Local newspapers
Apparently the big news in Walsall last month (I'm a bit behind, sorry) was a pensioner who is prepared to go to jail in protest against charges he littered the streets with chewing gum.In August (when I was there) he wrote a heartful letter to the local paper, which the newspaper kindly printed in full. Here goes:
I'm protesting fine because i didn't throw that gum
I read with some amazement your correspondents comments about the ALLEGED throwing of chewing gum from my car. Read these words of one syllable - I DID NOT DO IT.
I will also add that I was alone, so neither did anyone else.
Firstly to Evan Joanette whose 'spider sense' carries much venom. Your vitriolic attack shows an articulate approach to the use of words - 'cause celebre' is a term never offered in my direction before, yet in spite of your level of study, I would suggest your education failed you miserably. In Britain, we are INNOCENT UNTIL PROVED GUILTY. I was under the misapprehension such was the case in Canada too.
The rest of your diatribe is a mixture of half-truths and bad tempered bile. Please don't blame me alone for the state Walsall is in, nor suggest I would be 'up in arms' with teenagers for some fictitious deed of your dreaming. Teenagers are fine with me, I worked closely with them for 26 years. Now I will ask you one question. Why did you come here to this 'tip', (your words, not mine) If Canada is so mcuh better and other cities cleaner?
To 'A Taxpayer'. My dentist is quite pleased with the state of my teeth for my age and has NO objections whatsoever to my chewing gum, as long as I dispose of it safely. What on earth has 'growing up' got to do with anything? If you want to get MY chewing gum all over your shoes, then stand in my dustbin!
I received a letter from Walsall Council on August 3 saying that on July 14, I, or one of my passengers, had spat gum from my car in Station Street. There were no passengers and I was in Station Road. I was given two numbers to phone within seven days of receiving the letter. I rang within half an hour but BOTH numbers were wrong and I had to be transferred. The Litter Enforcement Officer stated that I was driving a WHITE Golf. I have a SILVER one. He said if it wasn't me, it was one of my passengers. I was alone that evening.
I knew I had NOT spat out gum but was being threatened with an £80 fine on his word against mine and ZERO evidence needed. If I say you've done it, you've done it!
The alternative was a court case with high fines and high costs. I felt totally alone.
Then all hell let loose. Our phone rang endlessly with calls from TV, radio and newspapers. By Monday morning we were knee deep in photographers and reporters.
On Wednesday August 9, I rang the LEO again, (phone numbers still wrong). He thanked me for correcting the errors for him as they would have made any potential fine null and void. Then I told him that I had gone to the same area on Sunday August 6 and taken digital photographs of enough horse manure on the PAVEMENT such that it looked like Hannibal had just crossed the Alps with his elephants! Also I took numerous shots of the corner shop with its lid wide open on one of three dustbins and litter everywhere even, spreading to the adjoining Medical Centre.
At the time of writing, Sunday August 20, I have still not reveived a fine or any further correspondence.
I am waiting on a reply from my MP as to the interpretation of the litter laws he helped to pass.
Should any of 'the great unwashed' referred to by 'A Taxpayer' (what an arrogant and disgraceful way of referring to ordinary people), wish to lose weight, I can recommend a good dose of worry brought on by our Litter Enforcement Officer, 6lbs in my case and I'm skinny enough to start with, and 4lbs in my wife's case.
Cyril Randle, Orchard Hills
ps Oh lord, Christopher Booker's got involved. It's going to be the EU's fault somehow.
posted by Matthew @ 10/21/2006 09:50:00 AM
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