Choice words for Readers’ Choice
Wow, what a strange readership NOW has. Black Lives Matter deservedly wins best activist group (NOW, November 3-9). But the choice for best lawyer is Jian Ghomeshi’s scumbag lawyer, the woman who prides herself on destroying sexual assault victims? When I read that I felt sucker-punched.
Alison Gorbould, Toronto
Kensington Market frustrations
Re Readers’ Choice of Pedestrian Sundays for best neighbourhood festival (NOW, November 3-9). Most residents of Kensington Market disagree with Pedestrian Sundays. Garbage is thrown on our properties that we have to clean up afterwards, and bands invited to play at the event break Toronto’s noise bylaw. The organizers are people who believe Market residents don’t matter.
Andy Scrimshaw, Toronto
From Russia with apologies
Gary Freeman would have us believe that agents of Russia’s military intelligence are responsible for hacking the emails of Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee (NOW, November 3-9). He also implies that Donald Trump and Russia are somehow in cahoots, but ignores the fact that the New York Times has reported “that none of the [FBI] investigations so far have found any conclusive evidence or direct link between Mr. Trump and the Russian government.”
Further, and this happened after you went to press, Julian Assange said in a recent interview that “the Russian government is not the source” of WikiLeaks documents.
Can I look forward to an apology to Russia in your next issue?
Bill Rupert, Toronto
Our strange ideas about body coverings
The more I hear the debate about body covering for women (NOW, November 3-9), the more I realize that we in the West are approaching the subject from the wrong angle. Maybe instead of debates about religious and cultural rights vs personal freedoms, we should look at it from an emotional point of view. I mean, it is plausible that a Muslim woman without her covering would feel the same embarrassment as a Westerner forced to go completely naked.
Yuliya Blokhina, Toronto
Nature’s way of telling us something’s wrong
I was glad to see Adria Vasil discuss species extinction in Where The Wild Things Aren’t (NOW, November 3-9). The sixth mass extinction of species now under way is the only one caused by a single species (us). It has momentous implications not only for endangered species, but also ultimately for our species. Our fate is indistinguishable from the fate of all life on Earth. All life on Earth is endangered primarily by fossil fuel use and animal agriculture.
Human superiorism – the narcissistic conceit that only we matter and that other species are inferior and expendable – contributes to this worsening tragedy. Reducing unnecessary consumption (energy conservation) and getting off fossil fuels are obvious remedies, but so also is veganism – specifically “climate veganism,” which complements ethical veganism.
By choosing not to eat animals in our daily lives we are taking the first step toward transforming the world for the better. As Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”
Paul York, Toronto
Goo-goo over Gaga
It’s time to ditch Kevin Ritchie. Two out of five Ns for Lady Gaga’s Joanne (NOW, November 3-9)? Did he even listen to the album?
What an amateur review, complete with a personal attack on Gaga’s previous recordings. I am not a big fan of Gaga. However, I listened to the full album, and she has hit a modern home run. It will win a Grammy for the track Million Reasons.
Please have someone else review this album ASAP. Come on, NOW! Get it right.
Signed “Someone who cares about all genres of music from around the world.”
Steve Raiman, Toronto
Leonard Cohen stills my beating heart
Re Leonard Cohen’s You Want It Darker, reviewed by Stuart Henderson (NOW, October 26-November 2). This is a superb album, unequalled. The prose, the music, the style still the heart, bring joy to the soul. I love this man to bits.
Patricia Davidson, From nowtoronto.com
