News Leader News
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
- April 25, 2006
To the Editor;
Re: DARE program
Due to some negative articles published in our local newspaper, regarding the DARE program. I feel compelled to respond.
It is unfortunate that a few misguided and misinformed individuals feel it necessary to respond negatively towards a program which is so well received everywhere. It always amazes me at how far people will go to serve their own personal agendas.
It is even more unfortunate the local newspaper included these articles from people who don't even live in our community and clearly have their own agendas. I am hoping that the good citizens of Princeton can see through this smoke and mirrors. I am surprised that people from New York really care about people in Princeton but unfortunately they
won't be there to help clean up the carnage.
These articles refer to scare tactics as a means of teaching the children. I am not sure where these apparently intellectual and well informed people find this in the DARE curriculum. The core component of the DARE curriculum is a decision-making model. If you consider it a scare tactic for students to learn facts about the harmful effects of tobacco, alcohol, marihuana, crystal meth and inhalants; then I guess we are guilty.
The authors of these articles clearly focus their attention and opinions towards the benefits of marihuana within our culture. They feel they are being wrongly persecuted regarding their desire to use marihuana. These people are using this platform to argue their case for legalizing this drug which is not at all what the DARE program is about.
Marihuana
1. Causes breathing problems.
2. Affects your brain and body (ie: short term memory loss, loss of ability to concentrate, slows co-ordination and reflexes, affects your ability to judge distance, speed and reaction time.)
3. Can be addictive.
4. Contains more than 400 chemicals including some of the same cancer causing substances found in tobacco.
5. Contains more tar then tobacco smoke.
6. User has increased risk of cancer.
7. Is illegal in Canada.
8. Is a gate way to harder drugs.
DARE promotes decision-making and it does not merely target marihuana. Youth are taught to Define the problem-Access their choices-Respond-Evaluate.
I am not going to apologize for investing time in the lives of Princeton youth by helping them make healthy decisions to take charge of their own lives.
Anyone who would like more information about the DARE program is encouraged to review the curriculum in its entirety on the internet (DAREBC.COM) or contact the Princeton RCMP.
Anyone who would like to attend and take part in any of the DARE classes is strongly encouraged.
- Sgt. K. LOZINSKI
Detachment Commander
RCMP Princeton Detachment
(Editor's Note: The 'articles' in question were actually Letters to the Editor written by two people who located our original pro-DARE feature on the Internet. We published them for a variety of reasons: 1) they were in response to a local issue; 2) although they contained differing opinions - negative - on the DARE program, we feel it's one of our jobs to allow those with differing opinions the chance to have their views published; and 3) it did nothing to alter or change our personal stance in support of the DARE Program).
Letter to The Editor;
Sir,
Here today, gone tomorrow and forgotten the day after, save for a few memories. "Is that all there is?" That's what Peggy Lee used to sing. Is that now the case with the demolished Princeton Hotel?
How many stories could she tell and how many people did she touch? Ours started while living in Copper Mountain at the start of the WWII war years. Copper was critical, miners were frozen to their job, gas, sugar, butter and booze were rationed. Weekends miners would go to Princeton shopping and have a few beers at the Princeton Hotel.
One Saturday evening while angle parked in front of the hotel waiting for the folks there was one huge crash as a out of control vehicle struck our car sending my young sister Mary and I from one end of the back seat to the other. For a moment it looked liked St. Peter was going to introduce us to the other Joseph and Mary already in residence up there but we were fine and the centre of attention. Kind of exciting.
Fast forward 20 years in time and we were working on the Diefenbaker's promised Trans-Canada Highway #1 in the Fraser Canyon. Our task was to pilot a crane truck via the Hope-Princeton to Spences Bridge as the Boston Bar bridge was under construction. That evening we made a pit stop at the Princeton bus depot. Written on the washroom wall was "Princeton, very disappointed in quality of your graffiti, expect to see vast improvement on return trip."
We then ate checked into the Princeton Hotel and while having a couple beers met a few locals who enlightened us on some who had passed through (not out). Seems two retired literature professors wanted to fish the lakes but were very concerned about tying flies. "No problem" said a self appointed expert. "It's like writing poetry - ya gotta start with a good line."
In another case a hot shot travelling salesman booked in and happened to meet a very attractive lady. The 10 cent beer was not only cheap but sorta magical. The more the beer the more beautiful she became. As for him she told him it really wasn't necessary to wear the the toupee, he looked more macho without it.
On awaking the next morning the salesman gazed upon the new found love he'd spent the night with which left him in such a state of shock he streaked out of Princeton Hotel toupee-less. So profound was the experience that years later it was said he was an Abbott of a Trappist monastery in a faraway land.
We left the unforgettable Princeton Hotel and continued with the crane truck until we came down the Merritt hill where it arrived in one big massive blue cloud of smoke, engineless, brakeless and other less. Despite this, the highway engineering marvel of the Fraser Canyon was completed.
Fast forward another 20 plus years and we were in the Tulameen Trading Post when a vintage car pulled up for gas, the driver dressed the part and very personable, very dapper. This was the first time we met the owner of the Princeton Hotel a Mr. Steve Brodie. As they say in the beverage business, the car got tanked up and he was on his way.
Later on we'd enjoy the "French Quarter" restaurant located in the Princeton Hotel. It's food, decor atmosphere and service operated by a young amiable lady named Fern made it one of the finest in the country. Mr. Brodie at great expense incorporated a licensed retail liquor store whose interior was designed in the fashion of wealthy hotels such as in Deadwood City U.S.A. built in the 1910 era of the Princeton Hotel. It was truly something to see.
Recently was the last time we saw Mr. Brodie and the Princeton Hotel. He was washing down it's surrounding streets and sidewalks with a firehose. No doubt the Princeton Hotel, the lady that she was, would be graced with huge hanging baskets as usual making her one of the most outstanding heritage sights any where.
What will replace the Princeton Hotel? A town square? WalMart? An internment and holding compound for straying town deer ready to be dressed and barbecued in the to be made famous "Princeton Venison Fest?" Out of the rubble of bombed out London or Dresden it's historic buildings were restored. So should the "Grand Lady Princeton Hotel."
Regards,
Joe Schwarz, Princeton
Dear Editor;
In your wildest dreams when you voted Conservative (for those who did) to rid us of a graft ridden Liberal regime, did you realize that you opted to join America in her quest for world domination? Did you also think that we would be happy just to be America's lapdog?
Stephen Harper's trip to Afghanistan showed the world that our occupation of a foreign country and losing young Canadian lives in the process is okay with him; that trading young Canadian lives for a fair softwood lumber resolution and backing the US in a showdown over Iran has our blessing, and we'll even supply troops for that purpose.
Have you stopped to realize that most developed countries have nuclear capability that they can use for power generation and/or nuclear weapons, while those that have huge oil reserves do not? Give your head a shake! Stephen Harper will side with the US no matter what their foreign policy - and Canada will suffer the consequences - all in the quest for American energy security.
Don't you wish that you had your vote back?
You may in your own mind be able to justify some of the above, but did you also think of the consequences? Is Stephen Harper subjecting all of Canada to terrorist retaliation or are we going to live in fear from now on? Unfortunately, we made our choice last January.
Sincerely,
HP Toews, Princeton
