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Times Advocate, 1984-12-12, Page 4Page 4 Times,Advocate, December 12, 1984 Ames - dvocate Times Established 1873 Serving South Huron, North Middlesex Advocate Established 1881 & North Lambton Since 1873 Amalgamated 1924 Published by J.W. Eedy Publications Limited LORNE EEDY Publisher JIM BECKETT Adsertising Manager BILL BATTEN ROSS HAUGH Editor Assistant Editor HARRY DEVRIES Composition Manager DICK JONGKIND Business Manager Published Each Wednesday Morning at Exeter, Ontario Second Class Mail Registration Number 0386. Phone 235-1331 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada: $22.00 Per year; U.S.A. $60.00 C.W.N.A., O.C.N.A. CLASS 'A' Should be of concern How many times must society be expected to turn the other cheek? That's a question being legitimately asked by relatives and friends of a 33 -year-old St. Marys area woman who was brutally slain on Christmas eve three years ago. Londoner Raymond Rueger was convicted of first- degree murder in the slaying of Marilyn Arthur while she was driving home to spend Christmas with her family. Rueger followed her from a London shopping mall and forced her car off the road east of Elginfield and cut her throat. She bled to death. Recently, the Ontario court of appeal reduced the charge to second-degree murder. Sentence has not yet been imposed, but it means that Rueger will be eligi- ble for parole in 10 years, rather than in 25 under the original conviction. The appeal court decision was based on defence arguments that Rueger was drunk and didn't plan to CCM" +CNA murder his victim. He was described as being so im- paired by alcohol and by his emotional and mental state that he wasn't able to form the specific intent to kill. The handing down of this new verdict has, quite understandably, distressed the Arthur family and friends,some of whom live in Exeter, and there is a letter -writing campaign underway to Attorney -General Roy McMurtrey objecting to the court's decision. It is an issue that should concern people. There must be some question whether Rueger's past perfor- mance should have allowed him to be free in the first place, given the evidence that he has an "extensive" psychiatric history involving assaults on women. Ob- viously, past sentence and treatments had failed to cor- rect his problem and suggest he should not have been free to continue his mayhem. That he now will have his jail term reduced and probably be free to return to society without any guarantee that his acts -will not be repeated, is frightening. Surprising leadership It may appear to be a bit of a paradox that area farmers have shown considerable leadership and generosity in supplying corn donations for the starv- ing millions in Africa. While economic indicators suggest farmers are facing some hardships themselves, it hasn't dulled their sense of responsibility to come to the aid of those less fortunate. That's perhaps not as much of a paradox as it would appear. People in rural areas have grown up with the old-fashioned and ingrained habit of looking after their neighbors in times of need and the evidences of that are innumerable. That the need is continents away has not manag- ed to dim the habit or daunt the contributors. Canadians have set a fine example for the rest of the world by becoming the largest per capita donors to the food fund for starving Ethiopians. The desperate For those A trip to the Exeter dump or sewage lagoons may not be your idea of a winter holiday exodus, but for those of us not for- tunate enough to have a winter trip book- ed to some exotic southern retreat, it may be the next best thing to break up the January doldrums. The town committee planning an agen- da for "local government week' have come up with the idea of a tour of all municipality -owned facilities to give Irwal ratepayers some insight into the invest- ment they have made for various services provided from their tax dollars. There'll even be a video presentation on various aspects of the work undertaken m the assorted facilities, plus information on capital and operating costs involved with the various departments. Now, who would want to avail themselves of such a tour? Well, i would. for one, if for no other reason than to see the new sewage lagoon system. For several weeks, members of council who have been watching the con- struction of the new system have been reporting in glowing terms about the scope of the project and how interesting it really is. Personally, i can't imagine anything in- teresting about seeing a system designed to handle human waste, but then i've been among those pleasantly surprised in the past at having a good time at an event that premonition had suggested would be a dull affair. There's every reason to expect the shuttle bus jaunt to be interesting if for no other than to see all tie town's facilities in one outing to put into perspective the millions of dollars that have been spent over the years in providing the services and programs that make this communi- ty one of the most endowed in the area The organizers have 16 stops outlined on the tour already, although had most of us been asked to compile such a list, it possibly would have fallen for short of that number. Hopefully, local citizens will avail plight of these people has brought forth a spontaneous outpouring of aid from our people who are sp blessed with ample supplies of the best foodstuffs in the world. Among those duplicating the generosity of area farmers are the Innuit people of the far north. Tiny communities in the harshest of lands have raised thousands of dollars in cash and by donating products of their own hands such as soapstone carving and hand- made clothing. They have known from bitter experience that one's good fortune must be shared with the entire communi- ty in times of great need. They've known the pangs of hunger themselves and recognized quickly the need to help in whatever way possible. While budget demands are heavy on everyone at this time of year, our needs pale in comparison to that of others and it is imperative that charity he upper- most in our hearts. Have you given to the best of your ability? who can't head south themselves of the opportunity to see in more concrete terms how their tax dollars are spent and what happens to the gar- bage they place at the curb each week or the process that commences when they flush their toilet. • The writer is even more enthusiastic about the suggestion forwarded by Dorothy Chapman to have local high school students stage their own mock BATT'N AROUND with the editor council meeting and deliberate the debate on some of the issues which each week face local councils in the area served by SIIDHS. In many of those issues, there is often a statement made by some council member that the decision is in the interest of the future of his or her community. Nothing could be more enlightening. perhaps, to have those whose future is be ing planned give their thoughts on what they see being done on their behalf. The current debate over the pioneer museum at Goderich, for instance, would he a debate that could prove very interesting. Perhaps one involving students from throughout the area on the issue of recrea- tion cost sharing would he another that would stimulate their minds and also give area officials some indication of how the future generation views the major issue that will be the subject of a seven - municipality meeting early next year. The necessity on the part of the students involved to document the background on such issues and to explore the ramifica- tions to them and their parents could also lead to some interesting bull sessions at the dining room tables of area homes. it may even make some adults more aware of the issues with which their elected officials are faced and to prompt them to consider providing more input in- to those decisions, rather than sitting back and voicing their complaints follow- ing some that they consider as unfavorable. * • . The writer has long held the opinion that local government is the most impor- tant of all those by which we are govern- ed. It is the government closest to the peo- ple and therefore the one which can act with the most speed and accuracy to fill the needs of the people it serves. Unfortunately, it has had many of its duties and responsibilities eroded through the years, due in no small part to the fact that people have allowed that to happen through their own indifference and apathy. Too few people are willing to accept their roles in making their communities better places in which to live and those who serve in that capacity are indeed ow- ed a great deal of gratitude. By involving the next generation in wor- the while exercies, perhaps they will be challenged to consider those roles more conscientiously and they will, of course, be the prime benefactors if that succeeds in any measure. The committee involved in planning ac- tivities for local government week are to be commended and supported. While many communities would have been satisfied with an appropriate proclama- tion, the activities planned will be of con- siderable more value. The only unknown ingredient, as usual, is public support. it is the ingredient that will determine the success and hopefully will be given more response than some other programs initiated in the past. 0 REPORT FAVORS ItMPLOYMENT EQUITY' LAWS "You already have equality of sorts. Last year, you had a job and I didn't — this year we're BOTH unemployed!" Turkey for Easter With your kind permis- sion, I'll tell you a little Christmas story this week. we'll call it: "Turkey for Easter." In my own home town, when I was a boy, a Turkey Fair was held every winter, shortly before Christmas. There was a district north of the town that was poor farm- ing land. It was rough and rocky, like some parts of the Bruce Peninsula, and its inhabitants had a dif- ficult time scraping a liv- ing out of the inhospitable land. So most of them grew turkeys. They's let them run practically wild through the year, then bring them to town for the Turkey Fair. The main street would be lined with sleighs, cutters and old cars, all piled high with turkey for sale. Buyers would come from the cities, and the townspeo- ple would all be out to pick up their Christmas fowl. As a result, the town street would be crowded. Jingl- ing sleighbells, scurrying people, filled with the Christmas spirit, and crowds of turkey farmers and their families, with the sharp -faced buyers from Montreal and Ot- tawa scuttling to get the best birds for the least money, made it an ex- citing day for the town's youngsters, and quite a few of us didn't show up at school that day. I'll never forget one Turkey Fair, when I was about twelve years old. It was right in the middle of the depression. As usual, the street was lined with turkey farmers, selling their wares, by nine ,o'clock in the morning. This was the big day of the year for them. The rest of the year, they barely managed to make ends meet. But when they had sold their turkeys, they were rich for a day. Some of them would have as much as thirty or forty dollars, a lot of money in those days. This was for them. It meant that children would have something for Christmas, that Mother might get a new dress, or pair of shoes, that Father could have a few beers and maybe buy some shells for his gun, and that their credit at the store could be sustained. They were ter- ribly poor. Well, this one year, something happened. At the time, I had no idea their children, cold and hungry wailing in sym- pathy. The men's faces showed anger, fright and bewilderment. It was a bitter day for them. It meant that instead of a Christmas full of warmth and happiness they were faced with a Christmas bleak with despair, lack- ing everything that usual- ly made it good, as well as a cheerless winter ahead, existing by the barest of margins. It was a shambles. Sugar and Spice Dispensed.By Smiley 0 what it was, but it was pro- bably a glut of fowl on the market, and too many people without money to buy turkey for Christmas. At any rate, the Turkey Fair was an utter failure. Only a few buyers showed up, a lot of the townspeo- ple simply did not have any money, and were liv- ing on credit, and the farmers could not get rid of their turkeys. At first they were selling a few for outrageously low prices, twelve or thirteen cents a pound, instead of the usual eighteen to twenty-five. But by noon the turkey farmers were nearing panic. They were running around with a turkey in each hand, can- vassing houses, trying to sell them for seven and eight cents a pound. By four o'clock in the afternoon, the full extent of the tragedy had been revealed. Women stood by their sleigh -loads of turkeys, with the tears streaming down their faces, and three or four of Turkeys were hurled into the street and trampled on by bitter, frustrated men. Others spent their last fif- ty cents for a bottle of cheap wine and got drunk. The people of the town looked grave, sym- pathetic, worried. Even the heavens wept, and a down -pour of freezing rain fouled the white snow and increased the general misery. I don't think I have ever felt more sad and depress- ed than I did that day, child though I was. When I got home, I wanted to spill all my feelings to my mother, but one look at her face told me she knew. She went about her work with that intense fury that always possessed her when she was trying to hide her feelings, and i knew better than to start babbling. A while later my Dad came in with a long face, and he and my mother held one of those low - voiced conclaves that drive curious children crazy. Then he went back outside. My mother looked a little less harassed. Then the rest of the family began coming in, my young brother started hor- sing around, and with the tough indifference of a youngster, I almost forgot about the turkey farmers and their despair, in the babble of the family. When my dad got home, we all sat down to supper. in those days, you ate sup- per at suppertime, in our circle. Mother and Dad still looked pretty grave, but not so bad as before, and we kids were all talk- ing at once, as usual. We had hamburg for supper. I was feeling a bit disgruntled with my parents for being so serious and uncom- municative, so, probably to attract attention, I said: "Hamburg, hamburg, hamburg. We're always eating hamburg. Aren't we ever going to eat anything else around here?" You know how a kid will say things like that. We did have a lot of hamburg, but I liked it. My mother gave me one look, got up, took me by the ear, marched me to the woodshed door, off the kitchen, opened it, and said: "Yes, you're going to get something besides hamburg. You're going to eat turkey from now until Easter." There, hanging from the rafters in the woodshed, were about twelve or thirteen big turkeys. Next day I found out that other families in town, among those who were able, had done the same thing, out of sym- pathy for the turkey farmers. By the time they had given turkeys to all their friends. neighbors and relatives, in an at- tempt to get rid of them, there were few people who went without turkey THAT Christmas, in the town. Hit in pocket book i've got a gripe. It has to do with the drivel that is being served up to us on the major TV networks in the name of entertainment. it seems that unless at least six cars are wreck- ed, (including two or three police cars), three or four people beaten up, a couple killed (in very graphic detail), and three other violent crimes committed, that the show is not complete. Believe me, I'm concerned. I think that our children are being exposed to such a steady stream of violence on television that they are gradually being conditioned to think that that kind of behaviour is the normal way to act. Currently a magazine is being charged with being from a tree and then depicted as being dead. Nasty stuff to say the least. Liberal thinkers say Perspectives By Syd Fletcher obscene. Perhaps that sur- prises you in the light of what is readily available on the newstands. Well, in this case what is being ob- ted to is a woman being brutally tied up, hung that censorship itself is evil, that it infringes upon the rights of people. HoWever if somebody thrusts something with a very bad smell in front of my face or in front of my child's face do i not have the right to object? Most certainly I do. Thus I will continue to turn the TV channel away from such nonsense and given the chance inform the sponsors that i will no longer buy their product if they continue to support it. I will also continue to sup- port by-laws which place pornographic material on high shelves or behind a clerk, well out of the reach of children. Simple measures but reasonably effective. Much better than just ig- noring the issue. Hit them in the pocket book. That's where it hurts.