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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2004-12-08, Page 4TIMES ADVOCATE 4 Exeter Times–Advocate Wednesday, December 8, 2004 zkxna =CNA Editorial Opinion PUBLICATIONS MAIL REGISTRATION NUMBER 07511 We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada, through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP), toward our mailing casts. Jim Beckett Publisher and Editor Deb Lord Production Manager &Published by Metroland Printing, rt Publishing & Distributing Ltd. Metroland 424 Main Street South, P.O. Box 850 Exeter, Ontario NOM 1S6 • (519) 235-1331 EDITORIALS Help those in need In the true spirit of Christmas, you can help families in need this week by donating to the Huron County Christmas Bureau. Since 1967, the Children's Aid Society and area churches have worked together to ensure every family has food and gifts for Christmas. On a rotating basis, churches in the county manage the Bureaus and distribute donations to local families. The Exeter branch this year is at Precious Blood Roman Catholic Church. Precious Blood will be collecting donations all week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. All appointments made by fami- lies needing assistance are confidential. Other branches of the Huron County Christmas Bureau are at the Clinton Christian Reformed Church, the Egmondville United Church, Knox Presbyterian Church in Goderich and St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Wingham. Donating to the Christmas Bureau is a great way to help out those who truly need it during what can be a difficult time of the year. And there's no doubt the Christmas Bureau is needed — last year in Exeter, 278 children and 131 families received help from the Bureau. County -wide, 1,082 children and 501 families were served by the Bureau. Families do not need a connection with the Children's Aid Society to receive assistance from the Bureau — to get help, families must live in Huron County and the person registering a child must be the custodial parent. Ideas of some gifts you can donate to the Christmas Bureau include: non-perishable food, new underwear, socks, pyjamas, sweat- shirts, pants (sizes 10-14), blue jeans, hockey sticks, CDs, movie passes, stationery, picture frames, knapsacks, dolls, watches and cam- eras. Any money donated will go to buy food certificates and clothes. All items are bought from local businesses. If you need more information about the Christmas Bureau, call 235-4546 or 1-800-265- 5198. With a donation to the Christmas Bureau, you can participate in the true nature of Christmas. lnHernRENt BOOING, SIR.,. ThEY'RE MOO1NG• 2004 Distributed by Canadian Artists Syndicate Inc. Remembering victims of violence Monday marked the 15th anniversary of a tragedy known as the Montreal Massacre. It was on Dec. 6, 1989 that 26 -year-old Marc Lepine walked into the University of Montreal's Ecole Polytechnique and opened fire, killing 14 women. It was no accident that the victims were all female. Lepine walked into an engineering class in progress, ordered the men in the room to leave and shot the remaining female stu- dents. He then proceeded on a rampage through the school, killing more women, injuring others and finally turning the gun on him- self. Lepine was carrying a three-page suicide note, which blamed his problems and failures on women. In it, he said: "I have decided to send the feminists, who have always ruined my life, to their Maker." He went on to say, "I consider myself a ratio- nal erudite that only the arrival of the Grim Reaper has forced to take extreme acts." The anniversary of this horrible event was declared Canada's National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women by the federal government in 1990. The women who were killed ranged in age from 21 to 31. They were all engineering students. What type of man could react with such rage and contempt for women? A Toronto Star article said Marc Lepine was born with the name Gamil Gharbi. He was beaten as a child, as were his mother and sister. His father was report- edly a mutual fund salesman who believed all women were chattels. Lepine grew up filled with an intense rage toward those whom he was taught to believe were the only creatures lower than himself — women. This in no way condones his actions, but does give some context to the cycle of violence in our society. Children are taught how to behave by the actions of the adults in their lives. When a child is taught that violence is the only response, they may grow up to repeat the abusive behaviour. With the passing of the 15th anniversary of this horrific event, I would like to be able to ONS say that people have learned to control their violent urges and no longer kill, maim or abuse their fellow human beings. Unfortunately, we all know this is not true. Violent crimes are an everyday occurrence and chances are people we pass on the street on a reg- ular basis are the victims of physical, emotional or sex- ual abuse. They are the silent victims who, for whatever reason, do not speak out and break the cycle of violence. As I reflect on the 14 lost lives, one of my greatest wishes is that the violence will stop and no more lives will have to end tragically. MARY SIMM PENNY F THOUG OR MY HTS About the Times -Advocate Address & Office Hours Times -Advocate, 424 Main Street South, P.O. Box 850, Exeter, Ontario NOM 1S6. Our office is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Closed on Holidays. 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For example, Jim Beckett's e-mail address is <jbeck- ett@southhuron.com> Our general e-mail address is ads@southhuron.com. The Times -Advocate Team Publisher/Editor Jim Beckett ext. 109 ADVERTISING Deborah Schillemore ext. 112 REPORTERS Scott Nixon ext. 105 Pat Bolen ext. 113 Mary Simmons ext. 107 CUSTOMER SERVICE Sue Rollings ext. 101 Sherrie Thomson ext. 102 COMPOSITION DEPARTMENT Manager Deb Lord ext 114/103 Sharlene Young, Diana Hardy ext. 103 ACCOUNTING STAFF Anita McDonald ext. 104 Ruth Slaght ext. 106 Christina Scott ext. 108 Marg Pertschy ext. 111