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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1987-07-08, Page 5Heydon applauds motion • Dear Editor: In a free and democratic society everybody has the right to rain on eve: ybody else's parade, although in some cases one wonders a little why a person would want to do so. One such occasion was Mr. Torn Melady's letter in your last week's paper, condemning the Goderich Town Council ( and indirectly the large group of people who had approached the council with the re- quest) for declaring the town a nuclear weapons free zone. When I listened to Councillor John Str- inger's. arguments (Mr. Stringer was the on- ly council member to oppose the declara- tion) and after reading similar statements made by Mr. Melady in his letter, my reac- tion was and is that the two gentlemen are reaching beyond, around and outside the simple message of the declaration, but do not address its point. Their response makes me think of a per- son who,.when you greet him with a cheerful "good morning", starts to brood, with the ponderous machinery of deep thinking set in motion, over the hidden angles and possible effects of such a wish. No doubt all council members, the "representatives of the medical profession and all other individuals in the audience were equally smartly aware that the na- tional defence is a federal jurisdiction. The declaration does not aim to redirect national defence. Coun. Stringer and Mr. Melady feel that the declaration "does convey the message that we do not have the materials nor the will to defend ourselves against nuclear at- tack nor to retaliate if attacked". Canada has no nuclear weapons and no known intention to become a nuclear power. The declaration addresses only nuclear weapons, in a very clear wording. Since conventional weapons are no defence at all against a nuclear attack, are Mr. Melady and Councillor Stringer actual- ly saying that Canada should Have nuclear weapons? It looks to me that the declaration is in greater harmony with our national defence than the philosophy of the two ;gentlemen who are still addressing the realities of past wars, without admitting that • these ex- periences are obsolete in the face of the en- tirely new reality of the nuclear age. Incidentally, Ontario has been declared nuclear weapons free zone by our provincial legislation. Our declaration is in accord with Ontario's spirit. We have. already lived in a nuclear weapons free zone for a period, without harming our national defence or the balance of power. Mr. Melady mentions notifying the Kremlin. Since we vote in Goderich, Canada, and not in Moscow, it was natural to' take our petition to our own closest government. LETTERS On second thought, Mr. Melady makes a good point. Why not notify the Kremlin of our philosophy? We are a small town, bu„ we are inevitally part of contemporary global realities. Without burdening the town coun- cil with a new controversy, I am going to send, as an individual and in a symbolic gesture a copy of our town's proclamation to, Mr. Gorbachev. I am in favour of nuclear peace, because I am in favour of living and continuing our civilization. I am going to keep you informed, if there is a reply from Moscow. The proclamation in question does not ad- dress the intricacies of international politics, but Mr. Melady uses the occasion for including references to it when painting his own picture, just as Councillor Stringer spoke of the "other side", References to the "other side" -.contain some irony that is not lost on me. Most younger people probably do not know and older Canadians appear to have forgotten that Canada and the Soviet Union ended up as great friends and allies in the Second World War when Stalin's dictatorship was on its worst level of oppression. Your women knitted socks and scarves and sent parcels for Russian soldiers. I say "your women", because I was not here then and I was not on the side of the Soviet Union. Mr. Melady's letter refers to "eastern European countries". I was born in Estonia. As a young girl during the first Soviet oc- cupation of Estonia ( and other Baltic coun- tries) I took food to the railway station where Estonian people were loaded on bag- gage and cattle cars for Siberia. We did not know why some of us were taken and not others. After the subsequent German occupation, at the end of the war Estonia became a Soviet republic which it still is. Before the 'last phase closed its doors I was able to join the streams of refugees heading westwards through Europe's bom- bardments and destruction. I shared the ex- periences ,of millions. It 'Is over and done with. The past does not restrict me. I men- tion these things only because Mr. Melady has nothing to teach me about war or peace. I was fortunate indeed in the choice and opportunity of my new country, although it too had some disturbing elements. I learned that Canada had recently turned back ships full of Jewish refugees and had placed its citizens of 'Japanese descent in concentra- tion camps, after confiscating 'the'ir properties, Canada's neighbour, the United States of America, spoke of itself as the epitome of •Reader' enjoys . 'The Shipwatcher' Dear Editor: Compound steam engines. These engines As a subscriber, I do look forward to were manufactured by the 'Doty Engineer- -reading 'The Shipwatcher' material now ap- ing Works of Goderich in 1907 and 1914 pearing in your newspaper. A column devoted to interesting tidbits of ,Great Lakes shipping is indeed a worthy acquisition. In a recent edition it was noted that the R.M.S. Segwun, beloved cruise ship of the 'Muskoka waters, celebrated her 100th birth- day on July 4th. Of interest to residents of the Port of Goderich. is the fact that the Se- gwun is equipped with two Fore -and Aft No conflict Dear Editor: Regarding the report from the police in the Signal -Star last week. I wouldlike to assure your readers that the postal strike in Goderich has resulted in no conflict between picketers and police. The relationship has been a friendly one and I would not like anyone to assume otherwise. Yburs truly, Patrick D. King Chief of Police respectively. While cruising on the Segwun, I visited both the engineer room and the wheelhouse. How gratifying to view the last of these old Goderich steam engines still in operation today. Yours truly, Glen I. Gardiner Port Albert Pat Raftis • from page 4 in Ontario and when reform does come, it will be province -wide, not just in Huron, as a result of a study currently being done by the provincial government (that's why I say it will take at least five years). One more thing. I would bet a week's salary (if I could find someone to take on so paltry a wager) that we never see the day Exeter, or any other town goes so far as to secede from the recently -rocky union of Huron. •I O0o000GI00o0Gil Oooil 00oGO GO. BROWNIE'S DRIVE-IN 4) 169 BEECH ST., CLINTON 482-7030 C)PFN AT 8;:'0 P.M. - FIRST SHOW AT DUSK THIS WEEKEND: FRI.-SAT.-SUN., JULY 10-11-12 O #1 BOX OFFICE HIT! EDDIE�MURPHY 'NEVE * E I rmaIS O 40 COARSE LANGUAGE Ak Theatres Brpnch Ont. THE HEAT'S BACKON! -- PLUS 2ND FEATURE —111 O "HOT PURSUIT" ° Q taulne>� : WARNING: Drugs. Swearing, t. b.o. r� ■®y' Wile e0e4eeeeeeeo s e ee ee DAY C RE REGISTRATION F R SEPTEMBER WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1987 7:30 r i.5:30 ■ e at Knox Presbyterian Church $ 00 reg stretlon dee Little Kids Corner Day Care of Goderich Inc. freedom and democracy, but its black citizens rode "in the back of the bus" and were without vote for practical purposes. I am mentioning these episodes because in my opinion there are no people with unblemished white hats under which pure virtues are exclusively concentrated, while the bad guys with the black hats on the other side are condemned to everlasting mistakes and misery. Moreover, I am mentioning these episodes with an emphasis on showing that since then we have learned developed, grown, changed. Such things no longer hap- pen. Is it not reasonable to believe that a whole lot of things have also changed on what we have been taught to call the "other side"? That, if we are speaking of the Soviet Union, the country under Stalin 50 or 40 years ago was different from the Soviet Union of the Gorbachev era in 1987? Perhaps we owe it to ourselves, to "take yes for an answer". Coming back to the declaration, Mr. Melady objects to the symbolic nature and value of the action. Are our lives not enrich- ed by symbolic gestures, daily? Standing to our national anthem is a symbol,, Legion col- our party marching in a parade is a symbol. Rings in a wedding ceremony are symbols. The mayor cutting the ceremonial ribbon at. the opening of a business is a symbol. Say- ing hello to our neighbour is a symbol of civility. Incidentally, by quoting Councillor Glen Carey selectively, Mr. Melady might leave the reader with the wrong impression. Although Coun. Carey acknowledged the symbolic nature of the motion, he went on to say that in this case "it is better to do something than to do nothing" and voted in favour of the declaration. My own hat is off to the Cd incil members who understood the synibol which is in their power, and had the imagination to support it. The simple and modest message of the declaration is no more and no less than say- ing that ours is a peaceable town. Can you beat that? Elsa Haydon i+ GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1987 --PAGE 5 Special ,Feature 1986 MAZDA 626 TURBO Special Touring Sedan with 5 speed, Air, Cruise. Powe Windows,. Power Door Locks, Power Mirrors. Power Sunroof, Alloy Wheels, AM/FM, Stereo Cassette, Adjustable Suspension. A hard to find model. Stock No 755 0116,900. Calf Bruce today at... •W MOTORS 184 East Street, Goderich 524-2113 VOLVO • MAZDA ONTO � TICKETS Saturday, July 11th Blue Jays vs. Kansas City Royals '$3300 per person Pri,ce includes Transportation Tickets & Evening Buffet Dinner For more information 524261.4 Ext. 14 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. LUMINAR VIDEO VT1450 ?F < R w�«�I a .saw �. a«a;.t�*r,4y jj •a.f ) HO with DOC. 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