I read the news today Oh boy.......

Does it worry anyone else out there, that you or someone you love, may not make it home tonight?

Over the last month in Vancouver, there have been 6 deaths by gunfire. Some of those incidents involved people who were targeted in gang related hits, while others were innocent victims, either caught in the cross fire, or mis-identified as a gang member. No where seems to be safe, nothing is sacred. You could be sitting at a stop light, parked at a shopping mall, or driving along the street, and be caught in a hail of gunfire. That is our reality today. I used to think that as long as I stayed away from shady people, this sort of thing would never touch my life, clearly, this is no longer the case.


Yesterday, a Mother was driving down the street with her 4 year old in the car, and was fatally shot as she drove down the street.

Did you really read that people? She was fatally shot in front of her son.





Excuse me, I have to breathe for a second................







I could talk about bad parenting all day long and blame it for the gang problem in this city, but it's too late for that really. The problem is here, now, and we can't ignore it. Part of the bigger picture involves our lame-pansy-ass justice system that we operate under. So what if they throw officers at the problem? Even if these hoodlums get caught for a crime, they barely do any time. Do something bad in this city, and the slap is so weak, you may as well have been given a nice little vacation with 3 squares thrown in.

By comparison, I think back to when I used to live in the Middle East. I felt safer there, oddly enough. I could leave my purse on a park bench overnight, and it would still be there in the morning. If you get caught stealing there, you could lose your hand. Its darn good motivation to walk the straight line if you ask me. I really don't know exactly what we do to punish criminals in this city, but clearly its not enough.

And while I am discussing this, lets talk a little about why the gangs are operating in the first place OK? Forgive me because I really don't follow these things very closely usually, but I gather they make their money largely off of drugs, correct?


Here is what I don't understand about all this gang nonsense, why they are allowed to operate at all?

I know they weren't given 'permission' to operate, but they are basically left alone and allowed to operate (in my opinion), because the Govt. is inexplicably acting like the trading of drugs is not a business that is actually going on. Even though we all know it is. These gangs have no competition, no overhead and no responsibility to the government, so the profits are huge, and they monopolize the market. No wonder its become a matter of life and death.

And the Gov't lets these hoodlums have this monopoly. Too afraid of letting us take responsibility for ourselves. So instead of digging into the pockets of the drug lords and requiring them pay taxes for their business like the rest of us, the Govt. throws money and resources (police and justice system) at a losing battle.

What a waste, when there is clearly bountiful money resource right there. Legalization would devalue the very product that the gangs are in business selling. Making their product less lucrative, would make it less life threatening. I would just love to see what would happen if the Govt. would just choke the crooks cash flow by legalizing their Enterprise and requiring them to comply with licenses, paperwork and tax forms.


Did anyone notice that no one is shooting anyone over vodka or smokes?

Bleeding hearts try to make it so difficult for the Gov't to legalize drugs, yet people can legally choose to kill themselves with cigarettes and alcohol, and that makes a pile of money for our govt. Why don't all those people who don't want anyone to have any responsibility for themselves, GET that?


People are going to do what they want to do, no matter how the Govt restricts them or tries to take our personal responsibilities away. If they suddenly make crack legal, it wont make it attractive to me. I am not going to be wandering down to pharmacy to pick some up for a Friday night. The dollars earned in collected taxes could go to education, as well as helping with the treatment and recovery of the relatively few who do encounter problems. Quite frankly, I think we NEED to take responsibility for ourselves.


I do have compassion for people who are struggling with addiction, but quite honestly, I would rather let a drug addict kill himself with drugs he can legally buy at the pharmacy, than have a gang member kill me,......... or someone in my family.


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