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IA turban is not like a To the Editor: If you can "tolerate" one more letter on the subject, I'd like to say that it bothers me to see that intolerance is still alive and well in this country, courtesy this time by Vallie Lovering's letter to the editor (Citizen, May 17) Once again our country is going to be lost tomorrow because a Sikh wears his turban into a Legion hall and homosexuals are demanding to be treated like human beings. Taking off a hat in any building, not just a Legion, should be an automatic reaction if only for etiquette. But what is a hat and what isn't? A turban is not like a baseball cap that can easily be slipped on and off: it is an intrinsic religious commandment. Would a Jew be asked to remove his yarmulke? How about a bride removing her veil when she uses a Legion hall for her reception? For that matter, why doesn't the Legion insist that men remove their toupees when they enter? If that sounds -silly, then think about the Scugog Citizen -- Wednesday, May 25, 1994 -- 11 a difference between a hat and a headcovering. Lovering also remembers the "good old days when you didn't have to lock your doors," which were also the days when Is didn't their pride. Well, " lock my doors against all criminals, not just gay ones. But that point aside, those "good old days" were also the days when blacks, Irish, Italians, Jews, Japanese and most other immigrants were considered "undesirables." They had to 'The Bilingual Dream' To the Editor: There is a new book in print called "Lament for a Nation: The Life and Death of Canada's Bilingual Dream" by Scott Reid. The book is full of information obtained through access to information petitions filed with the federal government. The author sorted through reams of government studies, reports and budgets to determine once and for all just how mgch bilingualism costs taxpayers. For this alone, the book is a bargain. Ottawa will admit to spending about $661 million on bilingualism in 1992, but this figure includes only the direct costs incurred by the secretary of state's office (now the Ministry of Youths win for drama Two Scugog Township teen- agers have won the Intermediate award in the Young Peoples Theatre annual playwriting competition. Hilary Scroggie and Gavin Stanley, sgudents at Cornish P.S. will receive $200 each for their script called Echoes. It depicts what happens when an imaginary friend becomes a Mephistophlean threat? Sara is pulled farther and farther into the recesses of her mind where she confronts her lonliness and fear. This taut, dark, psycho drama explores the dangerous terrain of our personal demons. Echoes will be produced on stage by the Young People Theatre at a workshop May 29. And it will be directed by Jim Warren, a professional director. Both Hilary and Gavin are members of the Millar Lights Young People's Musical Theatre group from Port Perry. Canadian Heritage) the annointed guardian of bilingualism and multiculturalism. Add the costs of translating laws and reports, along with federal spending on French Immersion and minority language programs nation-wide and the true cost is closer to $1.7 billion. The total is over one per cent of federal spending, almost three times higher than any Liberal or Tory government has ever admitted. And 70 per cent more than the opponents of bilingualism have ever guessed! In all, between 1974 and 1992, the federal government has spent $49.2 billion trying to bilingualize Canadians. That is more than five times the $8.8 billion Ottawa claims, and an average of just over $2 billion annually. More important, the author argues all this money which he wryly notes, equals ten per«gent of the federal debt) may have done more harm than good. The percentage of Canadians fluent GARDEN Wm Design BW Planting B® Maintenance S -- Tio The Season -- PRUNING MW Evergreens MW Shade Trees: MW Flowering Shrubs um Ornamental Cedars Examples of our workmanship available on video. (905) 655-8455 Hugh Award (905) 655-4370 in both langtffiges has risen only marginally, from just over 12 per cent to 15 per cent today. And the author questions this figure of 15 per cent. Citizens do not have to offer a census taker any proof of linguistic abilities, after all, and ,may just be proclaiming a kind of patriotism. Such increase as there is can be accounted for by the greater number of federal and Ontario civil service positions mandated as bilingual, and by federal demands that baseball cap' retain pride in themselves and work to become equal members of society. If readers such as Lovering think that gays are receiving too much publicity these days, what was the opiflion in the 1960's when the media were flooded with stories of the freedom marchers in Birmingham, Alabama? Throughout Canada's history, different groups havigPeen persecuted when they first appeared in numbers. For a generation or two they suffered, and those born elsewhere often stubbornly hung on to their culture exclusively. But their children adapted to Canada while enriching this country with their own backgrounds and gaining acceptance from other Canadians--the previous immigrants. Does Lovering have a problem with his Irish neighbour, or his , Italian or Hungarian one? If not, can he say that his grandfather (if the family had immigrated here by that time) would have answered the same way? Will his grandchildrerr not wonder what the big deal was? Personally, I find it funny that Lovering believes Sikhs and going to destroy this country. Two hundred years of immigration haven't done that yet (unless, of course, one asks the native Canadians, thesnly group that really has a right to complain about immigrants) What has a very real ability to tear this country apart--as evidenced by such things as Quebec independence and hate groups--is intolerance. Sincerely, Jil McIntosh, RR 1, Oshawa. Bravo to all for the showy'Carousel' To the Editor: I had the pleasure a few weeks ago to see the production of many doing b "Car 1," put on by the Millar with Ottawa operaté in both Lights. languages. For those who did not have the Peter Brimelow, author of Patriot Game (1986) and senior editor with Forbe's Magazine of New York, discovered that seven waitresses and a few car rental agency clerks lost their jobs at the Moncton Airport when federal language bureaucrats warned their employers to make their staffs bilingual, or Jose the contract with Transport Canada. Enough is enough! Dean Kelly, President Assoc. Dedicated Canadians, Port Perry, Ont. Free Port Perry AUTO SALES LTD. USED CARS & TRUCKS TRADE-INS WELCOME FINANCING AVAILABLE LEASING AVAILABLE 1625 SCUGOG STREET, PORT PERRY (across from beer siore) 3 Month or 5,000 km. Warranty included on most vehicles. chance to see this show, y missed a real treat. Brad Goreski and Amand Powell, what a talented pair with their believable portrayal of Billy Bigelow and Julie Jordan, superb acting and singing. Bravo to the supporting cast Ryan Edgar and Janet Green, I loved their duet. The entire cast is to be commended for lighting up the stage with song and dance numbers. Well done. I can hardly wait until your next production. «D., O'Brien, Oshawa. 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