HE'S FEELING SINGLED OUT

Editor:

Re.: Lawsuit goes to court; Reimer claims OPP used excessive force in arrest

What Canadians fail to recognize is that these medical marijuana
"licenses" we are supposed to carry around amount to nothing less
than legislated medical segregation. In Canada!

Think about that. No, I mean REALLY think about it.

As federal medical marijuana license holders, my wife and I (like Mr.
Reimer) have to carry "special papers" to avoid arrest because we
have a medical condition.

"Legislated medical segregation." Ugly, isn't it?

Okay, so it isn't apartheid or the Warsaw ghetto, but this is how
stuff like that starts out: separate us from the rest of the flock so
we are easier to pick off later.

Worse yet, sick people have to scrounge for this medicine, then
scrounge a mountain of money to fight their own government and police
for their rights in court, against a giant with bottomless pockets.

I have no doubt that Mr. Reimer's case will be thrown out and the
officers he claims assaulted him will get off scot-free. Worst case
scenario, they will be convicted and get "suspension with pay,"
followed by a promotion that will officially be called a demotion. It
is a joke.

It is too bad, too, because the 5 or 10 or 20 per cent of cops who
might be rogue or even a bit rough make all the other good clean cops
look bad. Respect for law and order in this country has eroded to
such a point because of the attitude of too many officers, not to
mention that of the brass.

So much for Canada being a "just society."

Russell Barth,

Federal medical marijuana license holder,

Ottawa, Ont.