A free for all
I will be unavailable to post regularly for the next two weeks so how about it folks - submit your opinion and really make this an open line show. Mail in the submissions to
theburdreport and I'll post it under your name or a nom-de-plume. Any topics will be fair game.
theburdreport and I'll post it under your name or a nom-de-plume. Any topics will be fair game.
18 comments:
Just wondering about something I saw in Port Hope earlier today. There is a church, Catholic I think, on the south side of Walton Street just west of Pine Street.
It's a majestic church and I often glance at it on my way by. Today I was surprised and a bit taken aback to see some large Canadian flags hanging up high off the edge of the structure.
Surprised because I don't think I've ever seen a church displaying the flag before; and taken aback because my strong penchant for separation of church and state was a bit offended. It doesn't seem right somehow although I don't know if I could articulate it very well. But then I am also offended by our local town councils starting their meetings with the Christian Lord's Prayer. That doesn't seem quite right either, not in this day and age.
I won't even start on the flap over the Scriven hymn, I don't understand why a town needs an official hymn in the first place. "Give Peace a Chance" would be my preference if we must have something.
Maybe I should just have a stiff drink and consider it another oddity in the daily life of a small town. But it seems weird to me nonetheless.
Deb, agreed, there are good reasons for the separation of church and state, - look at what happens before any sporting event south of the border. If it's outdoors you get your God Bless America's with the sound of the world's scariest jets from on high. Close to ex cathedra, and a warning to the non-believer.
On the other hand, maybe we should just have that drink you suggested. Afterall,The Lord's Prayer is quite safe, considering some of the alternatives. " Wierd ", just makes us appear quaint, in a touristy kind of way. No " oddity " at all, - it's the norm.
"Give peace a chance" would be ok. "Imagine" has some nice lines supporting a world with "no religion"
I've been drawn into listening of late to Toronto AM talk radio. I've noticed that one of the most popular observations made by the predominently right wing callers is that 'Canada is a laughingstock around the world' because of our record on crime, drugs, immigration....you name it.
None of the hosts of these programs ever asks for evidence (ie: the caller having been laughed at in Norway or New Zealand) or whether the caller has ever been outside of Mimico or Markham or Midland. We're just a 'laughingstock' country, period. That's all anybody has to know. No need to seek proof of the claim.
DJC
Deb wrote concerning "another oddity in the daily life of a small town."
Or did she write, perhaps, about another smallness in the daily life of an odd town.
Some Port Hopers love her, warts and all; some just love her; still others....
Frost, once only, wrote an odd (15-line, sort-of) sonnet. His friend Louis Untermeyer put Frost's 15th line down to his genius; I put it down to his didactism--it might rather have been the title, instead of what Frost chose: Hyla Brook.
In any case, here's Frost's last line from that sonnet: We love the things we love for what they are. To which I want to add, not for what they aren't.
As John Lennon is quoted, Imagine is "virtually the Communist Manifesto" Do people plug their ears during the "no religion" bit? (The best part of the song, mind you)
Tolerance, but not for minor overlaps of religion & politics. Diversity, but not for religious expression.
Tolerance and diversity seem not to be on display in this commentary thread.
Tolerance and diversity were certainly not on display when a wild pack of politically correctistas swarmed on Gordon Gilchrist a while back and slandered him vociferously.
I remind Wally that it can't be slander unless it's untrue.
Ben is posting ... elsewhere:
http://www.northumberlandnews.com/article/136875
Much of it was untrue
I've also been working nights all week as well as writing one rebuttal to Mr Doolittle, not posting elsewhere just a letter to the editor
Just wonmdering: Does Gordon Gilchrist appreciate being defended by Wally Keeler, that one-man gang-swarmer who has himself been tagged affectionately by one of his friends as The Sultan of Slash and Burn?
I have my doubts, especially in view of Wally's latest response ("much of it was untrue") which seems less a ringing defense, more a recantation.
Of course, I don't mean to get you going again, Wally. Just wondering.
What a shame nobody will rise to Wally's bait so he can re-mount his campaign of bullshit on the Gilchrist issue.
Too bad Wally, it's obvious you're just itching to do that.
Its the spineless politically-correct swarmers of Gilchrist that are unwilling to support their public accusations about Gilchrist with facts. None have ever done so. The swarmers make their accusations and flee.
It is amusing to see a person, who often and repeatedly states he hates communism, rage around the internet with a scorched earth approach like Stalin going through the Ukraine.
On the same note Deb, this summer St. Peter's Church played 'O Canada' over and over again! It is not a quiet church. I thank God the other ones are discrete and quiet.
In addition to the anonymous comment #1 re "Separation of Church and State" - Cobourg noise by-law does not apply to churches !-
Hey Deb St. Peters' church played O Canada this summer, and more than once. OK on tv before a hockey game, but from a Cobourg Church it's arrogant.
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