Ask not WHAT but WHY?
I'd just like to put a disclaimer here: I'm NOT a politician nor do I hold any degrees in Criminology, Sociology, Anthropology ... I'm not even university educated. So the thoughts expressed here are from my gut ... but perhaps, you feel it too ...
About a week before Christmas, one of my best friends was mugged. His newly purchased prized Video iPod, that he had gone through a great deal of trouble to finally own, was snatched right out of his hands on the TTC subway. The brave soul that he is, RAN AFTER the thief and cornered him at the wrong end of the platform.
After numerous threats to my friends life was made, including the thief putting his hand in his coat pocket uttering the words, "Do you want me to pop you in the face?" The thief's final response was, "You're rich, look at you. You'll live without this!" He laughed as he ran away.
Just the DAY BEFORE, my dad came home with a page out of the National Post pinpointing the week of crime in Toronto; 52 reported incidents. So it wasn't surprising to hear that there was a shooting yesterday.
Still, it doesn't make me feel any better.
So exactly what IS the problem? Hand guns and gangs? Politicians who don't care? Is it Youth Violence or is it Youth Boredom? Far be it for me to even attempt to solve someone else's problem, but when it affects society's way of life, then we have an issue.
Hand guns and gangs are like a marriage made in hell. This has existed for years, so yes, it is a problem, but not the all encompassing issue people miss out on. In my opinion, it's the end result ... society's Darwinism.
It's incredibly callous to think politicians don't care about what's going on. Believe me, when the parties in my riding called to ask if I was going to vote, my response was, "Convince me that you are the lesser of the three evils." I don't think that it's that they don't care, I think it's that they have absolutely NO understanding of what is going on. You see, politicians, often, live in their own bubble, much like anyone of us. So their needs, are not the needs of you, who have 3 children, are a single mom and need to work 2 jobs to survive. Or you, whose mom works full-time and can't afford to send you on field trips or pay for tennis lessons you've always wanted because the rec centre in the neighbourhood closed down due to government cutbacks.
For years I've been hearing this, specifically from the community that gun violence and youth affects the most: the government cutbacks from youth programs is what has affected the now adult youths of today. The door was literally closed in their face and told to fend for themselves ... and THAT is exactly what they did.
The violence, in a way, is a result of youth boredom in impoverished and at risk communities ... especially senseless violence. This is breeding ground for pranks, anger and escalating aggression. At some point, pranks are not enough to spend ones time and so it 'tips' to say; cons and frauds. In a same way, anger with no outlet for its release, feels empowering and justified when you put a weapon in an angry person's hand.
Side note: I one time dated a guy whose mindset and answer to everything was forcing to make decisions at the barrel end of a gun. Needless to say, I don't date him anymore and thank the deities that it only took me 3 weeks to get myself as far away from him as possible.
So I believe that THAT'S the issue in why the gun violence has risen so dramatically this past year; the youth are not youth anymore ... they're adults. And nobody has ever asked them what they needed ... they've just been accustomed to taking what they can get and making the best choices from the options given to them.
What do we do about it?
Politicians certainly don't want to bite the corporate hands that feed them, and we've already taken numerous blows to health care that affects ALL of us middle class folk.
The banning of handguns and hand gun legislation is a start, but is more of a band-aid to the Tory's boo boo. Increased spending in community programs would be a great addition to guide the youth of today to become better adults in the future.
But what about the forsaken? The ones lost in evolution? I read in The Star that someone was quoted as saying the middle class of the community have an obligation to "take care of their own." While it sounds mildly elitist and perhaps even racist, it does have a major point. Only those in the community know EXACTLY what goes on ... and they also know what steps are needed to 'get out' or flourish in that environment.
Of course, what do I know? I'm not from that community and am only privy to hearsay. I just think we should stop asking "What are we going to do now?" and instead ask, "Why is this happening and what can we do to prevent it?"
Photo: The Star
Comments (28)
Hate to say it but the middle class is taking care of its own -- by working hard to remove their children from the situation. Middle class parents don't want their children to go to school with poor kids. Middle class parents drive their children to camp, ballet and hockey practice - not anywhere where poor children are going to be.
So what are the working poor and those on welfare supposed to do? They are too busy trying to feed their children to "take care of their own". Heck, how many working poor, many of them new immigrants, are taking care of middle people's children or washing their floors -- and often for pittance? Like the song said, "Oriental ladies pushin' all our babies, 20 years ago they were Jamaican."
To be blunt, the working and non-working poor of Toronto is on its own while the rest of T.O runs to the blurbs.
But it gonna take more than gunshots to get me to leave my beloved city. I will be damned if leave this town
The violence will continue as long as there are ignorant, uneducated, rapidly-reproducing poor people. Hint: it's not going to stop anytime soon.
The rest of T.O. is hardly running to the burbs. What is actually happening is the rich are pushing the poor out of "cool" neighbourhoods and into what are becoming ghettos. Jane-Finch is in the burbs.
I'm Baffled. I read how our politicians are "outraged" by the recent shooting downtown. It's long past time the citizens of Canada realize that until someone in our government has the balls to make a stand and state we've all had enough, the violence that is plaguing the city streets as well as the small towns will continue to escalate. I hold neither degrees in criminology nor psychology, however, if you use your common sense, you'll see that until there is some kind...any kind of deterrent for this criminal behavior, why would it stop? This has nothing to do with race and everything to do with decency and respecting each other. If and when they catch these animals that are so indifferent to human life, what will become of them? From past experience, unless they are the magical 18 years old...nothing, a slap on the wrist and a lollipop and if they are 18? Not much more.
So, wake up Canadians, we hold the power. We put the politicians in office to speak on our behalf. We employ them, insist they make changes to our legal system. Every time a gun is fired on our streets, it's not only the shooter who is to blame, it's us for not putting a stop to this behavior.
we're too soft on gun crimes. three words: arctic labour camps. make an example out of anyone who thinks they're cool 'cause they carry a piece. a few years of hard labour in our frigid north solves two problems: they get a dose of reality, and we get to keep the dutch off of our eastern artic islands by adding a little population to them.
as a follow up to my extreme solution post above, i was just watching the news and they were interviewing yonge street merchants and asking them what should be done and one guy said: "hang one in the [dundas] square. you hang one and the rest will get the message."
It comes down to education - the one that lacks in family (yes parents are responsible - not politicians or 'society'), the one that probably lacks in schools...
I'm happy to read at least some who do not blame society that doesn't pamper enough bad, arrogant kids - or the city that doesn't organize every moment of their life.
Guess what - there are countries where only rich can play tennis, or where are little playing grounds or where you have to pay quite a lot for a swimming pool, if there is any at all!
But there are no fed up youngsters running with guns on streets!
Do not blame the others - start with your kids.
Zero tollerance to ANY kind of behaviour that will escalate then to violence.
And to those who watch helplessly things getting worse around (or who don't have children) - press you councillor, your MP or the police... They have to act - it is their duty!
sorry, I don't buy the rich vs. poor theory. We need to bring back death penalty or those committed a crime should be caned in public. We are treating the prisoners way too well in this country. The cops in toronto are too busy spending their time issueing traffic tickets to those who didnt violate traffic rules as opposed to catching real criminals.
As with most things, the truth usually lies somewhere in between.
Will social programs help change the ways of those currently shooting guns in the street? Probably not. For those guys we need enforcement. From cops on the street (NOT video cameras), and tough sentances. Wtinesses would help, but we won't get any of those until people believe that criminals will go to jail for a long time and not be back in a month out for retribution.
But for the young ones. We need to be sure that they grow up to care about something. Be it a job, a girlfriend, a family. Something. They need to have something to lose in order to be a functioning member of society. As much as I'd like to put the trust in individuals, it just doesn't always happen in reality. For those kids, the social programs are necessary.
Nothing like this is cut and dry.
As for the death penalty: They can't even catch these guys! How are they going to string em up?
guess you haven't heard, you dont have to be a lousy driver to get tickets.. cops now make up something just to give you a ticket..for example, a ticket for not carrying your ownership document even you have it with you.
25 years with no parole for even being caught with a gun. Life(for real life, not 25 years) with no parole for commiting a crime with a gun.
It's extreme. It should be. People will get the message soon enough: don't pick up a gun, or go to jail.
How about blogto donote some blogspace for each of these gangs and let them bash words around in blogsphere. Yeah, it is time, they speak and we listen. All the time we tell them how they must do things, for a change let's give them a media to express what they think !!!
You got it. If anyone wants to trade their guns in for a free blog, we'll do it. We'll set you up with a special section off blogTO and access to our blog publishing platform. Any takers? If so, email me at gunsforblog [at] blogto.com
Guns for blogs? Are you guys for real? Do you honestly think bad guys recognize themselves as being "bad guys"? Do you honestly think we can have a coherent dialogue with people who kill on a whim?
This idea is the kind of kind of touchy feely crap that has us in this mess in the first place.
There's a surprise, the person in possession of the gun had just been released after serving 30 days for a robbery. Imagine, just finished serving a whole 30 day lockup yet he hadn't learned a valuable lesson and wasn't deterred from committing another crime. Here's an idea, 5 year minimum if you get caught in possession of a firearm, 10 if you pull it out, 20 if used in a crime. NO PLEA BARGAINS, these sentences are automatic minimums. Nobody carries a gun if there is no intention to pull it out and everytime it gets pulled, there is a good chance it's going to be fired.
It's time handgun possession was treated like a crime. Sentence everyone in possession of a firearm as they'd used it, give the criminals a deterrent. I feel terrible for our Police Officers, they make an arrest with a gun involved only to see the same person walking down the street a short time later. What a waste of their time and efforts not to mention the courts. Our lives are being jeopardized by these lax laws, lets change them before its a funeral for one of our loved ones.
Just ban the guns. There is no reason to need a gun in this city. Nor is there a reason to own a gun within the boundaries of CANADA. Harsher penalties for firearm possession need to be placed into effect. Too many shootings in T.O. have involved "a suspect recently released on bail/prison". Gangs have no home in T.O. Police need to crack down on ANYONE taking part in gang-related activities. Many will complain, but its the only way to get the scum out of Toronto.
If you havn't already seen, Torontoist has shown their disgust over the use of this photo to accompany iPod theft anecdotes.
"In the blogosphere, as they say, BlogTO takes a gruesome photo from the Star to accompany a description of a stolen iPod."
...and goes on to say
"Torontoist says: Nothing. Torontoist says nothing, but rather is completely mystified. Is this really a post about petty theft? Does it have any relationship to the picture, or these issues? (Makes disgusted face.)"
Well, if Joshua wasn't such an avid reader of blogTO we might have to feign indifference. Instead, we'll just feign indifference.
Can't help but observe that in northern Ontario, most all of us have guns.
Just about every household has a weapon yet were not out bustin' caps at each other.
Can't help but believe that guns aren't the problem.
The reason for the gun violence is not a lack of opportunities, poverty or any other social inequity problem. It is a cultural problem. Gangstas are worshipped in the "Urban" culture. 50 cent got rich while thousands of others died trying. When I see Beyonce(?) and the rest of Destiny's Child singing "I see a soldier in here, where dey at? where dey at?" what kind of a message does that say to our youth. When you grow up in those hoods, who can focus their energy on doing math tests when every fibre of their being is focused on "keeping it real" "representin" and surviving to the next day? Not to mention that you must be on top of a language that evolves daily and you must spend all the little money you have on the latest gangsta fashions. Now if you grow up in a neighbourhood like Jane and Finch, you might be able to escape that culture being Asian or White with only the occasional beating, but if you are Black, the pressure to conform to the "Urban" culture must be overwhelming. And don't blame just the young men with the guns, the girls who like the gangtas are just as guilty. It is a cultural problem. Until that culture changes, the only way to contain this violence is with overwhelming force. No amount of money, community centres, outreach programs, and basketball courts are going to change anything.
yo, tdot wat the fuk man? Why does a hot white HAVE to die before anyone even begins to give a shit. I mean what about the BLACK man who was shot at his friends furneral eh? that is canada for you, digusting racist and a pile white girl loving shit im sick! im 16 pretty girl and black would they give a fuk then?
I see the death penalty doing WONDERS for Texas and California, which are STILL having 500+ murders a year.
Manditory sentences?? If you send a 15 yr old to jail for 25 yrs, do you REALLY want to live next to somebody who spent their most vulnerable years around murderers, rapist and older gang members?? Jail doesn't reform people into better citizens.
As for the canning idea...what is this, 1800's? Why stop there, let's bring back slavery TOO.
I find it ironic that the majority of ppl MOST concerned about gun violence and most vocal about what we should do about it are those NEVER AFFECTED BY IT. So these radical ideas are strictly being based off of fear and content for something they know NOTHING about.
What's the answer? Ain't got one...but if you think that every immigrent/minority kid in baggy clothes are criminals, then one thing I do know is YOU'RE part of the problem.
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