LETTITOR

I consider myself exceptionally lucky to have been born in 1984.
Legwarmers notwithstanding, the 1980s were a remarkable decade to
have been raised in, precisely because society was undergoing such a
fascinating technological revolution at the time.

I’m old enough to remember a time before computers—or at the very
least before they became a toaster-like piece of standard home furnishing.
Indeed, as my elementary school career progressed, I was able to witness
their gradual evolution before my very eyes, as the contraptions slowly
progressed from glowing, buzzing green-and-black screens to the elegant
black, whites, and greys of the early Macs, to the full-colour beauties that
eventually greeted me in high school.

Most of all, I can vividly remember the very first time I used the
internet. It was at the house of my sister’s friend, Vanessa Ng. Her father
was a bigwig of some sort, so of course he had a state-of-the-art computer,
which by the standards of the mid-90s meant it had the finest 28K dial-up
modem money could buy. While the girls played with dolls or whatever,
I’d amuse myself with bare-bones Simpsons fansites, or attempt to
communicate to illiterate strangers via Nintendo chat rooms. Remember

 

 

chat rooms? God, what a primitive time.

Today the internet is more than just a piece of technology, it’s an entire
cultural phenomenon. YouTube now influences presidential elections,
bloggers bring down movie stars, and leet speak threatens to remould
our very language itself. There was a time when you could get away with
dismissing computers as mere toys—today you ignore the machines at
your own peril.

I wrote a big feature about internet celebrities in this issue, and there’s
also an interesting news story about how the College is seeking to make
internet celebs out of a few random students. And of course we’ve also
got your regular fix of other fine stories of news, arts, and opinions.

Don’t worry if you ever miss an issue of this fine journal, by the way.
Like everything and everyone in this day and age, the OP has a web
presence at www.theotherpress.ca. Just be sure to ask mom if you can use
the phone line before you log on.

J.J. McCullough, Editor-in-Chief of the Other Press

 

 

The Homeless Deserve Respect,

Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor, with food stains on her clothes” qualify
you as being a prostitute? I find his
display of ignorance just as distasteful
as what he describes these “vermin”

of society to be: crass and abrasive.

I suggest that the lack of education

and knowledge about this population

displayed by Mr. Ehler is just as

I recently picked up the latest issue

of The Other Press and found myself
staring horrified, yet not surprised, at
Mr. Ehler’s editorial about the homeless
population (“The Homeless Don’t
Belong in My Hood,” September 6

Not Scorn

be responsible for what one chooses
to express. Without having been

in the front line on the issues of
homelessness and addiction, I feel that
it is irresponsible of him to state “that

never my wish as a child to grow up

and become an addict, just as it wasn’t a

choice for the people I work with.
Instead of writing these people off,

I suggest educating yourself properly

 

these people fucked up their own lives”
and that they are unfit to receive our
sympathy and respect. I am a recovering

about addiction and homelessness.
Instead of giving out money, donate
to local recovery houses or buy much

 

issue). Mr. Ehler’s opinion is a very
common reaction to the homeless
addicts in our area, and while I do
believe in freedom of expression, I
question his “Not In My Backyard”
(NIMBY) and self-righteous attitudes.
He generalizes and stereotypes these
human beings with no shame. Since
when does being a “fat, stupid teenager

detrimental to the growing problems our
society faces as the individual homeless
addicts themselves.

I was reminded of the saying “walk
a mile someone else’s shoes” when
I read Mr. Ehler’s article. Freedom
of expression is a right that bears
my respect, however I feel that with
this freedom comes an obligation to

addict, yet when looking at me you
would never guess. I grew up in a nice
neighbourhood in a small town amongst
loving family and friends. I am now
attending Douglas College after years
of struggling with addiction and have
been clean for almost a year. I was, and
now work with, the people you describe
as “vermin” so unapologetically. It was

needed food. At the very least, I hope
in the future Mr. Ehler will exercise
responsibility along with his right to
freedom of expression.

Kassia Hardwicke