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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2005-06-16, Page 5THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2005. PAGE 5. Other Views Let’s call it Of all the weird and twisted viruses that can invade and infect the human family, is there any more weird and twisted than The Feud? My dictionary defines the feud as ‘a state of prolonged hostility or violence, especially between two families or clans.’ Emphasis on ‘prolonged’. The Hatfields and McCoys, two redneck extended families who lived in the backwoods of West Virginia, engaged in tit-for-tat murders for over 30 years in the late 19th century. Here in Canada, five members of the hated Black Donnellys (the adjective refers to character, not skin pigmentation) were beaten to death by their otherwise docile southern Ontario neighbours in 1880. Not that feuds are exclusive to North America. The Campbell clan of Scotland, in an act of sublime treachery, wined and dined, then stabbed and filleted a whole roomful of unarmed MacDonalds in the massacre of Glencoe. As a distantly-related descendant of those poor, trusting and overly-ventilated MacDs. I still twitch involuntarily when forced to shake the hand of a Campbell (especially if the first name is Gordon). But perhaps I should try to get over it. After all. the Glencoe Massacre happened in 1692. But even that 17th century Scottish shiskabob is pretty small potatoes compared to what goes on, feud-wise, in the rest of the world. In large swathes of China, India, Pakistan and Southeast Asia, blood wars and vendettas are practically a way of life. Nowhere more so than in Afghanistan where warlords and religious nutbars have been Watchdogs don’t just bark, they bite Ontario’s watchdogs are showing they can bark and bite when needed and even proving to be man’s (and woman’s) best friends. Officials appointed by MPPs to raise alarms when they see what they consider flaws in government actions have taken on the governing Liberals on two major issues recently and provided input residents should not be without. Information and Privacy Commissioner Ann Cavoukian has galvanized concerns, more than any politician, over well-intended Liberal legislation that would give those who have been adopted and their birth parents access to records through which they can identify and, if both desire, resume contact with each other. The legislation originally would have enabled any who were located, but did not wish to be contacted because it might upset their lives, to register this on their files, and anyone^who violated this to be fined. Cavoukian, joined by many, suggested this still might not deter some from attempting contact and those wanting to maintain their privacy, which they were promised, should have an absolute veto over their records being released. The resourceful commissioner aired her views before a legislature committee, sent releases to news media, wrote to newspapers, is quoted more than anyone on the subject and has been more effective for her cause than a couple of opposition party leaders combined. The Liberals have offered a new safeguard. Any who do not want information about themselves disclosed should convince a review board it would cause them significant harm. But Cavoukian and others feel they should not have to do this and the government is musing over its next step. The new Ombudsman. Andre Marin, has started with a bang by revealing that parents of feud for thought seething and slaughtering compatriots, largely on the basis of their family affiliations, for centuries. Still there is at least one small oasis of peace and tranquility in the war-ravaged city of Kabul these days. The vicious and long- running Levin/Simintov feud is finally over. It wasn’t the largest feud in Afghanistan history. In fact, it only involved two people: Zablon Simintov and Ishaq Levin. And if you’re thinking there’s something oddly Semitic about names like that in an overwhelmingly Muslim country - you’re right. Simintov and Levin are Jewish names. These guys were the last two Jews living in Afghanistan. This, in a country that was home to Jews for more than 800 years and once had a population of 40.000 of them. By the time the Taliban took over in the mid 1990s. there was just Levin and Simintov. And they hated each others guts. The two men - one a clerk, the other a carpet seller, lived in Kabul’s last surviving synagogue - at opposite ends - and spent their days hurling curses at one another and planning various petty revenges. No one knows for sure what set them against each other, but their mutual loathing was absolute Eric Dowd From Queen’s Park more than 100 severely-disabled children have been forced to give up legal custody to obtain costly treatment for their special needs. This problem had its origins in the late 1990s, when Progressive Conservative premier Mike Harris reduced funding and parents found the only way to get treatment was to place them in the custody of Children’s Aid Societies. The Ombudsman said the province has oppressed families who are devoted, desperate and often heroic, and called for immediate remedy. The Liberals promised quickly that children will be treated without their parents having to give up custody. One reason is politicians find it more difficult to ignore a prestigious, non­ partisan official. Cavoukian has spoken out before. She called on Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty to emphasize government has a responsibility to disclose all information unless there is a clear and compelling reason not to do so, which must have jolted the Liberals, who are more intent on tightening lips. Cavoukian earlier irritated Harris by complaining his government took too long to answer requests for information and raised fees so it deterred them. She also rebuked Harris for giving information on depositors in the provincial savings office to a pollster, as part of a plan to privatize it, and said this was a misuse of and non-negotiable. The Taliban arrested them both, threw them in jail and tortured them. Levin was convinced Simintov turned him in. Simintov was equally sure that Levin had ratted him out. This was a feud that could only be resolved by death - and it was. On a frigid’morning this past April, police discovered the half-frozen body of Levin, aged 70, wrapped in a moth- eaten blanket inside his ramshackle apartment within the synagogue. Was it murder? Had Simintov finally exacted the ultimate vengeance? Police thought so at first. They arrested Simintov and charged him with murder. But an autopsy of Levin’s body showed that he’d died of natural causes. Simintov won't be sending flowers. “The old man was crazy,” he told reporters, tapping a forefinger against his temple. Now that his arch enemy is dead, Zablon Simintov could cut himself some slack. There’s nothing to keep him in Kabul. He lost his carpet business years ago and he’s been reduced to begging visitors for money, whiskey and phone cards. He could leave Afghanistan and join his wife and daughters in Israel, where they’ve been living for the past six years. But he won’t. Ishaq Levin, his old enemy, has a son. Simintov is afraid if he leaves, Levin’s son will take over ownership of the synagogue. Milan Kundera, the Czech writer, once said that the trouble with hatred is that “it traps us by binding us too tightly to our adversary.” Sounds like he’d met Zablon Simintov. Or Ishaq Levin. information. These watchdogs are nominally independent and answer to the legislature, but this usually means the government of the day, if it has a majority, and others have not survived as well. Harris dumped Eva Ligeti, the province’s first environmental commissioner, who was appointed by a New Democrat government, after she complained he cut environmental staff and protection and increased dangers to health. Harris also let go Ombudsman Roberta Jamieson, who had held the job under both Liberals and New Democrats and complained his was the worst for cutting staff and weakening services. When Cavoukian criticized Harris, information also was leaked to news media she had a romantic relationship with the head of a company manufacturing technology used in protecting privacy, which caused her momentary embarrassment. After Jamieson decried Harris, a story was leaked she asked for $250,000 severance, but it turned out she sought $90,000, normal for a senior public servant with 10 years’ service. Watchdogs also have to beware of politicians, who can play rough. Letters Policy The Citizen welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must be signed and should include a daytime telephone number for the purpose of verification only. Letters that are not signed will not be printed. Submiss.ons may be edited for length, clarity and content, using fair comment as our guideline. The Citizen reserves the right to refuse any letter on the basis of unfair bias, prejudice or inaccurate information. As well, letters can only be printed as space allows. Please Keep your letters brief and concise. Bonnie Gropp The short of it Punchinello anyone? Like tiny white sparks, the stars speckle the dark night sky, whilezbelow a campfire crackles. Voices murmur in conversation, the quiet regularly broken by an explosion of laughtei The group enjoying the pleasant summer evening is one of family and friends, comfortable in each other’s company. With one exception they are adults, thus entertainment is relaxed, the quiet telling of stories, the infusion of jokes, the extra bonus of music. It is nice, but nothing out of the ordinary. And then our grandson, the only child among us, as usual brings the magic. Over the buzz of conversation a melody is heard. As the lyrics begin to infiltrate we see to the side, Mitchell and an adult friend in a rousing game of Punchinello. Now. if you’ve never played, this is a circle game where one person is Punchinello and as the others sing “What can you do, Punchinello. Punchinello?” performs some kind of action, such as hopping on one foot. Needless to say two people just aren’t enough to make it worthwhile and before we knew it our grandson, whose best action has always been wrapping us all around his little finger, had the whole bunch involved. And let me tell you the bigger the number of people playing, the harder it is to come up with something different to do. There were some pretty creative moves from folks not all that accustomed to much exertion or to using their imagination. We laughed, long ar.d often. If you wonder why, imagine a group of rather goofy grownups, gyrating, spinning and singing. It’s certainly not a picture you would ever sec had not there been a five-year-old directing this vignette. Which may be too bad Kind of sad that it often takes a little one to help us rediscover the child in ourselves. With Mitchei1, I can dig a hole in the sand, or play with a water hose. In showing him the fuzz of a caterpillar I pay attention again. Watching a bird or just sitting and looking at the stars take on a newness when seen through the eyes of a child. When Mitchell visits, it’s okay again for us to throw baseballs or snowballs, depending on the season. We can build sand castles or snow forts. His presence not only gives us permission to do something childish, but demands it. I have a recent picture in my mind of Mark and Mitchell sitting together in a field of grass, making some adjustments to a kite they’d been flying. It hadn’t been the kind of magic they had anticipated; the kite was not co-operating; but it was a nice image. The picture I see was not of a middle-aged man and a tyke, but of two boys, enjoying a moment of simplicity. It’s the kind of moment Mark would feel guilty, or even silly, about taking for himself, but with grandson in tow it was perfect. Parents of little ones don’t often have the opportunities to forget how to be a child. Their kids are there every day to remind them. And when they aren’t, they generally take advantage of the freedom and let loose on their own. But as children grow up, and eventually move away, it seems easy to lose the child in us. If you have I might suggest trying to find it again. This is the perfect time of year for rediscovery, but also for a little immaturity. And might I suggest starting with a rousing game of Punchinello?