They're Coming!

The issues of poverty and crime have received much attention this past week. On Monday night Youth For Christ asked Brandon City Council to grant them land. YFC wanted the land to build units that provide people aged 18-29 with affordable housing and support for things such as drug addictions. Some area residents had concerns, so Council asked YFC to hold consultations. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as it's an opportunity for residents and YFC to communicate with one another, and hopefully they can resolve any differences that arise.

Yet there has been much sensationalism surrounding the issue. One resident who opposed the project wrote that "Our neighbours are being stabbed, robbed, raped and beaten. Children are being offered drugs as sex offenders lurk in our parks and watch our children as they enjoy a day at the spray park." Most cases of violent crime happen between people who know each other; domestic disputes and ex-partners is a large factor. Children are often introduced to drugs by friends, and cases of sexual molestation usually happen at the hands of close family members and friends. None of these problems are confined to downtown. In addition, police services of all sizes across the country give advice on protecting children and they advise people to always be with someone when they go out, especially if it's dark. Most of the "vagrants" who would benefit from the project already live downtown anyways, so the project wouldn't draw a swarm of people downtown. Fortunately, some Brandon residents understand the issues surrounding such projects.

There is also the "revelation" that the Indian Posse has established itself here. This coincides with some highly publicised beatings, one of which happened in broad daylight. Street gangs in one form or another have been active in Winnipeg and northern Manitoba for a long time. Brandon is the largest city in Manitoba after Winnipeg, so to think that gangs haven't been in Brandon for that same length of time seems quite naive.

The coverage of these issues is terrible. The editorial staff of the Brandon Sun had the audacity to imply that YFC is a sort of shady "mysterious group." Regardless of one's religious outlook, YFC is well respected in the community for providing services to Brandon youth, among them a drop in centre. The Sun also praised a local judge's decision to order a few convicted criminals to leave Brandon, but curiously enough remarked that " the judge may be exporting our problems to another nearby community. It would be terrible if any gang members who might get kicked out of Brandon set up shop in neighbouring towns where they could terrorize people there." That's exactly what's happening! Dangerous people belong in jail, not on an already long list of individuals the police have to look out for.