Newsmen

Allen Fotheringham was the Vancouver Sun's ace political columnist in the 1960's and 70's but he was 'run out of town' by the managing editor, Bruce Larson. Larson apparently wasn't fond of young, long haired idealists. At least, according to The Dependent.ca.

As we know, the 60's and 70's were a time of change in society and the new style of journalism was pitted against the old ways of doing things. It generally takes a while for the establishment to change.

Doug "Bulldog" Collins took charge of the opinion pages and his rants were filled with fear of the different.

“If it is racist to prefer our own traditions and institutions (poor though these may be) to those of others, I am again guilty,” reads page six of a paper dated Sept. 28, 1979. “If it is racist to think that our own Canadian kids should not become minorities in their own schools, and that they are entitled to learn their own language properly instead of waiting around while newcomers from totally alien cultures attempt to learn it, then I am thrice-damned, because I hold the view that Canadian kids have some rights, too.”

Perhaps not the most tolerant of articles but I am sure it struck a chord with many readers. As it probably still does today.

Then there was Mckenzie Porter. In 1975, this right wing columnist stated that “only the imprudent citizen knowingly elects a homosexual to parliament.”

“It is true that homosexuality often coincides with genius,” Porter admits. “But genius, which sometimes is akin to madness, is not a political asset. What a politician needs more than any other intellectual virtue is common sense. And common sense, as we shall see, rarely occurs in homosexuals.”

And Porter wasn't finished! He urged anyone with any inkling of homosexuality to immediately remove themselves from politics.

“During my 40 years in journalism, on both sides of the Atlantic, I have acquired many male and female homosexual friends. All make delightful, mentally stimulating company. But I cannot think of one who is suited to political office.”

It wasn't only homosexuals he was against though. He also campaigned against defecating in company toilets. Porter felt it was offensive.

The band, Pink Floyd, visited Vancouver for the first time in 1975, at the height of their creative genius. The Sun's music critic, Don Stanley, attended the show and he was not impressed.

“Music varied from stupidly trivial to the charmingly trivial … Both Gilmour and bassist Roger Waters have undistinguished voices.”  Stanley stated.

And even though Pink Floyd was the first musical artist to bring a live light show to the PNE stage, Stanley said it was “A consistently dull show, in other words.”

Th photos today are of a mural painted on the Royal Canadian Legion building on Commercial Drive.

Thanks to the Dependent.ca for the above information.

I hope you find the beauty around you.