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Highlands Today

Black, White And Read All Over

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By Norm Cukras | Highlands Today

Published: September 29, 2007

There was a time when things were simply black or white. Yes or no. Good or bad. Today, thanks to lawyers, liberals and political correctness, we have a lot of gray areas mixed in with a bunch of maybes and a gaggle of what ifs.

You've heard of the 40 shades of green of Ireland popularized by Johnny Cash. Well we have the 40 (at least) shades of gray. Nobody can do any wrong because their actions seem to be permitted somewhere within the boundaries of one of the gray areas.

I guess that today Moses would come down from Mount Sinai with the Ten Commandments and their 40 amendments – each.

A lot of people today must have a problem interpreting those original commandments: Like IV, how can children honor their father and mother when they don't know who they are? Or VI, how does one commit adultery if they believe that marriage is some kind of ancient ritual? Or IX, how can a person covet his neighbor's wife when the couple next door isn't married?

I wonder if Moses' group of desert wanderers included any lawyers who questioned the laws? If it did his 40 years of searching would have felt like 4,000.

Oh yeah. The title of this column relates to a childhood riddle: 'What's black and white and re(a)d all over?' The answer to which is a newspaper. Of course that was back before color came to the media.

Who Keeps TrackOf These Things

It is said that only 66 percent of men wash their hands after using the bathroom. I have a strong feeling that this lack of hygiene is what gave rise to the gesture of touching knuckles with a closed fist instead of the traditional hand shaking ritual. And women hug because only a reported 88 percent wet their pinkies after doing what has to be done in the powder room.

Even though the ladies' average is far better than the men's the question remains: Which segment of the female population does the one who wants to shake your hand belong too? No wonder the kissing of a lady's hand has faded into obscurity.

A Good Distinction

France is taking the illegal immigration bull by the horns. Their president is chasing the intruders from the country amid protests from the enablers who want reform not eviction. And of course the pro-immigrant activists always point out how a France, or any country for that matter, benefits from the immigrants.

The French administration isn't denying this, nor is our country.

The French Interior Minister puts it quite simply that what his country wants is an immigrant who is "selected not endured." I believe that is our goal too. Why is it a country cannot exert its sovereignty by deciding who it wishes to welcome without having to incur the wrath of idealistic human right's groups?

France also wants immigrants to learn the language and to grasp French values. What's wrong with this? Why must we change our values to accommodate those that choose not to accept them?

One Of Mine For One Of Yours

Now that the Canadian dollar is on parity with the American dollar for the first time in 30 years, I expect we will be inundated with the visitors from the north in even greater numbers than usual this season. I hope that some of that foreign money finds its way into the cash registers of our individually owned eateries and shops. Part of any dining experience is discovering new flavors and dishes. All you have to do is reach beyond the chains to find them.

Overheard

Overheard at the checkout counter: Where are polka-dotted peppers grown?

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