Near and Far  
By Maggie Turner  

Friday, April 28, 2000

Near and Far

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Near...

The afternoon passed without incident.

"What sort of incident were you expecting?" you might ask.

It is report card time at the high school. Some of the teachers are keeping me informed as to the less than perfect attendance and performance of "The Teenager".

Bless them, they do not have any choice. They are obligated to keep me informed. Most are somewhat fearful that I might be the type of mother to blindly defend anything my child decides to do; that I might shoot the messenger or may be in search of a scapegoat. Such is not the case. They have my deepest sympathy.

If she only knew now what she will know then, things would be different. We are steadfastly trying to focus on the marks that were good in the report card that came home. Finally, we have something positive to focus on. We are making the most of it.

It is difficult to write when the day is filled with worries and concerns. These years of living with teenage angst will end soon. My daughters age like fine wine. They are biting, aggressive, and raw in the early years and become fine, well rounded, and smooth in their maturity. I almost wish that this process operated in reverse. I could live with them during their golden years and watch the world cope with their developmental years. Such was and is not to be.

Far...

Ottawa outraged over execution of Canadian
WebPosted Thu Apr 27 23:33:46 2000

April 27, 2000 (4:30 p.m. EDT) No. 85
CANADA ANNOUNCES REVIEW OF RELATIONS WITH VIETNAM

This was headline news in Canada yesterday. I first heard this yesterday on the CBC radio broadcast news. I remember thinking, this woman (Nguyen Thi Hiep) would not be a tourist visiting Vietnam; she was probably born there, had relatives there, and knew very well the pitfalls of the power structures and legal system. What really went on? I do not know. The culture that accused her in March of 1997, tried, found her guilty of drug trafficking, and executed her on April 25, 2000, is not my culture. I do not understand it and I can not judge it by the rules and mores of Ontario, Canada.

Officially, Canadian outrage seems to be focused on doubts about her innocence.

The focus of my personal concern is somewhat different from that of the Canadian authorities. I will never hear the details, will never know the truth, nor am I likely to be involved in diplomatic relations. It is my opinion that, guilty or not, the death sentence for drug trafficking seems terribly harsh. Today I will have a quiet moment for Nguyen Thi Hiep and her family. I am reminded that there is no place like home.