Lets get this badge out and polish it up… there we go.
Here is a link to the offending blogpost.
I’m not trying to pick on Dan Lett, but the things he says really angers up the blood, and before I know it my fingers are a typing away. Now this ‘kinda white liberal’ news paper columnist starts out with very harsh words towards the latest Conservative campaign of direct mail to voters, accusing the current NDP government of being soft on crime. Well, Mister Doer and his government sure aren’t tough on crime. I can point out various cases where the public was sure given a disservice by our justice system.
The case that sticks out in my mind, when I first realized something was wrong with our justice system, occurred years ago. A 15-year-old punk killed an innocent 22-year-old refugee from Iraq with an 8ball in a sock, and was given only 1 day in a juvenile detention center (Homie don’t play that game indeed). Yes, this was a court of Canada 7-0 decision, I know not provincial, but it was escalated from the provincial level to the federal level.
Maybe that example isn’t fair of me to point out because it was a court of Canada error. Where else can we look to see that our justice system is failing us? Look at all the ‘Level 4’ MPI offenders: stealing hordes of cars, young car thieves ramming police with the stolen vehicles, police just recently being shot at, the murder of an 8-month pregnant woman, and the lack of justice for the Crystal Tamen family as a few examples. If hearing about stories such as these don’t shock and anger up the blood something is wrong.
Now when I first read Dan Lett’s blog, it was a jaw dropping experience. His whole attitude left a bad taste in my mouth. But then I got to thinking about how most of the crime that happens in Winnipeg happens in low-income areas: Magnus, Elgin, Logan. I’m not saying everyone who lives there are criminals, I’m just saying more often then not, the crime stat dot is going to land around one of these streets. So now, go and re-read Mr Lett’s blog and replace the word crime, with the word poverty…Lindor Renyolds would be all over that like South Park’s homeless on some spare change.
Back to Dan Lett’s blog, He brings up six examples of horrific crime that have happened in other provinces. Then he states this:
“The Tories may think it’s not safe anywhere in Manitoba, but I think most people in Manitoba and throughout the country realize they are not in immediate danger. Yes, crime sucks. But so does fear mongering.”
I think what he left out was something like “Me and my family and friends are safe in our ivory towers. Since most of the crime that is happening in my city and across the country doesn’t effect me, well it just doesn’t matter.”
Take the blue pill Dan. This whole attitude of ‘crime is happening everywhere else so it’s OK for it to happen here’ is bullshit. We all can see that crime is a problem and we all want it to stop. It is this attitude of complacency that has spread throughout our city that has lead it to deteriorate to the state it is in now. We are not good enough to have a NHL team, we are not good enough to have a world-class stadium, our roads are good enough, crime happens every else, so why not here.
Again I bring up the business example, if Winnipeg was a business and we had a re- occurring problem with employees getting injured by the equipment we use, would we:
A) Ignore it
B) Try to fix it.
No world-class successful company has every picked A. So why are we settling for it now?
There maybe be crime coast to coast, but that doesn’t mean it’s alright. We as a community should start working together and try to become country leaders in crime prevention, and crime solutions. Oh, and just a few days after his blog post, the Winnipeg free press posted a story stating that Winnipeg in 2006 was the second most violent city in Canada, second to Vancouver where they free admit of having gangs.
Yes, complacency sucks, and I’m trying to rock people out of their little ruts.
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