Why Are Our Communities Bleeding!
By Earl Fletcher
Special
to Patrides
I was asked to provide an article involving the escalating violence in the GTA by one of the ethnic newspapers. The comments and opinions in this article are strictly those of the author and do not reflect the police service that I presently work for.
The deadly violence that grips our neighbourhoods has sunk into an abyss this country has never seen before. Gangland style drive-by shootings in residential housing complexes, violent robberies along with car jackings at gun point, grow houses and meth labs in residential areas and the apprehensible attack on a young student who had to endure a humiliating sexual assault inside a school that we now know was recorded with the schools video cameras are appalling. The criminals have now declared war on the citizens and even a church is not a sanctuary for safety and peace but has become a location to commit a murder on the steps of a place of worship How in gods name did this country end up festering in this cesspool of corruption and evil. Every citizen should be outraged at the latest violent acts, and these acts are not just in the GTA, but also throughout the country.
Watching the nightly news on television or reading the daily newspapers one continues to hear the leaders of communities/government officials and citizens point their fingers at some agency or anyone but themselves to absolve themselves of blame. People shouting accusations and unsubstantiated facts to anyone in the media who will listen. Absurd remarks on race that are only providing fuel to the fire that has presently engulfed the City of Toronto. This is not about black or white; it is about our children dying. How did this “life is cheap” lifestyle rise to a level that is making our communities bleed to death by killing innocent victims on a daily basis?
Blame! There is certainly plenty of blame to lie at the feet of the Judicial system, politicians, Law Enforcement, Immigration, and Educational systems, but that does not identify all the culprits. The media also share in the blame and that includes television, newspapers, music, movies and video games have contributed to this social change in our youth. We use to have role models in sports but it appears the “badder the better” is now the norm and every young adult is out purchasing clothing line, running shoes, coats and hats just to be like them. Unfortunately youth today cannot support the actual purchase of these expensive items so they revert to criminal activity such as breaking into churches, trafficking in drugs or just steal the items they want to support their appearance. Do the parents ask where their children obtained their new clothing?
Economical and social issues, single parenting and social assistance have an effect on the amount of time parents are absent in their child’s life. This absence has a negative effect on how these teenagers grow up. If their immediate family at home cannot meet their needs and guidance, they are seeking the “gang family” as a replacement. Social Services have been reduced in this country and we are now witnessing the first hand results. Social assistance was developed to provide needed temporary help for those in need. It has become a way of life for some and it is so difficult to get off this cycle. Why work when you can obtain all you need for free. Often those who are in real need do not get the support they require to build another lifestyle and be successful.
The churches have certainly taken a serious blow relating to integrity and ethical behaviour. The criminal acts resulting from sexual misconduct by ministers of various churches has brought the church’s credibility into question and not holding these criminals accountable for breaking our trust. This has resulted in a decline attendance and a lack of spiritual guidance for our children.
The peer pressure experienced by our youth of today is tremendous, and bullying is running rampant and out of control not only in the schools but also in the work place and the family home. A school is a place of learning and all children must be safe. In Hamilton several gang members attacked a school that had a basketball game going on inside. Students were injured with machetes and the school was severely damaged. The student that comes to school “stoned” or heads home at lunch for a few tokes can continue to sit in the classroom without any worries of suspension or expulsion, but if you have the smell of alcohol, the school suspends the student and sends them home, for a vacation. Unfortunately, the youth gets a holiday since his or her parents have to work and the youth has no parental care because the parents can’t take a few days off to supervise their child. The student gets the opportunity to watch the Jerry Springer fiasco on TV or the soap operas. Now that’s reality television. This revolving cycle certainly doesn’t aid the student but makes punishment non-existent. The teachers are more afraid of the students than the students are afraid of any punishment a teacher would deploy. Maybe it is time that when a student is suspended for a period of time, they should be compelled to attend a specific area in the city along with all the other suspended students and do assigned homework and participate in a behavioral program. The student should not be allowed back into school unless they successfully complete this course.
The first ones to point a finger of blame are the citizens, families or friends of the deceased but the reality is, they do not step forward and identify the criminals and take a stand to claim their neighbourhoods and support the apprehension of the culprits who are raining destruction in front of them. It appears that there are too many citizens who are ostriches and if they can keep their heads in the sand long enough, maybe the problem will go away. This problem is not going away but will continue to escalate at an alarming rate each and every month until it is dealt with. The situation will not be rectified until every agency, citizens interest group, all levels of government, and police can sit down at the table and honestly communicate with each other, with no self-serving motivation or hidden agendas and with one goal in mind, solve the problem that is taking place and protect our children. The underlying issues that are creating this problem are many and some have already been identified earlier in this article. Until they have been addressed and solved not only are our children’s lives are at risk WE ARE ALL AT RISK each and every day we go outside our front door. Being approached by a couple of youths and asked for a cigarette and refusing could end your life at that moment in time.
Our present justice system is based upon our Constitutional Charter but are the laws governing this great land equitably enforced? An outsider looking in would certainly feel that there is a law for the rich, one for the poor, and there is definitely no consistency in sentences. One is left at the whim of the presiding judge and it depends on their mood of the day, which way the wind blows. We have become too liberal and the justice needle has to be brought back to the center of the continuum. Madame Justice does not wear a blindfold to show that justice is blind! The blindfold represents “without prejudice or bias.” Everyone who administers the law in this country should be without bias or prejudices and execute their duties in a fair and equitable manner for everyone.
The politicians in this country have only one goal that matters to them, to get re-elected and unfortunately citizen surveys and polls rank a politician in the very low end of an ethical and trustworthy profession. It appears that this self serving profession is not accountable for criminal acts that they commit, and the reality is, these members of local, provincial and federal governments ‘WORK FOR YOU” and should be one of the most highly held accountable positions in this country. It appears that they do exactly what is best for them and not address the needs of the people. There must be a reason why very few people actually turn up and exercise their constitutional right to vote, when picking the lesser of the four evils is the choice you make. Take a look at the Senate, where old politicians go to rest and continue to eat from the public trough and be totally unproductive. From the ADSCAM scandal to the so called “Gun Registry” the money wasted and unaccounted for by our political leaders is staggering and due to their incompetent and unaccountable actions, your taxes are being wasted, which could certainly have been spend in more positive ways to strengthen our country and our society. We are the highest taxed country in the world but unfortunately; our government is the highest unaccountable group of elected politicians in the world as well.
Over my thirty-one years in the policing profession I have never seen such devastation that is currently being displayed with gangs and violence. When one mentions racial profiling” they are dealing with a symptom of a greater problem, Bias Policing. The large majority of men and women who put on their uniform each and every day provide the highest professional service they can to everyone, without exceptions. We are all human beings, one race, the human race and we are all bias but members in this noble profession must ensure that their bias opinions and attitudes must not come to the forefront, but remain absent when administrating the laws or servicing our citizens. The fact that unethical officers bring disgrace to the devoted professionals by engaging in criminal activity, bias interaction with our citizens, or being just plain rude to our citizens. The majority of the men and women in this profession are ethical and provide the standard of integrity demanded by our citizens. Unfortunately this profession is blamed for many of societies problems regardless if it is a police matter or not and cannot have an impact in solving the problem or be successful trying to. We presently have laws governing the use and sale of firearms. Where are all these guns coming from? Maybe our border is too porous and the Customs Officials are not performing their due diligence in keeping contraband out of our country.
It appears that our immigration laws have created a revolving door where not only do the decent and needy immigrants enter this great country to start a new life, but the unwanted criminals from other countries are using our neighbourhoods as hideouts, recruitment centers, and illegal activity. Often we read that the same deported criminals have returned numerous times to continue their criminal enterprise until they are placed on a plane and sent back to their homeland for the fourth or fifth time. These illegal criminals are living with you, and it is your responsibility to eradicate them from your neighbourhood. There has to be a better system in place to prevent these undesirables from entering our country and we should open our doors to deserving immigrants that want to be contributing members and build a bright future in our country. Is our government performing the required tasks or does our safety as a country not meet the standards we deserve as citizens of Canada?
The Educational institutions have lost control of the students. Non-action and lack of support for the dedicated teachers has now opened the floodgates of violence and bullying throughout the elementary, secondary educational systems. It was heard recently that RESPECT would be taught in the school curriculum. Who removed it in the first place? Isn’t it part of one’s character and behaviour and a requirement to stay in school? Is respect not taught to a young child through the family? There are no punishments today such as the “strap.” When I attended school, and after receiving the strap on the hands, I paid attention and I knew, without any doubt in my mind, what the punishment would be for my actions.
Freedoms and rights have been fought for and courageous sacrifices have been made to allow each of us the freedoms we now enjoy, but I firmly believe there are limits on rights and freedom. The most powerful driving force in the world today is the media. Technology has allowed us view instantly incidents taking place around the world. Newspapers should report events and not create or influence the public by sensationalizing or bias reporting just to sell papers. Confirmation of any story is mandatory to ensure truth, and honest reporting to ensure that innocent people are not victimized or your story doesn’t enflame the issues.
The music industry holds up the “rich and bad” artists that symbolize, “who needs school, get a gun, do drugs, be a gang banger and you can live high.” The lyrics that reflect the murdering of any race, culture, profession, or alternative lifestyle are having a negative effect on our youth. This type of music has no positive influence on our younger generation. Recently I read that Snoop Dog is petitioning the Governor of California to seek clemency for the original CRIPPS leader. Now, there is a role model for our young! I wonder how the four people that were shot and killed in two California armed robberies by this CRIPPS leader and their families would say about freeing this individual.
It is extremely difficult to find a movie that doesn’t have sex, violence, drugs, murders, explosions, and death in it. Unfortunately our youth today sometimes do not distinguish fiction from reality and imitate the movies. This is a fantasy world that is taken to the real world in extremes from car chases, shootouts, how the “gangs in LA” do their thing, to feeling nothing when someone is shot right before their eyes. I guess the new movie hero is “50 Cents.” Now there is a video game coming out where the gangs shoot as many police officers as they can. If someone designed a video game where a character in a white sheet and hood were allowed to track down anyone who was black or Asian and shoot them dead I am sure there would be a public outcry beyond belief. I personally feel that this kind of attack on any part of society is apprehensible and should be banned from the country. I am sure that video game will not be entering my home for my grandchildren to watch.
Being a sports celebrity is a business where you need absolutely nothing but god given talent and an attitude to succeed. Lawyers, agents and the media fall all over you and the rewards are outstanding from million dollar contracts to endorsements for a lifetime for someone who can be successful with a grade nine education. What does this teach our children when a basketball player makes 20 times the income of a brain surgeon? There are certainly different laws governing conduct and behaviour for celebrities. Like the politicians, there is no accountability for their actions such as O. J. Simpson and the countless others. To be blessed with a natural talent one should not waste the gift. These are the role models of today’s youths and what kind of negative message are they sending. Steroid use, cheating, gambling, drugs, murders, assaults, and a disrespectful attitude towards their own teammates, other competitors, and the fans that pay to watch the games. They are certainly not some one I would point to as a role model for my grandchildren.
I believe that the underlying dynamics that has caused this escalating violent problem cannot be solved or effectively dealt with until all the responsible contributors are willing to check their egos at the front door and take responsibility for contributing to causing this problem and only then can we all begin to solve the problem. By communicating honestly we can create effective strategies, together, and above all we have to have the will to work and build collaborative partnerships. Often doing the right thing for the right reason is hard, but it has to be done. Every now and then, some time, some place, some one will challenge you. You have to stand up, plant your feet firmly on the ground and state what you stand for. The time is now and if we all stand up together, shoulder to shoulder there is no problem that cannot be solved. Our children are depending on us. Are you going to let them down? As a grandfather of six there is not a day that goes by that I don’t worry about their future, and I will work diligently to make sure they have one to live for. Are you ready to stand up and be heard? It is time to take back your neighbourhoods. It is time for the people to take back their country and hold those accountable for not being part of the solution. Be safe.
The comments and opinions in this article are strictly those of the author and do not reflect the police service that I presently work for. If you would like to respond to this article please contact me at my email address below.
Earl Fletcher
earl.fletcher@hrps.on.ca
