6 — Wednesday, March 8, 1989 — North Shore News Our world burdened INSIGHTS with too many gods I’M BRACING MYSELF to receive the Pro Life fallout likely to bury me for the thoughts which follow — but then nobody ever promised columnists that it was an easy way of making a living. In a 4,500-word typed letter (eight legal-size pages!) Pro Lifer David Reid of North Van rebuts my Feb. 10 column ‘‘No Future for Pro Life in Rejecting Realities’? and sets out to convert me. He could have said it all in a single sentence: ‘‘We want to live protected by two systems of law — and to flout one of them whenever it displeases us.’’ For Pro Lifers, he reiterates, God's law is higher than man’s. To a point I can relate to that. In a perfect world MY God’s law would be the only law. But the real world’s problem is that it's burdened with too many different gods — all claiming their own laws to be the ultimate ones. The god of money. The god of lust. The god of ‘progress’? and scores of others. Is a devout Satanist any less sincere than a churchwarden? What about the Ayatoliah and his gang who believe Islam’s god calls on them to murder Satman Rushdie? In contrast, the manmade laws ROLF KURTR in- volvement.” uses and cannot expand. to be siered and sold. access to the product. But North Vancouver City Council has gone too far. There are 2 number of much more dangerous chemi- cals existing im the city that are considered safe encugh The proviaciel Gas Safety Act already reguiates the inspection, handling and storage of the gas; municipality need only determine where the gas in- stallations go. Surely, keeping the gas away from resi- dential areas and dangerous industrial sites should prove to be a sufficient safegard. By restricting its sale to safe industrial or vacant areas, the city can ensure the general safety and well- being of the public without eliminating the public’s of western civilization stress the basic Judaeo-Christian values of individvalism and tolerance which, in turn, require consensus or, at any rate, the greatest con- sensus possible. That’s why our laws are made by _ universally elected bodies — not any single sect or interest group. Inevitably, some of those laws enrage affected fanatics — whether picket-line goons, language thugs, Moslem assassins or anyone else (including militant Pro Lifers) prepared, in their god’s name, to use intimidation or violence. If they defy the law of the ma- jority and reject the democratic course open to them, — working to change the law by legal political methods — it doesn’t necessarily mean their beliefs are wrong. But it rightly means criminal records and jail. If civilization is to sur- vive, its own laws must prevail over those of its many warring deities. That, David, or the rule of the mb. ews CERTAIN LOCAL politicians may find it hard to believe, but this column does occasionally make SOME readers happy -— and never faster than in the case of North Van's Joan Sower. Last Friday it featured, with photo, the late Fi.Sgt. W.L.J. Clark, RCAF, of North Van who was killed in action over Holland in 1944. An English gent, P.J. Watts — whose father served (and died) with Clark ~ has compiled a detailed history of their joint British-Canadian bomber squadron and = wrote recently to City Hall in an cffart to trace Clark's family. Mayor Louclis passed his lecter to us. Friday’s News had been on the Gas access need HE CITY of North Vancouver has 2 right to be concerned about the location of propane in- stalintions in the municipality but it should not be so strict as to discourage the sale of this necessary commodity within its bordeys. The Sept. 25, 1985 explosion of a propane tank at North Vanconver’s Pay-N-Save ges station joited council into imposing strict byinws concerning the sale and location of propane in the city. The explosion gutted the gas station 2nd resulted in the evacuation of residents ir a one-mile radius of the site. Bylaws prohibiting the bulk loading and storage of prepane in the city and its sale from city service sts- tions were subsequently adopted. Existing propane outiets in the city currently operate as non-conforming the street barely four hours when Mrs. Bower phoned to say Fit.Sgt. Clark was her elder brother and she'd heard, as a child, how warm- ly he’d been entertained by the Watts family while serving in Bri- tain. After 45 years she was stag- gered (o see his picture in the paper — and delighted at the thought of contacting the Watts and sharing memories with them. You made MY week, too, Mrs. Bower! see WRAP-UP: Congrats to six bud- ding North Shore Pavlovas aged 11-15 — Melissa Ander, Gillian Publisher Peter Sp@Ck ee cee eee an Display Advertising 980-0813 Managing Editor Barrett Fisher ‘ Classihed Advertising 986-6222 . Newsroom 985-2131 Associate Editor Noel Wright Oistnbution 986-1337 Advertising Directur Linda Stewart EiteSunutfihn Arnett Subscriptions 986-1337 SUNDAY + WEUNOAOAY + Poitay North Shore News, ‘ouniedin te iigeg annent Fay 985-3227 SuDUTDAN Nea pEbet Paragraph alt t Wed ‘ eopaned byt Entire contents and Heather Carpenter, Alexandra Kaiser, Vida Mehin and Heather Pearce — on successfully com- pleting the Cecchetti Ballet exams for their grade groups. All six are students of the Anna Wyman School of Dance Arts ... The same again to Trinity Western University commerce major Rolf Kurth of North Van, president of the campus PC Club and winner of 1129 Lonsdale Avanue. North Vancouver, BC V7M 2H4 59,170 (average. Wednesday Friday & Sunday) a Lk CO SISIO North Shore owned and managed the Robert N. Thompson Award for ‘‘quality involvement in politi- cal activity’ ... And a happy ‘*Diamond-plus’’ anniversary tomorrow, March 9, to Paul and Agnes Zabolotay of North Van — celebrating their 62 married years. ese & WRIGHT OR WRONG: One way of succeeding in life is to act on the advice we give others. NEWS photo Rel BUDDING PAVLOVAS...(front to back) Gilligan Carpenter, Heather Pearce, Alexandra Kaiser, Vida Mehin, Heather Carpenter and Melissa Ander with (right) instructor Rukshana Engineer at the Anoa Wyman Schoo! of Dance Arts. MEMBER 4 1989 North Shore Free Press Lid. All rights reserved.