Hate crime connection?

I would hope the Mirror feels partly responsible for the disgusting, hate-filled and savage acts committed towards the St-Laurent UTT elementary school on the morning of Monday, April 5. Not only do you publish letters filled with aggressive, unsubstantiated, defamatory propaganda, but you also try to defend these opinions by hiding behind the "anti-globalization, alt-world left," blindly thinking that the underdog must be right if he's the underdog.

It is time the world realizes these fanatics will not stop hating and destroying until we all stand together united in positive, realistic and forward-moving positions, rather than constantly bickering, vilifying and pointing fingers at perceived past injustices. Most of all it is time the media realizes what effect it has had on the sad escalation of the situation.

» Anonymous

Invasive immigrants

I'm writing you regarding racism in Montreal. I am tired of hearing about racism against the minorities, especially blacks and the Middle Easterners [Letters, recent issues].

For your information, Montreal is the only place where all these immigrants can live here peacefully without prejudice. Have you noticed how these minorities have formed their own ghettos in various parts of Montreal? The Haitians live in St-Michel, other blacks in NDG, Middle Easterners in Ville St-Laurent, Chinese in Chinatown etc. I could go on and on.

They invaded our properties. What's more is that they do not respect our city - throwing garbage all over, spitting on our streets, robbing whites, causing disruption and demonstrations in schools and on our streets, and still they call us racists.

I have one good suggestion for all these unhappy immigrants: pack up and get out! Go back to where you came from and leave us alone in peace.

» Ala Morales

Striving for community

I've just finished reading last week's Kristian Perspective ["Urban overexposure," April 1] and am compelled to make a comment. Ultimately, it illustrates why I don't read this crap (and this column is crap!) but in a moment of weakness, while taking a dump, I succumbed. Bad idea.

Clearly Kristian Gravenor has had his head up his ass for so long, he's forgotten where he lives. Take a look around, Kristian, it's planet Earth, not Kristianworld.

It's a pity that strangers on the street are imposing themselves on your reality by their mere existence. Time for a reality check! This transcends misanthropy and illuminates a problem far deeper than just being a self-absorbed asshole from Westmount. Maybe you should self-medicate. Being part of a community is what a lot of us strive for. A familiar face in a sea of three million is a comforting thing. It instills a sense of belonging to the community. Familiarity only breeds contempt if you're contemptuous by nature.

In a city like Montreal, where we all live cheek and jowl, chances are you'll see the people in your neighbourhood on a regular basis. If that pisses you off so much, you have some choices to make. You can move to the woods and live like a hermit, or you can kill yourself. Or, less dramatically, you could just fucking get over yourself!

I don't know how this puerile crap can pass for journalism in your paper. Maybe you need a new editor. Surely there are more interesting and informative things for your readers to sink their teeth into. The existence of smug, self-important twits who hate everyone - that's hardly news, and it's certainly not entertaining!

» Timothy White

In his "Urban Overexposure" column, Kristian Gravenor provides us with a vivid depiction of the "strangers-driving-you-mad phenomenon" - a truthful account of the stagnancy of north-Atlantic culture, a culture that just doesn't seem to know what to do with itself. How could a culture not be stagnant, not feel purposeless, when a large middle class has been granted the luxury of materiality, which is swallowed in conformity as a measure of the expanse of life itself?

Mr. Gravenor, no less than his friend Baz, should perhaps try stepping out of their complacent cynicism.

» Andrew Gibson

Tokin' thanks

Kudos for another informative article on the goings on in the Canadian Medical Marijuana Program and our Canadian government [The Front, Feb. 26].

Boris St. Maurice is, and should be, recognized as one of the country's first and foremost activists, as all of his hard work is finally paying off by once again drawing so much attention to this matter. Keep up the excellent journalism and the continued well-explained coverage of our issue.

» Alison Myrden, Federal Medical Marijuana Exemptee, The Medical Marijuana Mission

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