The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

6 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, March 10, 1987 Letters No simple solutions for crime To The Editor: Recently, your paper carried a front page article dealing with the fact that our federal Member of Parliament, Allan Lawrence, in- tends to support an upcoming resolution recently introduced in the House of Commons, to restore capital punishment. It is noteworthy that Mr. Lawrence was careful to state, in his interview with the paper, that he would only wish to see the death penalty utilized in the punishment of murders committed Phantom fans Attention: Editor Dear Phantom: Now that you have 'returned' to the citizens of Port Perry, we just thought that we would drop you a line. And we thought that your latest letter was interesting to say the least! 'We are your biggest fans ever. Whoever. you may be, we love you! Please don't desert us! Love, your friends from Port Perry High. Kathy, Shanette and Heather under a limited number of cir- cumstances - a view shared by most proponents of capital punishment It was quite a shock, therefore, to find an editorial featured in the . same issue, which suggests that the reintroduction of captial punish- ment would make Canadian streets safer! As Mr. Lawrence, and others who support the reintroduction of © the death penalty, clearly feel that it should be used only to punish planned murders and the killers of peace officers, etc., one must ask by what leap of logic the author of this editorial concludes that executing a tiny minority of criminals would constitute such a judicial panacea The kinds of offenses which normal ly occur in the streets - purse snat- chings, pick pocketing, etc, rarely result in murder and, even when this occurs, it is hardly ever premeditated or perpetrated 'against a police officer. Even if capital punishment were morally or statistically justifiable - and it cer- tainly is not - it would have no effect upon the types of crime to which the editor refers. I can sympathize with the fact that frustration with the perceived ineffectiveness of the justice system causes many people to advocate ex- treme solutions to crime. I doubt that many of these people have ever Phantom strikes again To The Editor: The Phantom strikes again' As my daughter, Margaret, reached for this morning's paper, there sitting on top of an envelope was the calling card of the Phantom - another white rock with the words "You are challenged." This time it appears that the organizaions of Port Perry are be- ing challenged to meet at the Hospital Library on Wednesday March 11 to take on a Fitness Challenge by the Phantom in per- son. But will he/she reveal his/her identity? To the Phantom - unfortunately I will be out of town at that time and can't accept your challenge, however my letter has been passed on to another member of my sorori- ty. I hope to see your picture in next weeks Port Perry Star. © Sincerely, Bunny Rowland. Beta Sigma Phi- Preceptor Gamma Xi Chapter. Capital punishment (From page 5) wrongful execution be someone like the young Indian from Nova Scotia, Donald Marshall, who spent 11 years in prison? He was tried and convicted of murder; a murder that ~ subsequently someone else confess- ed to commiting. Will we apply capital punishment as quickly to a convicted murderer such as Ross . Thatcher, the former Saskatchewan politician who is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of his former wife". Murder by the state or by an in- dividual is not an answer to our pain or our fears or our abberations. Tak- ing a "life for a life' has not stop- ped the crime from happening in the past. It hasn't returned the victim to health or lessened the heartache of loss. Yes, it is sad, very sad, that some . people think the re-instatement of capital punishment will make us feel better about our abhorrence of our neighbours death. It is very human to want death to be revers- ed, but it is inhumane to use another death in our attempt to restore that which cannot be restored. : "Capital punishment is a vengeful act that cannot be condoned by any forward looking civilization, and 1 pray that Mr. Lawrence will recon- sider his vote. LI Sincerely, Andrea Jones, RR. 2, Port Perry Editorial (From page 4) How about giving people the right to buy beer and wine in the corner store? As it stands now, those who want a drink after the beer and liquor stores are closed, must drive to a licenced establishment, consume some booze and then drive home. If people could buy beer and wine in the corner store, most would leave it in the bottle until they got home We can't argue that some of the hquor laws in the province are laughable in 1987. But we can't agree with changes that would only compound the already serious problem of abuse. over indulgence and drinking-driving ~~ The provincial government should tread very cautiously with some of the recommendations suggested by the committee. There are many situations and circumstances where the sale of booze should be tightened up. not relaxed visited a jail or spent a day in court watching criminal proceedings, however. | doubt that they have compare statistics from jurisdic- tions where capital punishment is, and is not used. Indeed, what such people fail to consider, is that even when genuinely barbaric forms of punishment were utilized in the past, they did not curtail murder or other illegal activities. It is also significant to note that in today's sophisticated society, with the latest criminalogical methods available to the police and the courts, serious. mistakes can still be made. Would the editor want to be in the position of having been responsible for the execution of a person later proven innocent, such as Donald Marshall? It has taken centuries for rehabilitation to become an impor- tant factor in the pursuit of criminal Justice. But simplistic appeals to understandable anger over the oc- casional slowness of a system which strives to be as fair as possible have more to do with a vengeful, myopic view of penology than with the prin- ciples of fundamental justice. I feel certain that if the author of the editorial referred to above had ever been accused of something he had not done, he would be a lot more careful about advocating extremes in the name of justice. Indeed, any . Society which claims to be democratic and which, at the same time, claims the right to punish those who violate its laws, must show itself to be more humane gnd more just than those it proposes to admonish. No amount of shallow, right wing editorializing or political expediency on the part of a govern- ment desperate to distract public at- tention from its problems, should in- duce us to be willingly driven back into the days of witch hunts or trial by ordeal. This is similar to the kind of reasoning which Hitler used when * he told the people of Germany that the Jews were responsible for all their difficulties, and look what resulted! We should not permit ourselves to be fooled into thinking that- there are simple solutions to complex dilemmas, including that of criminal retribution. Yours very truly, Sean J. Madsen, Port Perry, Editor's Note: For the record, Donald Marshall was convicted of second degree murder, a crime for which capital punishment is not the penalty. As for the reader's assertion that the editorial somehow suggested that capital punishment will make Canadian streets safer, the editorial said the following: **Capital punish- ment should be returned to the books in Canada, along with a general toughening of the way we deal with all law breakers." The editorial in no way, shape or form ever suggested, as the letter writer implies, that capital punish- ment is going to be a deterrent to petty crime like pick- Poking and purse snatching. What it did say is thai the penalties for petty crime and all other crime, including the white col- lar variety, should be more than mere slaps on the wrist. As for the letter writer's concern about the 'leap of logic' on the part of the editorial, we would suggest he .refer to the last paragraph of his own letter printed above. In two sentences he manages to include "shallow right wing editorializing. political expediency to distract public attention" with "witch hunts. trial by ordeal" and the perscution and slaughter of the Jews under Nazi Germany. Talk about leaps Raising a benefit To The Editor: I am certain when the Rainbow Bridge over the Scugog river near Lindsay is raised, all persons shall benefit from this worthwhile project I do hope all the councillors in the Kawarthas and the Townships boardering on the Scugog water- ways shall realize that Tourism is a 'Billion dollar industry, the second largest industry after agriculture i in Canada. Yes Billions of dollars earn- ed each and every year. The more attractive our water- ways are made, the better chance of drawing tourists from all areas. So when the Rainbow Bridge is raised I believe all Councillors will agree that Tourism is very very im- portant to all their communities A communities have tried in the pas to keep their parks respectable an. -- _attractive to the visitor. Lindsay has so much to offer the communities to the north and south "So have those in the north, as we do in.the south of Lindsay. So,a tip of the "Hat" to all who are involved i in the raising of the Rain- bow hoidpe Roy Walker Smith. Port Perry, Ontario Race needs support To The Editor: Open Letter to Canoe the Nonquon Committee... As one of the many helpers on race day at Canoe the Nonquon, { am greatly concerned about the future of the canoe race. Questions that are truly bothering me. After 18 years, is the interest in - the race wearing thin? It would ap- pear to me as an outsider that the answer is Yes. At one time there were over 200 canoes in the race...last year there were 72. Is the format becoming stale? Could we in fact do something to regain the interest of the community? This race has been in the past a major source of income for our Historical Society and Museum and as the race appears to be losing ground... the Museum in fact is growing and it is costing a great deal more money each year to meet the financial commitments... Could it be that it is time for the Society to pull out as the parent organization and look for another major fund raiser? . Is the problem that the people who GLASSES GAMES | TABLES CHAIRS . PARTY *TENT TRAILERS *TRAVEL TRAILERS *BOX TRAILERS | have worked so hard for so many years simply become too busy or perhaps, like many of us their life styles have changed and they do not have the time to give to this mam- moth undertaking? Is it time to go the public route and put a report in the local paper asking for input from the community? I believe it's time that the public got involved... I have not been involved in the organization of the race but have always been willing to do my bit...small as it may be. Perhaps there are others among the public who would like to participate - newcomers with new ideas. Fresh ideas are needed. Why not come to the Canoe the Nonquon meeting at the Museum on Thurs- day March the 12th at 8:00 P.M. The community, the race and the Museum needs you. Yours truly, Doreen Kendall, Race Helper... Canoe the Nonquon. *CARPET CLEANERS *TILE CUTTERS *GENERATORS *COMPRESSORS *DOLLIES *SCAFFOLDS *HEAVY EQUIPMENT *PUMPS *LOG SPLITTERS ..and more! 852-5538 Zehrs Mall - Uxbridge 3 { af " # wn '