8 - Friday, May 3, 1985 - North Shore News Coltins belongs to the Iron Age Dear Editor: . What is a!! this fuss'about freedom of speech? { think it’s great that right-wing ideologue, Doug Collins, is permitted to. express his opi- nions. On ‘studying Collins’ columns objectively, ignoring the childish vocabulary ‘in- cluding words such as ‘leftist loonies’’, ‘‘commies’’ ‘‘wim- min’’- and various words beginning with the _ prefix -“bieeding heart’, one can - see just how unconvincing his maxes we yee arguments actually are. [n- stead of convincing me that the right-wing perspective is the more valid, Collins’ rhetoric serves to reaffirm my left-leaning stance. My only regret is tliat there exists quite a number of people who per- mit themselves to be influenc- ed by Collins’ sensationalist, name-calling style. One doctrine that seems to be quite popular with Col- lins, President Reagan and the other neo-conservatives is a that of social darwinsim, or the dactrine of the survival of the fittest. This doctrine is conveniently used to justify. amongst other things, the barharisra of imperialism and the genocide of the in- digenous populations of North America. Apparently Collins believes something to the effect that the Indians, Innuit and Metis have no more claim to land then any other group in Canadian society. After all Canada was ary ‘von from the natives “fair and square’, and if it wasn’t for the Europeans, the natives would still be living a mere subsistance existence. The Europeans were the fit- test, therefore they survived, the natives were the weaker, therefore they perishe. Hf this is the case, does it, by the same token, justify Soviet brutality in Eastern Europe following the Second World War? Does it justify a a the past five years of Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, just because the Soviets were the stronger of the two? Col- lins would, I'm sure, answer vehemently to the contrary that the good-for-nothing “‘commies’? are seeking world domination, whereas we (the British) were only do- ing Our most humble task — bearing our ‘‘white man’s burden”’ introducing the bar- baric savages to a decent, civilized way of life. _ Mr. Collins should realize that, believe it.or not, tiraes have changed and if, as they Say, our civilization is becom- ing more. advanced, perhaps we should try to redress past injustices and look forward not backward. If there were more people like: Doug ‘Col- lins in the world, we would still be living in the Iron Age and not the Space Age. Samir Gandesha North Vancovver a Warning: Health and Welfare Canada advises that danger to health increases with amount smoked -avoid inhaling, Average per cigarette Tar” 14 mg Nic. Lime.