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Home My WebLink AboutThe Times Advocate, 2005-09-14, Page 44 Exeter Times–Advocate Wednesday, September 14, 2005 =CNA Editorial Opinion TIMES ADVOCATE 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 EDITORIAL A legacy Few Canadians have made as big a differ- ence as Terry Fox. His life tragically cut short at age 22 from cancer, Fox inspired an entire nation with his Marathon of Hope over the spring and summer of 1980, stopping short of his goal of running across Canada only when cancer forced him to. This Sunday marks the 25th anniversary of the annual Terry Fox Run and, with runs in Exeter and Ilderton, local residents have a good opportunity to take part and help raise money for cancer research. While Fox's Marathon of Hope ended Sept. 1, 1980, 143 days and 5,373 km after he started, the impact Fox had on cancer research fundraising has reverberated around the world. The original Marathon of Hope raised, $24.17 million, matching Fox's dream of raising $1 per every Canadian. Since then, over $360 million has been raised worldwide for cancer research — all because of one man's dream. And not only has Canada held up Fox as a hero — 50 countries around the world orga- nize Terry Fox Runs. This year, to mark the 25th anniversary of the run, schools across the country are asked to participate in the Terry Fox National School Run Day, which organizers say has the potential to be the largest single -day cancer fundraiser in Canadian history. Eighty-seven cents from each dollar con- tributed to the Terry Fox Foundation goes towards cancer research funding, with only three cents going to administration. In other words, there isn't much fat at the top — this is important because you know the over- whelming majority of your donation is going towards its intended purpose. New breakthroughs into cancer treatments have been made because of money raised through the Terry Fox Foundation. Everybody's life has been touched in one way or another by cancer. Taking part in this weekend's run or making a donation is a great way to help researchers find that elu- sive cure. About the Times -Advocate Silence can be golden The recent horrible events in Mississippi and Louisiana have served as a reminder that some things are best left unsaid, especially if you're a member of the Bush family. It seems every time someone in the Bush family opens his or her mouth lately, it's quickly followed by the insertion of a foot. You could fill a book on President George W. Bush's curious command of the English language, but we'll only go back as far as Sept. 1, when he said on Good Morning America, "I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees," when in fact experts were warning for days about the damage Katrina could do. Also, it's been known for decades that the levees in New Orleans could only withstand so much water. But, whatever. Then you had Bush visiting Mississippi the next day, saying, "We've got a lot of rebuilding to do ... The good news is — and it's hard for some to see it now — that out of this chaos is going to come a fantastic Gulf Coast, like it was before. Out of the rubbles of Trent Lott's house — he's lost his entire house — there's going to be a fantastic house. And I'm looking forward to sitting on the porch." Bush then joked the next day, while in New Orleans where corpses floated through the flooded streets and filled attics, that he used to party "occasionally too much" in that city. But to pick only on Dubya simply isn't fair. It's also too easy. No, the women in his family have also been wonderfully quotable lately, from First Lady Laura Bush referring to something called "Hurricane Corina" repeatedly while speaking in Mississippi, to George's mom, Barbara, who came up with this gem when asked about the thousands of hurricane evacuees in the Houston Astrodome: "Everybody is so overwhelmed by the hos- pitality. And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this, this is working very well for them." Yes, I'm sure they're enjoying themselves. Hey, who wouldn't relish the experience of watching everything they own float away in a river of raw sewage, either watching their relatives die or wondering where they are and then having the pleasure of sharing a sports stadium with 20,000 other people. Sounds like a grand old time. Maybe Barbara Bush should try it. House Majority Leader Tom Delay said this to young evacuees at the Astrodome: "Now tell me the truth boys, is this kind of fun?" The above speakers are overpaid, over privileged, overfed and have no idea what the victims of Katrina have gone through. But it wasn't just the Bushes and Republicans mak- ing stupid comments, it only seems like it. CNN's Wolf Blitzer said this: "You simply get chills every time you see these poor individuals ... many of these people, almost all of them that we see are so poor and they are so black, and this is going to raise lots of questions for people who are watching this story unfold." Interesting way of putting things, Wolf. Perhaps a vacation is in order. Then there was a hysterical Celine Dion on Larry King talking about the tragedy in "our country" even though the last time I checked, the U.S. wasn't her country. Dion donated a big chunk of money to relief efforts and her heart is probably in the right place, but she has this inability to behave human. The examples of amusing foot in mouth dis- ease in the wake of Hurricane Katrina (or is that Corina?) go on forever, and I've only chosen a few of the more amusing quotes. But the above statements help prove one of life's truths: sometimes, just sometimes, it's better to keep your mouth shut. Especially when you have no sense of reality and no idea what you're talking about. SCOTT NIXON AND ANOTHER THING 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 Nina Van Lieshout ext. 107 CUSTOMER SERVICE Sue Rollings ext. 101 Kim Hern ext. 102 COMPOSITION DEPARTMENT Manager Deb Lord ext. 114/103 Sharlene Young, ext 103 Heather Bilcke ext. 103 ACCOUNTING STAFF Anita McDonald ext. 104 Ruth Slaght ext. 106 Christina Scott ext. 108 MargPertschy ext. 111 Heather Clarke