¢ get this straight ¢ IT IS TYPICAL of those fainthearts in Ottawa that at the behest of a Moslem group they banned the importation of that book the Ayatollah doesn’t like ‘‘pending review.”’ Then they hurriedly unbanned it. Truly, we are led by a crowd of Hamlets who are brave only when they are chasing toothless old Nazis. But cowardice is not confined to Canada. It is a Western disease. W.H. Smith has taken The Satanic Verses off the shelves of its 345 stores in the U.K. An American outfit has also yelled ‘“‘Uncle.’’ It remains to be seen what Canadian booksellers will do. There's no denying, of course, that we are dealing with mad mullahs and 2 crazy religion, even though the usual apologists are out to persuade us that the followers of Mohammed aren't much dif- ferent from fundamentalist Chris- tians. ‘‘Look at the demonstra- tions against The Last Temptation of Christ,”’ they say. ‘‘Look at the bomb in that Paris cinema that was showing that movic."’ There is no limit to liberal lackwittedness. For what com- parison can be made between the one thing and the other? In Pakistan, news of the putlication of The Satanic Verses caused five people to be killed out- side the American Embassy, even though the Americans had nothing to do with the book. In the U.K., book-burning Moslem mobs charged down British streets, howling for blood. In Iran, mean- while, that crazy has offered mil- lions of dollars to any son of Allah who will knock off author Salman Rushdie. Then we have the estimable BOB RANDALL Your Understanding Realtor Call me now at 984-9711 or 980-8700 |_ SUSSEX GROUP-S.AC, REALTY CORP ATOFAIC BIONIC RS HV3 SL HV RSC SLC KASTLE SG MAG. LITE SYNERGY GSM SLM Salman Ghaffari, Iran's am- bassador to the Vatican, stating that he, Salman, would be only too pleased to carry out the sentence of death pronounced on the offen- ding writer, who is now in hiding and being guarded by those awful racists the British Bobbies. One wonders whether the Brits now regret having been stupid enough to allow a million Mosicms to take up residence on the once- blessed isle. Just askin’! And just jokin’, too, for the British have always objected. But in Britain, as here, the pubiic has been permitted no say in such matters. So much for the will of the peo- ple. Maybe Pat Watson could mention that in his Child's Guide to Democracy now being featured on the CBC, But something tells me he won't get around to it. Sorry to be dipping into cliches, but does the frenzied reaction of the men of Islam in this affair allow one to mention Rudyard Kipling's tine about East being Bast and West being West and the twain never meeting? (Women don’t count for much in Islam so we won't mention them.) It has to be admitted, mind you, that censorship or would-be cen- sorship grows more popular by the day, so perhaps the twain are meeting after all. There has been great wailing and ullulation in On- tario over the sins of Professor \ SCiGOE OL Phillipe Rushton, who claims that blacks have bigger genitals and smatler brains than whites and that Orientals are better in all respects than either whites or blacks. The Ayatollah David Peterson, the Premier of Ontario, demanded that Rushton be fired. The Ayatollah David Suzuki, star of stage, screen and academe, demanded the same thing. Aca- demic freedom? Never heard of it. It amuses me that the Ayatollah Suzuki has shown his cards on this one. Isn't he one of the nation’s leading human righters? Human rights if necessary but not necessarily human rights. (I’m big on cliches today, if you will excuse me.) It must be said for both of these ayatollahs, mind you, that neither has offered several million bucks for Rushton’s early removal. All they want is the man’s head. The Writers Association of Canada deplored the Tory gov- ernment’s initial action in keeping Rushdie's book out of the country. Pity they didn’t do the same for Professor Arthur Butz and his book The Hoax of the Twentieth Century. The world is full of wonders. Daily, we in the West retreat from reality. Not to do so is ‘racist.’ [ have not heard, for instance, that the British government has con- demned the mad book-burners of Bradford. These things do not worry the Ayatollah Khomeini. He knows a sucker when he sees one @ MIME EI MHHIGS 9 - Wednesday, February 22, 1989 - North Shore News WEST QUEENS Edgemont pub proposed THE DISTRICT of North Van- couver has received a rezoning ap- plication for Torchy’s Restaurant that would result in a neighbor- L:ood pub for Edgemont Village if approved. The application by LSK Holdings Ltd. would see the pres- ent restaurant site at 1050 West Queens rezoned to C6 for a pub seating 48 persons and parking spaces for 14 vehicles. The district’s social planner, Rupert Downing, has already received a number of phone calls from residents opposed to the proposed pub as well as a petition with 175 signatures. Ald. Joan Gadsby asked whether the proposal was worth further staff time and money when opposition to the pub was so “‘overwhelming.** But Mayor Marilyn Baker responded that, ‘‘The applicant has made their application, they’ve paid their dollars and they deserve the opportunity to be heard.”’ A municipal poll of residents will not be undertaken until a report has been received specifying the compliance of the application with municipal regulations and analyzing the social planning con- cerns. Stuff simplified, | wey. R.R.S.P.’s Pensions? The rules have changed and they may affect you. See the Professionals MICHAEL DEANE & ASSOCIATES ETD. - ag VONénaLt BYE NORD VAN. ~ 987-3338: © PRMETSSION Lo SKIN CTRE SH ASIC MABEL > vie ed ee Wirt Ld lead to better grades No matter how bright your child or teenager is, his grades will depend on how well his essays, reports and test papers are written. The Sylvan CLEAR Writing™ program can help. It can teach him to think clearly, logically and thoroughly and to write with equal effectiveness. Like all Sylvan Progrargs, Sylvan CLEAR Writing features diagnostic testing, personal attention, outstanding learning materi- als, and our unique reward system. CLEAR Writing program today. Ask ELECT RE 7 mo ISL AGESS OF DYNAMIC VR 27 EQUIPE GS VR 27 EQUIPE SL VR 27 TEAM GS VR 27 TEAM SL VR 35 M1 VR 35 M2 DYNASTAR COURSE SL & GS CERAMIC SOME ITEMS LIMITED IN QUANTITY * SALE ENDS FEB. 28/89 Give your child this valuable com- Sytvan petitive edge. Call about the Sylvan Learning about our adult program, too. North Shore 985-6811 Richmond 273-3266 Coquitlam 941-3166 “hes be RE Hel