The Huron Expositor, 1986-04-09, Page 24xp
Ositor 471. -
SINCE 1860, SERVING THE COMMUNITY FIRST
BLUE
RIBBON
AWARD
1985
Incorporating
Brussels Post
10 Main Street 527-0240
Published In
SEAFORTH, ONTARIO
Every Wednesday morning
ED BYRSKI, General Manager
HEATHER MCILWRAITH, Editor
The Expositor is brought to you each week by the efforts of:
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Levesque, Dianne McGrath, Lois McLlwaln, Bob McMillan, Cathy Melody and Patrick Raffia
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SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 1986
Second class mail registration Number 0696
cn
Wrong number
OPINION
News media takes another beating
The much -maligned news media took
another beating last week, in the form of what
was probably a very widely -watched televi-
sion movie "News at Eleven." This movie,
focusing on the .disastrous effects of televi-
sion news coverage on both perpetrator and
victim in a statutory rape case in the United
States, went a longway toward perpetuating
the stereotype of ournalists as an insensitive
pack of parasitic vultures.
Where is Lou Grant when you need him?
Gruff yet kindly gad Lou would never have
stood for the sort of activities indulged in by
the "reporters" portrayed in this film.
Reporters who would cornera 14 -year-old girl
in a school yard and badger her into
confessing to having sex with a teacher, in
front of the entire student body, would never
have been tolerated in Lou's newsroom. Nor,
if the truth were told, would they likely be
tolerated in anyone else's real-life newsroom.
Even iry Wienstein, has some sense of
discretion.
Why, if these movies bother me so much,
do I watch them you may ask? What choice
have I got? When was the last time you saw a
movie which did not include at some point,
the hero or heroine being surrounded by
dozens of callous, probing reporters? These
fictional journalists of course, care not one
iota for the feelings of the beleaguered hero.
They are concerned only with obtaining the
story and it's subsequent effect on the ratings
of their newscast or circulation of their paper.
When these celluloid vultures descend, I
always sink down into my seat in the
darkened theatre, or suggest to my compan-
ion that now would be a good time to visit the
concession booth
FROM THIS ANGLE
by Patrick Raftis
There is an ironic side to the film industry's
efforts to portray the news media as headless
exploiters of the innocent. In their efforts to
depict the media this way, the film-makers
themselves become the exploiters. They
exploit not only the people and situations they
purport to protect, but the relatively
vulnerable media, as well:
The overall effect of this constant barrage
of negative images is to create a sense of
distrust for reporters among members of the
general public. Although aimed at high
profile publications and big time television
news teams, some of this public perception of
journalists as scandal -mongers occasionally
filters down to people dealing with commun-
ity news reporters.
On a variety of occasions I have been
surprised by requests from people I have
interviewed on seemingly innocuous sub-
jects, who wish to be allowed to read a story
before it is published. To allow an inter-
viewee the privilege of prior approval on
news copy is against every principle of
journalism, yet people constantly request it,
out of fear their words will be misinterpreted
into something embarrassing.
In one extreme case, I was asked for a
preview by a person I had interviewed for a
story on furniture. New. I don't carp how
irresponsible a journalist might be -- no
matter how desperate to liven up a story, I
can't see anyone working sex, drugs,
corruption, or anything remotely scandalous, ,
into a story about furniture.
Unfortunately, this person, like others I
have met, seems to have accepted at face
value the lesson Hollywood has been trying to
teach. "never trust a reporter."
I have to take offense to this kind of
thinking because (dare I admit it) some of my
best friends are reporters. The very worst of
the journalists I have met, might be
construed as mildly nosey, none to my
knowledge are vultures or scandal -mongers.
For my own part, I actually care so little
about other people's business it could be
considered a liability to my effectiveness on
the job.
"What's that? You say you've murdered
your wife and kept the rest of the family
locked in the basement for the past seven
years? Sorry pal. Tell it to the police, that's
none of my affair."
Seriously though, the vast majority of
reporters are descent sorts, as sensitive as
the next guy, who simply want to report the
facts honestly and accurately. If people are
fair and honest with them, they will
invariably be treated the same way in return.
Trust me.
Subscribers of the Tuckersmith Township Municipal Telephone
System dialed a wrong number recently, when they voted to retain a
limited term of office for members of the telephone company's board of
commissioners.
The large contingent of telephone users which attended the company's
annual meeting on March 25, should have jumped at the chance to alter
the restrictive bylaw, which prevents commissioners from serving more
than three three-year terms. In voting against the change, subscribers
Jost the services of two very experienced commissioners Vern Alderdice
and Elmer Hayter at a time when the board is in serious need of their
expertise.
The motion to remove the limit came from one of the other
commissioners, Emerson Coleman, who made. a valid point in stating
junior commissioners valued the contributions of those who had been on
the board for some time. The very fact this motion was made by a junior
commissioner should have altered subscribers to the need for
experienced commissioners, especially with important negotiations with
the Canadian Radio and Telecommunications Commission in the offing.
Much of the opposition to the motion apparently stemmed from a
misinterpretation of the new bylaw as meaning commissioners would be
given lifetime appointments to the board. Since elections would still be
held every three years; subscribers would still have had the power to vote
out any commissioner they felt was doing substandard work. As it stands
now, commissioners will have to step down after nine years, even If they
are performing above and beyond the call of duty. Hardly fair.
One concern offered by subscribers in opposition to the bylaw was the
potential reoccurrance of the situation before the current rule was put
Into play, where people would "sit forever" on the board and people
were reluctant to vote them off, even after old age had rendered them
less effective.
By following this line of reasoning, the subscribers were expressing no.
lack of confidence with the cdmmissloners. They were expressing a lack
of confidence in themselves. People brought up on democracy should not
be afraid of voting according to the dictates of logic, Just to avoid hurting
the feelings of old friends.
Tuckersmith subscribers should examine the example of municipal
government, which imposes no limits on the number of terms served by
mayors, reeves and councillors. How often are obvious incompetents
re-elected to posts of authority In most municipalities? Not often. The
municipal voter is a discerning one in most cases, so it hardly seems
likely they would be any Tess objective when choosing people to run their
own telephone system. — P.R.
Up the lazy river by Heather Mcllwraith
Report foolish - but no April joke
if I'd read it on April 1 I might have
laughed. But when I checked the date on my
London Free Press and found it to be April 2,
the headline didn't even bring a smile to my
lips. Unless April Fool's Day had been
Moved back a day the headline that was
glaring up at me was serious - and it was
frightening.
Ottawa urged, tq allow theft, fraud by
women." What is fhe World coming to?
I realize we don't expect very much of
ourselves these days, that morals, and
society standards have really gone downhill
but when did they wash out to sea?
According to the news article a report,
entitled a Feminist Review of Criminal law,
says women should come in for spedal
treatment because the laws of the land were
written and are administered, by and large,
by men.
The report says women should be allowed
to steal, loot and commit fraud provided they
do so in the name of feeding and clothing
themselves and their children. What a great
excuse to commit a felony.
Based on research the report says a special
defence of necessity ought to be introduced
that would allow women to steal food and
drugs or occulty someone else's property in
order to provide for themselves and their
children.
Those women who commit serious crimes
such as robbery, breaking and entering,
serious assault and homicide should not
always be punished with jail sentences
"when the likelihood that they (the crimes)
will be repeated is low" and when they are
committed "within family relationships."
1, admittedly have never been a total
advocate of feminist thinking. And, when I
read this particular article i must say any
respect I even remotely harbored for the
group was lost. Aren't women usually the
responsible ones? The oneswhoe in b most
forcethe upb upbringing ultimately of the next generaationig ?
How responsible is the thiniting of the
f e min' is that reduced this report?
TO THE EDITOR
Disheartening for schools
Since June 12, 1994, when Premier
William Davis announced his about-face on
the issue of extended funding for Roman
Catholic separate schools, it has been a
disheartening time for all who care about
Public schools, the democratic pass,
interfaith goodwill, and fair and equal
treatment for all regardless of deed. All
three political parties have turned a deaf ear
to these legitimate concerns.
Two other commissions on education were
appointed that sante day. These torts have
now lwt-eu released to the public- The Shapiro
Report on the funding of private and
independent schools pointed to the discrim-
inatory effects of extended separate school
funding. The Macdonald Report on the
financing of elementary and secondary
education recognized the problems of taxa-
tion and funding when major changes in
educational policy occur. Both reports
mentioned the importance of equality.
The events of the past year have shown that
extended funding has been a most difficult
issue for all of the political parties. The Tories
are still in disarray; the NDP is undergoing
pressure to change its policy. The liberals
still maintain the bold stance of going ahead
at all costs. In the meantime, there are a
number of religious and educational groups
which are taldng the issue to the Supreme
Court of Canada
Despite the headline: "RC FINANCING
RULED CONSTITUTIONAL," designed to
leave the public with the feeling that there is
no mom to be said, there are serious fiaws in
the structure upon which "two systems of
public education" could be based. The
88 -page minority report of tho Court of
Appeal's split decision fully explore, the
legal and historical basis. While all five
justices agreed that Ontario has no obligation
to fund separate secondary schools, they
disagreed on whether such a gift would
violate the Charter of Bights guarantee of
equality to all Canadian citizens. Equality
must be for all, or it for noire.
From the beginning of this decision to
extend funds, there has been recognition of
the difficulty. This has resulted in
tho
autocratic methods used to slip the fundin
into place even before legislation it
Excessive powers are proposed or the
Implementation Commission. This would The feminist. movementhas been around in
leave public trustees with few options to sameformeranother for, literally, centuries.
preserve public education under Bill 30. It nether really ingrained 'itself into our
The feelings of love and pride which consciousness until the late 60s and early 70s
Ontarians have had for their ailturaljy-near when the movement, led by Germaine Greer,
province have been marred by these recent Gloria Steinem and Betty Fried= transferee
events. in the years to come, we will have ed it into a powerful juggernaut. The only
quality education, egnalhty for all citizens and thing I ked about it were the bigoted man
SP
responsible government — ONLY IF WE hating zealots who were bent on domination
S
PEAK UP AND DEFEND THESE PAIN- of the male species rather than gaining
C1PIES NOW. equaliYours truly Last for woman.
week, a report titled, A Feminist
Friends of PublicEducation Review of Criminal law was presented
in Ontario, Inc. Secretary of State Walter McLean
P.J. Totten, President commissioned in 1984 by Status of Women
Harrow, Ontario Canada. The report says, among other
things, that women should get special
treatment because the laws of Canada were
hs p
SWEATSOCKS
by Heather Mclwraith
With the crime rate skyrocketing I find it
appalling ( that a ,group of women • rand
unfortunately) can't hide from -the fact that
I'm also of that gender), would come up with
such a halr-brained report. Maybe a sex
change operation at this point in time would
be a good idea. (My only concern is, are sex
change operations reversable if I decide
women aren't such a bad lot after all?)
While the mere thought of allowing women
a free hand to steal, loot and commit fraud,
even to commit murder if it occurs within the
domicile. is to me extremely ludicrous,
there is more wrong with this report than the
sheer absurdity of it.
Forone thing, the report is discriminatory.
True, a lot of women are in rough financial
straits these days. But there are equally as
many males suffering from the same ailment,
namely financial quandary. Many of these
men too, are responsible for looking after a
family.
Gone are the days when, in the case of
divorce, the woman was the only one to gain
custody of the children. Men are more and
more being introduced to the world of single
parenthood. And even if the man does not
have etrsto•dyof the children, who is to say the
crimes he may ultimately commit are not
being done out of the necessity of providing
for his children - whefherthey live with him or
not. Men, as well as women. will be tempted
just as easily to take desperate measures to
rectify desperate situations.
And should that occur will his crimes be
viewed in the same sympathetic light, as his
female counter'part's might? Probably not.
Reports such as this are just so maddening
and frustrating.
Commissioned in 1984 by Status of Women
Canada, it says 80 per cent of offences
committed by women are not for what the
authors consider real crimes. It recommends
more leniency in the sentencing of women.
Just what we need, more leniency on the
judicial front. Just last year the Young
Offenders Act was introduced and as far as
I'm concerned eased the way for crime -ori-
ented youth. I always thought the laws were
put in place to protect society and to keep the
world in some semblance of order. Apparent-
ly 1 was wrong. While in some areas the laws
get tougher in others they do mom to protect
the criminal than the victim - or tho possible
victims of the future. The Young Offender's
Act is one exam leofthat.Itnotonlytiesthe
hands of Canadian law enforcement officers
and system, it ultimately ensures a youth who
commits a crime gets away with it.
Unfortunately that youth may be allowed to
torment society for quite a number of years
before he -she readies adulthood and can be
rightfully punished - if we don't abolish that
system before he -she reaches that point. 11
might be too late by then anyway.
No one should be given the option of
commi ting a oxime. In most easel where that
option is left open it will ultimately be filled,
because in most eases it also represents the
easy way out of a perhaps, uneasy situation.
And in suggesting women be allowed suds
an option the feminists are suggesting they'd
like to see society digress a few centuries
back to a time when crime ran rampant, and
no one felt safe.
Hopefully such a report will remain just
that, merely a Mort. A report, which
Secretary of State Walter Mclean said he
hopes it will 'spark some debate." Well, no
doubt it will do that.
Report obnoxIN ious, discririnatory
Economy con
Please find enclosed seine thoughts on the
farm economy. I would appreciate if you
would consider publishing it.
It concerns me the farm leaders seem to
feel the government can legislate commodity
prices. I think farmers can regulate commod-
ity prices by production. They should stop
listening to all of the so-called experts who
tell us to become more efficient and
productive. That is our problem today, we
have produced ourselves into low far®
prices. I agree with being more efficient but
do it with less land, less cash crop, fewer
cattle and bogs.
At Confederation in 1867, the banks were
forbidden to charge more than seven percent
interest on loans. 'That limit stood until 1944,
when it was cit to six percent. Even in times
of double digit inflation, when, mortgage
money was drying up, lending rates renew
ed stable.
hr 1967 we saw the rereoval of the six per
cerns farmer crier andareadministered,bymadlargeby
cent ceiling on thank lending rates, leaving To a degree, that statement is trine. But
banks and other lendin tnstitirtions free to what the feminists failed to point out is it was
deluge any rate of mtet t the washed, after men who during the 1600 and1 Canada its
y
tits' covered, developed and gave
100 years of legal limits. laws. It wasn't until the massive influx of
Many farmers and businessmen -feel this grits from the British Isles during the
' triggers int tttion v1tidn was the beginning 1800s did the population of women begin to
of the farriers' downfall. I feel that we should equal that o£ the finale.
be asking the Government to set interest tune tikeor piioneerovertake families arrived marrByy lawthes
rates for the Farm Cfedit Corporation and were already in place to protect male, female
other lending institutions as follows: and child and they were enacted by men
F.C.C. should be seven per Dent whose honorable intentions were to protect
per cent with lOther egislation. institutions should be eight all the pcople and p otic. t a nvi amid
firm- becoming cfiaotic,
This would have the added effect of getting dangerous,
more deposit moneyout to work,thus giving Thelma were not created by self-serving
the Fawner* the needed boost. tyranta. but by Gard fearing people. Make no
. •Yourstitily, "mistake, our hews are biblical lavas.
Thou
WaiterReid shalt not kill;thou shalt net steal, e
Farmer The 'report stated women shenld be
RR: 1 allowed ,to . steal, loot and commit ,fraud,
Bognor; Wade provided they do so in the name of feeding
NOltin ,and 'Clothing their d,ildren. l don't,know who
CORNUCOPIA
by Dave Broome
the noodle -brained lunatic was that thought
up this masterpiece of nonsense. There are
many agencies m this country that can and
will help families that get to the crisis point.
And what about men? The feminists again
neglect to mention the majority of unemploy-
ed in Canada are Males; many of whom have
families. Would they be allowed to commit
the same crimes to help their families? By the
feminists very omission of males they give
their answer as aloud, hypocritical No.
This obnoxious dis¢dnf'i81 ay r =-
Untied by stating women should not be
punished for homicide when the likelihood of
the crime being repeatedislow and when it is
committed within family relationships. In
other words, the legalized Murder of bad
husbands. Tm not even going to bother
commenting on that benighted piece of
feminist expedience.
One other part of this report also turned my
crank somewhat. I quote,. "Women do not
have control of sexual intercourse, the most
common cause of pregnancy." Someone,
ahem', should gently nudge these ladies into
the 1980s. Today, many women are doing the
chasing instead of the fleeing. To say that
worsen today do not bave control of sexual
intercourse is to say that because they do not
hale control then they are being controlled
and because of this control or dominance,
every get of sex, even between consenting
couples, is tantamount to an act of rape.
Ididn't get sex education until high school
and bythat time`I thought I lmety everything
there was to know. Not quite. I did have as
idea. though, that pregnancy was a result of
the Act and not a reaction to a kls3 or an
unfortunate encounter with a toilet seat. As
for the "mast common cause of pregnancy,"
I always knew the Act was the cans' (Sans
test tube babies).
Women's roles are changing ,dramst $'
n our society. They are becoming confident
and aggressive on the business and political
fren+.sand aco;n'theirre'tpswithmers
and it is all very welcome. Gone forever are
the diauvenistic of barefoot and
pregnant `ink.TTatillssq irrnwhen near that
one.
Any male who felt threatened and not
flattered by the advances of a member of the
opposite sex need's to get a nialfunctianfng
computer drip
We can only ope Walter Mclean will
ignore the bigoted, weird pro, ' • : of this
atothe
inimical report and give cons
good aspects, if there are any.
Maybe the feminist movement should
purge the than haters from their ranks and
get down to the very important business of
helping women get an equal role, side by
side, with men.
To advocate robbery and homicide only
further erodes the feminist movements
Credibility and leaves themopen toridicule. "It
LS time to hear from the moderates in the
movement because the radicals seem to have
lost tout with reality.
i