26 — Sunday, October 20, 1996 ~ North Shore News

Teens need respect
from adults, not fear

John Bus
IMAGINE being
looked at like a crimi-
nal by the people in
your own neighbor-
hood. Try being a teen
in the Nineties.

If there is one thing thar
bothers me more than traffic
or racism, it’s the way adults
view teenagers, I really wish
things did not have to be like
this.

Talso feel the media is
somewhat responsible for
adult attitudes due to the way
it portrays teens as thugs or
troublemakers. The news
never seems to talk about the
positive things that are hap-
pening in the community.
People only hear about the
negative things. Iris actually
quite depressing.

T really started to feel
uncomfortable in my own
neighborhead this past sum-
mer. Unfortunately, | was
unable to find full-time labor,
so I was left with a great deal

ic

of spare time to play basket-
ball, go swimming at Lynn
Canyon, and do all the other
things an unemployed North
Shore student would do dur-
ing summer vacation.

I started to notice that
people were looking atime
like Thad some kind off
deformity on my face.
However, the Jooks were not
of disbelief. The older people
in my community are fright:
ened, and heir reactions
show that clearly.

As I walk through the
niall, T sce mothers turning
their children’s heads away
trom me. It doesn’t end
there. [also notice elderly
women gripping their purses
tighter, as their husbands give
me an evil glare. This is an
everyday occurrence.

There is a tot of stress
involved in being a voung
adult, preparing for the real
world. T have to think about
high school, college, work,
sports, family, friends, and
extra-curricular activines,

Tam also forced to deal
with a lot of social pressures.

And on top of all these
things Lam expected to
spend the rest of my time
studying and being a good
kid. Tam a good kid, and it
bothers me that after 18 vears
of living here, E can’t walk
through my own neighbor-
hood without people staring
atime.

I find this very insulting
and disrespectful, Wouldn't
you?

» Lam not asking you to
like me or trust me. All thar {

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about what itis that frightens
vou. T think vou just might
find that you have nothing to
fear.

[respect the fact thar you
ton are good people, but
please accept the fact that |
am the next generation of
good people. Stop and think
about who could one day be
making decisions that will
concern vert or your family.

Ewould just like to say,
“Ercourage me! Don't fear
me!”

The next time vou notice
4 teen coming your way, Uy toe Cardi, bated tls }
smiling instead of glaring. f Me i / .

You just might be sur-
prised when you get a smile
in return.

John Busby isa Grade 12 rE:
Sutherland Secondary student marth > ;
enrolled in Video Production orth sh ore.
12 at Leo Marshall : j 7
Curriculum Centre. : : Drees

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