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
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin