with a leaderless bunch like that.
Once you have a leader, make sure he or she
has a name you can pronounce. If you look at
history,, you will find that neither Adolf Hitler
nor Josef Stalin went anywhere until they got
rid of their original names - Schicklgruber and
Djugheshvili. Can you imagine the Russians
standing up in front of the Kremlin and
shouting "Long live Djugheshvili.?"
No, I don't think so. Nor would even the
most rabid Nazis go around Berlin bellowing
Arthur
Black
commentating you scarcely heard them. On the
station I was watching they didn't even
comment when the South Tower of the World
Trade Centre feathered down off the screen.
Either they assumed they were having
technical difficulties - with the New York
television feed, or they simply couldn't process
what their eyes were telling them.
When the North Tower came down 25
minutes later, they acknowledged it, but
quietly, almost reverently. I think they realized
that no words were necessary. That in fact,
words weren't up to the job.
But simple TV was up to the job. It was a
stupendous, horrifying, crazy-making time to
be watching a television set.
That's what makes me think that perhaps TV
at that moment reached an equivalent point in
history as human civilization's rendezvous
with the space ship accessory in Vonnegut's
novel. That perhaps we had to endure all those
Raymond
Canon
The
International
Scene
"Heil Schicklgruber."
I think you get my point.
Get a popular cause. Now I mean one that is
really popular, not just any old vague one.
Imagine trying to get people worked up by
cal ying banners proclaiming "Down with sin"
Most people have the feeling that sin is
something they really enjoy doing but other
narrow-minded people don't.
Get a printing press. Revolutions cost money
and lots of it. No less an accomplished
revolutionary than Vladimir Lenin realized that
early in his career of overthrowing the Russian
czar. Unless you are the current Canadian
government, nobody is silly enough to fund an
organization dedicated to overthrowing
something or somebody so print your own
money.
I'll give you a hint. I understand Canon
copiers are the best anywhere but unfortunately
I can't get you a discount on them.
Start your revolution where it can get the
most momentum at the earliest possible
moment. Forget going off to some far-off
country to demonstrate against egotistical
politicians and self-righteous bureaucrats. All
you will get is a lot of one minute TV clips and .o‘ the viewers back home will take the same
attitude as did the Romans when lions were
featured at the forum.
It provides a bit of entertainment between
Final Thought
Prosperity is not without many fears and
distastes; and adversity is not without
comforts and hopes.
- Francis Bacon
endless seasons of Wheel of Fortune and Jerry
Springer, Days of Our Lives and Jimmy
Swaggert, Milton Berle and Survivor - maybe
we had to go through all that so that TV could
be up and running when it really mattered.
When for one instant, the entire, sighted
world was hard-wired into one colossal optic
nerve. Fused together by an image of two
towers shining against a painfully blue sky.
And then...not.
Virtually everyone on earth with access to a
TV has seen those images by now. You. Me.
Aunt Millie. The Dalai Lama. Osama bin
Laden.
Bin Laden, though not claiming authorship
of the deed, nevertheless is reported to have
fallen to his knees and thanked Allah when
informed of it.
Which is why I have moved from having a
dim and distant feeling of repugnance
for Mister bin Laden, to fervently wishing
to see him and all who slither with him
reduced to a black, smoking crater in the
earth's crust.
And that's the ultimate obscene legacy of
Sept. 11's unspeakable horror. The second
strike, if you will.
I have — Buddha, God and Allah help me —
begun to think like Osama bin Laden.
lunch and dinner.
By now you will see the point I am trying to
make. But please don't come to me and expect
me to lead your revolution. I'm exhausted after
tangling with 200 university students each year
who think they deserve an A, argue there was
no plagiarism in their essays, all the questions
on the exam were either unfair or misleading
and how dare I say there is-no free lunch or late
assignments wil' be penalized.
Letter
THE EDITOR,
I've been canvassing some of the businesses
in Blyth, asking for donations for the
dinner/auction Oct. 13 at the arena.
Blyth Legion Ladies Auxiliary have agreed
to sponsor the dinner/auction on behalf of the
125th committee. Proceeds will be used by the
committee to assist with events for our 125th
celebration. All proceeds made by the
committee will go towards the Blyth arena.
While the Blyth and area business
community are a very generous group,.it seems
to me that it would be nice to involve everyone
from seniors to teenagers, businesses and
farmers, young families, housewives,
executives, and ex-Blythites. The 125th
celebration in 2002 and arena complex involve
the community as a whole.
Donations might include a couple dozen
eggs, apples or 'roast of meat from an area
farmer. It can be a piece of furniture or a toy
that someone has outgrown. Time can be
donated to shovel someone's sidewalk this
winter, to babysit or to clean someone's home.
Give a pot of soup, buy tickets to the
dinner/auction or support the auction with your
attendance.
Just some thoughts I've had about two very
large a-id exciting events taking place in our
commur ity.
. Call rra• at 523-4502 with your thoughts and
ideas. Other contacts include Kay Hesselwood
523-9162 or Brenda Finlayson 887-6760.
We plan to post a partial list of auction items.
Satailra Elliott, L.L.A. member
One grateful gal
There's no getting around the fact that
current events these days are even less
uplifting than usual, But wile our
hearts, our thoughts are regularly with the
people of the United States, we continue to
find the joys, the pleasures that surround us.
Thankfully, they serve to remind that amidst
turmoil and uncertainty we are still very
blessed.
This past weekend, hubby and I treated
ourselves to a getaway with friends that was
truly a balm for the soul. And I must say there
is nothing like a few days of self-indulgent
spoiling to brighten an outlook.
And while on its own it had all the necessary
ingredients for soothing away the attitudinal
blisters and bruises of a stress-weary body —
good company, nature and leis,ire — it seemed
that things actually conspired to work for us. It
was a blissfully hedonistic spell, carefree,
pleasurable, relaxing, that proved even better
than I had expected.
The mood was actually set on Friday with a
day off and time spent with all my children.
Then on Saturday our adult foursome headed
to the Niagara Region and wine country. The
plan had been to tour some vineyards, sample
the lovely fruits of their labours before finding
our motel room, enjoying some down time,
then heading out to dine.
The weather was, as you know, beyond
perfect. 'Comfortably warm with cheering
sunshine, it was custom-made to suit our
agenda.
And it must have been the skies smiling on
us that kept out spirits high in the early going,
when what might have seemed a gliche,
proved to in no way daunt us. Arriving at our
first destination we were told tours had been
cancelled for the day because the staff was too
busy. However, it . was suggested in a
delightful British accent that we try to eaten
one at another spot "litrahlly" five minutes
away.
Bemused, but with little time to pay
attention to disappointment, we took off in a
flurry. The detour actually turned out to be a
blessing in disguise, as this vineyard included
an historic barn, with a quaint stone-walled
patio where a jazz duo entertained. Having
hooked up with the tour rather late, we took
the precised version before retiring to the patio
where we enjoyed the ambiance, highlighted
by good friends, good wine and good music.
The relaxing afternoon was counterbalanced •
that evening by the over-the-top everything of
Niagara Falls. Not particularly keen on its
flamboyance, and having spent the afternoon
doing something good for our souls, we
decided to see to our bodies, taking a long,
brisk walk down to the Falls, then back. up
Clifton Hill.
The next day 'was about mind, body and soul
as we looked at the man-made beauty in the
horticultural school grounds, as.well as touring
the butterfly conservatory. Then it was off to
historic Niagara-on-the-Lake before, rested
and relaxed, we departed for home.
There' were many times throughout the
weekend when, with a twinge of guilt I
thought of the rescue workers in New York or
the families of victims. But life is not always
about sorrow and sacrifice, and sometimes in
the day-to-day we stop seeing what's joyful
and that it's also here to enjoy. My weekend,
planned to indulge, actually had a different
effect. It showed me my good fortune in living
where I do, in having what I have.
And it made me grateful.
You might say revolting a lost art