EDITOR:
In recent years, I have enjoyed the insights that Richard Deaton has provided via the Guardian. However, on Feb. 7, he has taken an isolated and unfortunate incident in one legion branch and theorized that it is representative of the population of this Island. This is a leap in logic that he would be extremely critical of had it been in a term paper written by one of his students at the Royal Military College.
Let us face reality. Everywhere in this imperfect world, native citizens are expressing their fears that immigrants will obtain favours - economical, cultural, etc. - that they believe is their birthright. Granted, Islanders fall within this group but, by no means, are they in its forefront. "What happened in Tignish identifies the soft and ugly underbelly of Island values." Sorry! Wrong professor. World-wide values.
Dr. Deaton recommends that if all the Royal Canadian Legion does is provide cheap beer for racist punks, it has outlived its usefulness. First, I don't find beer any cheaper at my legion than at Al's Streak House. However, here is where the good professor is wrong. As the legion never publicizes it, he does not know that if the contributions made by all branches in P.E.I. were added together, it would represent the largest public contribution base on the Island.
Close the legions, Dr. Deaton, and the cries from the hospitals, clinics, festivals, sport teams, visits abroad and other endeavours too numerous to mention, will shatter your eardrums.
Colonel J. Darrach Murray,
CD, BA, MA. (Retired)
Sea View
