A6 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, July 9, 1997 SACRED HEART Parish parent Darly Anaka, left, Fa- ther John Smith and Maria Botelho, another parent from Sacred Heart, are among those speaking out against the planned teaching in public schools of tolerance toward homosexuals. CORRESPONDENCE FOR THET TERRACE STANDARD T he Mail Bag Kenny lights worrisome Dear Sir: This letter is regarding the interseclion of Hwy 16 and Kenny and my concerns for the people who use this intersection. Jam very tired of listening to the stalling tactics of the City of Terrace and CN Railway pertaining lo the traffic lights at this intersection. What are you waiting for? Are you waiting for some- bady to get killed before you decide it’s going to be a good time to activate these lights? I’ve heard it’s because of a lack of money. What a load of garbage! By saying this, you are simply stating that money is more important than the safety of people. I have per- sonally witnessed several accidents at this interscction, and have almost been run over while trying to cross at the crosswalk, and thank God nobody has been killed. Tell me this, what is going to happen when Canadian Tire opens for business and the traffic Dow increases even more? Well I'l tell this for sure —- those dead lights that are, hanging there wilh bags over them won’t dga thing ‘for. anybody. t Mee is intersection “is. being used for kids walking té school, and people driving to work. It’s a death trap waiting to happen. J. Gregory Terrace, B.C. Shames plan applauded Dear Sir: I have but one word to express my feelings about the recent letter to your paper ‘‘Shames Charity is Wrong’’ by Allan Grier: Dismay. Community leaders put their money into ventures such as Shames Mountain for reasons other than fina- cial gain. They are concerned about the mental physical and spiritual well being of the citizens of the community they live in. These people are leaders and would be in any com- munity they lived in. There are many ather more profitable ventures to in- vest in, but only the dull would consider their financial and personal interests first. These community leaders should be applauded not criticized by the likes of Mr. Grier. Mark Twyford Vancouver B.C. Dog treatment dismaying Dear Sir: We just came back from a trip to Inuvik in the North- west Territories. People from all over the word are lured to the far north and the Arctic to see learn and ex- perience it, the land, the people and the culture, But there is one thing that is very disturbing aud dis- gusting and that is the way the native people treat their dogs. We had hoped that with the modern way of life that this was a thing of the past. 1 wish it was, but un- fortunately it is not. There are many places where the dogs are tied to a pole on very short chains without shelter, food or water, out of sight from the tourists. Just before the Arctic red river crossing there are many dogs tied a alongside the dusty road without shelter, food or water. Two of them are in a wire cage without anything. The dogs look terrible, a few had torn the chains loose and came rushing towards every vehicle in hope of getting food. On the left side of the road we heard a terrible pathetic constant cry. We thought perhaps one who had itself torn loose got langicd up in the bushes. As we were getting closer we saw a small female dog tying desperately to get our attention. She was tied to 4 metal contraption and she had six very small puppics, again no water and food and the sun beating down on all of them. The puppies were crying, the female one step away from starving to death herself, had no milk for the puppies. This is such a shocking sight, that ilmakes your blood boil, It is a bloody disgrace and il lums tourists away, This is everybody's responsibility to stop thls cruelty to dogs. Anybody who has pride and a heart for animals should do something about it. So, atybody going that way, please speak up and make yourself heard. They will listen to tourists as they are depending on them. . Ortrud Busclimann Terrace B.C, From front Churches split over gay issue Simonson called the family rights declaration dangerous because it would mean students couldn't be involved in anything that goes contrary to their parents’ religious belicfs. Some people, he noted, believe scripture indicates black people aren’t equal to white people. ‘Where do you draw the line with this thing?”’ he asked, “It seems to me it just opens up a Pandora’s Box.’’ Simonson also said he questions some of Simpson’s or- ganization’s facts and *‘the credibility of the whole thing.” ‘Tt seems to me to be kind of a fringe organization, this Kari Simpson group.”” ‘J don’t think it reflects mainline approaches to issues, It has sort of a conspiracy theory that I think simply promotes fear and isn’t based on reality.’ The Sacred Heart Catholic church has made copies of declaration of parents rights available to the congregation. About 150 have been taken so far. Father John Smith said the majority of the congregation is against teaching tolerance of homosexuality, but some church members were uninformed on the issue, and didn’t want to get involved. Rob Brinsen, pastor of the non-denominational Thornhill Community Church, says his church is supporting the ral- ly, and that the congregation is united on this issue. “It’s up to parents to teach their children about morals and issues,”’ he said. Gov threatening families, say angry Catholics CATHOLIC PARENTS here are worried the B.C. government is making dangerous changes to the legal definition of families. And that’s what Kari Simpson will be talking about at a forum July 16 in the Terrace arena. Simpson, head of the Citizen’s Research Institute, will talk about the pos- sibility that goverament will teach tolerance of homosexuality in schools, and about the NDP’s pro- posed changes to child sup- port legislation to include same sex couples. “I'm really concerned.:I don’t want-my daughter-to learn homosexypiity as an alternate lifestyle,’’ said Maria Botelho, a parent of ihree children, one of whom is going into high school next year. Botelho also belongs to the Sacred Heart church. She was wortied that if schools teach homosexuality is normal, than her daughter might try being a lesbian if she went a few years without a boyfriend. “She might think it’s akay because they’re teaching her it’s okay.” Another Catholic parent, Daryl Anaka, shares her cONCeMs. ‘T believe there is tolerance in schools already. { just don’t feel it’s neces- sary to normalize the homosexual lifestyle.”’ Anaka, a teacher, is also worried about the govern- ment’s atiempt to recognize same sex couples in Bills 31 and 32. “Tt’s an attack on the sacredness of marriage and the family.’ He suspects this could be the first of many changes to legislation. Anaka thinks those changes will lead to moral corruption, which in tum will lead to increases in crime and violence. “The government needs to support, not redefine fam- ily and marriage,” said Anaka. Father John Smith of the Sacred Heart church ac- cused the government of being ‘‘in cahoots’? with leaders in the homosexual community, ‘‘A subtle dic- talorship is being intro- duced,’" Anakaisand