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Page 52 text:
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Paul Viminitz In the BRYANT ORATORICAL speak-off at Sheldon - Williams, Paul Viminitz placed first and Sally Moss was runner-up. A PESSIMISTIC LOOK AT PESSIMISM Like almost every year, 1965 was a year of brink¬ manship. We are, as is almost every society, on the brink of war. Perhaps this time we’re just a bit closer to the edge, and the drop is a bit further down, and so the brink becomes a bit more frightening. But that does not excuse the blind pessimistic attitude that so many take. In fact, it condemns it. The blind pessimist is the fool who looks at the world with blinkers on. He is the invalid whose eyes are blinded by the sight of hate and fear, so that he can no longer see love and hope. He is the idiot who walks down the streets of life, peering into the sewers of filth, but never lifting his head to peer into the windows of worth. He’s the coward who hasn’t got the guts to find any meaning in his own life, and therefore denounces all life as futile. But worst of all, he’s got the stupidity to say, “Look, we fight against wrong a id ; njustice, but what’s the use when having defeated one, another pops up the very next instant! Look, we solve one world crisis today, but what’s the use when another is sure to pop up somewhere else tomorrow! Look, we feed a child in India, but another starves in China! Why plant fields to be destroyed by fires of our own making? Why build cities to be destroyed in an instant by an atom bomb?” And with that, he says, “So show me where life isn’t futile.” And with that, he gives up. Norman Morrison was a thirty-one-year-old hus¬ band and father. He was also a very devout Quaker. At six o’clock in the evening, November 3, 1965, he stood with his body soaked in kerosene, on the steps of the Pentagon, with his one-year-old daughter in his arms; and then he put the torch to himself. Five hours later, his wife said, “Norman Morrison has given his life today to express his concern over the loss of life and human suffering caused by the war in Vietnam. He was protesting our government’s deep military in¬ volvement in this war. He felt that all citizens must speak their convictions about our country’s actions.” Norman Morrison was a devout Quaker. Quaker¬ ism condemns suicide. But the real irony of his action is this. He said that he would do it as a protest against loss of life, and human suffering. Yet his act caused his death, would have caused the death of his one-year- old daughter (had his disintegrating arms had the strength to hold on to her), and did indeed cause a great deal of human suffering! Yes, there are many who say that the world is falling apart, and that life is a joke. Perhaps they’re right. I really don’t know for sure. But I do know that we don’t save ourselves by burning our homes, and by burning our bodies, and the bodies of our chil¬ dren. I do know that hatred never brought about an end to bigotry. I do know that just condemnation and disgust never brought about an end to our own stupid¬ ity. And I do know that giving up never solved any¬ thing, tears never washed away anything, and joining the ranks of the destroyers never built anything. Maybe I’m just old-fashioned, but I still think there’s a hell of a lot to live for if we’ve just got the courage to search it out. And that’s why I say: Well, we lived through ' 65. Let’s just do our damn best at ’66, shall we! — PAUL VIMINITZ 50
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Page 53 text:
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“The old order changeth and giveth place to new”. This oft used laying has always been apt to describe the affairs of men throughout the listory of the world but it has never appeared so true as today. Rapid zhanges of gov’t, new political nations emerging, quarrels, revolutions, counter revolutions, wars and rumours of war fall upon us in such rapid succession that it is all too easy to despair and to feel that the world is disintegrating into chaos. The feeling of disorder and insecurity is so widespread that many people have lost confidence in the old established values and youth, lacking firm direction and with a bewildering abundance of choice, is experimenting wildly in every direction. Poetry is no longer lyrical but is a bewildering jumble of words in unrhymed lines of uneven length; art no longer shows recognizable images, but spills formless splashes of color on canvas; popular vocal music appeals to teen-age audiences more by the clothes and eccentricities of the performers than by their singing; modem serious music explores the ways of discord rather than harmony; the ways of academic learning change radically we have had the three R’s since time immemorial and now-hey pristo-the New Maths ;-and university students no longer sit in awe at the feet of their professors, but rampage around the campus with placards demanding to take over the administration. The old Gods no longer exercise their former influence. Even gravity has lost its pull — as astronauts have shown us. It is the theme of my discourse however that this apparent disintegra¬ tion and chaos is in fact a misleading image and that in reality we are in the midst of reform and hopeful growth that is part of the golden thread of man’s progress to a better and more united world. The dawn of man’s history found him struggling in primitive fashion in a family group completely cut off from contact with anything beyond the immediate surroundings of his dwelling. As civilization grew, man advanced to a bette r life by constantly widening the group of people which he knew and with whom he lived harmoniously. The group enlarged from the family to the village thence by degrees to the petty kingdoms, dukedoms and principalities and so to the large nations of zomparitively modern times. In this struggle for survival the motive power has until recently always been one of self-interest and disreguard for others. The background bas changed from the caveman with his club confronting the sabre-toothed tiger to the harrassed commuter with bowler hat and brief case repelling the friendly neighbourhood finance office and the sharks of Wall Street, but the motive power of greed and acquisition has not changed and the ad result of this policy is all too evident. Through all these changing times, war has been the accepted method af settling national differences. As trade and prosperity became more inked throughout the world wars, when they occurred, became more terrible in their consequences. Furthermore the greater education of the zommon man made conquest and subordination more repugnant. In the 19th century modern ideals of democracy and self-government aegan to influence peoples’ minds and as a result the British Empire Degan to develop in such a way that all its peoples might in due course assume powers of self-government. Canada was the first country to achieve :his and did so in 1867. It has become the fashion in the world today to decry imperialism but I think that the perspective of history will show that it was a necessary step in the development of the world. In the main, British mperialism was dedicated to the advancement of the native peoples. It is not the irony of fate but the logical consequence of British x licies that Cecil Rhodes, the protagonist of Empire, should be com¬ memorated most by the Rhodes Scholarships and that many of the eaders of the new African nations in the Commonwealth, who now speak ;o strongly against the alleged evils of imperialism, acquired their education n English universities. With this brief summary of events to date, let us consider the world is it now exists. The Communist powers confront the Western democracies ind standing apart, as an increasingly important group, are many African md Asian nations newly formed, unable to survive alone because of their ack of resources and training and yet too proud and independent to iccept help gracefully. In consequence the world is torn with fierce iissensions, but the old method of settling national quarrels — total war s unthinkable to both sides in this atomic age. Quarrels must be conciliated. This truth has been realized for some time now, but efforts to achieve )eace by discussion bring little success, as witnessed by the failure of the -eague of Nations and by the many setbacks and stalemates that now flague the United Nations. This awful dilemma has its brighter side, since the impending calamity s so great that it will force all peoples to make the greatest efforts to ivoid it. Viewed in this way, we may take heart not because of the failures, ind they are not few, but by the successes which are many. I do not wish lere to take up political and idealogical issues to defend the West in its resent position in Vietnam and elsewhere (although I think it is lefensible) or to condemn the Communist actions, but I want to point ut all the encouraging factors. Men, in all their activities, work in the knowledge that the world s indivisible and that no part of it can continue in freedom and prosperity, unless its peoples recognize the hopes of others to do the same and assist them to that end. Tolerance and forbearance in fact so flourish in the western world, that it is rare indeed to find anybody refusing to listen to the argument of the other side or failing to agree with at least a part of it. This has gone to such lengths that paradoxically it now seems that atheism is the only intolerant religion remaining, that pacifists are the only people who will not surrender and that management is the only part of industry that is prepared to labour. The ecumenical movement in Christianity flourishes wonderfully and there is increasing co-operation between all religions. Most nations co-operate in scientific research and tremendous humanitarian efforts are being made by the less controversial works of the United Nations, such as U.N.E.S.C.O. and the World Band. This then is an exciting time in which to live. It may prove greater than the Reformation or the Renaissance; it may be the dawn of the Golden-age if we succeed, and the end of man if we fail. Thus we have reached a wonderful stage in world history where the Golden Rule — to do unto others as you would have them do unto you — is not only the ideal precept of ethics, but the practical and necessary rule for survival. The crucial test will be whether we can succeed in bringing all people within the United Nations or some other international organization, and make the conciliation of quarrels effective in practice. Can this be done? At present the United Nations does not do it successfully except between the minor nations. The answer would surely be not to ‘abolish the United Nations, but to assist it to work more effectively. This is the great opportunity for the commonwealth of Nations, which in its limited sphere, is already showing how diverse peoples may work amicably together. It is an unique organization. It embraces young nations, old nations, white people, colored people, people of all religions and all political views and people who often have serious differences (as indeed they have today in respect of Rhodesia). Yet the common bond of Commonwealth has so far ensured that they keep working together trying to reconcile their disputes. Within its ranks the rich assist the poor in wealth and technical assistance, yet at the same time listen in sympathy to their views. It has proven so effective a help that most countries of the Empire on achieving independence have voluntarily decided to remain within the Commonwealth. As the oldest Commonwealth member other than Great Britain, and with one of her sons, Arnold Smith, as the Canadian Secretary General of the new Commonwealth Secretariat, she has a great chance to play a leading role. I do not suggest that all nations should join the Commonwealth. I care not what the international nation be called which will save mankind. I merely urge with all the force I can command that the Com¬ monwealth — the best example of international co-operation that works — be encouraged with all our power, either to strengthen the United Nations or to work toward the establishment of some international conciliatory organization that will be effective. I can conceive two possibilities. On the one hand as the more likely possibility, the Commonwealth can greatly assist the United Nations to success, and when that success is achieved, can merge with and in it. On the other hand the Commonwealth may grow and become a world¬ wide organization itself. I would ask you to reflect on what I have said. Do not dismiss it as an idealistic mirage. The state of the world is so grave that short-sighted plans of materialistic self-interest are doomed to failure. Long-range plans of unselfish vision in the interests of all are neces¬ sary. They are practical because only thus can destruction be avoided. Let us all work so that we may inspire ourselves and our friends, and through them our Canadian people and the Canadian government, to the end that we shall give worthy leadership in the Commonwealth, and through it to the world. This is our best hope for a stable world-peace with honour and without surrender, a peace in which all nations shall live in freedom and prosperity, composing their differences as they arise, not by armed conflict, but by honourable discussion and conciliation. This is the cause for which I speak; this is the goal I set before you; and this is the race I ask you to run. SALLY MOSS (runner-up in the Bryant speak off.) 51
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