By James Riswick
Staff Writer
In lieu of any rational thought this week, I thought I’d live up to my column’s title and just share some random thoughts …
In regards to Kyle Jorrey’s article last week about his car being broken into and the Los Angeles police department. Perhaps if the L.A. County sheriff would redirect the 4,000 or so traffic cops collecting money from the Malibu community, maybe some of these real vehicular crimes could be investigated and solved.
Oh, but silly of me to think that the police’s main job is to serve and protect, not serve and collect.
This weekend, hockey fans across Canada cheered the American National Anthem and even sang along with it before play in several games. Before the Florida Panthers-Ottawa Senators game in Sunrise, Fla., however, the Canadian National Anthem was booed most likely because Canada is not officially supporting the U.S. war on Iraq.
Yet even though Canada has a problem with the war, its fans still showed respect for their neighbors, which can’t be said for fans in Florida.
After a brief lapse earlier in the week in Montreal, Canadians there, as in the rest of the country this weekend, showed a lot of respect despite their anti-war views and I hope they keep it up even though the people in Florida spat in their face. It would be a sign of true respect and class.
On the way back from the airport recently, my cab driver was at one point holding his stereo/navigation control in one hand and his cell phone in the other, using both. Seeing as he didn’t have three arms, he wasn’t exactly the most proficient driver.
Now I would usually be horribly irritated by this, but the guy had a teddy bear in his lap and played Milli Vanilli twice. That was just too weird and endearing to dislike the guy.
At this past weekend’s Oscars, there was a solid amount of anti-war sentiment. Perhaps to no one’s surprise, Michael Moore, best director winner for the documentary “Bowling for Columbine,” was particularly vocal, repeating at one point, “Shame on you Mr. Bush.”
Now, Moore’s movie “Canadian Bacon” is one of my all time favorites, but I still think he should shut up. Ambush interviews are one thing, but ambush activism on a captive audience is another.
With war started in Iraq, a report on BBC World in Europe showed jubilant liberated Iraqi citizens happy to be rid of Saddam’s rule. That’s no surprise there, and let’s all hope that sentiment continues. Furthermore, the United States has been doing a good job of maintaining bombing to military targets. Considering the tonnage of bombs dropped on Baghdad and the classical run-down shack architecture of most Iraqi homes, it seems like a miracle that the casualty level there has been so low.
Again, hopefully this keeps up and the war will soon be over, paving the way for a democratic Iraqi-run Iraq.
That’s all the space I have, thanks for listening.
— Do you like Michael Moore, Canadian hockey or Tennants? E -mail James Riswick at jriz29@hotmail.com.
March 27, 2003