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WATERLOO CHRONICLE Regional Classified _ Classified The Waterloo Chronicle welcomes letters to the Editor They should be signed with name, address and phone numâ€" ber and will be verified for accuâ€" racy. No unsigned letters will be published. Submissions may be edited for length, so please be brief. Copyright in letters and other materials submitted to the Publisher and accepted for publication remains with the author, but the publisher and its licensees may freely reproduce them in print, electronic or other forms. Our mailing address is 75 King St. S . Suite 201, Waterloo N2] 1P2. our eâ€"mail address is wehronicle@sentex.net. and our fax number is 886â€"9383 Eâ€"mail: wchronicle@sentex.net Letters Policy 75 King St. South, Suite 201 Waterloo, Ontario N2J 1P2 The views of our columists are their own and do not necessarily represent those of the newspaper. International Standard Serial Number the Waterloo Chromucle is published every Wednesday by The Fairway Group, a division of Southern Ontario Community Newspapers Inc., a division of Southam Publications, a CanWest Company. Uaralyn Anstey Circulation Manager im Alexander Director of Advertising Andrea Bailey Reporter Cal Bosveld Norma Cyca Advertising Lynin Bartol Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement Number 136379 Publisher Publisher: Cal Bosveld 886â€"2830 Fax: B86â€"9383 Manager Audited circulation: 26,056 > sm § ISSN 0832â€"3410 Deborah Crandal! Editor Laurie Ridgway Joanne Dicaire Gerry Mattice Bob Vrbanac Sports Editor Karen Dwyer Circulation Manager At times it almost sounds ridiculous the reasons that are given for terrorist acts. What is not funny is the loss of life â€" those innocent ones who get caught in the crossfire. Whether it is about religion, or hatred for a government, or a nation, or a people, terrorism solves nothing. People around the world are evicted from their homes all the time. Does this mean that anyone evicted should terrorize their landlords and make up reasons to continue fighting? Of course not â€" common sense tells us so. But Northern Ireland is still fighting against the settlers, who are now just as Irish as they are When the Irish famiâ€" ended up lies couldn‘t pay their rent, they were evicted, dead. and so the Catholics‘ hatred began hundreds of years ago. The Irish who were evicted formed groups to fight the English setâ€" tlers. This is how the Catholic terrorist groups got started. The English settlers formed groups to proâ€" tect themselves, hence the Protestant terrorist groups were formed. Geraldine McClintock is one of 20 young Irish people working in Kitchenerâ€"Waterloo as particpants in the Wider Horizons program. She will spend eight weeks at The Chronicle in a journalism work placement. The Troubles (as the war in Northern Ireland has been called) began when the English came and settled in Ireland. The majority of the English who came were wealthy Protestants. The English settlers became land owners/landlords and rented cottages to the Irish people, most of whom were Catholic. From childhood you learn only paranoia, susâ€" pecting people of the opposite religion are out to get you. You are told at a young age to be careful of the company you keep and the areas you go into. Many children/teenagers have been in the wrong place (during rioting or terrorist shootings at army/police} _ at â€" the wrong time and ended up dead. You‘re probably thinking right now, what does this young journalist know of terrorism and war. I will tell you what I know â€" I know that for 25 years I have lived in a country that has been at war against its own people for hundreds of years, where religion has caused the deaths of thousands of innocent people. Yes, I am indeed talkâ€" ing of Northern Ireland, a place where you are brought up to distrust and hate. And in some terrorâ€" ist â€" families, you are brought up to kill â€" to kill anyone who is Catholic, or anvyone who is Protestant. he world seems full of terrorism these days. I The recent attacks in the States is a horrible waste of human life. Have we as a race not seen enough deaths? When will enough blood be spilled? _ These people who call themselves patriots to their country‘s call have no idea of love of country, people or nation. Terrorism solves nothing Many children/ teenagers have been in the wrong place (during rioting or terrorist shootings at army/police) at the wrong time and ended up GERALDINE MCCLINTOCK VIEWPOINT Call ‘em Pests: This year, as in no other, our neighborhood has been bedevilled with the furry varmints â€" squirrels, chipmunks, skunks, and so on. They rooted through and ravaged the flower beds all summer. What‘s more â€" although I haven‘t seen any â€" they say that this year has been a terror for mice. On the RIM: The RIM Park financing fiasâ€" co has been the biggest local story of the year, and I‘d hate to see a week pass without some comment on it. The trouble is that right now we‘re in a hiatus with no date assigned for hearings of the case. Waterloo taxpayers have the heebieâ€"jeebies in expectation of skyâ€"high tax rates arising from the mammoth park. _Ah well, you know what they say about building a better mousetrap? That it‘ll get you a better class of mice. Of course, as always, some I celebrants will overdo it. Take the fellow who‘s out every day toastâ€" ing Oktoberfest. They say, though, that he‘s a nice fellow. Each day when quitting time comes, they just wake him and tell him. One spectacular thing they will miss is the Thanksgiving Day parade, by far the best of the annual cavalcades in these parts. It‘s a James J. Dandy effort so it‘s best to get there early and reserve your slab of curb. They‘ll miss the sight of grown men runâ€" ning around in tight leather shorts, miss the blare of compah .. @iaae bands drowning out everything, ohve including conversation, and miss dblgye the scent and taste of all the stuff LIG cooked in the wurst way. Eins, Zwei, Etc.: Wow, like it or not, we‘re almost into Oktoberfest again. And you should be reminded once again that particiâ€" pation in the big beer bash is voluntary. There‘s nothing mandatory about it. Anyhow, thanks to the Sept. 11 barbarism, there may be fewer attending this year. Just as airline patronage has plummeted as folks stay home, many will pass up Oktoberfest in favour of the old homestead. weet Smell of Success: Waterloo has won the coveted Five Blooms Award in the 50,000 to 100,000 class for its public and private gardens, environmental protecâ€" tion and heritage appreciation. It‘s nice to know because the sweet scent of flowers can go a long way to covering the aroma of the Rim Park financing. And, say, did you know that the Waterloo taxpayers will all share a dividend from the park? + Along with a tax bill, each home will get three park passes. Beer bash participation isn‘t mandatory Thanksgiving is almost upon us. Thousands of Americans may question the celebration, but we Canadians still have reaâ€" sons aplenty to say thanks. Have a happy and _ thoughtful Thanksgiving, eh? Still I don‘t know where you should list the sudden fans of Michel de Notre Dame, (1503â€" 66), a French astrologer and physician. He gained a measure of fame as Nostradamus, and his prophecies gained some believers. They‘ve been joined by a new rush of readâ€" ers since the Twin Towers attack. Hurrah and send out for more Quija boards and crystal f The child concerns you can " understand, as well as those of young people. Some of the latter, DY of course, will take the war with D aplomb, figuring there‘s advenâ€" 4 ture just around the corner. The more thoughwul among them will wonder what the future holds. We can assume that there‘ll be many cases of depression among us. It‘s a tough affliction to conquer, one that‘s constantly underrated. A Strange Time: These are unusual days. Thanks to the Sept. 11 massacre, folks generâ€" ally are a bit subdued. On some, if you pay close attention, they‘re as nervous as a postâ€" man at a dog show. It‘s maybe a form of postâ€"trauma stress syndrome. No one has been in a battle, but * g the horrific attack â€" televised 2ere@) times without number â€" VE I\‘ amounted to nearly the real TLY thing. The experts say that most J apt to be deeply affected are chilâ€" dren, young people and some old people. You may wonder I about us older folk because, mathematically, we have a lot e less to lose. Still, the worrying is about our grandchildren. Mark you though, I always enjoy reading my words of counsel. They‘re like a big red balloon â€" 99 per cent hot air but beautifully packaged. The only thing to do is plead that the Sept. 11 destruction represented a force majeure, an event that could not be reasonably anticiâ€" pated or controlled. It‘s roughly an act of God concept. Sure, so I haven‘t provided an airâ€"tight resâ€" olution to the case, but remember I‘m not a lawyer and this advice is costing you nothing. You could argue that until the antiâ€"terrorâ€" ist "war" is resolved, the litigation should be pigeonâ€"holed to be revived when the times are right. And that‘ll give Waterloo residents time to move.