Awh man. You just hit it on the nose. This paired with Andrew's link this am to the story about Danielle Willier. We have a problem, but it's not just a downtown problem.
In the past few years we have been to Europe, Mexico, South America, and across Canada every major community we have been has a "downtown" problem. Some places hide their problems better than others. If you want to blame someone, blame ourselves as we have forgotten to teach children to take responsibility for themselves. We try to protect our children and do everything for them. We try to prevent them from physical and mental hurts - instead of teaching them how to react when something happens to them. Why are we not finding and incarcerating the dealers - not the users? So many questions. I don't have the answers. My heart aches for all those involved in this toxic mess we are in. City hall is not the problem.
Yes yes YES these are systemic societal problems, not something we can fix with a few local policies and 4 more cops. Which doesn't absolve local government - there are important conversations they can have and steps they can take - but folks definitely need to realize that there's no quick and easy solution. Also: it costs exactly $0 to have some empathy for other people in the community, but is dismaying to see how many of our neighbours can't muster even that. Thanks for this clear and critical reframing, Darrin.
Thanks, Mandi. I think it's understandable how we REALLY want there to be a magic solution but yeah - it's a much more complicated thing happening around us. I don't want that to discourage folks but I think it's hopefully just a reframe on the issues. Yes, these societal problems converge on PEOPLE and these PEOPLE end up downtown where the supports/resources are. Thanks for the kind words!
I have to get myself out the door so was only able to skim your post this morning (I'll have a better read tonight), BUT every time I read someone complaining about downtown and city problems, I always think, "those people who fell through the cracks, and are still there stuck in the cracks, are both reflections of our society. Society failed these people somewhere, as children, as youth, as adults. This is on all of us."
In a lot of ways, I get it - it feels like the things happening downtown are local.
I understand how people arrive to the conclusion but I'm hoping there's room for people to look around and understand that exact point - this is a societal, existential challenge, not a municipal failure.
Awh man. You just hit it on the nose. This paired with Andrew's link this am to the story about Danielle Willier. We have a problem, but it's not just a downtown problem.
In the past few years we have been to Europe, Mexico, South America, and across Canada every major community we have been has a "downtown" problem. Some places hide their problems better than others. If you want to blame someone, blame ourselves as we have forgotten to teach children to take responsibility for themselves. We try to protect our children and do everything for them. We try to prevent them from physical and mental hurts - instead of teaching them how to react when something happens to them. Why are we not finding and incarcerating the dealers - not the users? So many questions. I don't have the answers. My heart aches for all those involved in this toxic mess we are in. City hall is not the problem.
nailed it!
Thanks, Jenn!
Yes yes YES these are systemic societal problems, not something we can fix with a few local policies and 4 more cops. Which doesn't absolve local government - there are important conversations they can have and steps they can take - but folks definitely need to realize that there's no quick and easy solution. Also: it costs exactly $0 to have some empathy for other people in the community, but is dismaying to see how many of our neighbours can't muster even that. Thanks for this clear and critical reframing, Darrin.
Thanks, Mandi. I think it's understandable how we REALLY want there to be a magic solution but yeah - it's a much more complicated thing happening around us. I don't want that to discourage folks but I think it's hopefully just a reframe on the issues. Yes, these societal problems converge on PEOPLE and these PEOPLE end up downtown where the supports/resources are. Thanks for the kind words!
I have to get myself out the door so was only able to skim your post this morning (I'll have a better read tonight), BUT every time I read someone complaining about downtown and city problems, I always think, "those people who fell through the cracks, and are still there stuck in the cracks, are both reflections of our society. Society failed these people somewhere, as children, as youth, as adults. This is on all of us."
In a lot of ways, I get it - it feels like the things happening downtown are local.
I understand how people arrive to the conclusion but I'm hoping there's room for people to look around and understand that exact point - this is a societal, existential challenge, not a municipal failure.