Christmas more than presents
It’s Christmas time and we’re reminded of the right thing to do, the high moral standard, personal integrity and truth.
Not evident in the Toronto mayors office or Canadian Senate. No Nelson Mandelas there. They’d never make it as a Scout or Guide leader.
Not only does the Christmas season provide employment but focuses on the needy, the desperate and the world’s hungry. When Mother Nature sends her deer, bear, raccoons, wild horses, Canada geese etc. into town and we don’t process them to feed the desperate and hungry are we not being selfish and immoral?
We have no problem with Agnes the friendly cow in the form of a choice roast beef dinner after she’s provided milk for our little ones and affection with her eyes that is only surpassed by your sweetie.
Remember, Abraham barbecued a wild ram and saved his son. By glimpsing the centuries-old Christmas story we might better understand morality, integrity and truth that is found in a babe in a stable who is the truth, the gift to the world.
That’s really something, merry Christmas.
Joe Schwarz,
Penticton
*****
United voice shames Grinch
Just when year’s end is rounding the final corner — 2013 a year that was filled with scandals, deceit and political lies — out of no where Santa Clause appears behind the wheel of his Santa bus for his 16th year creating more memories for the young and old alike.
Then along comes the Grinch telling Santa to toss his Santa suit after 16 years — 16 years, that is, of contributing to the spirit of Christmas.
What amazed me is the people spoke in a loud united voice on Santa’s behalf forcing the Grinch to back off and allow the Christmas wheels to keep on turning. Without a referendum, vote, study or scandal, threat of employee termination or any other ridiculous idea the Grinch may have up his sleeve, was crushed simply by the loudness of a united voice demanding, not asking, to leave Santa and his Christmas bus alone. If only Canadians would speak united from coast to coast at the first inkling of trouble and abuse of our hard-earned dollar starting in the year 2014. If only.
I wish everybody outside of the stained political link a merry Christmas and a happy new year.
Ted Azyan
Osoyoos
*****
Mandela’s legacy tarred with reference to Khadr
(re: Mandela’s trials should free Khadr, Letters, Western News, Dec. 13)
I was very surprised what on earth this writer was thinking when he was comparing Khadr with Nelson Mandela that he should be freed from prison for the same reason. Even he took the trouble to write all the politicians and the ministers asking them to quickly release him on the same ground.
I am really at a loss how he dare to compare Omar Khadr who comes from a terrorist’s (notorious al Qaida) family in Canada, trained to be a terrorist went to join the Taliban to fight against joint forces whose aim is to destroy the Western Civilization. Apparently he killed a American Soldier (could have been a Canadian) and he was captured by American and was brought to US for trial.
Whereas Nelson Mandela fought for his country’s freedom when he was young and spent 27 years in prison. His ruler released him because of the freedom movement. I urge the writer to research more of the facts before he writes to all the people in future
Souren Mukherjee
Okanagan Falls
*****
Governments ignoring taxpayers
The provincial and federal governments are ignoring tax payers. Our system is broken when it comes to government we don’t have any say whatsoever except when we get the constitutional right to vote for a leader.
If we the people had an effective and fair way to call a referendum vote government would be forced to listen. Ninety days and 85 district sheets and signing in person and witnessed is ridiculous in my opinion. It’s not like we’re voting, a referendum is for collecting names of the voting public to call a referendum to have our rights for a say in government. This process would certainly be more democratic if this was done by signing online.
Every person who works and pays taxes in B.C. could have a say regarding pipelines, fracking, oil tankers, decriminalizing marijuana to just name a few.
If our present government is so sure we want fracking, oil tanks, etc. then I say call a referendum and put these to the vote.
I’m pretty sure a lot of environmentally sensitive issue would fail, their bully tactics would fail because voters are fed up with no democratic right for a voice in government. After all we are the ones paying taxes and suffering the consequences of these very poor and greedy government decisions. Our current mindless government is pushing environmentally damaging project through like bullies in a ball park. I thought it would have been different with Christy Clark but I was wrong, she basically does what Harper is doing. No ears, unable and unwilling to listen to anyone except themselves. Whatever happened to democracy and common sense?
Clancy Madden
Keremeos