6 — Wed Free speech HEY CAME to silence what they said were extreme voices’ published _in the North Shore News; they suc- ceeded in illustrating their own prejudices. “They were the crowd of approximately 100 protesters who rallied in front of the ’ North Shore News offices on Saturday morning. ; The ostensible target of ‘heir outrage was News columnist Doug Coifins, whose writings offend some but represent others. But their real target was the right of the News to freely publish what it believes to ea full range. of views from all sides of ‘: .§ readership; their real target was free sgeech because it is not the kind cf free speech that they happen to like. . they claim to oppose. Some were professional protesters; vomie had never even read Doug Collins, they had only heard about him and heard what others think about him. . Theirs is the same voice of extremism Collins, himself, aitended the rally. He requested use of the same megaphone that the protest organizers used so that he might have the same opportunity to ex- press himself to those at the rally. He was shouted down; he was denied his right to free speech. Therein resides the underlying message of the protesters: free speech is only good if it is the kind of speech they agree with. Narrow-mindedness is accepiabie if you are a liberal. LETTER OF THE DAY Front page pic was sensationalist . Dear Editor: Has your paper joined the ranks of the tasteless tabloids that rely on sensational photographs in order to boost distribution? Why else would you choose to blast a photograph of an “‘unidentified dead man” across the cover of your Friday, Dec. 6 issue? Your callousness is apparent by negating the feelings of the vic- tim’s family and friends should Publisher . Associate Editor Comptroller Nosth Shore News, Peter Speck Managing Editor . . . Timothy Renshaw Noel Wright Advertising Director .. Linda Stewart Doug Foot founded in 1969 as an independent subutban newspaper and qualified under Schedule 1113, Paragraph Ill of the Excise any of them have had the misfor- tune to have seen the photo before being informed the tragic loss was theirs. The apparently inane smiles of- fered by a couple of the bystanders under which you use the “Grim Discovery’’ caption on- ly adds to the bizarre nature of the picture! As a parent, I am doubly disgusted by your photo. It is dif- ficult enough censoring the trashy Display Advertising 980-0511 Real Estate Advertising 985-6982 Newsroom 985-2131 TOE ORCS OF NORTH AMD WEST WARCOUVER Distribution Subscriptions Classified Advertising 986-6222 Fax . Administration 985-2131 programs our children see on tele- vision these days without our community paper adding to the problem. Should the unfortunate victim in your photo turn out to be another of society’s unclaimed, nameless, homeless souls, should we not, at ihe very least, show some respect for the dead? Stephanie La Porta North Vancouver 986-1337 986-1337 985-3227 North Shore managed MEMBER The community | gathers to found | a new tradition | WHEN A business has a creative brainwave that benefits the entire community as well, it’s entiiled to a plug. Ifto . . some, therefore, this column reads like a commercial for Klaus Fuerniss, so be it. Last Suitday the new owner of Peppi’s, the venerable Dundarave — Pier eatery, launched its first an- nual Christmas Festival of Lights. The concept was simple: invite other local businesses to decorate a few lighted Christmas tzees on the lawn outside the restaurant. They would give Peppi’s Yuletide diners a pretty view and maybe win participants a few public relations Brownie points. Put Sunday turned it into some- thing else again — a king-size community party. Qne catalyst was the grass strip itself — part of West Van’s pride and joy, the Seawalk, and thus municipal property. So city hall had to OK the project, bringing Mayor Mark Sager and other civic figures into the act, and giving the whole affair an official aura, The other big factor was how easy Peppi’s mad¢e it for the tree , sponsors, who needed only to provide lights, decorations and a $250 cheque. Save-On-Foods do- nated the trees and the restaurant did all the rest: promotion, power supply, prizes and the Sunday “dight-up’’ ceremony, with Christmas goodies, hot dogs and mulled (0%) wine. The response was dramatic. As : Sunday’s dzizzly rain obligingly ceased for an hour, an estimated 2,000 Tiddleycovians converged on Dundarave Pier. Serenaded with Christmas songs by the Coll- ingwood School Choir, they miil- ed around the lawn, inspecting not just ‘a few” but a total of no less than 50 elaborately bedecked trees. From Peppi’s balcony Mayor Sager delivered the customary well-chosen words and pressed the switch, bringing all 50 trees ablaze with lights. The Collingwood carollers did their stuff again. MLA David Mitchell presented prizes for the best entries (Cypress Bowl, Orenda Forest Products and Collingwood School in that order). At the hot dog and mulled wine stand business boomed. Until Jan. 1 the colorful spec- tacle will delight the thousands of daily Seawalkers and every house- hold overlooking Dundarave beach. It Will greet the ships that pass in the night and beam a glowing West Van Christmas card to the underprivileged dwellers of Point Grey. And Peppi’s Christmas trade, of course, is now assured. HITHER AND YON But Klaus has done more than till his tables for the next three weeks. Sunday’s spontaneous “gathering of the community” in effect hijacked his promotion and made it into a new tradition betonging to the comraunity itself. Count on the Christmas lights at Dundarave Pier being here to stay — for many a year. . WRAP-UP: The acclaimed “Walk in Bethlehem,”’ a live re-enact- ment of the original Christmas . story, is on again Dec. 13, 14 and 15 from 7 to 9 p.m. at West Van . Baptist Church, 450 Mathers. A great way to get the Christmas spirit and special fun with children. It’s free but you may have to await your turn — with: refreshments inside 4a warm church ... Beach parties for the Carol: Ships are set for Saturday, Dec. 14, at Cates Park (8 p.m.) and Panorama Park (8:30 p.m.) —- Sunday, Dec. 15, at Ambleside Park and Dundarave Pier (7:30 p.m.). Dress warmly and bring non-perishable food gifts for the °. North Shore Christmas funds ... —. And the North Shore Lifeboat. ~~ Society needs more volunteer . crews for search-rescue missions. Phone Dave, 667-3052, if life- saving adventures on the cruel seas appealio you. — WRIGHT OR WRONG — William Osler on how to treat colds: With contempt. es north-shore Tax Act, is published each Wednesday, Fiiday and 4 . Sunday North Shore Free Press Lid. and distributed to every door on the North Shore. Second Class Mait Registration Number 3885. Subscriptions North and West Vancouver, $25 per year. Mailing rates available on request. Submissions are welcome but we cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited material including manuscripis and pictures which should be accompanied by a stamped, addressed envelope. => SM SUNDAY eee eee ‘ : 1139 Lonsdale Avenue, SOA DIVISION North Vancouver, 8.C. V7M 2H4 Entire contents © 1991 North Shore Free Press Ltd. All rights reserved. NEWS photo Nell Lucente PEPPI'S FESTIVAL of Lights... a sales promotion the community 61,582 (average circulation, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday) hijacked.