HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2007-01-31, Page 4Page 4 January 31, 2007 • The Huron Expositor
Opinion
Proprietor and Publisher, Bowes Publishers Limited, 11 Main St., Seaforth, ON, NOK 1WO
Debate over arena
improvements can
only lead to
stronger community
Almost as long as Huron East has been amalga-
mated, the financial responsibilities of community
centres and recreation facilities have been up for
debate.
On one side, councillors argue that arenas and
recreation facilities are public services that can
never make money but exist solely to add to the
quality of life of a community.
On the other side, councillors argue that if they
can't turn a profit, arenas and recreation facilities.
should at least break even, operating with their
budgets uppermost on their minds at all times.
As user groups bring forth a list of concerns and
complaints about the Seaforth arena and its opera-
tion this week, a discussion of the arena's purpose
in the community should again be revisited.
It seems that a number of the complaints sur-
rounding ice quality, physical maintenance, ice
time and even' cleanliness have their roots around
the focus on meeting the budget.
Pushing the quarter century mark, the "new"
arena is actually an aging structure with aging
equipment and it's likely that it's going to need a
significant cash infusion - either through property
taxes or community fundraising - to deal with nec-
essary repairs.
But, the issue also seems to centre around com-
munication and the feeling that budgetary con-
cerns are coming before the arena's ability td serve
the community.
The fact that organizations representing the over
300 kids who add fun, exercise and the life lessons
of sportsmanship into their lives are asking to be
heard about the ways in which they feel the arena
can be improved is good news.
It shows a feeling of ownership that, if encour-
aged and heard, can only lead to a stronger commu-
nity with kids who are healthy and physically fit
and parents, grandparents and extended families
that are engaged and involved.
Susan Hundertmark
Parents have role to play
in screening violent lyrics
According to a coalition of
parents and teachers,
Canadian children are
being exposed to far too
much violence through
music, video games and
television.
The group cites all kinds
of information to support
their claims.
"Viewing entertainment
violence can lead to increases in aggressive
attitudes, values and behaviour, particularly
in children," they say.
The coalition even claims to have "clear and
compelling" evidence that illustrates the long-
lasting negative impact of violent media on
children, and says medical and mental health
experts agree it has become a very serious
problem.
"Music has escaped the need for classifica-
tion, despite the fact that the music industry
has gone the way of film, television and video
games in producing explicitly violent, sexual
material," the coalition states.
While it's difficult to disagree with their
claim that the music industry today produces
violent, sexually -explicit material, it's hard to
ignore the fact that for generations - mine,
yours and even before then - the music indus-
try produced songs with the same themes that
are condemned today.
When I was younger, bands like Nirvana,
Pearl Jam and Metallica sang about teenage
angst, and in many cases, taking out that
angst on the world.
Before that, bands like
Aerosmith, Motley Crue
and Guns 'N Roses used
sexually -explicit lyrics in
their music.
And even before that,
Bob Marley sang about
shooting the sheriff and
Johnny Cash about shoot-
ing a man in Reno, just to
watch him die.
The music industry hasn't changed that
much, however the coalition is calling for age -
based restrictions on music sales.
Implementing age -based restrictions on CDs
just sounds like another band-aid solution.
This coalition addresses a very complicated
problem, and offers nothing more than a
quick fix.
Violence in today's youth does exist, but
there's many contributing factors - not just a
game, television show, movie or song.
Age -based restrictions are one solid step
towards preventing young, impressionable
minds from being negatively affected, but
there's still more that needs to be done.
It's been said a hundred times (but for good
reason), parents need to play an integral part
in their children's lives.
It may sound difficult, but parents need to
make every conscience effort to know what
their kids watch and listen to, and how they
spend their free time.
See PARENTS, Page 5
Ron & Dave
Coming up in the news
Oproh gives away more money!
Tom Cruise finds religion!
and Paris Hilton says she's
more than just a pretty face!
That's not news! That's
just pap for the masses.
Surely you can find
something more intelligent
to watch!
-
Q
7.1
V
"On this week's report..
More dead in Iraq.
North Korea tests missile,
Gun violence on the rise,
...and political corruptio>,
by bavid Lacey
And now here's the "dish"
on the latest "shocker" in the
entertainment world!
Wise move.
Intelligence is
not for the
faint hearted.
EThe
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