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One man’s opinion

Public protest

Set 7, By FRED MERRIMAN

1am wondering If there are any alternatives to the ever-popular public
protest techniques which permeate our modern society. r

Environmentalists use the method. Organized labor uses the method.
Political interests use protest to great effect. Signs and gatherings of groups
smoll and large seem fo have become the new form of government, When will

it stop? Why is it necessary for affairs of business and state to sink tosucha |

low fevel that public protest seems the only effective method? 3 .

May | suggest that public protest is encouraged and will continue to grow
for one simple reason; the method is effective,

1am sure there must be laws now which prevent chanting, sign carrying
and social upheaval in public places. | charge those people who succumb to
such “pressure” as an accessory to that form of public government,

1 do not fault the protestors because they are as small children frustrated
to the point that they must stamp their foot, carry signs and make obscene
remarks in public. You cannot fault the child but you can fault the parent for
unsatisfactory behavior. . ’

* The current protest about a 500-acre proposed housing development on
Delta farm land does interest me.

Question: Is the land capable of producing food? Is it necessary that each
family have its acre of land? Why does any flat iand need go to residential
us .

es? . ;
Would it not be more practical for better use made of sloping hillsides

which are not suitable for farming, industry or commercial venture? Has

cnyone, considered going underground for housing and leave the sky for the
irds 3

We hear much about the best use of land and yet planners and-their em-
ployers do not lock at land in its best use. The enyironmentalists may have the .

est point when they suggest that land should not be used at all except to
view, walk upon and enjoy. . Z y

I would raise the question that most residential housing is not the best use"
et fend because the dwellings thereon are seldom occupied by the owners
thereof,

In any given day, shobld o survey be taken, you would probably find only
the family cat as sole occeupan?. Ask any door-to-door salesman his medsure of
success at answered doors during daylight hours.

Question: ‘Why do governments give in so easily to public protest? The
minority, granted moved to the point of demonstration, does not and-should
not be running this province. Why do they have such effective control? The
hardest question for those who are interested goes this way: Why do matters
reach such a stage that public protest is the only reasonable alternative
available to the concerned minority who just may reflect the opinion of a
majority? At least the possibility exists that the demonstrating minority may
be correct and may even be justified in throwing tantrums in public places,

1 would ask my elected representatives to address these questions and
answer them in such a way thot 1 and others who share these concerns may
fully understand what steps are being taken to see, legally so, that public
demonstrations will be reduced.

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Canada |

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