INSIDE
COMMUNITY
EVENTS B2

JUST A THOUGHT
KATHY FLORITTO _ -

The politics
of tolerance

ICTORIA’S ANNOUNCEMENT

that discussion of homosexuality is

necessary to our children’s class-

room education, saw mosl British
Columbians quickly aligning with whichever
point of view they espoused.

On the ‘‘no”’ side, there is legitimate concern
that government is attempting to usurp parental
rights and responsibilities as well as chibdren’s
right to be raised in an environment of applied

gious tenets.

Then, too, it’s impossible to bring about an
understanding of another’s situation without
delving into the details, and many people feel

that such instruction more properly rests with
the parents.

Of those who believe it is instruction our chil-
dren must have, some bundle themselves in a
lovely, if overused, coat of self-righteous in-
dignation, accusing the naysayers of being
‘intalerant,’’ homophobic bigots.

cems of those against the plan, particularly the
parents whose children will be the recipients of
the new course material, the tactic of disparage-
ment is used — a ploy often taken by the
closed-minded,

In the traditional sense of the word, tolerance
demands regard for the views, beliefs and prac-
tices of others that differ from our own. It ex-
acts respect for the dignity of human beings.

The new definition of tolerance, hawever, is
an appalling distortion of that traditional mean-
ing. It doesn’t merely ask for a respect of dif-
ferences, but offen demands acceptance of the
beliefs and practices of others. Any person or
idea that opposes this new definition is, of
course, viewed as intolerant.

What these folks neatly always mean when
they speak of tolerance is that we should be
tolerant of all views except those with which
they disagree. Not ‘‘tolerance”’ at all — it’s a
tactic with which to attempt intellectual dic-
tatorship, censoring all opposing views.

who prefer ta “agree to disagree”’ are
labeled bigots, our society is not just
inching down a very slippery slope,
we're in a race for the bottom and
we're winning.

(eg, the three books banned by the Surrey
School District), they are eager to ban the ex-
pression of ideas they dislike from the public
domain. Hypocrites all, they apparently view
the fundamental freedoms enshrined in Cana-
da’s Constitution as having been written only
for those who think as they do,

And they are single-minded in their aim for
control, The school system has our children for
the best of their waking hours for 5 days out of
7, What better arena to instill in young minds,
active acceptance of a most peculiar definition
of tolerance and of a lifestyle which 99 per cent
of them will never know.

There are ethnic and religious minorilies in
Canada that number far more than one pér cent
of our population, but few arc afforded the
classroom attention proposed for this one.

If, under this ‘new’ tolerance, those who pre-
fer to “‘agree to disagree’? are labeled bigots,
our society is not just inching down a very slip-
pery slope, we’re in a sace for the bottom and
we're winning,

Confusing genuine disagrcement with hatred,
the tolerance revisionists assume that those who
are opposed to classroom instruction on
homosexuality hate homosexuals.

Such woolly-headed thinking usually comes
* om gay-rights advocates.

Their goal is universal endorsement of the
homosexuat lifestyle — mot only that
homosexuals must be respected as buman
beings, but that everyone must accept the
legitimacy of gay behavior.

Author Dale Berryhill remarks, “Tolerance as
a virtue within a moral framework works fine,
but toleratice as an underlying principle — as
the foundation for a moral framework — does

not.”

In my view, Mr.Berryhill bas il right and our

wrong:
And that’s my $.02 Canadian!

principles consistent with their family’s reli-

Rather than address the very justifiable con-'

By CRIS LEYKAUF
EVEN SLOUCHING in a
chair Angela Beaupre fooks
graceful, The lithe 16-year-
old, is dressed in a black
body suit and she idly

‘swivels her legs as she talks,

punctuating heer remarks
with pointed taps of her bal-

let slippers.

These days her toes are
punctuating her sentences
with exclamation marks.
Beaupre was recently ac-
cepted into one of the top
three ballet schools In the
country.

She'll be doing her grade
11 and 12 at the L'Ecole
Supiewre de Danse du
Quebec. It’s affiliated with
Les Grands Ballets
Canadiens. Mornings will
be spent in academic classes

while aftemoons are
devoted fo dance.
When she graduates

Beaupre hopes to be ac-
cepted into a professional
ballet company.

“1 can’t see myself doing
anything else,”’ she says. ‘'I
love itso much.”’

Beaupre is the first student
from the Flynn School of
Ballet to be accepted into a
professional ballet school,

“It’s a pretty stressful pro-
cess, trying to get in,’’ says
Laura Flynn, owner of the

“You have to be

- strong and dedicated.

And. you always have
to push yourself — no
matter how much it
hurts.”

ballet school. She opened
the school two years ago
when she moved back to
Terrace after completing her
academy of dance training.
Beaupre auditioned for the
country’s number-one
ranked Royal Winnipeg bal-

-whal they have to work on,

Jet school last January, but
didn’t make it in. At the be-
ginning of this summer she
auditioned for Royal Win-
nipeg again, and for the
Montreal dance school.
However, she couldn’t af-
ford to travel to Vancouver
for the audition, so had to
do it by video tape.

* “T's even harder to get in
by video, at least that’s what
Laura tells me,’? says
Beaupre. She never heard
back from Royal Winnipeg,
and wonders if her tape was
lost in the mail, but did get

accepted by —_ L‘Ecole
Supicure de Danse.
Even then, she wasn’t

guaranteed a spot in the
school. First Beaupre had to
make il through a four-week
grueling audition at the
school. Six others from
across the country had also
been accepted, —- two from
Calgary, two from Rich-
mond, two from Ontario and
hersef.

Just living in a small town
puts Beaupre at a dis-
advantage,

“Ts hard because she
can’t get the performance
experience up here,” says
Flynn. Even when Beaupre -
travelled to Prince George
for competitions, there
weren't many others at her
level.

In comparison, ballet stu-
dents in the Vancouver area
can waich students at higher
levels than them, and see

says Flynn, pany when she graduates,

. BALLET STUDENT Angela Be
schools in the country — L'Ecole Supieure de Danse in Montreal. She'll finish
grade 11 and 12 there and hopes to be accepted Into a professional dance com-

SECTION B
CRIS LEYKAUF
638-7283

B a

aupre was acce

ie

pted into one of the top ballet

Although the audition was
difficult Beaupre was ac- says. .
cepted and is eagerly look- = ‘“‘They have no idea what
ing forward to taking her, it takes. You have to be
dance training to a mew strong and dedicated. And
level, ‘ you always have to push

“My friends are pretty ex- yourself — no matter how
cited about this. They’re all = much it hurts.’’
proud of me,’’ she says. Performing is | what
However, some of the other Beaupre enjoys the most
kids al school think ballet is about ballet and that’s why
‘stupid and wimpy,” she het goal is to join a profes-

school,

sional‘ company.
Being in the third ranked

“Being on stage —,

there’s nothing like it, I-
think if I couldn’! dance I’d
just wither up and die.””
Beaupre has taken dance
classes since she was seven,
and in addition to ballet also

takes jazz. She thinks taking

jazz helped her to get ac-
cepted in the Montreal

ballet school in the country —
won't guarantee Beaupre a
spot with a dance company.
Once she graduates she

plans to ‘‘audition every-

where,’’

‘T's just something I
bave to do — a way of ex-
pressing myself.’’

If, under this ‘new? tolerance, those ©

While complaining bitterly about censorship |

, Minister of Education et al have it very, very.

BP

PROLIFIC READERS — Kirsten and Dana Bloomquist read 339 books between
them In 42 days this summer. They shared the prize for top reader in the public li
brary's summer reading club for children.

Reading away the summer

HOW MANY books can you read in six another 40 pre-schoolers.
weeks? How about 171? ; Kirsten and Dana aren’l usually quite

That’s how many books grade four stu- such avid readers, their mother confesses, ,
dent Kirsten Bloomquist devoured this
summer. Her younger sister Dana wasn't
far behind at 168.

Kirsten and Dana were the most prolific
readers in this year’s Summer Reading
Club, organized by the Ilbrary.

The purpose of the club was to encourage
students to read over the summer, That way
reading skills are kept up over the summer,
and evenimprovedupon. =. ‘

The club has been very popular, with 294
children aged six and older enrolled, and

from White Rock.

Kirsten’s favourite books are from the
Sweet Valley Kids series — they're adven-
ture books for young people. Dana’s

favourite book-was Mustard, about a gold-
en retriever dog who saved a cat’s life.
~The reading club wrapped up last week
with a party and prizes were handed out,

Throughout the summer children enjoyed
events such as a puppel show, mystery
games and a scavenger bunt.

but the family just moved to town in June

Fall Fair needs
judges and
more volunteers:

CAN YOU tell the difference between a so-so apple
pie and one that makes your taste buds tingle? That’s
all that’s required if you want to judge baked goods
at the Skeena Valley fall fair this year.

Oh yeah, you also have to judge texture and ap-
pearance, but you could probably have a pretty good
time of it while eating your way through the entries.

Judges are needed for more than the baking categor-
ies though. Fair treasurer Martina Koch is looking for
people who have some know how about many of the

‘ categories, such as cut flowers, textiles and arts and —
crafis.

Volunteers are also needed to help set up and '
organize the fair, which takes place Aug. 30-31.

_ Jf you'd rather enter the fair than be a judge or
volunteer, Koch says you"d belter start cooking, pick-
ling, baking and making jam.

You can enter Aug. 22-23 from noon till 6 p.m. at
the fall fairgrounds, and again on Aug. 25 from noon
till 8 p.m. Go to the office near the main entrance.

Unfortunately the auction from the exhibit hall has
been canceled this year because there’s no one to do
it. That means any food which isn’t picked up by ex-
hibitors will be sold at a set price instead.

If you’re interested in volunteering, call Koch at
635-2287 or fair president Russell’ Seltenrich at 635-
3374,

kk kk

The lack of an auctioneer is a symptom of the more
serious problems which plague the fair.

“if we don’t get some more volunteers there isn’t
going to be a fair next year,’ warns Koch.
“Everybody is just burned out.” '

_ A whole new executive is needed for next year’s
fair. And the board has to be in place by the end of

this year in order to apply for the $3,300 grant the

fair gets from the government.

“We need people willing 1o dedicate their time to
this fair,”’ she says. Most of the work takes place in
the month before the fair, but same arrangements
have to be made in advance, such as printing the
schedule and ordering ribbons. .

If people don’t come forward for the executive,
Koch says there won’t be a fair next year. And if Ter-
race goes without a fair for two years it will be very

. difficult to get the grant back, oo