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Clinton News-Record, 1985-5-8, Page 4Page 4—CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, WEDNESDAY, MAY 8,1985 The Clinton Plow-8ocord la pub00shod each Wednesday at P.O. Som 39, Clinton. Ontario. Canada. NOM 10.0. Tel.: 402-33443- Snbacriptlon Rate: Canada - 619.73 Sib Citizen - s 16.73 per year U.S.A. foralgn - 833.00 per your It la registered as ao¢ond class meal by the post office under the permit number 0817. The Plows -Record Incorporated In 1924 (rho baron Plows -Record, founded In 1881, and .The Clinton blows Fra, founded In 1863. Total prows runs 9.700. Incorporating THE BLYTH STANDARD J. HOWAR AITKEN - Publisher SHELLEY McPHEE - Edit®r GARY HAIST - Advertising Manager MARY ANN HOLLENRECK - lige Manager MEMBER Display advertising rates available on roquost. Ask for Rate Card No. 13 effective October 1, 1984, A MEMBER War is not a game A proposal to locate National Survival Games ( war games) has become an issue of public concern in Turnberry Township. The establishment of this so-called recreational sport is gaining momentum in a number of our rural municipalities. Goderich Township, for one, flatly turned down a proposal for the establishment of war games in their community. Other townships should be prepared to follow this lead, if and when, survival games are proposed in their municipality. The Wingham Advance Times noted, this so-called sport, in which grown men and women run around the woods with guns trying to shoot their opponents with pain pellets while avoiding .being shot themselves, is scarcely a game and has nothing to do with national survival. At a time when hundreds of people in Nicaragua, Lebanon, Afghanistan and elsewhere are being killed and mutilated in real shooting wars, with no choice in the matter, this sort of "bang, bang, you're dead play war is 'an obscenity and a blot in our society, the sort of thing which could appeal only to a thrill -seeker with little conscience and no knowledge of the hor- rors of true battle. Undoubtedly it is popular in some quarters and there is money to be made from it, but so much the worse: The same could be said of por- nography and the drug trade, two of the great cancers of our, age. With family and social violence increasingalarmingly and the chilling threat of superpower conflict posing real questions of survival, we .can 'well do without such desensitizing " games ". . For those who must have thrills, we would suggest volunteering 'for a tour of duty with Canadian peacekeeping forces in some corner of the world where real bullets are flying, or offering their services to some of the millions of people, dying in countries where survival is much more than a cheap catch -word. A short dose should be sufficient for most. Doucette family are ideal representatives of Ontario Dear Editor: This is being sent to your• newspaper in hopes you will consider publishleg same. We are permanent residents of Winter Haven,' Florida and wish to make known to you in Clinton, what ideal representatives you province has in the Cale Doucette Fami-. ly. We would appreciate your conveying to Marion Doucette our gratitude for .her so aleid sco R e Any man or woman who undermines "motherhood" as second class status has no real understanding or appreciation for the essential role that mothers play. Mothers are the heart of the family, the backbone of society. Their inner strength, their care, compassion and boundless sup- port have shaped our lives and the country we live in. Motherhood has faced drastic changes over the years. It has been . criticized, challenged and has undergone remarkable transformations. And yet, the spirit of motherhood remains indomitable. The greatest changes in motherhood have come in our times. Economists and sociologists say that the roots of change were planted during World War II, .when the economy shifted from a farming base to a system that relied heavily on manufactur- ing and services. During the war years the economy demanded intensified support of women, Men, who had been the primary income earners in the work force, were called for war duty. The economic stability of North America relied on women and their will- ingness to accept the responsibility. Great strides in liberation and women's in- dependence developed in this decade. The trend continued. Statistics Canada reported that in the decade between 1971 and 1981, the number of working women soared 64 per cent to 4.85 million and is now approaching 5.1 million. Some 60 per cent of these working women are in the 24 to 55 age bracket, the "child bearing years," a time in the past when women traditionally stayed in the home and raised children. The working mother decades brought its share of positive and negative results. A mother's career benefited her family with extra income and gave her greater feelings of self esteem. The increased independence outside the. home also brqught its Share of troubles. Discrimination in the work force, inequality in wages, provisions for pregnancy leave, and inadequate day care services are some of the problems that surfaced. Despite the changes that have been made today, discrimination against working women con- tinues to be an important issue. In the home the working mother faced another dilemma - the Superwoman Syn- drome. Books and magazines told women - how to manage their time, at their work, in generously sharing her seemingly unlimited talents with our daughters' elementary school while vacationing here. Your area is surely aware of her exceptional presenta- tions in puppetry. Thank you, Marion. We have heard so much about you, our northern most neighbors, that we plan to spend our family vacation touring Canada in July. Prime Minister : sits on fence Dear Editor: I hope that Keith Roulston sent a carbon copy of his letter to'I'resident Reagan of last week to our Prime Minister. who seems to be' sitting On the fence with regard to Star Wars. We are fortunate to have in Huron ('aunty a writer with the temerity to Point out the implication of Star Wass as far as we are concerned, namely, that nuclear warheads intended for targets in the United States will be diverted to fall on our heads instead. Could it be that media people in. Toronto, Ottawa and -other places have, not publicly pointed out this obvious eventuality because they do not wish to be denied access to the U.S. next time they try to cross'the border? As for Mr. Roulston, could it be that he, like Earley Mowatt, doesnit give a damn if he never crosses the border? Sincerely, Alexander McAlister • Bayfield By Shelley McPhee their homes, with children and husbands. Supermoms were expected to do it all - have brilliant careers, change diapers, be fashionable, cook gourmet meals, be an understanding wife, fix the plumbing, play tennis - be strong, resourceful and flexible. Her intentions were admirable, but soon Superwoman ran out of steam. Canadian Columnist Michele Landsberg put it simply, "Superwoman can't fly." Today a new, more realistic, ideal of motherhood is being promoted. It doesn't ask women to sacrifice their lives for their children or for their work outside the home. The "new" motherhood talks about balance and positive development. It promotes the best of both worlds, allowing mothers the opportunity to make the choice between a modified version of the traditional role of motherhood and the liberated working mother ideal. Best of all, the new motherhood doesn't force one choice over another. It suggests that a woman make their own decision, bas- ed on establishing a delicate balance between her life in and out of the home. There no longer exists a perfect image of what a mother is supposed to be. She is no longer demanded to devote her entire life to raising her children. Motherhood today em- phasizes "quality, not quantity," the impor- tance of maintaining a sense of self, of set- ting personal goals for the future to help avoid thie "emntv nest" syndrome when the children have grown and left home. • Today a mother may choose to return to work, fulltime of part time, for the extra in- come, or for the sense of importance and satisfaction that working gives her. She may choose to stay in the home and find strength, joy, and heightened self-esteem in her role as "fulltime mother." Many young mothers today develop out- side interests in community clubs and organizations. More emphasis is being plac- ed on freelance, creative work opportunities in the home, allowing women to combine their skills as mothers and professional workers, on their own terms. The Superwoman image has been modified. The magazine -perfect woman that was featured in the late 1970s and early '80s has been replaced by a more realistic version. Women need no longer compare themselves to an impossible ideal, or feel belittled for not being able to achieve the successes of this role model. Motherhood has survived decades of radical change and upheaval. Undoubtedly the evolution will continue. What makes motherhood infalliable is its Spirit. The miracle of creation, the nuturing, the awesome responsibility to shape the life and expectations of a human being, the lifelong bond between a child and mother are mystifying emotions and deeply rooted images that can never be replaced by a test tube or a child care centre. Motherhood re- mains the heart of the family. Once a year - all year May is Family Unity Month in Ontario, continuing a tradition started in 1975 when Family Unity Month was first officially pro- claimed by the Ontario Government. This celebration recognizes the many contribu- tion made by the family to the quality of life in•the province. The 1985 theme, Once A Year - All Year! ; encourages appreciation of the family year round, not just for one month. "'Phis special month presents an oppor- tunity for us all to strengthen family ties and reaffirm our belief in the family as the cor- nerstone of soci-ty," said Gordon H. Dean, Provincial Secr.aary for Social Develop- ment. "It has been particularly gratifying to note the manner in which the community - has nartici,pal40 in this eelPhration over the past ten years", said Dean. "Across the province,, schools, churches and community organizations en- thusiastically join in activities that foster the spirit of family unity. In addition, many municipalities officially proclaim Family Unity Month in their communities." Artwork for this year's Family Unity Month promotional materials was commis- sioned from Ontario artist Lynn Johnston creator of the family-oriented syndicated cartoon, "For Better Or For Worse". • A pamphlet containing suggested Family Unity Month activities has been circulated to community organizations throughout the province. It is designed to encourage events and activities which recognize the impor- tant role played by the family. ' Setting Sail Behind The Sear�es � Sugar and Spice By Kith Roulston One -tel) at a time Most of •our "heroes" today are artificial heroes so that it's something of a shock to meet a real hero and find just how outwardl- ly ordinary heroes are. 'rhe, publicized heroes of the day are the baseball players and hockey stars and' the rock singers and soap opera actors. They do things none of us can do and are rewarded in ways none of us can ever hope to be. Then there are the real heroes. I recently had the privilege to meet. one of them and the surprising part was to find out that he was just an ordinary man, a man with charm and a delightful sense of humor to be sure, but so much like the rest of us. But Father Murray Abraham is not like the rest of us in what he has done with his life. While many of us look at the situation in the third world and shake our hearts and ask what's to be done, father Abraham has been doing something. A Canadian .Jesuit priest, he went to India more than 30 years ago and one little corner of that vast country at least, has -never been the same. Father Abraham was appointed principal of a school near the Nepal border, a run - Gown, even dangerous school. • He didn't have any grand plan but small step by small step he has revolutionized the lives of several hundred people, setting an example for aiding the poor that should be spread around the world. Father Abraham decided he wanted his school to serve the truly poor people of his area ( many mission schools end up ui^qtly serving the wealthy of third world coun- tries l and found nut that he had to go otit and really search for the poor. Ile found that tor children to learn they had to have full stomachs so he started a feeding program to make sure they had one good meal a day. He found out that for the children to have an in- centive to learn, their parents had to be lear- ning toe). He found out that they needed a feeling of self-worth and so once a year the children get new uniforms. He hires poor parents to.help make the uniforms. People needed to learn ways of breaking the poverty cycle so he started a chicken operation on the roof of his school. Today the school has thousands of chickens producing eggs and meat which are sold to the resort hotels ( eggs would be the equivalent of $2.80 each so they can't afford to eat their own eggs) to raise money. He has constructed a school for 1,400 students, a second school to give poor children a chance to get an early start on learning and has build an experimental community that teaches people how to pro- duce food for themselves and their com- munity, carving all of these out of the moun- tain side with his own hands and back and those of the people he helps. The difference between this hero and the rest of us is that he doesn't throw up his hands and say it's too big a problem. He tackles the problem one small step at a time. He has taught people that together they can literally move .mountains. if they work steadily toward a goal, no matter how big the task, they can accomplish it. It's something we can learn from ourselves in Canada. Unfortunately we're too impatient. We want instant results. We ('need a few Father Abrahams in our own country to teach us that no task is too large if we start at step one. By Anne Narejko Today "s society, DON'T you get a little tired of the touchiness of modern society in which, no matter where you step, it's on somebody's toes, no matter what you say or write, it's a slur on someone's background, color, creed or convictions? About the only areas left in whibh one may chance'a remark without fear of inflicting a wound are politics and sex. It's extremely difficult to inflict even a bruise on a politician. He must have a fat ego in the first place, and he quickly ac- quires a brass hide to go with it. Add an ability to talk out of both sides of the mouth at once, and a certain skill in straddling fences, and you have cabinet material. In the field of sex, there don't seem to be any limits any more to what can be said, presented or simulated. Movies, magazines and theatres, club us over the head with raw, unembellished sex, or seek to titillate the spook in each of us with highly - embellished,• freaky sex until the whole once -exciting subject has become a crashing bore. Aside from sex and politics then, there is scarcely an aspect of the human scene where even angels fear to tread, lest they step on someone's sensibilities. Ethnic jokes are out, black is beautiful, gefilte fish is glorious, Rhodesia is rotten, poor people are more noble than rich people, gay is gorgeous, and the only real sin is to be old. Lord forbid that we should ever go back to the days when a Catholic was a "mirk" or a "dogan," a black person was a "nigger," an Italian was a "wop," a Chinese was a "chink," and so on. By Bill Smiley But I do get heartily sick of a society in which you have to tippy -toe all the bine for fear of offending some touchy minority, or trespassing inadvertently on someone's weird religious affiliations. We are developing into a society with a snobbish sort of reverse prejudice in which cyerybody is leaning over backwards in order to appear not even to be breathing orf anyone elee. As a result, we are losing much of that good old ('anadian crustiness and turning in- to a nation of nice nellies in whose mouths margarine wouldn't melrti.. Even our media reflect this trend in our society. With few exceptions, our newspapers art' as bland as blanc mange. The letters to the editor have more bite, and are often better written, than the editorials. Our magazines are either tiresomely "liberal" or narrowly nationalistic, or both. Tied in tight bundles, they make better firewood than they do reading matter. Television and radio news reporting, most of it culled from the late editions of newspapers, is incredibly unimaginative and repetitious. TV programs, on the whole, are pure pap, offensive by being so inoffen- sive. Public figures are so frightened of offen- ding somebody or losing a few votes, that their public utterances, come out as mush wrapped in marshmallow. What this country, and this society, need is a good dash of cold water from somewhere, to wake us from our mind - numbing, paralyzing "niceness." We need a Bob Edwards or a Grattan O'Leary to jolt us with some honest V16LLpeLdUUr1, Duuie cuiurrul riante-caurng, some hard facts, and some common sense. We need some politicians with guts, who don't give a diddle for the popularity polls, and who would give us the facts of life without any sugar coating. We need some educators with backbone to tell the people who claim that Huckleberry Finn is racist and The Merchant of Venice is anti-semitic and Catch-22 is dirty and The Diviners is disgusting, to go fly a kite. We need about 10,000 fewer smart -ass commentators on what is wrong with this country, and a few hundred honest men or women to tell us what is right with it. We need far fewer "reasonable" people and a heck of a lot more "unreasonable" people, who would refuse to accept something just because it's always been done that way, or someone might be upset if things were changed. We need some thundering editorials, some pulpits pounded, some stiff jail sentences for racism, some honesty in high places. We certainly don't need a "good war" or a "good depression" to make Canadians stop whining and bitching and mealy -mouthing,. but we certainly need a "good" something to turn us back into the sturdy, in- dividualistic people we used to be. I haven't the answers. I'm no prophet. But I'm sick to the ears of a society that thinks: old people are a nuisance; young people are never a nuisance; supermarkets are sexy; social workers can make miracles; and everybody is as good as everybody else. Perhaps if you agree with me to some ex- tent, you would enjoy reading The Golden Age of B.S. by Fred C. Dobbs. It's rambling and it's coarse in spots, but it's right on.