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Letter: New mayor wants to fix street disorder

How we frame the issue determines what we don’t see
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New mayor wants to fix street disorder

Mayor Rob Douglas told Minister Anne Kang that he faces major challenges related to street disorder. Wow! Looks like Dr. Douglas has diagnosed a new disease — street disorder. Usually, the stereotypes are indeed correct. These homeless, mainly from single parent families with no father in sight, become high school drop outs, unskilled and unemployed; next they take drugs and alcohol to alleviate their trauma, then engage in crimes and fill up the jails.

Well doctor, the solution is obvious, build more jails! Also make sure nobody talks about equality of opportunity, family disorder and the missing village to raise a child. Say nothing about the lost dream with two parent families owning their own home, working with a living wage, and where a child’s future includes post secondary education or trades training. The real challenge appears to be being politically correct, so we can safely blame someone, like the victim. Maybe we can fix street disorder by building better side walks, but no benches so these “have nots” don’t sit in my backyard. Finally, how we frame the issue determines what we don’t see.

Richard Papiernik

Cobble Hill