The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, July 30, 1997 - AS

War of words continues

MLA rebuked for ignoring constituents

An open letter to Helmut Giesbreciit;

I APPRECIATE your honesty in saying publicly what you

said to me in private; that you believe our rally at the arena
’ promotes intolerance and cannot promote understanding.

However, your dishonourable words and actions do no
service to the honourable office you hold, or to the people
of this community.

These words demonstrate your prejudice toward the
organizers of this forum, the hundreds of parents and
citizens who attended, and to our guest, Kari Simpson.
You have prejudged us without just grounds. -

You have never attended one of Kari Simpson's forums.
If you had you would know that, not only docs Kari
emphatically and repeatedly declare that homosexuals are
to be tolerated, treated with dignity, and free from harass-
ment, but that they are to respected and even valued.

She also, with equal conviction, supported the notion that
schools should be inclusive places where all children, in-
cluding homosexuals, can learn in an atmosphere free from
fear, hatred, intolerance and violence.

This is the our position also, and we have stated it in
public, in private, to the media, in our advertising, in our
forum, and to you.

Why, then, would you attempt to slander me by saying
that I am “offering some creative new explanation of the
word tolerance,’’ namely that, ‘‘everyone J disagree with
who advocates tolerance is also guilty of ‘accepting certain

THE LETTERS to the editor section of a newspaper
is the place for people to speak ta one another.

But it can also become a verbal ping-pong match,
That's the case with the letters by Mike Rosenau and
Helmut Giesbrecht on this page. For the record, both
respond to previous letters written to each other and
published July 16, The other letters here are also
about the issue of tolerance toward homosexuality.

Don’t you realize that when you say this you are saying
to your constituents that you ‘“would not’ participate in an
event that promotes “‘their’? views? How does this posi-
tion of yours promote ‘understanding?’’

1, and the organizers of our forum, would gladly have at-
tended the forum put on by the Women’s Resource Center.
As the primary organizer of our forum I called Karla Hen-
nig, the director of the Women’s Resource Center, twice to
listen to her concerns and perspectives regarding our
forum and the issues, and to assure her of our intentions.

I also called two of the pastors, who supported Karla’s
rally, for the same purpose. We found some areas of com-
monality, shared concern, and even areas that we could
stand together on, Though there are obviously arcas we do
not agree, I respect their rights, and the rights of
homosexuals, to express and defend their convictions.

However, you Mr. Giesbrecht, have already declared
your message loud and clear, You pre-judged us. You
stereotyped us and attached damaging and derogatory
labels to our forum, and to me. You summarily dismissed
and devalued our views, along with Kari Simpson’s.

You certainly are not representing vs, nor does it appear
that you wish to. Mr. Giesbrecht, aay MLA from any party
who treats his constituents this way, and shows such dis-
regard for their concems, needs to be recalled.

Mike Rosenau, Active Citizens of BC. (Terrace)

sexual acts or lifestyles as morally right.’ ”’

I have never said this or even thought this, and this is
certainly not what I believe. You bave slandered me,

Mr. Gicsbrecht, is slandering and defaming those you
disagree with the example you want to uphold as a stan-
dard of conduct for how those on different sides of this is-
sue, or any other for that matter, are to treat each other?
Does this fall into your definition of tolerance?

That our elected representative should act this way
toward his constituents is reprehensible.

You spoke these words in public, now T expect a public
apology from you, in writing, in this paper.

You say you “would not participate in an event intended
to promote a certain point of view — that of Kari Simp-
son.”’ Well, Mr. Geisbrechi, if repeated applause and a
standing ovation is any indication, her views happen to be
the views of at least 700 of your constituents.

Mike Roseneau

Homosexuality not a lifestyle choice

Dear Editor:

The B.C. Teacher’s Feder-
ation resolution, = mis-
represented by Mike

Rosenau in the July 16th is-
sue of this newspaper, simp-
ly authorizes the BCTF to
“form a panel which would
create a program to
eliminate homophobia and
heterosexim within the B.C.
public school system.”

The resolution identifies
the need to help students ex-
amine attitudes of dis-
crimination based on sexual
orientation; it is not a plan
to ‘teach’? homosexuality.
It is also not a plan to ‘use
schocls to eliminate the
values or beliefs held by
parents and children and to
indoctrinate children into

Private

ree Gere Crane a
TO SOME she’s Scary Kari
— the person who has been
travelling the province tap-
ping a growing unrest with
the provincial government
over social policy.

But Kari Simpson would
rather be regarded as some-
one who gives a voice to the
voiceless.

One of the founders of the
Citizens Research Institute
in Langley, she drew nearly
600 people to a rally here

two weeks ago.
. The topic was the teaching
in public schools of

tolerance of homosexuality.

Although the issue may be
new to a lot of people, it’s
simply the latest in a long
series of interventions in so-
cial policy on the part of
Simpson.

"Its almost as if she were
born to the role.

“Maybe it’s a genetic
thing. If somebody was
‘being treated unfairly I'd
step in. Perhaps it’s because
I’m a middle child, but no-
body has the right to treat
people in a way that robs
that person of their value
and worth,”? said Simpson
in a conversation [ate last
week,

. As public as Simpson is
about social policy and
“ather people, she’s private
_ about herself.
“The (Citizens Research)
_ Institute belongs to the
people of this province. This
is not about Kari Simpson,
it’s about what the people of
this province are doing,”’
she said.
“Yet she does allow that
she. has. dual Cana-
“dian/American citizenship.
Bom in southern Califor-
nia to Canadian parents, ler
‘qaother sent her and her si-
blings to school in Compton
— a primarily black and
poor suburb of Los Angeles.

That, she says, taught her
how to survive.

. Simpson does have a post
‘secondary education but
won't say where.

She did develop a love of
‘flying into a job with a Call-

fornia. commercial charter

company providing, among

other things, freight and

passenger service to movie
- companies.

“7€ someone wanted

50,000 anis at the border,

Helmut Giesbrecht

their values and beliefs,’’ as
Rosenau slates.

The BCTF has not yet
completed their work and
already Rosenau claims the

person

public morals ©

we'd do it,’”’ she said.

Simpsen wouldn’t exactly
say when she moved to B.C.
but did say it was because of
expanded commercial
charter opportunities,

She invested well enough
in land development and
other business ventures to
now own acreage in
Langley. And she retains
business interests in B,C.
and in California.

A husband left five years
ago and Simpson is raising
the four children from that
marriage.

She and her children at-
tend the Pentecostal Chris-
tian Life Assembly church
in Langley.

Simpson and five other
people founded the Citizens
Research Institute 12 years
ago to, as indicated in its
mission statement, provide
‘information that — will
enable Canadians to hold
the government accountable
and responsible for
maintaining an effective
democracy.’”

In practical terms that
boils down to the institute’s
belicf that the state is
wrongly moving in to sup-
plant the family as the key
unit in society and that the
school system is aut of the
control of parents.

Those two points are now
converging on the institute’s
position that teaching in
public schools of tolerance
toward homosexuality — is
wrong on moral and other
grounds,

Tolerance is the object of
the B.C. Teachers Feder-
alion and a subset of
teachers called Gay and
Lesbian Educators (GALE).
They say they want to
eliminate homophobia and
teach students that dcing
heterosexual isn’t inherently
better or more moral than
being lesbian, gay or
bisexual.

Simpson would agree with
the first position, saying all
people are equal, but
doesn’t agree with the latter.

“Children are vulnerable.
That’s what makes them
teachable,’ she says. “It’s
our right as parents to pass
on our values, attitudes and
beliefs.

And Simpson says. that
equality doesn’t necessarily

NDP, BCTF and Gay and
Lesbian Educators (GALE}
are ‘attempting to eliminate
[childrens’] beliefs and re-
place them with another set
of values.” He states ‘‘that
is exactly what is happen-
ing,’’ even though he has
not yet seen the final learn-
ing resource.

The government’s position
is that any learning
resources used in schools
must be evaluated and ap-
proved by the Minisiry of
Education, Skills and Train-
ing or by the local school
districis before it can be
added to the curriculum.
This includes any materials
the BCTF may develop to

address homophobia. What,

Bios

then, is the point of all this

fear mongering by
Rosenau?
Rosenav rails at the

government for supporting
in principle the notion that
gay and lesbian students
should not be subjected to
hostility and contempt based
on their sexual orientation.
The same equality princi-
ples should apply to all
citizens in our society.
Rosenau never once uses the
word equality. ,
Webster defines a phobia
as an ‘‘exapgerated, in-

explicable and illogical fear
of a particular object or
class of objects.”’
Homosexuality is not a
lifestyle choice. You cannot
someone to be

teach

homosexual by talking
about it. It is a fixed orienta-
lion yet to be fully un-
derstood,

In all the years ] have had
discussions with gay men, |
have never had the inclina-
lion to join their numbers. |
have never felt threatened
by them nor do | fear that
traditional family values are
threatened by including dis-
cussions that examine atti-
tudes of discrimination
based on sexual orientation
in the school curriculum.

Such fear is ‘exaggerated,
inexplicable and illogical.”

Promoting such fear
promotes intolerance.

Helmut Giesbrecht,
MLA, Skeena

hinkndarbhdeiti emit detent hae

bre

piety =

THE INTERNATIONAL Socialists form part af the opposition to Kari Simpson and

the Citizens Research Institute. She keeps track of them by the Internat and by
reading copies of the their newspaper.

mean sameness when it

comes to placing
homosexuality alongside
heterosexuality.

AIDS and homosexual

practices, she says, carry
consequences beyond mat-
ters of tolerance — toward
others,

When asked what in-
formation about
homosexuality should be
taught in the schools, Simp-
son couldn't say,

She said {it was too dif
ficult a question to answer,
since what is appropriate for
one age is not for another.

“There's a variety of
deeply held opinions on the
matter,’” said Simpson.

And if tolerance of
homosexuality became an
issue ja the classroom somec-
how, teachers should phone
parents to find out what
their beliefs were, she
recommended.

Simpson's skeptical of
studies indicating there’s a
high rate of youth suicide
among homosexual studcits
aid that their treatment in
school is a factor.

Ask them for the profiles
on the individuals they
studied and you'll find out
there were a variety of fac-
tors that contributed, the
most common one was that
they all had court ap-
pearances the next day,”
said Simpson.

That kind of statement
places Simpson back to her
and the institute’s belief that
people aren’t taught to think
critically and to question
whatever they are told.

The result is the ability of
groups to promote their owi
specific agenda, For Simp-
son it amounts to a war.

*There are a few who want
to sce the politics and
identity of this country

changed,”’ she said.

While Simpson may have
identified the teachers feder-
ation and GALE as specific
targets on the issue of
homosexuality, she’s vague
on who the enemy — that
“very few’’ — might be,

She docs single out
protestors known as the In-
ternational Socialists who
disrupted several of her
mectings but won't commit
herself to the idea there is
some kind of organized plot.

Simpson instead prefers to
say the enemy is that lack of
critical thinking aad the fail-
ure on the part of people to
organize against what they
sce is wrong.

So far, Simpson and the
institute are winning con-
vers,

The institute this year has
raised nearly ‘$300,000 and
it moves into new office
space in Delta this fall.

EE
CORRESPONDENCE FOR THE TERRACE STANDARD

The Mail Bag

MLA should listen

An open letter to Helmut Giesbrecht
Dear Sir:

Upon reading July 16 letter to the editor'on why you
did not and would not attend the forum on Issues in
Homosexuality, you made comment on how Mike
Rosencau was very, very selective about your con-
versation over the phone.

I would like to comment on your quote from the
Bible, ‘Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”
Either you were very, very selective or you didn’t fin-
ish reading the whole story.

Jesus then turns to the adulteress women and says,
“Has no one condemned you?’ ‘‘No one sir,”’ she
replied, ‘‘Neither do I condemn you,”’ said Jesus ‘‘go
away and don’t sin anymore.’’ He does not say ‘“go
and I will tolerate this lifestyle.’’

Homosexuals must be accepted with respect, compas-
sion and sensitivity as the adulteress woman. But
homosexuality should not be taught as a viable alterna-
tive lifestyle. It is not only unnatural but also harmful.
in B.C. alone, out of 2,400 cases of AIDS, 2,200 are
directly related to homosexuality.

This issue can not be addressed without imposing
one's moral and religious (or lack of}-view and so is in
direct contradiction to the school act which, states ithat!
moral and religious content be tapght by parents, , 4.

As for Mr. Giesbrecht’s decision not to attend the
forum or at least send a representative, [ believe he
made an error in judgment.

If over 800 people show up to hear an altemative
view than that which is proposed by the NDP, the
BCTF and GALE, then he should be open to hearing —
them out.

Gayle Jean
| Terrace B.C.
Tolerance to what extent?
Dear Sir:
Our national anthem says:
Oh Canada glorious and free

Oh Canada we stand on guard for thee
Canadians stand on guard for a Canada that is rapidly
losing its glorioiusness and freedom to a group of am-
bitious, ruthless people.
For evil to prevail, all that is required is for good
talks to do nothing, while our country is burning.
Tolerance should not replace morals. -
Manfred Lubke
Terrace, B.C.

Too much to accept

Dear Sir;

Many of us have entrusted our children to the public
schools to help them develop intellectually, socially,
and physically. What we may have forgotten is that we
as parents should be deciding what should or should
not be taught to our children.

We may have unknowingly abdicated our responsi-
bility for ensuring that our values are being taught to
our children or at least not being undermined.

The 1000 or more people who came to the recent
community forum at the Terrace arena may be a sign
by their presence and their responses to Kari Simpson,
of the Citizen’s Research Institute, that the time has
finally come.

The time when parents return to their rightful place as
the primary educators of their children, When parcuts-
stand up against the political agenda of the NDP and its
allies to normalize the unhealthy homosexual lifestyle
in preschool to grade 12 classrooms. The agenda that
would take the schools far beyond their original pur-
pose and may mislead some of our youth into a life-
style that often leads to AIDS and death.

Tolerance and respect must always be exercised for
all people, including homosexuals, but that does not
mean that parents have to accept the presentation of a
risky lifestyle to their children at the expense of their
rights, moral values, and beliefs.

The time when concemed citizens realize that various
NDP laws undermine the already weakened supports
for the foundation of our society the natural family. For
example the proposed legislation in Bills 31 and 32
which will redefine the nature of marriage to include
same sex couples, ;

This would ignore the Supreme Court of Canada’s
decision that ‘marriage is by nature heterosexual.’

The time when all good Canadians speak out respect-
fully against any attacks on their basic rights, values,
and beliefs by those peopte who hold an unhealthy sys-
tem of values. The people who wish to aggressively
change our society into their image through iegislation.

. Daryl Anaka
Terrace B.C,