G11.'CC't 0e 9Ç' "l,,b -* Page 6, Whitby Free Oress.îw'Ùffe,*U3Y6 The only Newspaper owned and operated by Whtby residents for Whîtby resîdents! MEMBER 0F: a iONTARIO CANADIAN E'~ COMMUNITY D ~ COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER L*CN ANEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATION ~ CANADIAN CIRCULATIONS ONA DIVISION AUDIT BOARD 25,500 COPIES DELIVERED WEEKLY Pubîished every Wednesday by 677209 Ontarioa mc. Box 206, 131 Brook St. N, Whitby, Ontario LiN 5S1 Phone: 668-6111 Toronto Line: 427-1834 Fax: 668-0594 Doug Anderson - Pubisher Maurice Pifher - Editor Alexandra Martin - Production Manager Printed on newsprint with minimum 20%0/ 111 recycîed content using vegetable based inks. % 11 D Alil written material, illustrations and advertising contained herein is protected by copyright. Any reproduction by any means for commercial purposes without the express permission of the newspaper is prohibited and is a voation of Can adian copyright aw. Reproduction for non-commercial distribution should bear a credif fine to Je Witby Free Press. Porno flot Iinked to crime To the Editer: In the June 23 issue, the Whitby Free Press carried a story on the operatien cemmittee's recommendations that the Town A poem for Canada Day A Canada Day poem by Whftby Seniors' Activity Centre member Marina van Boxtel. AUTUMN LEAVES This is ail about the Maple leaves The symbol et our land ht brings peace wherever therc's a war Wo are proud for what it stands. When wc waiked aiong the road Through the park's bond The autumn leaves were faliing Summer had reached its end. The aternoon sun was shining On a g lorieus Maple troc Its golIdon colour was so bright And beaut if ul to sec. That night the ramn did fail Whiîe Iying in our bcd When merninrcame, the golden t ree Had ail its beauty shed. ht was se nice te sec that goid AIl spread out on the g round Children playing, making heaps And throwing it around. The wind came up and toek the gold And blew it ail away ht Ianded somewhere in a ditch And Ieft it there te stay. The snow did fail and covered it h turned f rom gold to brown Then in the spring wc found it back But al ts colour was gene. The time did come te dlean it up ht was shriveiied and it was old We composted it and the tarnished lcaves Were turned agaîn te geld. This is ail about the Maple beaves The symbol et our land it brings peace wherever there's a war We are proud for what if stands! regulate the sale of aduit materiais to those over age 18. I agree with this, net only because these items are not for chiidren but because they wiiI stili be available to aduits who wish te purchase them. I do take issue, however, with the comments previded by Barb Laing. She states- that "it's common knowîedge' that sexuai crimes are inked te pornography." No, i's not common knewîedge, but a common misconception. Despite everything its detractors say, pernography has neyer been linked te sexual crimes threugh any reputable scicntific study. President Johnson's 1967 commission admitted that it was unablq e t mid any links whatsocver. When the Meese Commission reported discovering auch links in its 1986 report, the conclusion was rejected by the very rosearchers upon whose work the study was supposediy based. Even members ef the commission itself rejected thoq report, noting that therough study was net done. A pamphlet distributed by Canadians for Decency, a group mentioned in the story, states that "violent crimes against women.. aIppear ta be virtuaily scripted by pornographic articles." Hardly a conclusive tact. Another so-calied ink was drawn f rom a study of only 89 persons, one-third et whom had committed "an ettence after beîng exposed to pornography.R I can think of no reputabie researcher who would draw such al-encompassing statistics trom such a smaîî percentage et such a smalî study group. A similar pamphlet distributed by Focus on the Family states, "it is extremeîy ditticuit te prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that a cause-effect reîatienship exists" between pornography and crime. Difficult? So f ar, scicntitic study has proven if impossible. No other group representing any other cause wouid be permtted te state such a case without proof, yet ne one questions these people because a vocal minority has made it impossible te do se without being branded a pervert. Spare us these lfacts" until you cari prove that you have the power te back them up. JiI Mclntosh Oshawa "We have to wrap you in red tape --it's standard procedure!" 'Not about realism or abstraction' To the Editor: On June 23, Don Merrifieîd wrote te you on the topic of DuPent Canada 'Art for Earth's Sake' competition recentiy held at The Station Gallery. Mr. Merriieîd's letter inciuded several uncompIimentary com- ments about his ce-entrants and the judges. As the president and the director/curator et The Station Gallery, we are writing te respond te severai ot the issues raised by Mr. Merrifield. The Station Gallery is committed to providing a community forum for aIl genres of art and whiîe we acknewîcdge Mr. Merrifieîd's right to his opinions about his co-entrants' werk, when Mr. Merrifield's commonts go beyond mere criticism and question the integrity ot the competitien, The Station Gallery is obîiged to previde a formai response. The Art fer Earth's Sake competition was about community-based art with an environmentaî theme. The cempetition was net about realism or abstraction. The Station Gallery wants to assure Mr. Merrifield and ail other entrants that each and every piece ot art was carefuîîy and individuaîîy considered by the judges for artistic menit and interpretation ef theme. There was absoiuteîy no sorting ot works based upon reaiismn or abstraction as suggested by Mr. Merrifield. Mr. Merrif ield might be interested te Iearn that the f ive judges of the DuPont Canada Art for Earth's Sake cempetition, ail of whomn gave generousîy of their time, came trom varied backgrounds incîuding twe curators, an art ist, an art consultant and a Iay person. I shouîd be noted that several of the judges have a special interest and expertise in the area of realist art. It is the opinion of the judges that the exhibited works included a fairîy equal mix of rcalist and abst ract art. Mr. Merrifieid's critical assessment of the quaîity ot the exhibited works is obviousîy at odds with the opinions et the panel of judges. The Station Gallery accepts these diff erences et opinion as an inevitable preduct et any competition. Whilc it is Mr. Merriieîd's right to disagrec with the judges' decisions, it is most inappropriate of Mr. Merritieîd te attack the credibiîity of the judging process and malign the quality et the exhibited works. The Station Gallery has always viewed itscîf as a community art gaîlery committed to scrving and showcasing local amateur and prof essienal artists. The Station Gallery hopes that ail artists who participated and especialîy those who were idcntified in Mr. Merriield's letter in a uncomplimentary manner wili continue their artistic efforts and accept Mr. Merrifieîd's comments as one çrritical opinion among many f avo ,able ones. The Sttion Gallery is cemmitted to preserving the high level ot community participatien which it now enjeys and looks forward te the continued support of local artists of aIl levels et ability. Mary Lofthause Presldent Bbard of Drectors Lînda Paulocîk Director/Curator A beautiful experience To the Editor: As aduts wc are told that we can leave Iasting impressions on children. When that happens in reverse, and a group of kids make us part of a beautiful and unforgettable experience, I can think ot no greater compliment t han to admit it. My sincerest thanks to Mr. Dixon and the students ot St. Marguerite D'Youviiie and everyone associated with the production of 'That's The Ticket.' You should alil bo'on Broadway. Norm Rico Whltby To the Edîtor: I would like, on behaîf et the Whitby General Hospital Auxiîiary, to thank the Whitby Froc Press for the excellent ceverage et our most recent fundraii.ng event. This was something different for us in the form of a variety show, the 'Sounds et Spring,' that was produced and directed by Bort Heaver who is weil-known in the local entertainment community. We would aiso like te thank Bert, the cast and crew for generously donating their time for this event and for giving us such a tun-fiiîed evening of entertainment, with the procceds going te the Whitby General Hospital Auxiliary. It's people like this that make our community such a great place te live, and your added support is like the icing on the cake. Jean Harvey Public relations Antique table taken To the Editer: On Friday, June 25, our tamily was moving from. Geodfellow Street (Otter Creek area) et Whftby. As you can imagine, turniture was sitting outside et our house, waiting to be loaded into the truck and car trailers on the street and in the diveway. aDuing thernorning, a woman in agreyvaan possibly wearing a black dress-type unit orm apparently stopped, Ioaded our antique telephone table into hon vehice and drove away (as witnessed by neighbourhood chiidren). The antique table had recently been Ieft to us by a f am iiy f riend and has great sentimental value. Hf the lady who took our table mistakenly thought k was put out for the garbage, wc wili understand and would welcome back our table - ne questions asked. Our phone number is 430-6032. Sarah Stones The Whitby Free Press welcemes letters to the editor on any subject of cocen to our readers. Letters should be brief and to the pOint - rarely more titan 300 words. Ail letters must be accoempanied by the narne, address and telephone number of the writer. However, on request. your naine may be withheld from publication if we agree there is a valtd reason. The newspaper reserves d>he right to reject or edt ail letters. Send te: The Editor, Whitby Free Press, Box 206, Whitby, Ont. Li N 5S1, or drop through our mail siot at 131 Brockç St. N. Generous support