Wouldn't it be nice to walk down my street and see well maintained houses. And wouldn't it be nice to not feel threatened by the youth on my street. Wouldn't it be nice to go two weeks without seeing police cars on the street. Wouldn't it be nice to no longer hear about stabbings, shooting and gang violence. Wouldn't it be great to have the gang houses actually closed down. Wouldn't it be great to see kids on bikes going to the park to play instead of delivering drugs?
Could you imagine a day when the criminals of our city are picked up and put in jail? What would my North End be like if the gangs were shut down?
I don't understand why it is so difficult to remove gang graffiti. The removal of the graffiti would be a start. But it is caught in red tape.
I don't understand why it is so difficult to close a gang house. The police know where they are, and know who comes and goes from the houses. If they are identified as gang houses, shut them down.
I don't understand why it is so difficult to stop known houses from dealing drugs. When they are identified, reported to the police and Safer Communities, it takes months / years for investigations to begin. And when they do actually get investigated, issues are only dealt with if the person dealing is on the lease. And if that happens the people are asked to move. Then they just move next door or the next street over. How is that helping anything? How does that make a community safer? It doesn't.
I don't understand why bad behaviour is allowed to continue in lower income communities. That just encourages even worse behaviour.
Wouldn't it be great if criminals were charged with crimes?
Wouldn't it be great if by-laws were enforced?
Wouldn't it be great if illegal garbage dumpers were prosecuted?
Wouldn't it be great if the North End was a valued community in Winnipeg?
And wouldn't it be great if we stopped saying "it is just the North End" and "what do you expect".
Wouldn't it be great if we expected better.
if they bust drug houses or gang houses they might move from the north end into their backyards... so instead they leave them where they are.
ReplyDeletecharged with crimes is meaningless in a system where it takes 3 years to actually have your trial heard; and then to be given house arrest... the system is broken and no one wants to touch it.
That's a pretty tall order. I wish you well.
ReplyDeleteMy wish for Winnipeg in 2012 is compassion. That the children growing up in our neighbourhood grow up with a strong sense of love and belonging. Without first having that confidence and self-worth that comes from having basic and emotional needs met, I won't be surprised if gangs and violence continue to thrive. I understand that this is a complex situation and what I want is a tall order for any neighbourhood, not just ours.
ReplyDeleteThought you mind find some of these interesting:
https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/opinion/sunday/kristof-a-poverty-solution-that-starts-with-a-hug.html?_r=1&src=tp
http://ellabakercenter.org/page.php?pageid=19&contentid=937
All the best to you and yours in the New Year.
Wouldn't it be great if criminals were charged with crimes?
ReplyDeleteYou need to add....wouldn't it be nice if criminals charged with crimes spent time in jail? I have often wished that those released by the court system went to live in the same area as the judge who relased them rather than to be right back in the "hood" to prey on it's residents again. No wonder people are hesistant of standing up against these people. The police man can't be guarding your house and kids 24 - 7. No wonder the police get frustrated arresting the same people over and over again only to have them released. Bring back the wild west and run them out of town!