MB: LTE: Tarnishing us all

[medpot]

The Winnipeg Sun (http://www.winnipegsun.com/Comment/Letters/2008/08/27/6582686-sun.html)

Wed, August 27, 2008


Tarnishing us all



Much is said, and has been said, about prejudice, intolerance and discrimination against others for simply belonging to a certain identifiable group.

I am a member of the smallest visible minority group in Winnipeg. Most of my people are university educated and we are all gainfully employed. Less than 0.1% of us have ever been accused of, or convicted, of a criminal offence. Many of us have sacrificed our weekends, holidays and turned away more profitable opportunities elsewhere to serve others, even those that despise us, for the betterment of the community. And, like all human beings, we, too, are imperfect and fallible. Some of my people have been shot and stabbed for the way we look. Many of us have been beaten and spit upon because of our appearance. Many people call us criminals and gangsters because of the clothes we wear and the cars we drive.

When people (including the media) speak of, the real or perceived misconduct of one of ours, they often refer to us as "they" or "those people", as if to blame my brothers and sisters for the actions of a few. Their broad brushstroke seeks to tarnish us all. Yet despite the wounds we suffer, we often choose to turn the other cheek, with quiet dignity and self-respect. We soldier on with great pride and honour, while helping to cleanse the wounds of our enemies, despite their hatred and trespasses against us and others. But sometimes, we fight back, most times without much choice, but always with restraint and self-discipline. When we do, people call us murderers. If we had chosen to walk away, they would have called us cowards. And they all believe that they can do it better, having never walked a single step in our boots.

I am a member of the smallest visible minority group in Winnipeg. I am a police officer.

Miguel Carvalho

Winnipeg

Very eloquent. You hit the nail on the head. We thank all of you.

[medpot]

I believe that on many occasions, all Canadian cops can reserve the right to discretion and to turn a blind eye toward unjust laws - like the arrests and persecution of "illegal" drug users and marijuana growers per example.

When the majority of Canadians want marijuana legalized and regulated, how do you think they react to ALL related arrests, prosecutions and persecution - does it make cops more or less popular?

As long as most Canadian cops will have this right-wing prohibitionist attitude and persecute more Canadians, their minority will not be supported by most.

But sometimes, we fight back, most times without much choice, but always with restraint and self-discipline.
Yes, Miguel had the choice - the choice of becoming a cop or not.

Having a University degree doesn't always make you brighter than others.

Turn the light on Miguel! :)


Marc

[medpot]

Poor, poor Sgt Miguel Carvalho! :(

If relations between cops and the majority of Canadians have to improve, our cops and politicians will have to tune to the beat and side with the majority - and the majority is saying since 2 years..legalize and regulate marijuana!!

Governments and police authorities siding against the majority are called dictatorships and police states, and this is not what Canada is all about.

Here, it's the People who are supposed to control it's politicians and governments - not the other way around.

Our previous governments had much more respect and consideration towards our rights and the majority of public opinion, and we should claim back our democratic values and rights in the next election by booting out Harper's extreme right-wing fascist dictatorship!

Vote, vote, and VOTE! :)

Marc

[GreenThumb]

Well said MedPot.
But if we elect another Liberal govt. won't it be more of the same.
IMHO, the Libs. are about the same as the Cons., they are just better a lubricating the shaft before inserting it into yer butt..

[medpot]

Hi GreenThumb! :)

Well, at least the Liberals "tried" to do something for pot with their proposed "decrim", but the American drug czar John P. Walters and his fascist government threatened our country with economic sanctions if we softened our pot laws! :mad: - so the Liberals reacted in fear, and they re-drafted our proposed "decrim" law and converted it in a "recrim" with more severe punishments on many points! :mad:

In the U.S., they have some states with much softer marijuana laws than in Canada.

So, what was all that big panic in U.S. if Canada also wanted to soften it's pot laws?

Anyway, in the next elections, I predict a minority Liberal government, and the fascist "supposiTories" will have around 20-30% less votes compared to the previous elections.

I believe that the supposiTories scared so many with their flyers asking for more persecution, prosecution, and to put more drug users and pushers in prison for a much longer time. Most voters aren't fools, and they know that these measures would translate in much more tax dollars to pay for building more penitentiaries, hire more judges, Crown lawyers, cops, etc. - and we already pay way too many tax dollars! :(

When the majority of Canadians are asking for the legalization and regulation of marijuana, and that over 5 million Canadians use this substance (as many if not more than tobacco smokers), our federal government and Canadians cannot afford it's prohibition anymore - simple logic! :)

Marc

[Swampy]

from what I've heard Winnipeg is the worst place in Canada to live if your First Nations(Native American) because of prejuidice. How many native women have been killed by a serial killer or killers over the last 30 years? How can the police not catch them in so long a time ? how many police are involved ? either as murderers or investigators ?
Cops you get what you give, be decent and be treated decent . When your just a gang of thugs protecting the psychopaths who rule us like dogs, and when you only protect your own who commit crimes against us you deserve to be hung as traitors

[Neal]

Believe me, there is no way, ever, that I would vote Conservative (Reform) but do you really think that the Liberals have a chance? Steve Harper has been campaigning for months. He says he needs a majority because Parliament isn't working and he can't get his legislation passed, yet in a recent stop in southern Ontario he bragged about how much they have accomplished. I'm sorry but I don't have the faith in the Canadian public that they will give him the boot.
Neal.

[medpot]

Time will tell Neal! :)

It's only my opinion after all.

Marc

[medpot]

The Winnipeg Sun (http://www.winnipegsun.com/Comment/Letters/2008/09/03/6643661-sun.html)

Send a Letter to the Editor: letters@wpgsun.com


Wed, September 3, 2008

Letter


Cop crimes galore


Re: ' Deterrence disappears (http://www.winnipegsun.com/Comment/Letters/2008/08/28/6593526-sun.html),' Letters to the editor, Aug. 28.

Ted Arichteff 's "50 years as a Canadian citizen" must have been spent in another country if he's never heard of Saskatoon police kidnapping natives and dumping them out of town in -40 degree weather without proper clothing.

Like this, different law enforcement agencies have quietly murdered natives and minorities all across this country. Officer Carvalho's well-written piece ignores far too many facts.

The police aren't the smallest visible minority group in Winnipeg. The 60,000 some odd police in Canada are the number one occupation when it comes to drunk driving, domestic violence, and are only second to athletes for steroid abuse. In Ontario 3,000 firearms somehow mysteriously disappeared from a police lockup and the entire Toronto vice squads were under investigation for thefts, and corruption.

There are far too many police crimes to address in one letter but suffice it to say that until police departments learn to behave honestly, ethically and professionally and not cover up police crimes, even good police officers will continue to see a lot more fear than respect.

Muhammad Janjua

Calgary

Again, not everyone should be tarnished with the label "bad apple."

[Angelic Destroyer]

If you listen to selfServative radio (Lionel "know-it-all" Green on CFRA for example is a really bad one), news opinion pieces and tv talk shows there seem to be more of them than us though and that worries me. Usually the same people phone in all the time but still they're loud enough and boast of omnipotent morality over the so-called 'lefties', and make me cringe every time I force myself to put up with that sort of negative exposure. I can't help but believe the medical/anti prohibition movement is in its last throes, not a good thing. Life goes in cycles and so seems to be opinions and beliefs of the 'majority' to be with whoever is the loudest, most dynamic whatever, so long as they can whoop up enough of a frenzy among that majority, even on a whim or even based on emotional reactions to certain issues. Call me pessimistic but I'm just preparing for bad times ahead, you could say. I'm not going to hold my breath either way, hopefully my voting liberal this time around for the first time ever will be not the only one attempting to turn the tide. Harpy has to go, plain and simple, just as (raising)McCain has to lose. I don't care who wins honestly, those puppets of the prison/military/industrial complex gotta go! I wish someone would phone in on those shows and give them a piece of their mind if they're as annoyed, but more articulate than I am. Hmm maybe this should be in rants section. Politics get me really angry sometimes and I go off on a tangent like this.

[redleg7]

Much of Sgt. Miguel Carvalho's description as a member of a minority group resonates with me, but I'm not a police officer. Yes, I see myself as a member of a minority group: medical cannabis user.

I'd like to bet that medical cannabis users are worse off than the police. Who is far more powerless in society: cops or med. cannabis users?

Perhaps Sgt. Miguel should look up the definition of empathy before making an appeal for some public pity. Deceptive and manipulative indeed.

RL7