Violence in Schools Report Misses Boat

Ever try to find a cruise ship port in Saskatchewan? If your out there looking for one, you're either an idiot, or you're either former speaker of the legislature Dr. Alvin Curling or former attorney general Roy McMurtry. This week, the two men released a report regarding violence in Ontario schools. The report missed the boat by so much, they might as well have been trying to board a cruise ship in the prairies. What we were given is another $2 million boondoggle courtesy of the McGuinty government, complete with the typical Liberal pablum. According to the report, the reason young black men are killing each other on Toronto streets is due to racism and poverty. So basically, we've spent millions on something we've already heard before. The report also blames community design, education, lack of economic opportunity, and the justice system as factors for breeding violence. In response, the solution will be built around "four pillars": social opportunity and anti-racism; a youth policy framework; neighbourhood capacity and empowerment; and integrated governance. (Toronto Sun)

To hear people like Curling and McMurtry talk, you'd think Canada was the most racist country on Earth. They make it sound as if the white majority has nothing better to do than than stomp on the dreams of visible minorities. That is a completely ludicrous notion. As Jonathan Kay of the national post noted, Canada is probably the least racist country on Earth. One can walk into any public place and see people of all sorts of different backgrounds freely mingling. The report is obviously directed at only African Canadians and not other races, and seems to suggest that they, and only they, are subject to increasing persecution. They apparently need programs such as race-based education in order to find good role models. It has been argued that Canada's "whitewashed" history makes visible minorities feel like they have contributed nothing to this country, and that there is a lack of historical role models for young visible minorities. Canada boasts a diverse parliament, and our head of state is African Canadian. The United States just elected Barack Obama as their first president of African heritage. If black youths cannot find any historically significant role models, they certainly aren't looking hard enough. Race based education creates a watered down fantasy of Canadian history and does no service to those involved in such programs.

In regards to the anti-racism programs, this sounds like another excuse to impose the same tired politically correct rhetoric that became big in the 1980s. These programs are made with the best intentions. Unfortunately, that's what the road to hell is paved with. Such programs create perceived racism. In other words, people start seeing racism that is not there. Now, I'm not denying it doesn't exist, not by a long shot. However, I get suspicious whenever someone in this day and age tells me they cannot get ahead in life simply because of the colour of their skin. There seems to be plenty of non-white people working in prestigious jobs in industries where affirmative action programs are not used. A number which is increasing. We may be in an economic slowdown now but less that a year ago, businesses were clamouring for people, any people to hire. You cannot honestly say that there were no jobs available anywhere. If people living at Jane & Finch cannot find jobs in their community, perhaps they should be introduced to a wonderful, futuristic invention known as a bus. It can take you anywhere in the city, and even outside for just $2.75! Oh, but they say that poverty is what prevents people from doing that. I guess they can't afford the fare. As I have said time and time again, to say that poor people are inherently prone to violence is an insult to them. When my family first came to Canada, they were considered poor. My grandfather never picked up a gun and shot somebody because of that. He took a job at a steel mill, worked hard, and bettered himself. Most other people from all races, creeds, and backgrounds have done the same thing. Yes, this includes plenty, if not most of African Canadians too. I want to know why Curling and McMurtry feel that young black men living in Toronto are the exception, and why they should be subject to special treatment.

To me, this report is essentially a cop out. It tries to scapegoat others for the problems of a specific community. It seems to suggest that there is a massive conspiracy against inner city black youths. This line of thinking fans the flames of violence because people living in these communities start believing this trash. The culture of street violence is fostered in part by this distorted view and part by a society that increasingly sees other people as obstacles to destroy or tools to use, rather than as human beings. This is by far an attitude specific only to inner city communities by that is where it turns to violence. It is a global problem. We might as well be waging Thomas Hobbes dystopian war of all against all in the mean streets of North Americas inner cities. The lack or caring is an attitude that is introduced at home, at a young age. Tossing the blame on racism and poverty does not solve the problem. We've heard these same things said time and time again. The real solutions come in the form of community building within troubled neighbourhoods. This does not involve putting up basketball courts. Rather, its introducing higher education standards, more community involvement (through community service), and a no-nonsense crackdown on organized crime. Many have criticized former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani's "broken windows" approach. However, it did something that these Liberal programs did not, it worked. New York went from the most crime ridden big city in the US to one of the safest. The trick is teaching these youths that they can succeed and that there are no barriers against them. Push them hard, don't molly coddle them with "race-based" (segregated) schools. They will never learn to function in the real world under these "Afrocentric" programs. All these kids need is a kick up the rear and to be shown that the thug life is cowardly and undesirable. If anything, the Curling and McMurtry study will only continue to aggravate the problems. It's time we stopped taking the easy way out and started tackling the problem in a tough love manner. In the mean time, both Alvin Curling and Roy McMurtry should be writing a cheque to Ontario tax payers to pay back the money they wasted.