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6 - The Canadian Champion, Fniday, July 14, 2000 SCOMMENT SAY PREoN iFYOJWO'T7 ____________________ TIISPROPANYNKRE I WAS WONDERINGD. Paying more for better 09 water will be worth it Long-time Milton residents know it doesn't take a tragedy to show people are passionate about their drinking water. In the past, residents pitched a bitter fight against adding chiorine to well water. To the chagrin of some, the tragedy in Walkerton proved the right decision had been made. But wounds front that battie werc just beginning to scab over when residents banded together again, this time to prevent a blend of lake and well water from flowing out of local taps. Now Halton Region has proposed improving lake-water service by adding ozone to it. This powerful, naturally-occurring agent disinfects while reducing the bad taste and smell that.can plague lake water in the summer months. It's an expensive process, but one likely to be gladly borne by ratepayers in return for sparkling, clear water straight from the tap.X Eventually, the same treatment may be given to well water. If not, how ironic it will be if current residents start the fight anew - this time in hopes of bringing lake water to their homes. ~*OUR READERS WRITE Milton couoie -cets -trea1t service locally When educators fait, the chîldren lose Dear Editor: In response te0 a letter 10 thse editor bost month about thse lack of asistance pro- vided by local busînesses, we feel tIse need 10 briefly detail our experience with à local business, Halton Milso Place, whicb provided us witb exceptional ser- vice. We were faced with a situation in wbich only 10 days befote our wedding, we determined our caterer would be tenable to Isonour a commilment 10 us- Ezio and Adrian Angelucci of Hlton Hilîs Place stepped in and finalized a complete dinner menu, arranged for a profeasional, catering staff and mode helpful suggestions for tIhe set-up of our banquet facility. Most importantly, they approached Ibis pressure situation with a positive, caring attitude, olfenrng 10 do anything they could to help us pull our wedding reception together ai a more thon remsn- able cost. Their profesîonal.ism aond out- standing cuisine was second to none. We extend ose beartfelt thanks to both Ezio and Adrian as well as thse staff at Halton HIS, Place. Scott and Debble Prior Milton Dear Editor: tt'n always a little sad wben a player scores against bis own tearo. However, education ix not a sport, and wben educators fait, tbe chil- dren lose. A letter from teacher Jodi Cross (June 20) exemplifies tbe unprincipled nature of tbe tbinking 1 routinely observe among modemn teachers. My intention ix not to barmi Ms Cross speciftcally, but 10 demonnîrate bow she resoundingly proves my point. My primary argument in my June 13 letter was tbat the teachers' handling of Bill 74 ix utterly wrong due 10 a widespread lack of princi- pied thinlcing. To start ber responne 10 my letter. Ms Cross telln us that it "would be futile" to try "to con- vince readers of the lack of logic behind Bill 74." She's plainly Say- ing that reanon ix uselens or inap- Box 248, 191 Main St. E.. The Canaien Champion, published eoery Tuesday and Friday at 191 pi upc ami Mito. nt LT N9 Main St. t.. Milton, Olit., U9T 4N9 (Box 248), is ore of The Metroand ChampioVs Milton, On. L9T 4N9 PrinOno, Publishino & Oistributing Ltd- group ol suburban comparies micir ubily irclodes: Aax/Pickering News Adoertiser, Alaîntor Herald/Courier, Barrie pblïcly Mha Advance , Barry's gay This Week, Boiter toterprine, Brampton Soardiar, bleeta (905) 8 7 8 -2 34 1 -Burlington Pont, Burtinglor Shopping Nomo, City Parent, Cily ot York ix a oale en Suardiao, ColingwoodlWaoaga Correction, East York Mirror, trin Editorial Fax: 878-4943 Aotoocate/Courtry Boates, Etobicolie Suardiar, Plamborough Pont, Porexor Young, Georgetown lodependenlActor Free Press, Huronia Business A.dvertising Fax: 876-2364 Timon. Kingston Tis Weela, Lirdsay This Week, Markham Economiot & u Sun. MidlandirPenetangaiOltOo Mirror, Milon Shopping Nems, Mississauga Classified: 875-3300 Business Timon, Miosinsauga homo, Napareo Guide, Nassagaweya homo, Newmarkeldurora tra-Banner, Northumberland hows, North Torkr Mirror f Ian Oliver Publisher Oakoîie Beaner, Oalinitle Shopping homo, Sldtimoro Hockey Newms, Orîttia NeB[ Oliver Asnociate Publinher Today, Oshama/Wiritbylington/Port Perry This Week, GOn Sourd Tribunle, Peterborough Tis Week, Pîctor Courty Guide, Richmord BillB fegin Generai Manager HilUillornhiiNaughan Lîberal, Scarboroualr Mîreoe, StouatnilOxbridgO Karen Smith Editor Advertiirt os acceptait on Goe corditior-thae, rn tire event of a tppo- grophîcai orror, Chat portion oC Goe advoriinng space occupied by Cire orro- Steve cronler Circulation Manager 00000 itm, engothor wfth a ooasnattle alîsonce ton signatare. mili rot ho Teri Cumo Office Manager chaiged for, but the. balance or the adoortisomont wiii ho raid for ai Goe applicable raee. The publioher roservos the right t0 catogorizo advertiso- Tien Coles Priduction Manager monts on doclino. letters. To say Ibis so s Cross would bave 10 our intellectual culture vironment for a person 10 reject reason an a *"waste' of lime. This ix precisely the point stated in my letter -- in general, our intellectualo don't care about logic. If well-reasoned logic is uoeless against bad ideas, what is reason for? Witbout oeason, what are Our cbildren 10 use 10 make decinions? Do we want our cifidren taught by educators who initiale a debate by abandoning reaoon? In opposing my letter, Ms Cross mode great use of the "ad hominem" argument, a logical error that's easy for grade 9 stu- denits 10 grasp. One simply avoido the actual argument made, by find- ing real or perceived fault with the speaker, hoping the fault is sufti- cient to destroy bis argument. Mn. Cross avoided my argument, pre- ferring 10 accuse me of being "asi- nine', of uning "flowery language", of presenting "a display of shallow, linear thinking", and numerous, nimilar attackn. Anyone holding a bigb scbool diploma ougbt to rec- ognize and meticulously avoid tbe educational professionals use il freely. Ms Cross resents tbe fact Ibat 1 reserve "the rigbl to comment on wbat (she dors) for a living and ... wby." Weil, t do have a rigbt to make general comment on sncb issues, and 1 certainly did n01 hint as 10 why individual teachers teacb. Sbe ignored tbe general nature of my point, twisted il mbt a personal aîîack on ber motivation for teacb- ing, and then argued againnt the lat- ter. This metbod is anoîber elemen- tary error of logic known an the Straw Man fallacy. One creates a parallel issue and then argues against it, 10 create the semblance of baving beaten the original argu- ment. Worse, tbe unsîaîed funiction of Ms Cross's Straw argument was to reject my rigbt 10 comment on the moral positions she supports, wbile retraining for berseif a right 10 insult me pubêicly for my moral -se. TRUE on page 7 by Steve Nease THE CANADL4N CHAMPION à