Pubdate: Fri, 20 Jul 2012
Source: Toronto Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2012 Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact:  http://torontosun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/457
Author: Farzana Hassan

'WAR ON GANGS' NEEDS A WAR ON DRUGS

For children to be exposed to drug-dealing and gun violence at such a 
tender age is heartbreaking

Gun violence took another turn for the worse with two more deadly 
shootings in Toronto. There have now been 30 homicides in the city. 
One of the victims, Daniel Davis, also known as "Snoop," was 
allegedly connected to the horrific Monday shootings on Danzig Street.

This once again boils down to increased gang-related violence in the city

But political correctness will not solve the problem. Nor will 
apathy, disinterest and dishonesty.

We have become far too circumspect in identifying the causes of gang 
violence for fear of being labeled racist, bigoted or xenophobic. But 
is this a reasonable attitude when faced with the issue of safety in 
Toronto? Should this be a consideration when people are losing their 
lives to senseless gun violence?

The fact is that the Jamaican, Somali, Tamil, Filipino and Hispanic 
communities have long been embroiled in gang wars and gun violence. 
The victims often belong to the same communities, though they are not 
always members of gangs. Many are simply innocent bystanders who 
would happily stay clear of drug dealing or gangs.

July has been a deadly month for such shootings but June also saw its 
share of gang violence with the murder of alleged Somali gang member 
by the name of Ahmed Hassan at the Eaton Centre. Indeed, law 
enforcement needs to focus on these communities to find solutions to 
the growing menace.

The fear and despair in the affected communities is understandable. 
Even young children like nine-year-old Brianna Dupuis are reeling 
from the terror caused by gang violence.

It is frightening for young children to see their neighborhoods 
surrounded by police cars. For them to be exposed to drug-dealing and 
gun violence at such a tender age is heartbreaking. The fifth-grader 
is so disturbed that she wants to take her message of keeping the 
city safe directly to Mayor Rob Ford.

Torontonians must face up to the fact that certain communities are 
more prone to drug violence and gang activity. There may be 
socioeconomic factors at play but the truth must still be stated plainly.

Let us not be deterred by the "stigma" of profiling these 
communities. It is not racist to be concerned about the lives of 
innocent Jamaican or Somali victims. Nor is it racist to wish for a 
safer city for all the residents of Toronto, whomever they may be.

It is time to look into tighter measures toward gun control. Anyone 
found with a gun must be apprehended and punished without hope of 
getting the sentence mitigated.

Toronto Sun founding editor Peter Worthington states that "the 
mandatory three-year prison sentence for even carrying a handgun is 
useful only if it's non-negotiable and can't be plea-bargained away."

This suggestion ought to be taken seriously by law-enforcement in the city.

The answer lies in the proper diagnosis of the problem of gang 
violence. It entails identifying individuals and communities prone to 
such activity and stricter penalties for owning guns. It also 
warrants more effective policies on drug dealing, as it is this 
activity that is most closely linked to gang violence.

A "war on gangs" must, out of necessity, include a "war on drugs." 
Individuals caught with possessing, selling or trafficking drugs must 
be penalized with stricter sentences. These would have to include 
longer prison terms and larger fines for such offences.

If we want to win the "war on gangs" in Toronto, then we have to 
abandon the notion of political correctness, address the issues 
fearlessly and punish those criminals who would thwart our efforts.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom