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The Citizen, 2001-12-24, Page 4Publisher, 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 C 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 The Citizen P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. NOM 1110 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG I HO Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 E-mall norhuron@scsinternet.com Website www.northhuron.on.ca ocna +CNA Member of the Ontario Press Council =OEMS J\l'spoT„ol) anthnesp@wincom.net ,=:•W 401111.110. • - ' 4-IEY, BOB: you WON'T BELIEVE THE WILD .1 BUZZ ABOUT THE NEXT GENERATION OF COMPUTER VIRUS ! Looking Back Through the Years PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2001 Editorials Opinions Goodwill toward men When the angels greeted the birth of Christ their wish of "Peace on earth, goodwill toward men" was a statement of God's goodwill toward mankind (if they weren't misquoted by the journalist of the day) but wishing goodwill among men might have done much to accomplish the wish of peace on earth. Christmas 2001 comes at the end of a year when we are reminded again the evil that comes when there is not goodwill toward men. Foremost in our thoughts, of course, is the situation in Afghanistan and the spreading of hatred and extremism. Though the aircraft hijackings and their crashes into the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon focussed the attention of western nations on the goings on in Afghanistan, the evil had begun far earlier. Goodwill was missing toward both men and women as the country came under the control of zealots who felt they knew what God wanted and were prepared to impose that vision on others. Those who didn't agree with that vision were beaten, had limbs amputated or were killed. Women were physically harmed by having to wear such heavy clothing they didn't get enough sunshine and were denied proper medical care. This was just the latest in a long history of humans who wanted to enforce on others what they felt sure was the true vision of what God wanted for this earth. In Christian history, we've had periods where people were tortured and even burned at the stake because they didn't hold the proper thoughts of the period. We've had people who were willing to turn a blind eye to the atrocities committed against Jews because these people were guilty by their race of having crucified Christ. Strong feelings of having the only true vision aren't confined to religion. People who were sure they were right and anyone who didn't think the same way was evil, have led to such things as the massacre of millions of people by the Paul Pot regim6 in Cambodia which wanted to "re-educate" the people to the new order. Strong attachment to tribal backgrounds led to the murder and mutilation of people of Rwanda. Similar sentiments fuelled the hatred that led to neighbour turning against neighbour in the former Yugoslavia, with a peaceful land turned into a place of killing and suffering. The missing factor in all these cases is goodwill toward others. Extreme feelings allow us to set aside our shared humanity and demonize those who are against us. While peace on earth is something we as individuals have little control over, we can show goodwill to others. We make judgements every day about the actions of those around us. Let us make those judgements gently, seeking the best in people, not the worst. Let us leave the judgement of God to God instead of acting in His name when we may not know His mind at all. We cannot affect the peace of the world but we can help build peace and understanding in our own families and our own communities. — KR Letters to the Editor THE EDITOR, Each Dec. 25, many cultures and nations of Homo sapiens across this great planet,,celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, And it's important to remember that we need to include every living creature in our wishes for Peace on the Earth. We can't think of any better way of doing this than by looking at it from the animals' point of view: ...We were there in the manger with the baby Jesus when He was born. But where are we now? Whether we walk, swim, or fly, it seems that there is no place on earth where we can hide from you. We kept Him warm with the heat from our bodies. The quiet serenity of our presence calmed and comforted Him. The gentle rhythm of our heartbeats stilled His cries. Every religion on earth talks about kindness towards animals. But do you practise what you preach? Some of your religious leaders, who say they are His Holy Messengers, say we have no soul. What does God believe? What do you believe? We nurture our young and cherish them. You send your children off to die in the name of deStiny, and in the name of God. We've been there right beside you. Ridden into battle. Driven into the ranks of your enemies. Caught up in the middle of someone else's war so many times we've lost count. You search the heavens for new life. But will you treat them the same way you treat other life here on earth? You say that you want Peace on Earth, but your actions say something completely different. Armed with your technology, we watch and wonder why it is that your ability to use it wisely never seems to quite catch up. You are the, only species on earth which fouls its own nest. How do you think your experiment with the living laboratory of our fragile Mother Earth will turn out? Millions of acres of rainforest are gone for good. Coral reefs blasted and barren. Life is destroyed on a planetary scale. Why, in the last 100 years alone, you've sent more of us over the brink of extinction than at any other time in your recorded history. Some of us have survived since before the Age of the Dinosaurs, and yet we will disappear within your lifetimes. Don't our children - and your children, deserve to thrive in our natural world? Or instead, will your children view our children from the other side of a glass window, gathering dust in a museum? Yes, nature may seem harsh. But Continued on page 5 Dec. 23, 1985 James Mair, Brussels, a federal nominee to the Huron County housing Authority received a plaque honouring the completion of seven years of service as a member. It was the kind of story that took on special meaning at Christmas. Gerald Exel received a registered letter from the-Rabo-bank of The Netherlands. In the letter there was a bank note for $433. It was the conclusion of a story that began 40 years earlier. Apparently in the last two months of World War H, scores of elderly people and babies died of malnutrition in the western part of Holland. The young and middle-aged men could not show themselves in public for fear of being picked up by the Germans to work in war factories. The women and teenagers came by droves across the Ysel River to the eastern part of The Netherlands where the Exel family lived, in search of food. The Exels gave them shelter overnight. One evening in late March 1945, a widow in her mid-40s and her 19- year-old daughter arrived. In addition to shelter they were given food. When they tried to cross the bridge the Germans took everything from them and sent them back. Two days later they tried again, hiding their food, and made it. The 19-year-old girl, who in 1985 was 60 sent the letter and the money in token of her appreciation for the Exels' act of kindness years earlier. Shut-in residents of Belgrave and former residents were treated to a tasty gift for the holidays when Oive Campbell, Jane Grasby and Helen Stonehouse put together shut-in - plates. Some 27 treats were made up and distributed. Dec. 23, 1986 Winners of the turkeys. at the Brussels Legion bingo were Eileen Hagitt, Gloria Bowman, Ken Graber, Wayne Lowe, Cathy Snyder, Linda -Janes, Isabel Janes, Glenn Bridge, Sherri Huether, Waneta Leishman, Jo-Anne McDonald, Mary Lowe, Dorothea McArter and Lisa Blake. For the fifth year in a row, Blyth Public School was the best overall school submitting essays in the Ministry of Natural Resources contest. Winners were: Dave Hessels, Lisa Bromley, Kelly Cook, Tammi Medd and Tabatha Montgomery. Melanie Knox of Hullett was the third-place winner. Fred Meier was named vice- president of Gay Lea. Dec. 23, 1991 Blyth village council passed a motion to have a new bylaw prepared to eliminate pay for councillors or staff attending special meetings. Councillor John Elliott made the motion which was supported unanimously. He said he wasn't so much after municipal staff but elected officials in proposing the change. Somebody, he said, had to start the process of rolling back costs and hoped other levels of government would follow. New no parking zones and signs were to be installed at the cotters of all main street intersections in the core area of Blyth. The action came after a letter was received from an OPP constable noting that a woman had appeared in traffic court with a fail to yield charge. The woman said she couldn't see past the cars to tell what traffic was coming. The justice of the peace convicted the woman but gave her no fine because of the parking problem. She also noted that if -there was a civil suit the village might be found liable. Things looked brighter in Blyth with new streetlights installed. Gord and Isabel Workman celebrated 50 years of marriage. Santa's workshop was open in Brussels. Dec. 23, 1996 The top three 14-18 year-old winners in The Citizen's Christmas essay contest were, in order, Melina Hussey, The World Inside the Christmas Tree; Christina Black, Christmas' True Meaning and Rachel Heffer, Through Angel's Eyes. Honourable mention when to Nicholas Mann for Santa's Depression. The winners of the adult division were M.A. Miners, The Magic of our First Christmas Tree and Connie Kuc, Memories of a Christmas. The winners of the Novem- ber/December Brussels curling draw for mixed teams were: first, Brad Speiran, Fran Bremner, Fred Smith, Dona Knight; second, Steve Bowles, Nora Stephenson, Bob Alexander, Rosilia Jacklin; third, Dave Lewington, Velma Locking, Ruth Bauer, Craig Mills. For the ladies it was: first, Velma Locking, Brendon Linton, Marie Stute, Norma Cooper; second Valerie Shortreed, Sharon Brown, Sheron Stadelmann, Amanda Brown; third, Heidi McClure, Abi Corbett, Kathy Huether. The future of a Taste of Country Food Fair was in question. While attendance that year had been one of the most successful, the number of exhibitors was down from previous year. For the third successive year, the Blyth Festival was in the black, recording a surplus of $43,064. While the overall box office was down the extra performances of Barndance Live brought in $35,000 more than the budget for ticket sales. .