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THE NEW TANNERTHURSDAY, JUNE 14, 2018 5THE NEW TANNER THURSDAY, JUNE 14, 20184 As I sit here writing this column, I find myself sur- rounded by the cons tant action and antics of nature in full bloom. Squirrels scur- rying, chipmunks chittering, raccoons rummaging, birds bolting this way and that; it is a literal hullabaloo of activity not all that unlike the polit- ical news of the past week or so. Whether it was Trump's tweets, the worthiness of the G7, the US-North Korean deal--or non-deal--Iranian relations, Cannabis legisla- tion, the Yemen humanitarian crisis, migrant ships sent away from Italy and Malta, trade wars or the election of a PC majority in Ontario under the helm of relative political newcomer Doug Ford, it has been one heck of a week for politics. Even the most die- hard political analysts are scratching their heads, at- tempting to make sense of policies and people that are anything but logical. Yet, in the midst of all these head- spinning headlines, one story caught my eye and lingers with me as a kind of anti-cli- max and example all in one. No, it wasn't about Trump. This story actually involves a group of Canadians here in the north end of Toron- to. According to reports, 15 Canadian Geese--yes, those big grey and black birds who are famous the world over-- were found mutilated. Only one lone bird--a gosling-- surviving the attack, despite puncture wounds and two broken ribs. It was lucky. The bodies of the others showed vast cruelty. Some had their wings torn apart. Others had their legs ripped from their bodies. Necks were snapped on some while others were actually decapitated. It all sounds like a gruesome ani- mal attack. And in some ways it was, but the gruesome ani- mal was human. Police are convinced that all the evi- dence suggests that humans are responsible. That's right, someone out there just like you or me, actually choose to maim, torture and kil l those birds. Let that soak in. Perhaps the person you are having coffee with or sitting beside in a meeting; the CEO of your company, the kid in your basement, the coach of your softball team--some- where out there amongst us all are people willing to commit that kind of atroci- ty. And while some of you are surely thinking, come on Bell, it's just those annoying nasty geese, I beg you to re- call their size and ferocity: it takes a great amount of energy and purpose to com- mit such brutality. Heads don't--as the old childhood rhyme might suggest--pop off. This wasn't for protec- tion, safety or food. This was just an evil act done out of malice and thrill. And, make no mistake, animal abuse is a huge precursor to bigger issues. Some studies have shown up to 70 per cent of the most violent prisoners had repeated histories of ani- mal abuse, compared to the five to six per cent of the gen- eral public. So, what does this teach us about what is going on in our world today? I don't mean to understate the import- ance of trade relations to the well-being of our nation, but my momma did tell me that only I could let others hurt me with words; sticks and stones and all that, and frank- ly, it looks like we Canucks worry an awful lot more than we should about what truly amounts to nothing more than another Trump Twit- ter tirade. I mean where is the same demand for justice for one of our nation's most iconic creatures, murdered in our own backyard? Let's face it; his are just words from a guy, most of us don't believe is worth the time. President or not, we don't have to en- gage him--you might have noticed an absence of discus- sion about him in this very column. And as a nation, we don't have to allow such de- structive tendencies to break us down either. In fact, Trump has been nothing if not the great Canadian col labor- ator because nothing binds people more than a common enemy. Trudeau of all people is likely secretly singing the man's praises; he went from questionable rusty pipeline purchases and public vaca- tion schemes to a Canadian trade hero, showing just how fickle we are on what matters. Today's drama will simply become tomorrow's forgotten meme, and while people say they strive for cohesion, their self-centered, popularity con- test makes us all a little less global. Frankly, if you want to fix what ails the world, we all need to try a little per- spective. After all, how can we have a global society if we can't even find room for compassion and understand- ing for a goose. The New Tanner welcomes your Letters to the Editor, but, please keep in mind that letters must include the author's name, address and phone number in order for us to contact you if needed. Letters that are sent in anonymously will not be published. They may be edited for content or length. They are published as a first come first serve basis and we do not guarantee publication due to space availability. Just a thought Start at the bottom sports talk By Trish Bell A tale of two Champions By Michael Oke looking Back By: Scott Brooks It is no longer news that the Washington Capitals lead by Alex Ovechkin won the Stanley Cup this past week by beating surprise finalist, the Vegas Golden Knights who, by the way, have been in existence for all of 15 months. Last week also produced a less than surprising NBA champion. The California based Golden State Warriors annihi- lated the Cleveland Cavaliers by four games to nothing in their best of seven games champion- ship series, making this the most one-sided NBA finals in recent history. It wasn't helped by the recent roster upheavals at Cleveland. The real back story to both winning teams has to do with their leading players; Alex Ovechkin, who has got prob- ably more than his fair share of mentions on this column in re- cent weeks, and Kevin Durant, respectively. Both leaders won the finals MVP in addition to their team titles. Ovechkin won the much- coveted Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded annually to the most valuable player during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Named after Conn Smythe, the long- time owner, general manager, and head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The interesting tale for me was how both players arrived at this point. Both were highly sought after and talent- ed professionals from day one. While Ovechkin decided to stick with an underperforming team for 13 years until his moment of triumph came this year, Durant, on the other hand, jumped ship after nine years with the Seattle Supersonic franchise--which later moved on to become the Oklahoma City Thunder--to a winning team, the Golden State Warriors. One could say both were even- tually justified in their decision with the end probably justify- ing the means, but it speaks volumes to the state of today's professional sports. While some may be content with just making more money than they will ever need, others are laser focused on legacy--i.e. winning cham- pionships. I would never criticize any athlete making decisions either way. At the end of the day, fans and sponsors pay to watch them compete at the highest level possible. There is however a long list of professional players who never get to win any championship ring throughout their careers, and they can in no way be re- garded as failures. Rose and Joan fishing with their father, Albert Brooks, at a local creek during the late 1940s. - Photo Credit: Brooks Collection