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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1984-01-11, Page 4POP4 Tbn.s•Adv.•ocoto, Jgnuory 11, 1944. • t ImesdvQcate Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881 Amalgamated 1924 Serving South Huron, North Middlesex & North Lambton Since 1873 Published by i.W. Eedy Publications limited LORNE EEDY Publisher JIM BECKETT Advertising Manager • BIN BATTEN ROSS HAUGH Editor Assistant Editor HARRY DEVRIES Composition Manager i • • DICK JONGKIND Business Manager { Published Each Wednesday Morning at Exeter, Ontario Second Class Mail Registration Number 0386. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada: $22.00 Per year, U.S.A. $60.00 C.W.N.A., O.C.N.A. CLASS 'A' and 'ABC' Has to beresolved Nadoubt officials in the neighboring townships will share Exeter Mayor Bruce Shaw's optimism that t'he current conflicts(oVer recreation cost sharing and fire board purchases can be resolved satisfactorily this year. Obviously, that is not going to be an easy task and will probably require some give and take on both sides if there is any hope of a satisfactory resolution.. Exeter and its neighbors are not alone in the cur- rent predicament. Recreation and fire costs are a perennial problem for neighboring municipalities and, almost without exception, lead to squabbles at some point in time. To a considerable degree, both are intangibles that defy clear-cut analysis as to how costs should be ap- portioned. It is rather ironical that a conflict has arisen over a fire board matter, because that board'`s trouble- free history and set-up has been cited by some as a model that should, be duplicated in arriving at an agree- ment over recreation cost sharing. While they may be intangibles, theyare never- theless essential services for 'which an equitable cost- sharing formula must be reached. Although the current elected officials in the four municipalities have inherited a problem from their +CNA r ti r predecessors, they are the ones who will have to resolve the matter because it is.not going to resolve itself. To date, the public discussion has been one-sided. Exeter officials have outlined their positions and the lack of response from the townships could prompt a suggestion that they have no logical or plausible defence of the allegation that they have failed to carry their fair share or responded to the gestures of good- will which Exeter claims to have extended in the two areas in the past. Surely the time. has come for the elected officials in all four municipalities to present their argument at a public forum in an effort to resolve the conflicts before one or some among them make a move that will make a satisfactory resolution impossible. Those elected officials will make a serious, and perhaps irreparable, error in judgement to assume the conflicts can be resolved by forcing others into action by their own inaction or unilateral action without an exerted effort to reach an agreement''that is seen to be fair and satisfactory by the majority of those affected. There may not be an easy solution, but there has to be a solution! • /• Another fear an The situation surrounding the three-month jail sentence handed out to an Orillia woman who refused to testify against her conimon-law husband on an assault charge has drawn considerable comment. There is little quarrel with the presiding judge's argument on the principle involved. The woman's refusal to testify was cited as undermining the judicial system as it means that criminals can go unpunished in situations where witnesses choose not to testify: The whole system is placed in jeopardy when - witnesses fail to live up to that obligation. A few weeks earlier, an Ottawa woman refused to testify against two men who had been charged with her rape and she was sentenced to seven days in jail; the Was, difference in the two cases being that the Ottawa woman's refusal_was based on the fear of repercus- sions from the two men. While the principle followed by the judge in the Orillia case is beyond quarrel, the sentence appears unduly severe, particularly when it is considered that her assailant probably would have been given a lighter sentence for his offence. Anotheriear which arises from both situations is that victims of such crimes may have second thoughts about instigating police investigations and charges in the first place and that could obviously be the most damaging effect of all at a time when family violence is just starting to come out of the closet. attendance really that good? Success, similar to beauty, is often judged through the eyes and standard of the beholder. Members of Exeter council indicated considerable pleasure last week in the at- tendance at the new year's levee and bicentennial 'celebrations staged at the town hall. . Actually, it is a rather stinging indict- ment of the citizens of this community when attracting 50 people to a communi- ty celebration can be viewed positively by the organizers. Given the fact that almost half those in attendance were there in the line of duty (three cheers for dutiful spouses and families) it was 'an extremely paltry turnout. Mot residents, no doubt, have legitimate reasons for passing up on the invitation. The timing was off as it in- terfered with the supper hour and the Rose Bowl football game.,.the weather wasn't really conducive to taking a.stroll downtown...the unveiling of a flag is hard- ly cause for celebration...the cider hadn't fermented long enough...and who eeds to listen to the Mayor spout off about 1 the benefits we derive from being citize s of • a province marking an historic occ sion anyway? , While it appears rather sad t at town officials can be elated abotft t e atten- d aii'Y g the party, they certai ly have e e ri ht to be pleased with t e event in terms of its purpose and the act that those who did bother to show u appeared to enjoy the rather informal lebration that had been carefully planned and was a credit to those who staged it. By itself, the attendance at the event would probably not be of any major con- cern, but the disconcerting fact is, it is rather representative of the general malaise by which many community ac- • tivities are greeted by citizens of the town. As a case in point, tonight (Wednesday) there will be another meeting at the town hall to discuss theannttal Heritage Days celebration. That's an event that is sup- posedly supported by a large number of organizations in Exeter, but unless there is a complete turnabout of attitude, the BATT' N AROUND with the editor meeting will be lucky to draw enough peo- ple for a good game of euchre. Simliar to many previous meetings in Exeter, it isn't being staged to channel the wide -spread enthusiasm into the chores that will be required to make next sum- mer's event another success. No, the ob- ject of the meeting is solely todetermine whether there is even enough support to stage it. As stated, it's not the first time a meeting has been called in this town to consider the.fate of an event or organiza- tion. Minor sports groups have held their share of those in the past when they were faced with a lack of support; so too have youth groups when they were having trou- ble getting leaders. For some reason, it appears that many members of the community need to get the "shock treatment" to come to grips with the responsibility they have to fur- ther the activities which contribute so much to their personal welfare and. enjoyment. I Similar to a beehive, every communi- ty is always going to have its workers and drones, but when the logistics start to weigh too heavily on the workers, it is only natural that they decide to review their positions. Many of them have this strange attitude that turnabout is fair play and think that others should relieve them after they have expended their time and talents in keep- ing events and organizations viable. Unfortunately, the writer can't think of any challenging words that would guarantee an improvement in the com- munity spirit that appears to be at a rather low ebb at the present. It requires that each citizen assess the role he/she plays in the community to determine if it is an ample repayment for the benefits enjoyed. In the case of . Heritage Days, the organizations which have assisted in the past must also scrutinize their interest and dedication. If it is allowed to follow other communi- ty activities into oblivion, it will be dif- ficult to resurrect at some point in the future. Its demise would also indicate a rather-apathetical attitude on the part of the citizens and organizations in thecom- munity and would be in stark contrast to the impression thatshould be conveyed. in his inaugural address, Mayor Bruce Shaw indicated that the towel is viewed by others as "hustlers" and suggested that perception is necessary as new commer- cial and industrial enterprises are con- cerned about the vitality of a community. There's no doubt about the vitality of the leadership shown by some individuals and groups in this community, but unfor- tunately they are very much in the minority and it's time that others started to accept their responsibilities to make the community a better place in which to live, work :and play. iiriaV EY? w ,.t-8naic8? `.`And a drink here for my six-foot rabbit friend." The pleasures of writing One of the deepest satisfactions in writing a column of this kind is the knowledge that you are getting into p int the angers and frustrations of a lot of other people, who have no recourse for their resentments, and conse- quently take them out on the old man or the old lady? How do you know this? Well, because people write you letters cheering you on to further attacks, and other people come up to you, perfect strangers, shake hands warmly, and say, "By the Holy Ole Jumpin! Bill, you really hit the nail on the head." This can be a little disconcerting, as you are never quite sure which nail they are referring to. If the -congratulator is a woman, I smile weakly and change the subject. Because sure as guns, though she thought you were one of nature's noblemen for your assault on mail chauvinism last week, she'll turn on you like a snake when• she reads tomorrow's paper, with the column exposing female chauvinism. Speaking recently to a class of potential writers in a creative writing course, I tried to pass along the personal satisfaction one gets from this type of personal journalism. . I emphasized the "per- sonal" satisfaction, because there's a lot more of that involved than there is of the other kind, finan- cial satisfaction. Colum- nists and free-lance writers have no union working for them, no any professional association, as have doctors, lawyers, teachers. They have only their own talent and wit and perseverance with which to penetrate the thick heads and thicker skins of editors and publishers. But it's a great feeling when you vent your wrath, say, about the rapaciousness of mechanics, and you are button -holed six times in sand in the grease with which many -aspects of society are trying to give us a snow job. And that's One of the finest paragraphs I've ever writ- ten, if mixed metaphors 'are your bag. Fair game for the hard - hitter are: garage Sugar and Spice Dispensed By Smiley he next three days by peo- ple with horror stories about mechanics you can scarcely believe. Trouble is, they all want you to write another col- umn about mechanics, and put some real meat in- talt. This means, in effect, that they would happily stand in the wings and ap- plaud when you were sued for libel. Some readers would like you to be constantly at- tacking whatever it is that they don't like. Capitalist friends are aghast when you refuse to launch an assault on capital gains taxes. Welfarist friends think you are a traitor and a fink when you won't at- tack the government for not providing color TV for everyone on the take. • I am not by nature an at- tacker, and I think there is nothing more boring than a writer of any kind who tries to make a career of being a "hard-hitting" • journalist. Once in a while myent- ly bubbling nature boils over. Throwing caution • and syntax to the winds; I let my spleen have a field day and try to throw some mechanics, plumbers, postal workers, super- markets, civil servants, and politicians. Most of them can't hit back, and everybody hates them, ex- cept garage mechanics and their wives, plumbers and their wives, etc. etc. Smaller fry are doctors, lawyers, teachers, used. car salesmen. They all squeal like dying rabbits when attacked, but nobody pays much atten- tion to them except doc• tors and their wives, etc. etc. There are a few areas. that even the hardest - hitters avoid. When have you, lately, read a savage attack4n greedy farmers, callous nurses, or unloving mothers? And yet, there are lots of them around. One of these days, perhaps,. one of these hard-hitting writers will muster enough guts, after about five brandies, to launch an all-out attack on the audacity of women, thinking they're as good as men. Boy, that fellow will learn what real hard- hitting is all about. Personally, •I can't stay mad at anybody long enough to be a voice of the people, or a public watch- dog, or any of those obnox- ious creatures who try to tell other people how they should feel. The only constant in my rage is the blatant manipulation of self- seeking politicians who Will twist and warp and wiggle and squirm and bribe for self -perpetuation in office. Best example of the moment is the Tory government in Ontario, which has called a totally unnecessary election in that province through sheer hunger for greater power. Otherwise, I get a great deal moreoy from touching the individual life than inflaming the masses. When I get a let- ter from an old lady in hospital, crippled with - thritis, who has managed to get a chuckle out of my column, it makes me feel good. Recently, I got a letter from a young Scot who has immigrated to Canada. He says: "I have learned more about Canada and Canadians through reading your columnthan all the accumulated wisdom from the Cana- dian newsmagazines, novels and TV programs I have absorbed." Now there is a man with his head screwed on right. If I, as a newcomer, tried to. get my- impressions of this country from newsmagazines and TV programs, I'd catch the first boat or plane home. So, I guess I'll try to go on talking to people, get- ting sore, having some fun, looking for sympathy in the war between the sexes. That's what life is all about, not plumbers and politicians and other horrors of that ilk. Speakingthe language At Christmas time an •elderly gentleman was visiting our house. One of the children also there wanted to show him a 'program' he had put into the computer after two or three hours of hard work. The gentleman got quite upset. "I don't like such nonsense," he said. "1 see young people in the mall putting quarter after quarter into these machines. Foolishness, all of it." It was unfortunate that he wouldn't take a closer look at what the lad was doing because unlike the 4 language of computers, learning to make it work Perspectives youngsters in the arcade the boy was doing something quite useful and educational for himself. He was learning to speak the 'basic' By Syd Fletcher for him, instead of the reverse. Make no mistake. Com- puters are not something of the future, something that only the very clever will use. Instead they are fast becoming a vital part of our every day lives. It is important that we make our children 'computer literate',ust as we expect them to have a grasp of reading and arithmetic. During the next few weeks I am going to talk a little about computers and what we can expect from them in the near future. As well I will explain a few of the terms which are becoming more and more used as the little machines become more and more commonplace in the community. rr