At4 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, December 7, 1994 Sense of optimism greets dawning of a new world THE THREAT of nuclear war may have passed, but there will continue to be flare ups as the world struggles toward a new or- der, says a commentator on inter- national and military matters. Among those flare ups will be increasing - acts of terrorism as. groups of people try to attain the same kind of material wealth that we enjoy and then react when it isn’t possible right away, said Gwynne Dyer, who lectured here recently, ‘Tt isn’t going to be all roses, but if that’s our biggest problem, we've done pretly well,” he said. Dyer’s message was a variation of the “good news, bad news’? model. The good is the end of the. Sovict Union and the growth of democracies, In part ibis was spurred by the explosion of mass communica- tions via satellite television which cartics the common message of equality and opportunity, , The bad news is that not every- body at the same time will cnjoy the bencfits of a mainly peaceful warld. “We can’t forever belicve that growth is a measure of success,’ said Dyer. ‘We're heading for the biggest set of disappointed expectations | you ever saw,”’ be noted. ; As countrics in what we call the’ third world grow, mainly in the southern part of the world, they're going to put increasing. pressure on the resources of a fi- nite planet, Dyer added. ‘We're going to have lo make deals where the north takes the hit, too. If there are going to be rules, you have to accept them, | too,’’ said Dyer. He warned that it would be wrong to react harshly to inereas- ing acts of terrorism by “have | not’’ peoples and groups. The best way to stop terrorism is to have in place sophisticated detection and police systems and 1o place trust in the values of a democracy, Dyer said. Terrorist groups count on governments becoming more op- pressive in the belic{ their citizens will revolt, he said. Yet mass, world wide commu- nications are spreading and will conlinuc to spread common values of a democracy, Dyer said. “War is going out of style. You can have littk wars in places wilhoul democracy, but demo- cratic countries don’t fight wars with cach other," he said. “Tf the pattern persisis, the world is running out of countrics to have wars with.” Dyer admits to a sense of op- limism, replacing his pessimistic view of the world when cast faced west with nuclear weapons and large armics, “It’s all over. [t’s all gonc. The lyrannies have collapsed,’’ said Dyer of the changes of. the past five years. “There's been no occasion like, this when there’s been so much’ change without war." Help sought KEEP YOUR eyes open for The Skeena Marketplace this weekend. Included in it will be an en- velope from the Terrace Public Library. Inside is a Iclter from board chairman Dan Gilgan asking its palrons for contributions to the 1i- brary’s building fund. The library has embarked upon a two-year campaign to raise $87,000 to raise the necessary moncy to finish the library’s ex- pansion project. “The library docs not charge user fees for those who benefit directly from the service,’’ notes Gilgan in the letter. Your donation is tax deductible and receipts will be provided upon request. HELPING THE WORLD WRITE NOW < CODE Self-sufficlency through literacy in thé develaping werid For information, call +800-661-2633 “In Central America all the generals have gone home, Apart- heid is over. The rich aren’t get- ling richer, The rich are: barely keeping pace and the poor are getting richer quite fast,” he said. Something is up.” Dyer -noted- that: the: countries . which have more or. less demo-+_ cratic values contained-just one in five of the world? 5 Population 50 years ago. That's now climbed to 75 per cent and will increase’ to 90 per cent very soon when, “Dyer believes, China will change. - “We're living through the end. of 8,000 years of really bad his- tory. All of the pillars of past or- der centering on tyranny, milita- tism, hicrarchy, oppression and exploilalion aze over. There’s a new historical era,”’ -That’s because. those new tech- nologies of mass communication have in a sense have returned hu- ‘man beings to their beginnings of group behaviour. where. they. can. ; communicate. easily with cach other, : “Mass media always precludes democracy :and: democracy fol- lows a gencralion or two later,”’ | said Dyer, {*There’s now way we're ever going to stop it from spreading. - ‘Human beings will: be demo- cratic,” LOCAL RED 10 LB Bag POTATOES ¥ AY BIG Be a Big Brother or Sister. Give the gift of friendship this Christmas. Big Brothers and Sisters of ® Terrace <6 635-4232 limit of 1 — so Pe ante hy sive | bwith a minimum $50.00 family order 4 litre bag - Homogenized or 2% GROUND BEEF 10 1b min/weight. $2.16/kg CHOCOLAT Selected varieties 175 g. Selected varieties LAUNDRY DETERGENT 4 litre Ultra/8 litre Regular YOUR OVERWAITEA FOODS PRICING GUARANTEE prices as soon as we verify the lower price. Our advertised prices will not be undersold. Should a major competitor lower our advertised prices on identical items, it is Overwaitea’s policy to adjust our prices to MEET or BEAT those | PAYMENT | BILnivn PRICES IN EFFECT WED., DEC. 7 TO SAT., DEC. 10 REGULAR HOURS: Mon. Fri. 9 a.m. - p.m. + Sat, & Sun. 9am. -6 p.m.