It's a new year I am sure everyone is hoping that we have good times
to come.

Our city and world have so much pain, anger and hate that we seem to
be overblown with violence and abuse. When we turn on the television
news or pick up the newspapers we have more of the same, reports of
violence. Mother Nature is screaming with flash storms, raging earth
quakes, tornados, and tsunamis. We have wars happening in many
different countries, causing much death and destruction of our
world. Violence in our homes, in our work places, in shopping malls,
on the streets and almost everywhere we look.

One of the most reported problems in Toronto is the gang/gun
violence and shooting deaths of innocent people, Police and each
other. It is no secret that we have been in a whirlpool of violence
for quite some time now and are taking this horrible problem into
another year.

I know that many youth groups as well as LoveCry have been talking
about this problem becoming greater then anything we can control for
over ten years now and nothing has been done. Twelve years ago I
went to a meeting with the Chief of Police and Our present Chief of
Police talking about the problems we were headed into regarding gang
violence, turf wars, and the street dangers. I was listened to at
this meeting, but nothing was done or said about it again.

I also spoke to quite a few of the mainstream reporters regarding
this very subject. They were interested but I did not have any gory
details at the time.

The only reasoning anyone gave to this non-responsive attitude I was
given was that I was being unreasonable. I may have been a little
ahead of my time but I was very reasonable given the reports in the
news this past year especially this Christmas Season.

In many of the media reports I hear The Police asking people to talk
and tell them what they have seen if anything during these
incidences. Personally I believe the entire community should talk
loudly if violence is involved in any crime. It is just common sense
to want to and work towards protecting yourself and those you love.
But no one talks. Why do you think that is?

I decided to write what almost all the people I have spoken to have
said regarding speaking if they ever saw anything done in the
communities like these shootings to the police. I have asked over
fifty people and their responses added up to:

If anyone talks to the Police they are next to be killed. That is
only one of the reasons and the most damaging and is very true.

Another is that the police many times, treat the people who talk to
them regarding such matters like suspects in the crime. I, and many
others have witnessed this being done and have had this done to us.

Where is the Incentive to talk?

Seems to me that this type of treatment is the very reason to shut
up, but if we all shut up the problem will never be dealt with
properly. Catch 22, damned if we do and damned if we don't.

To be courageous (and I believe it is very courageous to speak to
the police or anyone about such violent matters) enough to talk to
the Police we first need to be able to trust that we will not be
accused and interrogated. We feel very much as though we are not
being listened to and are being just sluffed off and joked about.

People in the communities have to feel safe enough to speak and not
fear repercussions from society, the media, the perpetrator and the
Police, otherwise we are forced to protect ourselves by not talking,
which is not great, but all we have.