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The Times Advocate, 2006-09-27, Page 44 Exeter Times–Advocate Wednesday, September 27, 2006 zkocna =CNA Editorial Opinion n = MISIM 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 costs. Canada Jim Beckett – Publisher Deb Lord – Production Manager Scott Nixon – Editor 4 Published by Metroland Printing, Publishing & Distributing Ltd. Metroland 424 Main Street South, P.O. Box 850 Exeter, Ontario NOM 1S6 • 519-235-1331 Peter Winkler -General Manager, Southwestern Ontario Division EDITORIAL Liberal race heats up Just as the South Huron municipal election continues to gather interest each week with new candidates constantly filing their nomination papers, the Liberal leadership race, which was at one point about as exciting as watching paint dry, has kicked things up with accusations, a candidate dropping out and cries of racism. This in -fighting probably won't help the Liberals defeat the Conservatives in the next election, but it does make the race for the party's leader much more interesting. Candidate Hedy Fry dropped out of the race earlier this week, throwing her support behind Bob Rae, while political scandal continues to dog Joe Volpe, whose team was accused of improperly signing up members in Montreal, including two who are dead. Front runner Michael Ignatieff has also been accused of membership irregularities. Volpe's run has been mired in controversy, including accepting donations from minors. He's refusing to drop out of the race, even though that's exactly what he should do. He has no credibility left, and no chance of winning. Volpe has also claimed that, as an Italian - Canadian, he has been warned that he would be seen as an outsider because he isn't "Canadian enough." Meanwhile, Ignatieff and Rae seem poised to battle it out for the top job in the Liberal party. Both have credibility issues — Rae for his less than popular stint as premier of Ontario, and Ignatieff for living in the U.S. for decades then waltzing back to Canada to become a politician. Can either one of these men defeat Stephen Harper and his Conservative party? Time will tell, but they certainly aren't filling Canadians with inspiration. But the race has finally become entertaining and maybe that's good for the Liberal party. The public might now actually get interested in this race. And that's what the Liberals need. But they hardly need more scandal. Come back, Mr.Salinger, you're needed I reread my favourite book a couple of weeks ago, J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye," and it reminded me what a valuable and intelligent voice the world lost when Salinger decided 40 years ago he would never publish again. The book doesn't have much of a plot — 17 -year-old Holden Caulfield narrates the story of what happened to him a year previously when he was kicked out of a boys' private school. Afraid to tell his parents, he spends a weekend in New York City, hopping from bar to bar, meeting old friends and having a disastrous encounter with a prostitute. We eventually find out he is writing the book from a psychiatric hospital, although he is apparently feeling much better and looking forward to his release. The book was controversial at the time because of the narrator's frequent use of pro- fanity, including the dreaded "f -word," although it is never used arbitrarily — the word only appears in the book when Holden sees it scratched on a school wall and he wants to erase it before the kids can see it. That message of saving the innocents from the corrupt world was apparently lost on those who think books should be banned and ideas should be suppressed. But "The Catcher in the Rye" is so much more than just the tale of a 16 year old who spends a weekend drinking in New York. The book has spoken to genera- tions of teens, particularly boys, but also to girls. There's something about Holden — the fact he doesn't fit in, his hatred of anything "phoney" — that boys in their teens can relate to. There's a part of Holden in a lot of teens — mad at the world, but feeling powerless to do anything to change it. It's the only novel Salinger ever wrote. I don't know if teens still read "The Catcher in the Rye," but it appar- ently still sells 250,000 copies a year, so somebody's reading it. And that's a good thing. Salinger, who despised publicity, released three books after "The Catcher in the Rye," all consisting of short stories or novellas. His last published story appeared in "The New Yorker" in 1965. For decades, Salinger has lived in a small house in the woods out- side Cornish, New Hampshire, living off his book royal- ties. He hasn't made an official public appear- ance in eons, although every now and then someone snaps a picture of him when he's walking to the grocery story or paying bills in town. The look of horror and outrage on his face indicates he isn't ready to break his silence. Depending on who you believe, Salinger either stopped writing altogether or has writ- ten as many as 15 complete novels he keeps in a vault, where they will remain unpub- lished until he dies. Or they'll never be pub- lished at all. Of course, one of the reasons "The Catcher in the Rye" remains so fascinating is that Salinger himself eschewed the "phoney" world his famous protagonist Holden Caulfield did. He's the pure artist, refusing to grant interviews, explain his work or sell the rights of his masterpiece to Hollywood. Salinger has created this mystique of the lonely writer living in the woods. He's 87 years old now. Open up the vaults, J.D. But do it while you're still alive. Show the world you didn't only have one masterpiece in you. SCOTT NIXON AND ANOTHER THING 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. Contact Us By Phone or Fax Classified ad & subscription sales (519) 235-1331 24-hour automated attendant (519) 235-1336 Fax number for all departments (519) 235-0766 Subscription Rates One year rate for addresses in Canada: $40+GST Two year rate for addresses in Canada: $72+GST One year rate for addresses outside Canada: $140 Call (519) 235-1331 to order a subscription. Classified Rates Word ads: $11 for 20 words, 20c for each additional word+ GST. Notices (births, deaths, announcements, coming events, memoriams, cards of thanks): $15 + GST for up to 50 words, All ads must be pre -paid. The classified ad deadline is Monday at 10 a.m. Display Advertising To place a display ad, (519) 235-1331 weekdays 8:30 to 4:30 p.m. or evenings (519) 235-1336 (leave mes- sage) or toll-free at 1-888-270-1602. Deadline: Fri. 2 p m. E-mail Us Web site: www.southhuron.com TA e-mail addresses consist of the person's first initial and last name followed by @southhuron.com. 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 Jim Beckett ext. 109 ADVERTISING Deborah Schillemore ext. 112 EDITOR Scott Nixon ext. 105 REPORTERS Pat Bolen ext. 113 Nina Van Lieshout ext. 107 CUSTOMER SERVICE Sue Rollings ext. 101 Elaine Chipchase ext. 102 PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT Manager Deb Lord ext. 103/114 Heather Bilcke ext. 103 Kelly Gackstetter ext. 103 ACCOUNTING STAFF Anita McDonald ext. 104 Ruth Slaght ext. 106 MargPertschy ext. 111 HeatherClarke ext. 206