STM is not Big Brother!

[Re: “The OPUS police,” Letters, Jan. 21] Joseph McKeown, stop re-reading 1984 and consider how the world actually functions. You are not Winston Smith, and the STM is not Big Brother. You were not singled out unfairly. No one’s numbers went into some Gestapo database. There was no abuse of authority. Those inspectors were simply checking for turnstile jumpers—a legitimate and obvious task which you pointed out yourself. They had a right to get short with you, because you were being a stupid asshole.

I have a big problem with privileged conspiracy theorists like yourself who try to wring personal drama from their daily commute. You detract from the actual conspiracies. There are massive and frightening designs for power and oppression in this world, but they are happening behind closed doors in the upper levels of our political and corporate institutions. They are not happening on the goddamn metro.

If you really want to challenge injustice, you’ll need a more educated and objective approach than the one you’re currently employing.

>>SCOTT HILTON

Letter writers Brent Forsber and Joseph McKeown haven’t been paying attention. Right from the start of the STM’s changeover to the new system, it was announced that you were expected to keep your stamped bus ticket as proof of payment, and whether or not it was stated you needed to keep your Opus card—who was going to toss their card out?

And it’s been mentioned in the press a number of times since then, especially after what would seem to be a grace period to allow people to get used to the new arrangement. Even the handicapped transport will be visited by inspectors, even though I can’t figure out how anyone can sneak onto that without paying.

Both letters make it seem like metro inspectors are arbitrarily asking people for identification. But a stamped bus ticket is not identification, and neither is an Opus card. Both are merely receipts of payment in this case.

There is no civil rights issue here, because the need to have proof of payment has been announced, as has the fact that inspectors will be checking for that proof of payment. And nobody is being asked for identification.

If you can’t prove you paid, then that puts you in the same category as those who haven’t paid. And yes, you can be ticketed for non-payment, as has been covered in news stories in the past. It’s no different from stealing, and the rules about that are well documented.

So we have a couple of bozos who don’t pay attention, using hyperbole to cover up their own cluelessness. The problem with that is that their exaggerated sense of being abused leaves real abuse out there.

For some, merely walking along a busy street in daylight is a reason for the cops to stop you, and expect identification, and an illegal search if you say you won’t identify yourself or even that you don’t have ID.

That’s your police state and it is a whole different thing from two bozos not paying attention and then whining about having to produce a receipt for getting on the metro.

>>MICHAEL BLACK

Gazwon’t get worse
under Wajsman!

[Re: “Wajsman bids for Gaz?!” News, Front, Jan. 21] Patrick Lejtenyi seems very concerned that the syndicate that includes Suburban editor Beryl Wajsman might end up owning the Gazette. This, according to Lejtenyi, might lead the Gazette into “truly bizarre territory” in terms of its support of Israel.

I think he need not worry. That group will have to fight uphill to win as they only want three of the CanWest papers. Besides, Wajsman will be a small participant and the Gazette has been reasonably even-handed under a series of pro-Israeli owners. As I write, the paper is even being criticized by Zionists for its coverage of the Israeli humanitarian mission in Haiti.

However, if worst comes to worst, the community that thinks the way to support Palestinians is to crap on Israel constantly, can count, I am sure, on the continuing vigilance of the Mirror.

No doubt Lejtenyi will still have the wisdom of Chris Barry, Scott Saxon et al. on this matter. Plus the well-known letter writers on that side can ramp up their rockets.

If necessary, stronger material can be used. I know I will regret mentioning this, but perhaps Mirror could add a monthly contribution from U.K. M.P. George Galloway and a weekly “Best of Al-Jazeera” column.

That should keep those Zionists in check and advance the likelihood of a Palestinian state beside or instead of Israel.

>> KEN FRANKEL

Spell checker
deceives G-d!

You’re an asshole for the article “Wajsman for Gaz?!” Fuck you for singling out Israel in your anti-Semitism. It is blatant.

I have consistently said the Mirror is a breading [sic] ground for anti-Semitism and you just proved the point.

>>G-D

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