Pubdate: Tue, 01 Nov 2005 Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Copyright: 2005 Winnipeg Free Press Contact: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/502 Author: Steve Oetting Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05.n1688.a03.html IT'S A SOCIAL ISSUE The tough talk by Justice Minister Gord Mackintosh about cracking down on crime is old and lame. With all due respect to his good intentions, this new plan will do nothing to reduce the never-ending violence we are seeing in the streets of Winnipeg. Taking his fight on crime "to a new level" only makes me wonder if we will now begin to see both police and gangs shooting holes in our houses and our children. As a concerned parent and taxpayer, I am horrified watching it and tired of paying for it. There will be no solution to this problem until we legalize both drugs and prostitution and remove the massive revenue stream that is financing these criminals. It's time to end this senseless cycle of violence once and for all. Take drugs and prostitution away from these gangs and they won't be able to afford gas for their cars, let alone houses and weapons. Then take the tax revenue they produce and pour it into advertising campaigns that negatively stigmatize these things just as we did so successfully with tobacco. I don't want to hear about more jail cells and more prosecutors. We are wasting our money and jeopardizing our children's lives every day that we persist in this mindless pursuit while the criminals continue to get wealthier and stronger. It's time to take a stand and put this thing to rest. If enough of us tell our politicians this is what we want, we can make it happen. You cannot talk sense to an inner city kid who is making $10,000 a month selling drugs. Let's stop dealing with this as a police action and begin dealing with it as a social issue once and for all. The child you save could be your own. Steve Oetting Winnipeg - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin