Don't paint all squeegees with same brush

I was shocked at the squeegee punk rape story ["Squeegee punks accused of horrific attack," Letters, Sept. 17]. It is not because a few of them did something so despicable that they should all be condemned. Obviously, the ones who did the act should be found and be made to pay for it, but I believe that the person who wrote in seemed to want to run them all out of Montreal. That is a form of prejudice. He should be angry at the individuals in question, not at the whole community.

-Melanie Del Valle

No solo mio

We would like an opportunity to respond to claims regarding L'Opéra de Montréal made by Wolfgang Bottenberg ["Orchestral manoeuvres on a lark," Sept. 10].

This season, L'Opéra de Montréal is presenting, among other works, a production of Don Carlo, which has not been performed in Montreal for over 40 years, and La Gioconda, a work that has not been seen here in over 80 years. The decision to stage these works after so long an absence in the city (and therefore, for people who have probably not had the opportunity to see them) can be seen as a daring one. Over the years, L'Opéra de Montréal has become regarded as one of the few North American opera companies that works towards bringing neglected operas back into the regular repertoire.

In addition, this season Susannah and The Consul, two English-language 20th-century works, are being staged at L'OdM. Productions of various German operas and newer works such as La Voix humaine, L'Hiver dans l'âme and The Turn of the Screw show that the company does not limit its repertoire to 19th-century Italian or French opera.

-John Trivisonno L'Opéra de Montréal

Quiz all too accurate?

Should I be comforted to know that the Mirror tries hard to reflect its readers?

In last week's "Municipal Politics Quiz" [Sept. 17], it was revealed that 55 per cent of those questioned could not name the electoral district in which they lived. The Mirror then went on to quote my comments on this finding, but identified me as "Victoria district city councillor."

This should come as a shock to the citizens I have represented on city council for 16 years, who think I represent the Décarie district.

Another clarification: your article suggests that I said taxes are a "non-issue" since "only 25 per cent of voters actually pay taxes." What I tried to make clear was that we all pay taxes, but that only property owners receive a tax bill and that the 75 per cent of Montrealers who are tenants--and, of course, pay taxes through their rent--rarely have any idea at all how much in taxes they are paying to the city.

-Sam Boskey
City Councillor (Democratic Coalition) Décarie District

Tit for tat

What's with this twerp declaring that the "high" of the week is some supermodel because she's got "enormous bazongers" [Upside/Downside, August 20]? As a member of the female flat-chested minority (on the brink of extinction), I object to the hijacking of standards of sex appeal by such a pusillanimous world view. It's all so boring--not to mention tragic--given the preponderance of women (supermodels included) implanting large, dangerous foreign substances into their chests because they think their poor "tits" are "too small." It's no wonder, when the press and media continually pronounce judgment.

Too small for what, exactly? To give somebody a hard-on? Well, that's never been my problem. And, I must confess, the thought of large lumps of fat (or polyurethane, asbestos, whatever it is they are stuffed with) to carry about on my front does not appeal to me. I've got nothing against breasts, whatever their variety. But do we have to keep hearing about how great the big ones are? Is that the best your writers can come up with?

And since we're on the topic of puny imaginations--has it suddenly become fashionable to be sexist? Again, all I can say is: boring.

-R.B. Pellan, last of the flatchests

Media circus top clown

It must have been a slow interviewing day when Alastair Sutherland got hired. The poor guy tries to be witty and subversive, but he lacks the sophistication and intelligence to pull it off; the result is painful ["Radio Free Stern," Media Circus, Sept. 3]. The problem with Stern wannabes is that they miss the whole point and think it is really cool to believe that the world begins and ends with fart jokes. Alastair's forced if-Howard-can-do-it-so-can-I attempts at humour, his astonishing ignorance about the media and his truly pathetic efforts to offend make him the foremost clown in the media circus. I'm embarrassed for the Mirror and for Montreal. Surely we can do better than this.

-E.R. Ross