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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1995-07-12, Page 44 -THE HURON IXPO$ITOR, July 12, 1155 Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 TERRI-LYNN DAtg - General Manager & Advertising Manager MARY MELLOR - Sales PAT ARMES - Office Manager DIANNE McGRATH - Subscriptions UNDA PUUMAN -Typesetter TIM CUMMING - Editor GREGOR CAMPBELL - Reporter BARB STOREY Distribution A Burgoyne Community Newspaper SUBSCRIPTION RA E5: LOCAL . 28.00 a Yeor in advance, plus 1.96 G.S.T. SE ; - 25.00 a year, in advance, plus 1.75 G.S.T. Goderich. Stratford addresses: 28.00 a yeor, in advance, plus 7.28 postage, plus 2.47 G.S.T Out -of Cf -Ano: 28.00 a year, in odvonce, plus 11.44 postage, plus 2.76 G.S.T ': 28.00 a year in advance, plus $76.00 postoge, G.S.T. exempt u . 41 • s. - • Di w .1 . Signal-Slor Publishing of 100 Main St., Seaforth. Publication mail registration No. 0696 held at Seafordi Ontario_ Advertising is accepted on condition that in the event of a typographical error, the odvertising.space occupied by the erroneous item, together with o reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rale. In the event of a typographical error, advertising goods or services at a wrong price s or services may not be sold. Advertising is merely on offer to sell and may be withdrawn at any time. The Huron Expositor is not responsible for the loss or donwge of unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other materials used for reprodcopies�ionre o be sent Changes The Huon or ss, orders for subscriptions and undeliv- erable Wednesday, July 12, 1995 Editorial and Business Offices • 100 Main Slreet.,Seaforth Telephone (519) 527.0240 Fax (519) 527-2858 `Mat_ing Address - P.O. Box 69, 'Seatorlh, Ontario, NOK 1 WO Member of the Conodian Community Newspoper Association, Ontario Community Newspaper Association and the Ontario Press Council Pitiful taste for tragedy A recent poll in the United States shows Ameri- cans are mesmerized by the O.J. Simpson trial. One statistic indicated that 40 million people one out of four adults - admit to watching all or most of the live trial coverage on television. A full 63 per cent of those are women. Millions more follow the trail on a daily basis via their television, radios, magazines and newspapers. Some Canadians say they are astounded by this intense interest in such a blood -thirsty mess. They argue that here in Canada, people are more genteel and less likely to get caught up in such sensational- ism as surrounds one American football hero and his huge contingent of expensive lawyers. Yet here in Ontario, people are lining up to get into the Toronto court room where Paul Bernardo stands accused of three gruesome crimes. For those spectators who can't be there, the various media representatives are on hand to collect all the explicit particulars which they pass along in vivid detail to their panting audiences. Ask anyone about the Bernardo case, and most can relate much of the evidence already presented and give a decent account of the reactions and emotions of Bernardo and the families of the victims while in court. It must be that the majority of people are fasci- nated by violence - the more brutal the better. It must be that people are demanding to know every minuscule element, every grisly fact. It must be that violence is a saleable commodity. Why else would our newsstands and .air waves be filled with savagery every day of the year? And if that is so, what does it say about us as human beings? If society's appetite for violence is so great we will py any price to read it and watch it, are we so far above dumb animals who only kill when they are hungary or feel threatened? If we feel cheated when we aren't privy to each horrible part of sensational trials like Simpson's and Bernardo's, could someone make a case that man- kind is more depraved and dangerous than the wildest animals in the deepest jungles anywhere on earth? - (SJK) Deliver us from self-righteous laws BY GREGOR CAMPBELL Life can be colourful in the Dominican Republic. The highways are a real zoo most times, particularly if you ride them at Easter - six lanes of traffic going every which way on roads designed for two at most. Nobody signals. Many ride bicycles, most dangerously - overloaded to the extreme. Nobody would every think of wearing a helmet. It is a true nuthouse. These roads are dangerous. But the riders seem to be enjoying life, all having a good time. - Canadians must often seem a strange over -protected and pampered lot to such peoples. In Ontario we now have a law that says we must soon wear helmets if we venture out on our bikes. The law is an ass. According to Police Chief Hal Claus, in the 14 years he has been in Seaforth no one has been killed or sustained head injuries that required hospitalization resulting from riding a bicycle that he can remember. But now our government says everybody has to fork out even more of our hard-earned money to pay for something that makes us look like idiots, to protect us from risks that are obviously minimal here in Huron County. It is just another form of taxation. Deliver me from those who would protect me from myself. Likewise deliver me from such governments, this politically - correct notion of democracy, and such inefficient and mis- guided social engineering. Such absurdities have led to a disrespect for law and disenchantment by many with governments and our political system, that does not represent or speak for them. Our socialist system is an inefficient octopus of absur- dities straight out of George Orwell's nightmarish vision of 1984. Those who support bicycle helmet laws say such forms of preventative medicine will help control exorbitant health costs we all end up paying for. They have all manner of facts and figures to back up their ar- guments. guments. On the other hand, it is easy to find experts of equal stature who take another tack. For. instance, in a recent letter to The Globe and Mail the president of the Ontario Coalition for Better Cycling pointed out the discriminatory nature of bicycle -helmet legis- lation: "There are absolutely no supporting data to justify legis- lation," he said. "All the data out of Australia after four years of its legis- lation support not legislating. The British Medical As- sociation funded a study and arrived at the same conclusion, saying the life years gained through improved health from cycling exceed the life years lost through death and injury by a factor of 20 to one. "This means that the government health care system. and taxpayers benefit _ enor- mously from a high rate of cycling among Ontario's population. "The facts show that if there is a case for legislation, then there is a stronger one for legislated helmet use for car users and pedestrians. "And yet, with hardly a blink of an eye, the rights of millions of responsible Ontarians are dumped all over." By all means, wear a helmet if you so choose. But keep it an individual decision. Deliver me from the self-righteous who would force us all to do so. It seems to me the argument that as a society we should apply cost -benefit analysis to such legislation is a particularly treacherous thing, straight out of Orwell's 1984. It is a small step to similar reasoning, to say .for instance, that since the children of single ,parents are obviously a drain on society's resources we should outlaw divorce, or per- haps license single parents. Where does one draw the line? The truth of the matter is bicycle riders were an easy target for the "Dudley borights" who would rule us. The bikers had no organized political clout to muster at the spur of the moment and fight, back, and the legislation passed with nary a whimper, supported by all parties at Queen's Park. But the gun owners in this province were another matter. They are fighting back. And it seems to me guns are far more dangerous than bicycles ever thought of being to public safety, and always will be. I also take exception to the • helmet legislation in that it will overburden our police with added ethical dilemmas and paperwork. There are far more important things they could be doing. There are far more important things we all should be doing. As a sidebar, I note Police Chief Claus confirms that in his 14 years in Seaforth not one cyclist has ever been charged with not having a light or bell on his or her bicycle, despite straightforward existing laws that require them and provide for a fine. I1 is called "discretionary policing" and it is only com- mon sense. Thank the Lord for such small mercies. It is all a matter of priorities. Government should get out of the social -engineering game. Let the chips fall where they may. I am not my brother's keeper. My vote goes for in- dividual freedom against the tyranny of our modern socialist state. If I fall off my bicycle and kill myself it will be my own fault. Such is life. I will not blame my fellows, our laws or those who made the bicycle. In Canada we are still living way beyond our means. We want our cake and we -want to eat it too - but the simple truth is we -cannot afford it. There are things which government should not attempt and cannot do. _ Everybody in this - country was working for all our various levels of government this year until a couple of weeks ago, June 18-, "Tax Freedom Day". I and many of my ilk would prefer a "Tax Freedom Day" closer td the end of March. And yes, we are aware of the implications. Significant political change starts withethc'word "No!" If misguided bicycle -helmet laws arc enforced I will simply sell the old crate. Another thing our politicians obviously haven't learned is - you can lead a horse to water- but you . can't snake him drink. "We have become a land full of whiners and raging ninnies," notes assistant editorial page- editor ageeditor Dave -Shiflett at the Rocky Mountain News in Den- ver, Colorado. The observation is equally apt here north of the border. "They demand that we ,see. the danger in everything: but- ter, electric blankets; movie popcorn, ale, meat, . T -ball, horseshoes, swingscstts, steplad- ders, sunbathing, kissing, soy sauce, hairdryers, marbles, musty humidifiers, cheese. There is no building that is without a full supply of timebombs waiting to maim or kill the unwary: - "How tiring it all gets...it seems the objective is to make the entire nation much like that inside a nursery, overseen by a staff that believes that if we cling to life furiously enough,-. death will disappear. "The result, of course, is a population that is increasingly fearful and dull. "This is all undertaken to ensure that we . live long enough to die alone and broken in some nursing home. "There may be some pleasure in being a paranoid, especially in a society rich enough to pander to such maladies. But the end result is a lift lival small." I say `Amen" to that. Want a cigar? Government must set moral direction BY TIM CUMMING Can government protect us from ourselves? Should gov- ernment protect us from our- selves? The conservative philosophy which is taking hold. in Canada and the United States believes that government can't (and shouldn't) try to make decisions for us. The individual -rights zealots for- get that individuals make some very poor and selfish choices. flashback This photo shows S.S. No. 2 McKillop school pupils around 1935 or 1936. The students are (front row, left to right) Leroy Keller, Bill Storey, Lloyd Storey, Ronald Carter, Walter fulcClure, Waite?* Hogg, Bruce Walters, Carmen Hogg, (second row) Joyce Hugill, Blanche Norris, Marion Coutts, Irene Keller, Mavis McClure, Orme Keller, Gladys Forbes' Eleanor Storey, Hazel Anderson, (back row) Harold Storey, Elwood Storey, Audrey Walters, Dorothy McClure, John Anderson, Ken Forbes, Ross Coutts and Joe Anderson. The teacher was Archie Hoggarth. The photo was graciously lent to The Huron Expositor by Joyce Miller. I believe government has a very important role to play in creating a moral foundation for a country. The proposed bicycle hel- met law is a case in point. If left up to individual choice, I believe most people would choose not to wear a bicycle helmet. Helmets are a nui- sance, they mess up your hair and they're hot on a hot day. Sure, they may save our lives but as individuals we will usually choose the most reck- less option. People will choose nice hair over per- sonal safety every time. A society has to set limits. The doctrine of individual rights in the United States has been adopted to such a dog- matic atremc that our south- ern neighbour, has lost its sense of community. An individual's right to bear arms becomes more important than the community's right to live in safety. If goernmcnt did not dic- tate certain things I know, as an individual, I would make. the wrong decision. I know I would drive a car which was unsafe if there were no laws ensuring cars are safetied. If we left the speed of our cars to individ- ual choice 'everyone on the 401 would be driving at 160 km an hour. All the powerful moral arguments and persua- sion against drunk driving have not done as much as vigorous law enforcement. Society was greatly hurt when Prohibition ended and the 'right' to be an alcoholic was restored. Society allows drugs, alcohol and prostitution and some people make the 'misguided `choice' to give in to these powerful forces. The old CCF was founded as much in religious prin- ciples as socialist theory. Woodsworth and his fellow party supporters believed that government could shape people's lives for the better. The predecessor of the NDP would never have allowed Sunday shopping'or legalized gambling. In our modern society, however, society has lost the will to prevent addic- tions of many sorts. Locally, we have had some debate about strip bars. On the radio, a London porn video store wraps itself up in the words of Voltaire as defence of its propagation of perversion. Persons of the libertarian perspective would argue we don't have to enter strip bars if we don't like them. I argue that society knows there is no worthwhile benefit from strip clubs and should have the will to outlaw them. Personal choice? Leave it up to most men and we will make the wrong decision and enter those doors. Take awa a wrong choice and th we don't have to make the choice at all. Some will argue that I am embratifg Big Brother. For the record, I distrust bureaucracy. i equally distrust the bureacracies of Big Gov- ernment, Big Business and Big Labour. • There are dangers to letting government intrude in our lives too much. There are greater dangers, however, in letting individual rights erode community standards. Take a look at the United States. Should government tell us what to read? As a journalist I would be the first to resist government attempts to limit freedom of expression and freedom of thought. But let's look at the child pornography law. There's an example of government limit- ing freedom of expression. Yet government's intrusion is justified because the law enforces a community stan- dard. Some would argue that when government limits per- sonal choice it is on the slip- pery slope towards totalitar- ianism. Register guns? Well, .°,Hitler did that. Limit freedom of speech? Stalin did that. That argument pretends we live in a society without government limit on free- doms. Rights come into con- flict all the time. No right is absolute. There are dangers to too much government and there arc dangers to too little goy-, ernment. Look at Somalia. Hell, look at the remains of Yugoslavia. It almost makes someone long for the days of Tito and his communists. Ontario's new government has scrapped photo radar without any data, for or against, its effectiveness. The right to drive fast becomes more important than the public's right to safety on the roads. Government should not live our lives, or make our deci- sions, for us. But we must demand that government set see Rightists, page eight