os Driver responds to mayouth’s complaint " Dear Editor: In response to the Oet. 22 letter to the editor from Anna Peled, TE teel T must set the record straight. gp OBy che tone of the letter, it seems that Ms. Peled was nota Passenger on the bus the night in question. As T stopped to pick up these vouths, [ noticed that liquor mwas being consumed on the sidewalk and that many of them ey appeared very intoxicated. When I proceeded to Joad the group, one person stood in m front of me fumbling for change as the others quickly went by without paying their fare. Some were carrying open cans of A beer and others were smoking as they entered. At this point, I stated very loudly, that absolutely no one was allowed to smoke me or have open liquor on the bus! The response was: Ya! Ya! Ya! Driver, just drive the bus. T noticed that the other passengers (two senior ladies) were noticeably disturbed and stressed by the behavior of this group. I felt at this point, f would not inflame the situation by collecting the unpaid fares and proceeded with the route. .. No sooner had I pulled away from the stop when I noticed that the majority of the youth were consuming liquor and there was a smell of smoke which resembled marijuana burn- ing. . mM It was at this time, that ! signalled the RCMP officer and explained to him what was going on. The officer then assisted -the youths off the bus. Nore: One police officer, not two! Points that should be made: No once has the God-given right to be intoxicated in a pub- lic place just because you are in your senior year. 1 would also suggest that if they started school at age seven most of them were under age. Boorish: behavior is not acceptable by anyone, old or young! It’s a well-known fact that BC Transit incurred thousands of dollars in damaged buses during the many evenings of fire- works display by (your definition) noisy, rowdy people. Perhaps the recent fare increases which you suggested be used to train the drivers better could be directed at putting security on all the buses to deal with noisy, rowdy, intoxicated people! . Jim Kean A bus driver just trying to do his job | Evacuation response appreciated Dear Editor: I want to thank everybody who participated in the evac- uation of students and staff at Lonsdale clementary school on Nov. 27. In particular, | wish co express the board's ~ gratitude for the prompt lead- ership and professional efforts of members of the North Vancouver Emergency Response Team, the diligence and supervision on the part of the principal and staff of the school in organizing and car- ing for the students, and the welcoming and — helptul actions of the staff of the north shore news MAIL BOX. Dictators need denouncing Dear Editor: [find it untortunate that a man such as Noel Wright, who consistently berates citi- gen apathy and government paternalism, would find it acceptable to let foreign dicta- tors onto our soil tor this year’s APEC conference with little more than a peep from concerned citizens. He states thar “rulers with that kind of clout (Chinese President Jiang Zemin) ... don’t have to apologize to anyone for how they operate.” It would scem = that Mr. Wright views murder and tor- ture as a legitimate political tool, so long as you happen to be someone of influence and power. Holding political office does not invest any person with the right to eliminate people en masse. and [m sure this moral principle holds up just as well to the Chinese people as it does here at home. Our elected leaders, particularly Mayor Phillip Owen, have displayed consid- erable moral cowardice in treating Zemin to the lifestyle here in Canada that he consis- tently refuses to provide for his own people. Mr. Wright: continues his discourse by stating «that China represents an “indis- pensable marker” to the west. True enough, However the underlying assumption in this HUMBERSTON EDWARDS FINE ART RT GENN A collection of recent paintings Opening ' Sunday, December 7th statement’ is that continual economic growth is necessary for state survival. The question of the costs of such growth never fetors into the equation. Is it just that incremental increases in our standard of living, already one of the best in the world, should come as the result of immense social costs (i.e. tor- ture and murder) in) other parts of the globe? Yet Mr. Wright is correct in assuming that this relationship will remain largely unaffected; it is simply the nature of the capitalist system to ignore the political and social ramifica- tions indicative to its: struc- ture. Which is where Mr. Wright's “charming placard wavers” enter into the equa- tion. Political, change only comes about when people are educated and participate in the process. Mr. Wright’s downplaying ue Experience freedom Friday. December 5. 1997 — North Shore News - 9 or the significance or AVEC protests only furthers political lgnerince and apathy, and is inconsistent with his so-called belief in tree speech and Himit- cd government. His attempt to whitewash the atrocious human rights record of Zemin, a man who believes rolling over students with tanks is acceptable behavior, demonstrates a limited knowd edge about the concept of humanity. Isolating dictators may nat be the solution, but neither is giving them the lar itude to act without repercus- sions for their actions. Tan Hodges North Vancouver Get rid of the Sunshine Girl Dear Editor: 1am writing as a resident and constant reader of the North Shore News. | feel you are really overstepping the limits with the Sunshine Girl. I think you need to pay more attention to the readers of the paper. There is a huge amount of elderly, young family mem- bers, and more women than men on the North Shore. Pm sure that most of the readers would rather skip a (so-called) Sunshine Girl for the week than have some tacky picture of one who looks as if she is advertising for prostitution — which is ille- gal. Lec Mansfield West Vancouver \ \ 1998 Cherokee 12:00-4:00pm These specially ordered Cherokees include A/C, sport decor pkg, mats, and continuing until December 24th asset, ° a AIWF cassette, p/mirrors, roof rack, & cyl 185hp engine & much more! Delbrook Recreation Centre in being, the perfect hosts for the school’s students, staff and parents. It is reassuring to know that the North Vancouver community is so responsive in those instances where the health and safety of our stu- dents is threatened. Robin C. Brayne Superintendent of Schools . North ygncouver School | 4360 Marine Drive, West Vancouver, B.C. 922-7934 aa re To our special clients due to the Postal Strike your invitation will a arrive at a later date 1600 Marine Drive North Vancouver 980-3431 preeemd Chrysler's discount superstore MEER, ent trade + taxes OAC. IP $10,870. Sub verted tease in leu of ROA QuALITY VALUE Men's Women’s Fisherman PY Rib Turtleneck 5 PARK ROYAL NORTH ¢ 922-7824 WEST VANCOUVER Women’s Ski Sweater BETTER TO GIVE Sweater $75 ees emer ast fete tbat totic PIU RRO