Muriel's Thoughts - January 16, 2006

It is an outrage that many old people who devoted their younger years to paying their taxes are now finding in their retirement that they have to worry about their income. Many live in fear that they will be unable to keep their homes and the few comforts they have. Ever increasing taxes, high assessments and the greed of a society that does not consider their welfare when they embark on large projects. Many old people live in fear of losing all they have and being put in a home through no fault of their own.

Politicians continue to finance their ever increasing projects and demanding increasing tax money to pay for sport projects. Why should I pay to support a game where people hit a little ball with a stick and put it in a hole and call it golf, or throw a ball into a hoop and call it basketball or hit a ball with a stick and run around bases and call it baseball. I can participate in none of these activities. The best exercise is walking and it is free. No one considers us when the cost of living goes up. But we must eat like everybody else, we must exist like everybody else and we are powerless and seldom listened to. We fear being called demented or senile because this might be a prelude of going into a home and losing our freedom. We are unable to organize and do not seem to have any influence on the politicians, bureaucrats or anyone else in society.

The Bible says “ Honor thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long in the land that the Lord thy God hath given thee”. Many old people cannot participate in sports projects, as many, like myself are handicapped. The old people and handicapped people have no way of earning the money to pay for these increasing taxes. Jesus said “Whatsoever ye do to the least of my children, do you also unto me”

Many old people end up in extended care homes where they feel abandoned by their loved ones. They are fed pills to keep them docile. A wise man said “Most of us live lives of quiet desperation” I believe this is really true of many elderly. This should not happen in a civilized society. Every individual should ask themselves, what are they doing for their elderly relatives. You too, one day, will be old. “Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.”

At the municipal hall people are hired on a contract basis to do a job and when it is finished they are dismissed and their benefits including pension are terminated. How can one work consistently enough to get a pension under these circumstances?

Another thing that happened this week that interested me, was a letter that I received by email saying that I could apply to get a diploma from an unregistered university for a degree up to a doctorate degree. I assume that they wanted money and I phoned to see what this was about. I wonder how many people are working in the system with these degrees from non-registered universities. I imagine a great many. I hope employers are checking very carefully these beautiful certificates. They may identify people who have never seen the inside of a university with degrees.

I am very pleased to have this opportunity to write my views on The Langley Free Press and I will continue to do so. In the meantime I am enjoying my leisure and seem to have lots to keep me busy.

If I can talk to you or speak to the people of Langley I am available. Please email me at murielarnason@canada.com. or phone me 604 888 6264. I can assure you that my university degrees are genuine.

Muriel Arnason.
Bachelor of Arts Sociology
5th year Education degree
Royal Conservatory of Music

Muriel Arnason was Langley Township's longest serving Councillor and in December 2005 decided to take a break from Council. She cares very much about the people and now shares her thoughts in LFP regularily.