Doug Collins

© get this straight °

RECENTLY, I suggested that that there would
be nothing inhumane about isolating people who
have AIDS. The column inspired the following
letter from a reader. For obvious reasons, it was
unsigned. But it has the smack of truth about it.

“T have been a long-time
follower of your career. |
liked you on radio and
missed you when you left.
Mostly | agree with your
strong thinking. However...

“Today I read your
strong words on homosex-
uality in general and AIDS
in parti¢ular. Much as 1
would like to agree with you
again, I find | am unable to
do so. You see, Doug, we
found out two years ago
that one child is gay.

‘Siblings felt
tainted,
disgusted,
rebellious, even
to thinking they
would disown
the culprit.”’

bt

“The trauma involved in
the family was monumen-
tal. Siblings felt tainted,
disgusted, rebellious, even
to thinking they would
disown the culprit.

“This is a very precious
child to me, although a
grown man to all others. I
don’t want to, but on look-
ing back l‘am forced to face
the fact that it was always
there. A tragedy for’ him
and a terrible burden. His
likes and tendencies were
always at odds with those of
most other people.

. ‘Only when he grew up
did he realize his problem,

4 and only when he accepted -

himself as he is did he find
himself and start going
ahead with his life.

“‘Now he has been told he
has AIDS, or at least that
his test shows positive.

“This could mean more
than one thing. He could be
a carrier. ‘Off with his
head,’ you say. Well,
maybe I would have agreed
two-and-a-half years ago.
Now I am praying that he
won't die and that an
answer will be found to this
disease. This child or ours
was gentle, loving, artistic,
kind and a true friend.

“‘Not all gays parade and

flaunt their lifestyle. Some
detest that as much as you
do. Most would rather be
Straight. They do not do
this to be smart or gain
attention.
“Some, it is true, can go
either way, and do. But
some cannot be straight
even though they may have
tried. The real tragedies are
those who fool themselves,
marry and even have
children, and by this bring
sorrow to many others.

“I don’t buy all the bosh
about human rights, any
more than I can buy
feminism and women’s lib
and the Ms. clan, although

‘lam a woman and an old
one at that. - :

“The medical people
assure me that there are on-
ly two ways to catch AIDS
- intercourse and blood.
And even with blood it
must be an open wound.

_AIDS is a very weak virus.

There are no known cases
of contact by any other

means, even with those who
live with AIDS victims.

“'Now here is why | wrote
to you. | said ‘victims’,
while your article sounded
like you said ‘rotten trash,
purposely trying to destroy
all by God's vengeance
upon them’.

“‘T love my child, a gentle
one. I don't know yet what
I have to face and endure.
Nor does he!!

“You can perhaps blame
him, but 1 know the little in-
nocent child who always
brought home flowers and
was ever loving and slightly
outcast even when young,
different and lonely,

ee
*7T don’t buy all
that bosh about.
human rights,
any more than I
can buy
feminism and
women’s lib

and the Ms.
clan...”?

“Ll also knew the teenager
trying to find a place among
his peers and not suc-
ceeding, and then the man
who understood himself
ard finally accepted what
he was.

“The doctors will tell
you, if you ask, that this is
decided by the age of -five
years old.

“How, then,
blame them?

“I would like to sign this
letter so as to give it
authority, but of course |
can’t.

“But I think that you, on
reading it, will believe it to
be true, for it is.’

can we

Save lives with CPR

AS SOON .as a person’s
heart and breathing stop, the
person has only three to five
minutes: until. permanent
brain damage. or death oc-
curs, Cardiopulmonary
resuscitation can make the
difference between life and
death.

The Red Cross is holding
a six-hour Basic One C.P.R.

TOSHIBA

MICROWAVE OVENS

all the latest models
on display!

DVERTISED
TL REFUND
cE

FRED DIFFEREN

YOU FIND
1F LESS —

HOME FURNISHINGS

Warehouse/Showroom
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
(2 diks. behind the Avaton)
at 1075 Rooseveit Cres., N.Van.

12:4 Sin 9B0-8738

‘Saturday,

course at Red’ Cross Centre,
4750. Oak St., Vancouver,
Dec. 14, 1985
from 9 a.m. to § p.m.

The Basic One course is a
more advanced C.P.R.
course for people who have
taken the heartsaver course,
or a first aid course that
covered mouth to mouth

resuscitation.

The course fee is $22 per
person, including the cost of
the manual.

For pre-registration and
further information, contact
the Red Cross Health and
Community Services

Department at 879-7551,
local 295 or 299.

Christmas
Treat
Yourself

(or someone
special)

Little hands selling cake

AS CHRISTMAS draws
nearer, it's once again time
for the Boys’ and Girls’
Clubs of Greater Vancouver
to begin their annual
Christmas cake sale.

ae

Cut, wrapped,
guaranteed.
160 Ib - 210 Ib average

Offer expires
Dec. 18th/85

PP PEPE LOL ELD L ELLA LD OL OLE POLO LOOP E POOLE POPPE PPLE POLE SPOOL OPLOP LOCC OS

Watch for little hands
knocking at your door.

Tipping the scales at a
hefry 800 grams each, these
cakes are loaded with fruit
and nuts, proving the old
adage Nutty As A Fruit
Cake.

To arrange for a cake,
which costs $6, call Chris
Patrick at 321-5548,

JOHN AYLWARD
‘Certified
Mechanic”’

~ ANNIVERSARY
ANNOUNCEMENT

OF SPECIAL INTEREST TO WEST VAN
IMPORT CAR OWNERS PEUGEOT ETC

y Dundarave Shell welcomes John Aylward (formerly of
Peter Brandt Motors). Johns’ elaven years of ex-

# perience in West Van serving the European &
Domestic car repair market will enable our service
department to truly become your one stop — full ser-
vice outlet.

§ John invites all his former customers to drop i in & say

B hello.

DUNDARAVE SHELL

“A Full Service Facility”
2403 Marine Dr., West Van

922.9341

ALSO 11.5% FOR 5-YEAR MORTGAGES *

Mortgage rates you'll shop
long and hard to match!

¢ 6-month closed mortgages for new customers only,
may be converted without penalty to a longer term
closed mortgage at any time.
« 5-year closed mortgages for new or renewal customers

¢ Other terms also available at competitive rates.

Residential first mortgages only, subject to normal terms and funds available at the time for
credit worthy customers on prime properties in good iocations.

unpenn

* per annum

North Vancouver
1452 Lonsdale
985-7487
Rob Flitton

* Rates subject to change without notice

West Vancouver
1654 Marine Dr.

922-0158
Rick Graves