Opinion

Banning books just plain wrong

Re: Book challenge campaign ‘shocking’ (May 2)

A segment of society believes their beliefs should supersede the rest of society. What they call pornographic, I consider to be the facts of life. I’m grateful that the days of babies being delivered by storks and sex education being found only in the schoolyard are over.

Libraries exist for all citizens and if people find certain books offensive, they have the freedom not to read them. Factual information increases knowledge. I have never seen a book in a library that promotes pedophilia. Banning books is simply wrong.

Nettie Lamb

Carman

I was a junior high teacher a number of years ago in Alberta when Premier Manning declared a number of books banned.

These included Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D.H. Lawrence, Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, and A Jest of God by Margaret Laurence. I wrote on the blackboard the names and authors and told my grades 7 and 8 students these were described as dirty and containing sex and swearing and the premier said they should never read them.

As I expected, the bright and inquisitive young people almost ran out the door to find them. No doubt I had the best-read students of any in the division.

I commend the director of South Central Library Services for her comments and recommend she erect a large poster in each library that states “Banned Books (like all of Judy Blume or John Irving, or Laurence or Atwood, etc.) are now hidden in the back corner.”

Then watch them fly off the shelves.

Linda Taylor

Winnipeg

Watch the hair

Re: No beef with Browaty (Letters, May 1)

In reading some letters to this paper’s editor, it seems we should all feel incredibly fortunate that we are endowed with the wisdom and bold, forward-thinking vision of the venerable Jeff Browaty, councillor for North Kildonan.

Apparently, questioning the reasoning behind keeping the historic Portage and Main closed to humans without cars, spending a king’s ransom on widening and lengthening streets to create yet more vehicular traffic that will continue to mindlessly and needlessly emit C02 for their drive-thru double-doubles on the way to hockey practice in the SUV is tantamount to “tearing one’s hair.”

It seems that for some, having the unbridled effrontery to challenge the “no-nonsense, broad perspectives” of Mr. Browaty is a step too far.

Evidently, having an interest in environmental concerns and believing that real change begins with individual awareness and local action is equivalent to histrionic melodrama.

I mean, it’s not as if Mr. Browaty has gone so far as to advocate for bringing back harmful, carcinogenic chemicals in order to maintain the God-given right to obsess and fetishize our immaculate green lawns without the incalculable heartbreak of having to witness a dandelion.

Oh, wait… my hair is tearing.

Howard Warren

Winnipeg

Second look at Kenaston job good idea

Kudos to city council for deciding to re-examine the widening of Kenaston Boulevard. The idea that widening would reduce emissions is wrong. The widening only goes to the bridge so the bottleneck and idling remain.

The green space that would be paved is a carbon sink. If planted with native plants or trees, the carbon capture would be two to five tons per acre per year.

The production of cement is one of the highest polluters in manufacturing. There would be megatonnes of CO2 emissions created in making the concrete for the widening.

In the interest of developing a greener city and working toward climate change, widening is not the way to go.

Let’s hope the city makes the right decision this time and invests in the green space and healthier air.

Kathryn Smith

Winnipeg

Jets need grit

This past week, the Paul Maurice-coached Florida Panthers successfully came back from a 3-1 deficit in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs to beat the “most successful team in NHL history,” being the Boston Bruins, who had 43 more points in the regular season than did the Panthers.

That should silence the Winnipeg nay-sayers who constantly criticized Maurice for his commitment and coaching skills. Coach Bowness tried the same thing but couldn’t get the Jets players to accomplish anywhere near as much success in their series and they were swept after winning the first game.

I don’t think it is the coach; I think there are problems with the grit and character of the Jets players. As Bones said, there comes a time when “players have to play for pride.” They seem to have it on the Panthers; they sure don’t have it on the Jets.

The Seattle Kraken beat the vaunted Avalanche in just their second year in the league and are now into Round 2. Chevy is the architect of the makeup of this Jets team. He has zero reason to be proud of their accomplishments and less reason to be proud of his drafting and development skills.

Making Round 2 of the playoffs two times in 12 years at the helm of the Jets is no reason to boast; it should be cause for embarrassment. Mr. Chipman has to decide if keeping Chevy in the GM’s chair is worth having 1,500 or more empty seats per game in 2023-24. Drafting small, light forwards and defencemen who never crash the net or who are always looking over their shoulder when going into the corners will simply continue the downward spiral of the Jets.

They need some players with grit and character and who play for pride.

Laurie Etkin

Winnipeg

Good times with Gordon

Fifty-seven years ago, I was 18 years old and found myself working as summer kitchen help on a CPR steel gang at Balgonie, Sask. One hot summer day I raised myself into the kitchen car to perform some mundane duty.

The timing, although unplanned, was perfect. The bull cook had a small transistor radio on which was playing Gordon Lightfoot’s Steel Rail Blues. Perhaps it was the physical context in that here I was working on a railway, feeling lonely for home and the girl I loved, but something special, even life-changing, occurred in that moment.

It was an emotional experience that I still feel today. From that moment on, I have been a loyal fan of this poet/musician/troubadour, attended his concerts and purchased his albums.

Gordon Lightfoot’s music captured me in a way words cannot express. Wherever you are now Gord, may the wind be in your sails, you certainly filled mine.

James Penner

Winnipeg

Don’t be afraid to move forward

Re: Walking it back (Editorial, May 3)

I love Winnipeg, I really do. But when things like the Portage and Main issue come up, I want to cry.

Why is this city so scared to move forward? Why do we allow naysayers to stop progressive moves?

It is abundantly clear the car is not going to continue to be top dog, what with climate change making it vital we not continue down this road. Mass transit is going to have to play an important role moving forward and cars are going to decline in importance.

However, Winnipeg continues down this path to self-destruction, spending hundreds of millions of dollars on roads we won’t need and shouldn’t allow. We show the world we are controlled by a car culture and are mired in old thinking.

Thus, we allow an iconic intersection to languish so drivers don’t have to wait a few seconds longer. Open up Portage and Main using a scramble. It works, it’s simple and it would help show our downtown matters. I have used them in many countries and I’ve seen how well they work.

It’s time for our leaders to do what’s right. Stop listening to the vocal minority. Show some leadership.

Ingrid Ostick

Winnipeg