Show contributes to moral decay

Dear Sir:

Some local artisis who have a penchant for paint- ing nudes are ‘‘shocked and bewildered”? that their art show has been censored. (April 9, 1997 Terrace Standard) They really cannot understand what all the fuss is about. Is this community just too sensi- te, behind the times, or still thinking the world is

at!

First of all, let me remind you that censoring movies, broadcasts and art has been a means of pro- tecting our children from things that they are not mature enough to cope with. It is also a way of pro- tecting our citizens from things that they choose not to have in their faces while watching TV or moving about in the public areas.

-Here we have a minority deliberately causing an offence, boldly declaring that there is nothing in- decent about this, and crying foul when the com- munity says “‘no’’ to the inappropriate location and timing for their display.

Barry Piersdorff is to be commended for taking his stand on behalf of the children of our com- munity. My personal conviction is that the entire at show should have been removed — a compromise was ummecessary and only weakened the rationale for removing it in the first place.

Many in our community take offence at this ag- gressive presentation in public of what we regard as private. Our bodies were created by God and bear His image. He has instructed us to cover our naked- ness ‘in public. Histozically, public nakedness has been an offence, and still is in cur country.

Although it may be argued that this is not public nudity, in the eyes of children there is no dif- ference. For many concrete-thinking, non-artistic adults (no offence intended — there are many), this also stirs the passions and lowers the standards of decency in their minds. Why contribute to the breakdown of public morality that is happening everywhere we look?

. This issue has nothing to do with the artistic beau- ty of the human body. It has everything to do with what the community deems appropriate according to an ethic that still forms the heritage we dra from. : Rod Freeman Terrace, B.C.

Response distressing

Dear Sir:

A group of local artists display a series of nude studies.

There is one anonymous complaint.

Although the public does: not know the exact na- ture of the complaint, we know. that the art was con- sidered ‘too explicit’? and one school board mem- ber talks of an offending picture as ‘‘the lesbian picture.”

Without any policy or process, the secretary- treasurer of the school board is appointed art critic and directs the artists to take dawn specific pic- tures.

We find it odd that, in a society which uses women’s bodies io sell everylhing from chewing gum to cars, the depiction of women for non- commercial purposes is considered inappropriate.

We find it depressing thal the de-sexualized depiction of women with many body types — not just those slim, air-brushed models — is considered distasteful. ;

We find it interesting that the depiction of two fe- male bodies facing each other is perceived as ‘‘Jesbian.’?

We find it distressing that the perception of a pic- jure being ‘‘lesbian’’ makes it especially offensive.

Karla Hennig Terrace Women’s Resource Centre

A scary precedent

Dear Sir:

School District #82 operates schools, the district offices and the R.E.M. Lee Theatre. Each of these facilities has a different function. Schools are for in- struction, the offices for administration, and the theatre is a venuc for the visual and performing arts.

The school district’s reason that the display would not be appropriate in a school and therefore is not appropriate for the theatre doesn’t fly.

The theatre hosts: many performing functions throughout the year, all of which can be viewed by ‘adults or students.

" Mr. Piersdorff’s notion of the children ‘'being un- comfortable seeing those pictures up’’ and the art being “‘too explicit’? and Mr. LeClerc’s miscon- ceived reference to a so-called ‘“‘lesbian picture” begs the question: whose feelings are being projected and expressed?

The picture of one woman In two poses on the same canvas is akin to any preliminary life draw- ings done by any student artist; even Michelangelo

CORRESPONDENCE FOR THE TERRACE STANDARD

“The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, April 16, 1997 - AS

Debate rages over art exhibit ©

The Mail Bag —

THIS PICTURE by Jim Fabar is one of nine the school district removed from a show of “Life

Drawings" at the REM Lee Theatre. The school district owns the buliding and officials were con- cerned about young children attending the on-going music festival, who might see the show which featured nude sketches. You can view the censored works at the Gallery at the Falls, lo- cated at the intersection of Hwys. 16 and 37. Another artist has already come forward to add his

sculpture to the collection of censored pictures.

and Leonardo Da Vinci.

Three key issucs require our attention: censorship, due process and school district priorities.

The viewing and arbitrary decision. to remove nine ‘‘offensive’” drawings by Mx. Piersdorff in response fo an anonymous complaint sets a very scary precedent.

What will be next? Will school district adminis- tators censor music, literature, and drama per- formed in the theatre or in the schools?

If that’s the case, you7d better start removing ail reference and literature books, CD ROM programs, illustrations, and musical lyrics created to date, lest some child be exposed to your perception of “‘inappropriate”’ fine art. Where will it stop?

The lack of due process on this intrinsic public is- sue is scary. The speed of judgment, the disregard to having all school trustees and the public view the display before censoring, is alarming in a ‘‘new’? school district promising a more ‘‘accessible and consultative’’ structure on district issues.

If the goal was to put fires out beforehand, they

have failed miserably, One anonymous complaint,

does not a majority make. Kneejerk reactions by of- ficials speak to the issues of credibility and accoun- tability to this taxpayer and parent. Maybe old habits from School District #88 do die hard.

I just wish school district administrators, trustees and maintenance employees were half as quick and attentive to complaints from paying customers of the REM Lee about fixing the malfunctioning heat- ing/cooling system, hazardous parking lot ice con- ditions —- not to mention solutions on school violence, vandalism, stolen property and least of all the lack of fundamental educational resources.

I do find some comfort in the fact that a reluctant compromise was reached and anly some of the art was removed, But what happens next time the board receives a complaint about the arts in the REM Lee aor in the schools? Will they be so quick to censor arbitrarily before they hear from other parents? —

The right to freedom of speech and expression is supposedly being taught in the Coast Mountain classrooms. Now these lessons will have: to be qualified: you'll only be allowed so long as no one

complains, The famous 18th century philosopher Voltaire

said “I disagree with what you say, but I will

defend to the death your right to say it.”’

In our zealousness to be so politically correct and not offend anyone, we may have let the morals and values of the few represent everyone,

Don’t be guilty of complacency. Who dictates “appropriate”? art for our schools and com- munities? The People? Or Mr. Piersdorff et al.?

Karen Birkedal Terrace, B.C.

Decision was right

Dear Sir:

The school board’s action to remove nude draw- ings has of course precipitated the use of the ugly word “‘censorship”’ by Mr. Faber, one of the artists involved.

Indeed, it seems almost mandatory in situations like this for the ugly spectre to be raised of repres- sive government regimes ruthlessly stamping out any opposition to their particular brand of thinking.

Well, Ihave a question. Why is il that the word censorship is invariably used in the context of an evil, awful wrong? Aficr all, we all practise censor- ship.

Every time you say to your child, ‘That movie is too mature for you to watch’’, you are censoring your child’s movies. ,

When you tell your children not to use certain terms in her speech or writing because you think they are vulgar or inappropriate, you are censoring your child’s speech.

Most people would agree that the above three ex- amples are entirely appropriate uses of censorship. We do not knowingly expose our children to in- appropriate material and we expect from them a certain standard of conduct.

Now, when I helped to elect the people on the school board, I did it because I thought that those people would look out for the interests of my chil- dren and, I might add, the interests of the other chil- dren of the community.

If one person in the community was offended by some of the drawings, then I think any reasonable

person would agree that there would be others in the community (or visiting the community) who would feel the same way.

If Mr. Piersdorff and some other members of the school board felt that some children would be un- comfortable looking at some of the pictures, then I am thankful that they made the difficult decision lo remove those pictures.

This decision recognizes that some paintings or drawings are not appropriate for the eyes of young children, and it seeks to remove a possible source of discomfort from a place where they have been taught to feel safe, ie. school property. . —

Any parent knows that making the right or best decision for your child is definitely not often the decision which is most popular with the child or, for that matter, with others who observe what you are doing. Nevertheless, we still make those tough decisions because we love our kids.

Often in cases such as these the vocal few cry “‘censorship!’’ and the people who have made the judgment call are out-shouted because those who agree with their decision are not vocal enough.

], for one, am glad that the school board is look- ing out for the interests of my children and I want to commend them on making a difficult decision.

Mona Manhas Terrace, B.C.

Teens not wild animals

Dear Sir:

I am writing as a teen of Terrace and I take of- fence to the letter written by Julie Cox.

I am frequently at Chalky’s and associate with many other tcens,

The fact that you categorize us as wild animals that supposedly knew that 50 to 60 teens were wait- ing to beat up one young boy outside Chalky’s and didn’t stay to help the situation (which probably never happened in the first place) puts you in an en- ven worse category than you put us.

Many friends and 1 were downtown last March 15 and had no knowledge of something like this hap- pening.

Tam sick of people like you making false accusa- tions toward teens.

My parents and my friends’ parents know where we are all the time. Maybe you shouldn’t judge things by just the way they seem.

I think Chalky’s is a great supervised establish- ment and I feel safe inside and outside its doors. If Terrace had more facilities for young teens, such as a recreation centre, more teens would be off our streets.

Kara Charron Terrace, B.C.

Let’s have backbone

Dear Sir: ,

To Mr. Dan Miller and Mr. Giesbrecht and the NDP, I hear you are getting a raise. Congratula- | tions, you deserve it!

For all the hard work you have done for us up north. I sit and look and think, yes you do! ] mean Kemano shut down? Repap coming apart? Our stumpage fees? Devastation of Stewart and our other communities! Our ferry service in Prince Rupert?

Our sports fishing and yes, our tourism going down. Our great hospital and its crisis!

And all our government cutbacks. B.C. Tel clos- ing! [’m sure glad to see that you are fighting ham- mer, tooth and nail for all of us in the north! I see us all Ebapping again just like the 70’s! You do re- member that don’t you?

And Mr. Giesbrecht, you have put your foot in your mouth again in your response to fishing li- censes protest, you are asking for facts and figures.

You do live in Terrace don’t you and you do see the amount of people coming here to fish? And you do see how many people stay for a week or two for a holiday?

You should know what the tourists are spending and you ask us? ;

What the hell are you doing? Why don’t you do us a favour and retire. You got your pension? Let us get someone with some backbone that’s going to stand up for us in the north.

Joe Zak Terrace B.C.

Percy has right attitude

Dear Sir:

My hat goes off to Mr, Percy Gavronsky. (‘Out of work? Buy a sawmill’, A10, Terrace Standard, April 9, 1997).

Here is a person who is definitely ambitious and a survivor in hard times.

T for one will support his efforts and buy his jum- ber for renovations in the near future.

And just think, Percy — instead of ‘‘crying in your beer’? — wearing off 12 pounds probably felt pretty darn good.

J. Tenl Terrace, B.C.

MLA defends gov’t on Repap issue

Dear Sir:

In a recent issue of the Terrace Standard you carried a letier by logging contractor Frank Cutler wherein he attempts to explain the reasons for the state of Repap’s finan- cial situation and the role played by people in the forest indusiry in this region.

Mr. Cutler says that be and his family ‘have been in the region for 26 years. He now finds himself in a financial predica- ment. He blames everyone except himself. Now don’t misunderstand the purpose of this letter. I appreciate what contractors like

Mr. Cutler are going through, and I have no

reluctance to help them survive this crisis.

Where I disagree is with the notion that " “George Petty had some help in this mess.

That help is our government with its Forest

Practices Code legislation and the doubling of the price of timber to pay for its Forest Renewal BC.””

Repap started its delayed payments to contractors five years ago. That is two or three ycars before the Forest Practices Code and Forest Rencwal BC. Repap's losses last ycar were $128 million of which about $30 million is their debt-carrying charges. Their total stumpage last year was $15.8 million.

The FRBC portion of that comes to less than six per cent of their losses. Any sug- gestion that Repap's problem (or that of Evans Forest Products in Golden) is a result of FPC or FRBC is so much bark mulch.

: Let us also be a little more candid about our analysis of the situation. oo Business. carries with it certain risks

which are commensurate with the profit margins; that has always been the response of the proponents of unfettered free enter- prise. That being the case, the contractors made a decision when Repap delayed payments. They took the risk and continued to pro-

‘wide-the service and the rest is known.

What Repap was doing with the B.C. asseis is not new information,

As a representative of ihe pcople of Skeena and as a member of the government side of the House, it is my job to try to help my constituents regardless of - political stripe. . ; , .

I also don’t like to see local. businesses lose money, but lel’s stlck to the facts.

“ The stumpage formula has been in place

since 1987, It was agreed to in consultation with the industry. The same happened with FRBC and the same discussions are taking place in a review.

Low pulp prices have magnified a prob- lem someone should have foreseen in 1987, The forest industry has also always been cyclical because market prices vary. High profits in the good times made up for the downturns.

Just because the provincial government is handy and just because your political ideol- ogy is at odds with the government of the day doesn’t make logical the charge that the ‘government helped George Petty create the current circumstances. - ..

Helmut Glesbrecht Skeena MLA —