The Huron Expositor, 1983-09-21, Page 2•
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Pubilahed at SEAFORTH, QNTABIO every,Wedneaday morAing)40t"
r , Susan White, Managing Editor
Jocelyn A.Mier, Pubtlaher
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WEDNESDAY. SEPTEMBER 21.0 1983
,,Second.tilasS mall.registratlon. number 0698
Porn is unacceptable
long established groups pften get flack for defending the status quo.
Or it's said they become preoccupied with form over content, bury
themselves in ritual and ignore what's going on In the real world. They are
accused of being trivial or irrelevant.
The Women's Institute and the Federation of Women Teachers of
Ontario are two long established groups who don 't fit those stereotypes. In
their concern for the home, thegchool, and for children, both groups have
recently,taken strong stands against pornography.
They don't like it, they don't want children exposed to it and they reject
the currently widespread philosophy that Violence and exploitation is sexy,
a little kinkymaybe, but acceptable.
A hearing in Toronto is trying to determine what community standard
applies when '.dealing with' ^pornography. It's talking about porn
videotapes, .gtlrrently not under the jurisdiction of the Ontario Censor
Board. Metro police have charged that certain videos are obscene. A judge
has la 'decide what that community's standards will tolerate.
One witness, Toronto politician Anne Johnston, says her community
won't tolerate exploitation of children, of men or women. The trial has seen
many pornographic, videotapes, and the judge will screen them again
before making.his decieion. Mrs,. Johneton mentioned one scene In which a
naked woman, bound and gagged, has'tter hand used as' an ashtray for a
man's lighted cigarette. That isn't acceptable to her community, she says.
That's, obscene.
A teacher interviewed by the Expositor for story on pornography a few
weeks ago says her group took a stand: because of evidence in the
classroom that kids are being influenced'by the violence and porn that is all
around them.
You have to wonder where two very young children got the =idea of
sexually assaulting a baby, that horrifying case reported in the London
Free Press recently. As more groups follow the lead of the teachers and the
Wls let's hope the horrifying stories become fewer. - S.W.
Off to the Fair
FALL FAIRS ARE FUN, but a day at the fair Is tiring, as is evident at the Belgrave school”'
fair. Corey Martin, top left, recta hla head; Jane Vincent, top, Is waiting for the calf chow to
start; Sheryl Ramsey, right, fidda a perfect resting spot; Anita Massey, bottom left, finds a
new friend and good old Jed, bottbm right, tells it a11. (Waaslnk photos)
Uses for police station?
r
:As the continuing dlaGt ssion ;this summer showed, there area lot of
things downtown Seafortlr needs. Greenery,'flowers and benches to -make
the downtown a welcoming people place are among them.
It doesn't however, need any more empty buildings on Main St. That's
why we hope members of the public and/or local groups will jump at the
chance Seaforth's police committee is offering. •
Since the move to the new enlarged police station in the old firehall
premises (enhance at the back of the town hall), Seaforth's former police
station is empty. And the police committee, ch ired by councillor Wayne
Ellis, would be happy to have suggestions from I cal citizens about what it
can be used for.
Jokes about the now empty cell aside, the building is already publicly
owned. It needn't cost a great deal to convert it to a use that Seaforth
citizens can enjoy.
A drop-in centre for senior citizens? For teens? For both age groups who
could contribute a great deal to each other? A place to play cards? A toy
lending library for kids? An office for. the large number of worthwhile
Seaforth organizations which don't have permanent clubhouses to share?
A mini -museum to show off the wealth of history Seaforth has to offer?
You and your group can probably brainstorm and come up with more
possibilities.
Let's hear your ideas qn how to turn the old police station into an asset.
Write to the Expositor or take your suggestions to the town office. Just
thinking about it will help you see our town in a more positive light.
—S.W.
Courtesy gets results
-The mov
There's nothing like the good old dnq's i
right? And there's nothing you and your
buddies or me and my old pals like better
than to get together and talk them over.
Never mind what we're doing now. Forget
the pain and trial of our daily lives. And we
definitely don't want to talk about plans for
the future. Uh, uh. When the good old boys
or good old girls meet. we want to talk about
the past.
Specifically the good times. The victories,
the successes,•the moves we made, the fast
ones we pulled, the laughs we had before we
settled into the routine of nine to five,
husbands and wives, kids and houses.
Perhaps we're at a reflective age. Perhaps
we want to avoid looking at what's ahead in
favor of where we were. But whatever the
cause, reminiscing is extremely popular this
year with people i know. "Remember the
time when..." followed by gales of laughter,,
dominated the conversation when 1 was with
friends in Toronto last week.
FABULOUS FILMS
Not only that, but nostalgia was a popular
Everyone of us is ready to criticize. Doesn't much matter what, but
because we're cynical, critical and skeptical that anyone, anywhere could
be up to much good, we throw out thebiting comments a lot more quickly
than the compliments. '
It's a sad trait, that and it's not even very smart. There's a saying: that
you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, and like a lot of cliches,
it's true. When Is the last time you felt like doing a favor for someone
whose complaint§ are interrupted only by angry tirades?
Mayor Alf Ross and Seaforth council made a move recently to buck this
trend and we say good for them. The mayor suggested, and council
agreed, that the county and CN should be thanked for the great
improvement made In the Main St. railway crossing.
Incidentally, the'Improvetnents show what can happen when you work
together. Alone, Seaforth had tried for several years to get the crossing
levelled: Then, because It's a county road, the county engineer was
contacted and voila this summer we get results.
It's a little thing. But every driver who goes over those tracks
appreciates the fact that bumps are gone. Thanks to our mayor and council
for practising common courtesy and letting those responsibile know their
work is appreciated.
Now, all of us critics and complainers need to follow their example, -
S.W.
y@apo agof@
SEP -;'EMBER 26, 1958
Mr. Mrs. James Ernest Willis
celebrated their golden wedding anniversary
on Monday. They have one son Fred, three
grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
James A. Murray, since 1948 acconntant
at the Seaforth btanch of the Canadian
Imperial Bank of Commerce, has been made
manager at the Dund'alk branch. While in
Seaforth he had an active interest in the
community. He served as secretary treas-
urer of the Seaforth Athletic Association,
secretary of the Lions Club, treasurer of
First Presbyterian church and a member of
•
aye full of memories.
..y n. , �...
o arid'all of us. _ , m ,
goc4't�ong iO �o�% But all the films i saw, with their
6y Swat 'WIIQQ j/
paled beside a short, low budget movie
0 o called Alcina and the Condor. it's Nicara-
guah made and set in that country. A little
boy, Alcina, grows up with his grandmother
in the lush countryside and he wants -to fly.
Not in a plane but like a bird.
There's a dirty war going on. between the
military, with American and Dutch advisors,
and,guerillas in the mountains. Alcina sees
his neighbours rounded up and shot by the
military. Villages are burned and pillaged.
Hungry people are herded on the roads.
Through the agony of war, a back injury
and the death of'his grandmother, Alcina
survives, watches and gt�ows. We under-
stand the horror and the disruption of his
country through his eyes. `
I don't like to think about it but Alcina and
the Condor shows what life is like these days
in wartern countries like Nicaragua. MI our
pampered reminiscing feels pretty self-
indulgent when you teaiize that.
intellectual dilemmas and their memories
theme at the giant 10 day long orgy of
movies, Toronto's Festival of Festivals, that
i dropped into. Hundreds of films from all
over the world are shown. Last week's was
the eight annual and for seven years I've
read reviews of all thp, fabulous films in the
Toronto papers.
This year i went one better, bought some
tickets, and saw some of what's new,
strange or just interesting in the movies
these days. From what i saw, and from
reading the Festival's wishbook-size pro-
gram directory; a lot of moviemakers are
looking back with the rest -of us.
A film from Quebec called Beyond Forty
put a group of middle-aged people who'd
been fast friends as teenagers' together in a
rustic cabin for 24 hours. The characters
were great ---we got to know and care about
them. Remembering was interrupted how-
ever by reality and a pretty sad ending.
The Big Chill, the film festival's biggest
hit, is a Hollywood version of much the same
story. A group of well-heeled old friends get
together after the funeral of one of their
number. They've .got money and career
success, but why did one of them commit
suicide?
Another film 1 saw followed an elegant old
French woman as she returned to her
home town) Toulon, and relived the war
years. She wrestled with guilt, and with
memories of resistance or collaboration in
her Nazi -occupied country. like most
people, she was an observer during the war,
too busy "faking sure her children And
mother got enough to pat to "get involved."
is that a legitimate reason not to fight
against evil? That's what she asks herself
History should tell us something
History should teach us to beware times of
crisis and turmoil, not just for the hardship
and suffering they bring, but because they
tempt people to listen to "rational" and
"simple" solutions to all problems. We're in
one of those periods now and voices are
being raised with some simple solutions to
our problems.
it's to be expected that there would he
reactions such as the swing to the right
politically, a reaction against cradle -to -grave
socialist philosophy that has ruled politics in
many western countries in the last quarter
century. For one thing, there is disappoint-
ment on behalf of the public that the utopia
promised by the thinkers of the movement
has not come true. Despite massive
government spending we do not have the
absolute security many of us would wish.
There is also a reaction against the mistakes
that were inevitable in trying to make such a
change in our society as had been advocated.
THE FITTEST?
So it is not surprising that many have said
the curling club.
Following a short ceremony at noon on
Wednesday natural gas began to .flow into
Seaforth.
SEPTEMBER 22, 1933
Dr. G.F. Rogers, director of education in
Ontario and former principal of the Seaforth
Collegiate Institute. addressed an open
meeting of the Home and School Club in
Cardno s Hall, on Tuesday evening.
Forty-four panes of glass had to be
replaced in the exhibition hall of the Seaforth
Please see page 3
we have to get back to a system that rewards
the ambitious and encourages people to not
depend on the state. Darwin s theory of
evolution, of survival of the fittest is in vogue
in oudnew way of thinking about business.
There were many businessmen, for instance,
who were against supporting Chrysler and
Massey Ferguson because they had not
proved they deserved to survive.
But for some of the new economic
thinkers, the professors and the economists
and increasingly, more politicians, simple
survival of the fittest is not enough in
business. They want to help the process
along. You'll hear a lot today about the need
for a national industrial strategy. You'll hear
economists who say we must develop
government policies that encourage growth
of those areas of business that show
potential and kill off the industries that
aren't seen as having potential for the
future.
The policy amounts to economic,euthen;
asia. Rather .than letting nature take -its
course, these economists want government
to play god and make, life and degth
decisions. They would have polttticians
backed by economists, .for, instance, give
goodies to high technology, industries while
,at the same time`encouraging the death of
the textile industry in Canada because it call
be replaced by impppported textiles from the far
East mote cheaply.
While . a caseican be made against
governments propping up sick industries
like the textile,industry. there seems to be
nothing more dangerous than letting govern -
Young people aren't
o -
Sagae and Spas
One of the many things that occasionally
arouse my ire is ancient, self-satisfied,
right-wing journalists who reiterate that
Canadian young people are basically bums,
spoiled by affluent parents. ready to flop
onto welfare, eager to grab unemployment
insurance after a few months of work, lazy
on the job, irresponsible, averse to anything
resembling a dirty job. or a menial one.
whatever that is.
These writers would prefer our young
people to be semi -robots, like the Japanese,
who join a company, live with the company,
eat with the company, suckle from the
company, clap hands when the company
gives them a holiday, and are retired when
they are too old to work any more, but not
fired: they get a job sweeping up the joint at
barely enough yen to put rice on the table.
The same writers celebrate young Ger-
mans who go into an apprenticeship at 14,
work like dogs for peanuts until they aye
journeymen, and by the time they are master
craftsmen, are too old to enjoy anything but
a glass of beer and a snooze in front of the
television set.
ment decide which industries should be
encouraged and which discouraged. For one
thing. who has the knowledge to decide?
Who can really see the future? The same
people who are urging this today are
the people who didn't forsee the horrible
economic mess Canada is in today. Do you
want them deciding what the future should
be?
If a.country is going to have a healthy
future it must have a broad-based future.
Trio much specialization, means that one
wto'frg calculation can be suicidal. Too much .
centralized interference also means that
Options are cut off for people. Unknown to
Ottawa, fur instance, somebody in far off
Huron county `might have a:brilliant idea that
will revolutionize the wotid. IT he Oust Linn
the approval of .government, the' Idea may
never see the light of day,
Any' policy that does mit allow 'ideas to
seccted'or'fail on their own merits without a
government stamp of approval in 'the long
tun will fail.
all that bad
by BE St llc'y
That is a lot of crap, and one of the worst
purveyors of it is R.J. Needham, an ,
occasional columnist with Canada's self -
boosting title of Canada's National News-
paper. one of the great misnonfers of the
century.
if a man bites a dog in Toronto. it's
front-page stuff. if a dog bites a man in the'
Yukon, or a halibut bashes a tfishing-boat in
Newfie, that's a little "amusing" paragraph
on Page 18.
"Mad dogs attack natives." "Crazed
monster fish smashes dingy; four killed."
But back to Needham and people like him.
When he began his column, then daily, I
- liked it. He was good for an aphorism or two.
He had a refreshing attitude toward women
and young people. Some of his fairy-tale
analogies were delightful. He got out and
talked to kids. He thought they were great
and their straight middle-class parents were
all wrong.
He has changed almost completely. He
now thinks most young people are bums,
that Canadians have no spunk left in them.
He goes on and on abdut how he's 'never
been out of a job in his life, He quotes the
Wall St. Journal. hnd most of his Wit tomes
out of Bartlett's Familiar Quotations. He
carries on his fiction that there isn't 8 male
in Canada with any sense of gatinntry,
humor or courtesy toward the oppokltp sex.
He makes snide remarks about honfosex-
uals, and gives the general impression that
he'd like to see the cops out with clubs,
keeping "order" by bashing anybody who
protests against anythintr. •
1 have singled out Mr. Needliam, but he's
only a symbol. i once heard him say that no
poetry had been written worth reading since
Tennyson. That's because Tennylson rhymed
you see. 1 gave him the appropriate
one -word answer, and he had the grace to
back •off a' bit.
But what 1 am getting to,. and it's taking
me a white, is that most of'the young people
in Canada, and their elders, are wtlling to
work, and want to work, but they don't want
to be slaves or blue-collar workers necessAr-
ily. They want to be independent. They don't
want to say, "Ah, sol" when the bolts sgys
they are going to get a wage cut; or "Bine
schoent' when the boss says they'll work
Sunday motiiing, otelse.
;This is brought !Mine to me time and time
;again when litheo fottner students sweating
away as waitresses or taborets so that they
' e"an go to college, instead iSf-1 tIng around on
welfare Or unetiiployment or liufliming off
their patents. ' f
sore, there are sortie Whb do. BUt
they're bums, and they. aIWay Will be. And
;there are plenty Of them WO t countries.
And always will be. But`' patents are
Please see page 3