34 -- Sunday, October 22, 1995 - North Shore News

‘Teens need to
be respected

DURING THIS decade peo-
ple continue to receive the |
rights they deserve.

Women have taken a major
stand in society. Different races are
now being treated with respect.

But wait! Prejudice and dis-

crimination have not died. There is
still one group of people who are
treated lesser than others, not
because of their gender or the
color of their skin, but because of
their age. Everyday, teens ure get-
ting dirty looks and disrespect
from people who don’t even know
them.

Why? I'd sure like to know.

A few days ago, some friends
and I went to the drive-thru at
McDonald’s on Marine Drive in
North Vancouver. We placed an
order, and paid for it. However,
when we got home we noticed that
some of our order was missing, so
we returned to McDonald's and
had a polite word with the manag-
er, who was of no help at all.

We decided to hang around and
try to get the manager's name so -
that we could cal] McDonald's

head office. The manager would
not give his name; and took down
my friend’s license-plate number.

66 When people see a
group of teens hang-
ot ing out.in the neigh-
borhood they get
paranoid and call the
police. 9?

~ After about five phone calls to the.

head office and half-an-hour later, ;

we did receive our foad.

Since I had once worked at
McDonald’s, I knew that if a
wrong order was filled, we could
fix it, no questions asked.

‘T.guess that policy just doesn’ t
apply to teenagers...

*-” “Businesses aren’t the only

_ places where teens are treated like
crap. I'm really, really sick of
being harassed by the police

- because I’m walking home late at
night. I’ve been stopped and
searched for absolutely no reason.

Cops see a. teenager and they. auto- -

matically think “trouble”.

* It's not just cops either. I've
had plenty’ of dirty looks from
_ adults on the streets. When people
see 4 group of teens hanging out

“nthe neighborhood they get para-

noid and call the police.

_- “It sucks!" says Adam
Breckels, 17. of North Vancouver,
“| have enough trouble dealing
with my everyda ay life without

adults treating me like I'm some
punk.”
yo fe Breckels i is not the only one
who feels this way. Teenagers all

over the North Shore are hassied
- und bothered by adults who think -

teens are just there to cause trou-
ble, It truly is prejudice.

Of course, 1 do understand that
some teens do make mistakes.
However, | don’t betieve that all
teens should be held responsible
for the actions of a few. :

Sixteen-year-old Ashley
Vincent of North Vancouver, had
a very disturbing experience while
she was waiting for a bus to take
home from Lonsdale Quay: “EP was
sitting at one of the benches at the
bus loop. Across from me siting
at another bench there was a lady
who looked to be in her 40s, One
of the transit security guards
approached me and told me to go
and wait by the water fountain for
the bus.

“T told the guard that | couldn't
see or hear the buses from the
fountain. He told me to come back
every five minutes and check if
the bus was there. | asked him if,
he was going to ask the lady sit-
ting nearby to move as well. He
said that he wouldn't, and that the
reason he was asking me to leave
was that I would attract other
teenagers. He claimed to only be
doing his job.” ,

Vincent now. wonders how old
she has to be before loitering
becomes waiting for the bus,

Teens all over the North Shore
are receiving this kind of treat-
ment. Mast of us never get a
chance to say anything about it.

Why do adults treat teens this
way? .

L really have so idea. But one
thing is for sure: teenagers aren’t
the only ones who need to grow
up. a : ;

Richard West is a Carson
Graham Grade 12 student
enrolled in Video Production 12 at
Leo Marshall Centre.

Fashions by consignment once had a
negative.connotation, but today it can

‘be high style for low prices.

The goods found in the quality con-
signment shops are not discarded

- tems, but. items the smart shopper

traded for new.

- You can give your wardrobe a rea! lift.
by cleaning out your. closets- and

removing the items that have not been
worn during the past year.

But to discard these items is a waste .

both environmentally and: economi-
cally. . ; ;

y Greater
Vancouver
Regional
District

The’ shrewd ‘shopper .will take those
items to a consignment shop and pick
out some new items on the same trip.

_And voila, For a small amount of

money, you have rejuvenated your
wardrobe and given someone the
opportunity to pick the item you had
grown tired of, ‘and: get as much
enjoyment from it as you did when it
was new.

Designer labels are not uncommon,

and many stores specialize in just that:

- designer fashions.
Specialties for consignment shops

quality y consignment

local designers Kids “gar

Hats.Hats and mere Hats!
436F Gallant Avenve.

North

D e,
aad eat SS

Vanceu ver

Open 3 7 days a week 10am - 55m

COMPOST...

SEND YOUR LEAVES
BACK TO EARTH.

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736-2250

range from’ furnishings and toys to

sporting equipment to every style of.

fashion that you will find in stores
that’ sell quality new. clothing.

Children’s wear; clothing for expec-

tant moms and new babies; hats, jew-
elry, and other accessories: fashions
in sizes 14-plus; men’s wear; casuals;

and high style can be. found’

many consignment shops around
Lower Mainland. ;

So if- you have never shopped con-
signment, give it a try, because shops
that used to be called’ secondhand :

“stores are now anything but: sécond-
’ class in in quality.

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