The gratuitous murder of young Thomas Trudel in Montreal reminds me of several other free dramas including that of Polytechnique and the Mosque of Quebec. In any case, a lot of tears against the weapons, but few results for their controls. How to explain such a failure?
Despite the goodwill expressed by all our governments, whatever the level of decision, federal, provincial and municipal, all admit to being powerless to counter this social phenomenon which is gradually eating away at our climate of security.
Nature abhors a vacuum, some might say, and yet that’s what it is. It is clear that we are facing a political vacuum where the levels of government are passing the buck on the pretext that the responsibility for gun control lies with another level of government. Of course, I am sad about this whole situation, tears against guns are no longer enough to counter this phenomenon which has been rotting our American neighbors for too long.
A confession of helplessness
During this time, fear normalizes and our institutions get bogged down by admitting their powerlessness (police, elected officials, community groups).
Faced with this situation, many desperate citizens will flee the violent neighborhoods of Montreal, others will accuse the police of doing nothing and, finally, others will say that they lack the resources to fight poverty and exclusion, the main reasons. recruitment of young people lacking parental role models or hope for the future.
All these reasons lead me to conclude that our institutions are powerless. Anyone who knows street gang members has fear in their stomachs, knowing that they will not be protected if they denounce them publicly. So what should be done?
Reverse fear
Who does not remember the systems of corruption and collusion in Laval with Mayor Gilles Vaillancourt and in Montreal with “Monsieur 3%” who collected a dividend on all City contracts for the benefit of the ruling party?
Everyone knew it, but everyone was afraid to denounce the system in place. Our institutions were getting bogged down, because we said to ourselves, corruption has always existed. It was a “necessary evil” for the benefit of scoundrels who enriched themselves under the beard of our police forces confined to resignation and willful blindness for lack of leadership and political support.
The Commission of Public Inquiry into Corruption in the Construction Industry, the Charbonneau Commission, had an electric shock effect by raising public awareness and reversing fear towards the scoundrels. It made it possible to regain confidence in our municipal institutions and our elected officials.
In the context of the control of handguns or assault weapons, I suggest a different approach, without its judicial character, a commission for public reflection.
Why not reverse the fear by putting in the public place all the sources of irritation that prevent elected officials, police officers and community workers from being effective in their prevention work.
Avoid the “normalization of gun madness”
What are we waiting for to counter this scourge which is poisoning our society? Do we want to emulate the American model where everyone buys a gun under the pretext of protecting themselves from others? We absolutely must avoid “normalizing the madness” of gun use.
Who should be in charge of gun control? The municipal, provincial or federal level? Should we create a specialized gun control agency?
Who should control our borders in the face of trafficking networks? How can we counter the leaders of street gangs? What model of society should we develop to inspire young people to prevent them from being manipulated by the lure of arms?
A public think tank would make it possible to get answers to all these questions, by reversing the fear of firearms towards those who possess them illegally in order to break the mold of “easy power and gratuitous violence” that this behavior engenders. of “normalization of gun madness”!
What do you think? Express your opinion