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There are no benefits in a polarized world By John Sommer Robert Hughes, the art critic of magazine, just published his latest book (after “The Shock of The New” and “Barcelona”). The book’s title is “The Culture of Complaint”. In this book, Hughes argues that while the real victims of our capi- talist system are getting a raw deal (native cultures everywhere, the farmers, the unemployed, to name a few of them), the countless people who have made a fine art out of victimhood are getting most of the attention of the media and the pub- lic and an inordinate share of the financial resources of our govern- ments. He writes “the natural con- dition of America is turmoil.”, that “genuine multiculturalism is a s@urce of strength in a multicultural society” but that “dumb separatism is to be avoided.” “We should talk plainly and concretely with each other”, he continues, “and not let our grievances overflow the limits of historical investigation”. Robert Hughes made me aware how far we have come with this culture of complaining in the last ears. What we have come to call “political correctness” is really nothing else but censorship by dif- ferent means. Every kind of censor- ship is a flight from reality. The attempt to make everybody feel good, to take the pain out of a world of often shocking contrasts and injustices, has led to a host of euphemisms of which “collateral ” instead of “ during the war against Saddam Been Comni Television” Report CVCA 1992 Annual Report Weekly prograliidschedile.. Schedule for the week of May 10th to May 14th Thuraday Ideas & the Arts Hussain, is one of the most insidi- ous examples. What good can possibly come from a polarized world divided into left and right, male and female, young and old, black and white, ‘Muslim and Christian, all of them separately engaged in their own fantasies and the re-writing of his- tory. We must stop seeing our- selves as victims and always accus- ing others of victimizing us. I must confess that some of my best friends, if I listen to their sto- ties, are apparently people who have been abused at every Possible moment in their lives. Their never loved them, their teachers did not encourage their talents, their spouses betrayed them, their boss- es exploited them, the recession made their business go belly-up and they are caught with a far too-big house to pay for. When I was a boy of five or six we had a cheerful young maid, obviously the mother- ly type, who liked to press me to her soft, warm bosom. Was that abuse? Did I carry a dreadful trau- ma all through life? I only remem- ber that I rather liked it. When I was 12 I had a teacher we conspired against. He was a most decent man, but unable to dis- cipline us. The whole class behaved like a horde of monsters and I remember it with shame. When I was 19 years old the Communists took our farm away and killed my parents. That was tough, but I survived. As a matter of fact, I have had an y Cable 4 Programming) 853- 1270. tofit in those summer clothes! — SPECIAL “18” PER MONTH ye EE MON. - FRI. 8 a.m, - Sea NIVERSIDE MEN & WOMI 873-9298 + Hwy. ee: dard re bd sided M-Th7 am-9pm F.7 am-8pn_ Sat. & Sun. 10 am-5 pm Mo lanes Look Great t this his Summer! Nowit'’s time to Sages Bee pris ce tany — STUDENT $ PLAN 9 9 3 Months All Inclusive /OMEN ONLY No initiation fee absolutely wonderful life, and my family has been a great joy. When I visited East Germany lately and talked to the friends from my school days, who had lived their whole life behind the iron cur- tain, I considered myself lucky that I was forced out of there in 1945, and that I came eventually to Canada. My life could have been as grey and confined as theirs. But I came to another continent instead and widened my horizon. Do I feel like a victim of the Communists? Not at all. Life confronts you with chal- lenges and you find out, to your own surprise, that you can sur- mount these challenges and come out the winner. Robert Hughes has it right: “Self- esteem comes from doing things well, from discovering how to tell a truth from a lie, and from finding out what unites us as well as what separates us.”. Seat belt campaign Statistics The Halton Regional Police par- ticipated in the province-wide April seatbelt campaign which ran from 18-30 April. Regular patrols and seatbelt spot check programs throughout our region resulted in the following statistics: Vehicles stopped 20,124 lotorists warned 745 Motorists charged 323 The next two-week p Sapeist is scheduled for October. Halton Hills This Week, Saturday, May 8, 1993 — Page 23 John Sommer has been the direc- CIN! tor of Gallery House Sol, located at. fag 295 Guelph Street 873-1999 45 Charles St., in Georgetown, sine 1962 [orem] DRAGON Buying or selling... 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