by Common Ground staff

Letters

Eisenhower on foolish politicians

You will love this quote:
“Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes that you can do these things. Among them are a few Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or businessman from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid.” – President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1952
www.eisenhowermemorial.org/presidential-papers/first-term/documents/1147.cfm
Richard Sales
Vancouver Island, BC

Watson on Greenpeace whaling stand

Although I am fully in support of the efforts by Greenpeace to oppose the construction of a whale meat processing plant in South Korea, I am puzzled that Greenpeace is involved in a campaign against South Korea and not Norway.
This smacks of a Eurocentric bias. The Greenpeace ship Esperanza is in Norway yet the crew refuses to challenge the whalers because in the words of one Greenpeace Norway representative, “whaling is a distraction from more important issues.”
In other words, stopping whaling in South Korea is important but in Norway it is a distraction.
Greenpeace has never had an active campaign against the slaughter of pilot whales in the Danish Faeroe Islands.
The difference between the Faeroes and Norway and the situation in South Korea is that Greenpeace has a membership base in Norway and Denmark and Danish and Norwegian public opinion is in favor
of whaling.
The campaign in South Korea is based in Tokyo where according to Steve Shallhorn of Greenpeace Japan, there are 5,500 Japanese Greenpeace members. The Japanese would of course be supportive of a campaign against the Koreans yet Greenpeace has not sent a single representative to oppose the slaughter of dolphins in Taiji, Japan.
So why is whaling acceptable in Norway and Denmark and killing dolphins is acceptable in Japan, but whaling is unacceptable in Korea?
Could it be that Greenpeace simply needs to stage an event in Korea as a prelude to the summer meeting of the International Whaling Commission in Korea. It’s a good media ploy to capture the local angle of the event. It guarantees good local coverage and this will translate into international coverage because of the international media that will be attending the IWC conference.
Right now whales are being killed in northern Norway while the Greenpeace ship Esperanza is collecting water samples. Right now, no whales are being killed in Korea yet Greenpeace is in a confrontation with Koreans to oppose plans to kill them in the future. In Norway whaling is a distraction for Greenpeace. In Korea it is a priority.
Just who is it at Greenpeace International that decides these priorities?
One thing for sure is that when it comes to whaling, some nations are more tolerated than others by Greenpeace.
Paul Watson is founder and president of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. www.seashepherd.org

Earth Charter award

Earth Charter Initiative 2005
The UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development has just begun. The Earth Charter has been recognized as an important ethical framework and valuable teaching tool for the decade.
An Earth Charter award will be presented for the first time in November 2005. This award has been created to recognize outstanding Earth Charter projects organized and led by individuals or organizations. Applications are being requested by June 15, 2005. Information on eligibility, selection criteria, and the selection process are available on the homepage of the Earth Charter website www.earthcharter.org
This award has been named to honour the memory of Maximo T. Kalaw Jr., former executive director of the Earth Council, and to recognize his vision and legacy in motivating and mobilizing widespread participation by individuals and organizations in building a more just, peaceful and sustainable world.
An international Earth Charter gathering will take place at the Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam, November 7-9, 2005, five years after the launch of the Earth Charter. This event is being made possible by the collaboration of the Earth Charter International Secretariat, the Netherlands National Committee for International Cooperation and Sustainable Development (NCDO), the Royal Tropical Institute (KIT), and Plan Netherlands.

Is radiation implicated

Guy Dauncey, thank you for your well thought out articles in Common Ground. I share your sentiments wholeheartedly. I have long thought that the cancer epidemic is largely a result of the contamination that resulted from nuclear testing around the world. I believe that the radiation from this testing would still be active. Yet, you did not mention this in your article – was that because there is not much that we can do about it? Or, do you not agree?
Chris Shirley

New book launched for birders

The Compact Guide to British Columbia Birds is the latest addition to Lone Pine’s acclaimed series of bird field guides.
The book profiles more than 80 species found in BC, complete with colour illustrations, photographs of the bird’s egg, a range map and extensive natural history. With its straightforward approach, engaging design and format, this book will appeal to budding birders of all ages, and makes an ideal educational resource. www.lonepinepublishing.com

Shelley Braiden
Lone Pine Publishing

Credit union wins award

Vancity has been chosen by the BC Chapter of the American Marketing Association (BCAMA) as the recipient of its 2005 marketer of the year award, one of BC’s most prestigious marketing awards and the BCAMA’s highest honour.
Vancity’s branding work kicked off in 2003 with a goal to attract new members and generate deeper loyalty among its current membership. The first step was to embark on a revolutionary process with a West Vancouver firm called Envisioning & Storytelling to identify and capture the true essence of “who” the organization is and what makes it so special.
Vancity hired the design firm Karacters to give the organization a fresh new look that better reflected its story. Following this, the credit union secured TBWA as its new agency to leverage its story and lead its brand refresh efforts. Its first TV ad campaign in seven years under the tagline “expect better” launched Vancity’s new approach. Other efforts, such as mass media, direct marketing, guerrilla activities, print, radio, and street teams created momentum.
“We are proud of the work we’ve done and are thrilled to be recognized by the BCAMA. We think we have a great story to tell and we now have all the tools we need to keep telling it in a revolutionary way,” says Kari Grist, Vancity’s vice-president of marketing.
The BCAMA will honour Vancity at the 34th annual marketer of the year awards dinner at the Westin Bayshore on September 20.

Theatre In the Raw presents The Inspector General by Nikolai Gogol

“If your face is lopsided, don’t blame the mirror!” – Nikolai Gogol

This classic theatre piece about money, politics and deceit tells the tale of a young government clerk, Hlestakov, addicted to gambling, drinking and women who finds himself stranded in a small town, only to be mistaken for an influential government inspector, an official close to the long authoritative arm of the reigning czar.
Stranded for a few days with his quick-witted servant Ossip and an empty wanting wallet and stomach, Hlestakov soon ensconces himself in the good graces of the village’s upper crust, and the fun really begins.
A madcap masterpiece of dramatic tickling satire, The Inspector General by Russian writer Nikolai Gogol is universally respected as one of the greatest plays of the Russian theatre. So outspoken, it helped to turn Russia’s art world upside down in the mid-1800s.
June 15-18 & 22-26 doors 7 pm starts 7:30 pm. Ukrainian Hall, 805 East Pender. $12/$10 pre-booked; $8 students/seniors and $5 for 10 years and younger.
604-708-5448
theatreintheraw@hotmail.com