Hip to be square
In all the well-warranted articles being written about the Tragically Hip’s final tour (NOW, August 4-10), one thing has not been mentioned often: the five guys who first got together in the mid-80s will be the same five guys who take the stage in Kingston for the final show August 20. In this day and age of name bands touring with two original members and a bunch of relatives or sidemen, the fact that the Hip never changed a single member says a lot about them as people and as a band.
Gary Brigden, Toronto
Still in the Dark Ages on marijuana
I understand the need to proceed with caution on marijuana legalization (NOW, August 3), but we passed that point more than 40 years ago. In 1972, the Le Dain Commission recommended cannabis be legalized and governed similar to alcohol. In 2002, 30 years later, the Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs recommended a “regulatory approach to cannabis,” and now we are told that in 2017 we will finally have a plan for legalization. Being cautious is one thing taking almost half a century to take a step forward is ludicrous. Cannabis should be legal and regulated similar to tobacco and alcohol.
Derek Snider, From nowtoronto.com
Negativity a disability
When author Irena Kagansky-Young writes, “I will not thank anyone for helping me if I did not specifically request assistance” (NOW, August 4-10) it signals to me that Ms. Kagansky-Young’s biggest disability is perhaps a negative attitude.
While I don’t dispute that society (in general) needs a big makeover in many of its attitudes and behaviours toward disabled people, for many of us, when we encounter someone who is refreshingly gracious and cheerful, its easy to overlook their physical disabilities.
Carol Hagino, Toronto
Police force has a rank-and-file problem
Any civilian in the same situation as Toronto constable James Forcillo would have been charged with murder (NOW, August 4-10).
If not for the video, this trial would not have happened, and the SIU would have concluded that the killing was justified, as they have for so many other victims of police violence who did not have the good fortune to have their incident recorded.
During my years as an army reservist, we didn’t choose our commanding officers and we weren’t asked our opinion on operational matters. Toronto’s new chief of police has a modern police service in which the rank-and-file can pretty well do as they please.
Ben David, From nowtoronto.com
Toronto cop meant to shoot to kill
James Forcillo does not deserve bail (NOW, August 4-10). His lawyers are now appealing his attempted murder conviction based on the argument that all the shots he fired were part of the same firing sequence. As a former competition shooter, I’ve heard lots of shots and knew from the first time I saw the video and heard the shots of Forcillo shooting Sammy Yatim that the final rounds were slower and meant to kill.
Dora W., From nowtoronto.com
Wheel deal on cycling in T.O.
Belated thanks for the articles on the Richmond Street bike lane disruptions (NOW, July 21-27) and all your other biking-in-Toronto articles. Important stuff that no one else is doing. Keep up the good work!
Terry Cain, Toronto
Rail lands park is pie in the sky
Re Toronto’s plans for a rail deck park (NOW, August 3). We’re completely delusional if we think CN and CP will forgo hundreds of millions of dollars in land value to build a park over the railway lands.
Alex Laney, From nowtoronto.com
Lecture in sex assault
Re Six Lessons I Learned From My Rape Case, by Mandi Gray (NOW, July 28-August 3). Mandi and Mustafa get home drunk, sex hormones oozing. Out-of-control Mustafa attacks Mandi. Next day, playing back the scenes of the night before, Mandi presses criminal charges. I would hate to see either of these PhD students and future professors lecturing my grandchildren.
Rudolf Manook, Toronto
Terror trap
Re A Truce On Terror War, by Peter Rosenthal (NOW, August 4-10). The U.S. military has killed far more innocent civilians than ISIS has or likely ever will. The U.S. military also killed far more Iraqis than Saddam Hussein did. It is time to stop falling for the corporate media lies (ISIS is the world’s greatest threat, Assad used chemical weapons on his own people, our actions are noble and will bring peace, etc.) Terrorism is not something that can ever be destroyed. It is a tactic, and as such the more people we kill the more terrorists our actions will breed.
J.D., From nowtoronto.com
Vaccination reality check
As opposed to the complex conspiracy theory in Skylar Hill-Jackson’s letter blaming Big Pharma’s vaccination programs for autism in children (NOW, August 4-10), the reality is pretty simple: kids are dying of measles and other childhood diseases because ignorant or misguided parents are not protecting them with safe, proven vaccines.
The vast majority of adults are fortunate to have had parents who understood the risks of measles, polio, rubella and other contagious diseases and got them inoculated when they were young.
So sad that people like Hill-Jackson believe today’s children can somehow overcome these terrible illnesses on their own.
Tom Sommerville, Toronto
Carnival funding gap down to past issues
Re Carnival Ride, by Michelle da Silva (NOW, July 28-August 3). Sadly, corporate Canada is afraid to embrace Toronto Caribbean Carnival mostly because of its African-Caribbean demographics.
Our communities are always prejudged, racialized and demoralized when we dare ask for funding, scrutinized when it is not spent according to city standards and victimized when altercations or incidents occur, while other groups are funded, embraced and encouraged. Yes, some of our past events have had issues, but are we the only ones? No.
Tanya B., Toronto
