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May 18: Readers react to Norwich report, fix the access first, Hamilton losing visitor appeal and other letters
:format(webp)/https://www.thespec.com/content/dam/thespec/opinion/letters-to-the-editors/2023/05/18/may-18-readers-react-to-norwich-report-fix-the-access-first-hamilton-losing-visitor-appeal-and-other-letters/ji8p0nz2.jpg "May 18: Readers react to Norwich report, fix the access first, Hamilton losing visitor appeal and other letters")
Intimidation tactics
It appears business owners in Norwich were threatened by the minister of the Netherlands Reformed Congregation over their provincial right to open on Sunday. Intimidation is a nasty, disgusting form of abuse and given the occupation of their homeland by the Nazis during WW2 one would think this particular religious group would despise it. Apparently not.
Standing with the ‘haters’
In ‘Church holds ‘big influence’ over southern Ontario town,’ some of the beliefs of the Netherlands Reformed Congregation are listed. Their website lists many more, all coming with biblical citations.
However, the Bible is full of laws that the NRC chooses to ignore. They ignore what they find inconvenient, like having to go around stoning people who eat cheeseburgers (mixing meat and dairy, Exodus 23:19), eating pork (Leviticus 11:7-8), practicing magic (Exodus 22:18) or performing work on the Sabbath (Exodus 20:10). I wonder how many of the congregants would, when having a Sunday heart attack, not call 911 because it involves operators, dispatchers, paramedics, nurses and doctors working on Sunday.
While this makes them hypocrites, what is more important is that, in choosing to follow only the biblical laws they find enticing, it simply makes them haters of people who are different from them.
Three of five township councillors stood with the haters. It is unfortunate that supposed leaders let their own toxic beliefs or their fear of damage to their own political careers stop them from doing what they know is right in the public sphere.
‘Expose’ off base
The most laughable line in the Spec’s “exposé” on the Netherlands Reformed Congregation was the ominous-sounding quote that “NRC adherents were being placed all over Ontario” after World War Two. To tell a postwar Dutch immigrant that he was “being placed” anywhere would be to invite the business end of a wooden shoe. Is The Canadian Press now staging photographs of children waving Pride flags in front of non-compliant churches?
Fix the access first
Even though I have always benefitted as a driver using the Main/King corridors, I completely support the City’s move to slow us all down, and make safe spaces for bicycles and pedestrians. But, I do think timelines are important. For years, we’ve been promised changes on Aberdeen from Queen to the 403; so far, nothing has happened. Cyclists take their lives in their own hands when using that route. And now that the Claremont access is closed, the volume of traffic in our neighbourhood has increased exponentially. Some days, I cannot leave or even come back to my street because of lineups on Aberdeen of cars headed up the Mountain. The alternative is to drive through the neighbourhood, creating more problems.
So … how about fixing the Claremont access first? Otherwise, we’re going to be further inundated when drivers get frustrated.
Council leadership lacking
The mess behind Whitehern has been building, growing, festering to the point this once important “place to see” as a tourist is now off limits. Condos are being built at a pace to welcome tenants to the downtown — who would invest or want to live in an area with no shopping, no entertainment, no pride and constant harassment on the streets?
It is long past time city councillors did the jobs. Stop worrying about more budget, find better accommodations for the homeless and do something about the core of this city before the reputation of Hamilton reaches the point all visits will be a drive-by on Highway 403.
Jackson didn’t do it
Last Wednesday, a Toronto man was assaulted by another man whipping a python at him. Toronto Metro police quickly ruled out Samuel L. Jackson as the culprit.
Bless the journalists
I always look forward to Paul Berton’s columns Saturdays. They are inciteful. How sad to read Berton’s forecast regarding our newspapers. Let’s do all we can to keep newsprint alive. It will be a very sad day when The Spectator no longer lands on our doorstep. Bless the journalists.
