Let us arm ourselves
If you want to release these violent criminals back into society, fine. Do it. But give us our rights back before you give them their freedom. I’m talking about self-defence tools and the laws protecting us from criminal charges from trying to stop an attack.
We are easy targets to criminals and they know it. Making these tools illegal only keeps the criminals safe from us and keeps us helpless. Some would say that there would be more crime, since now these tools will be used for crime instead of good. But they already are being used for crimes. Criminals use whatever weapon they can because they are criminals; they don’t follow the law.
Others would say we need more cops on the streets but we can’t have a cop on every street corner — that would be insanely expensive. Cameras would do nothing to stop crime, either. They only catch someone in the act.
It’s time to end this failed experiment and try what works to deter criminals. If they know that they could be hurt or killed they would leave us alone.
Chris Humphrey, Langley
Three strikes, they’re in …
We need a three-strikes law, like in California and 23 other U.S. states, where you are in for life with no chance of parole if you commit three serious crimes.
Do we have any lawmakers with the resolve to change the law? I doubt it.
Glenn Nordal, Surrey
Bad seed
Instead of pointing at the police, the justice system or whomever else we want to blame for the murder of the young girl in Surrey, why don’t we just finally acknowledge the truth: violent criminals are not troubled people who can be saved, reformed, or whatever other feel-good term we use to justify spending so much money and resources on them. They are evil and that is something that can’t be cured.
The only way to ensure the safety of innocent people is to permanently remove these offenders from society. Whether they die in a cell, drown in holy water or swing from the gallows, it ensures there are no repeat offences.
Mike Rogozinski, Coquitlam
Green is about the green
Thank goodness there are reasonable minds like Patrick Moore who have both the credentials and courage to write articles like the op-ed on climate change in Wednesday’s Province.
I am in the camp that wholeheartedly believes that the climate-change movement is nothing more than a cash flow opportunity for those who master its gospel of mistruths.
We’ve fallen victim to such holier-than-thou prophets, who attempt to guilt us into their beliefs in both the forms of religion and science throughout history; we have forgotten to trust ourselves and follow the only edict that almost always tells the truth: “Follow the money.”
Dan Anders, Surrey
Hope he’s dead
The headline on the story about Hamilton, Ont., man Mohamud Mohamed Mohamud said, “Canadian jihadist feared dead in Syria.”
Why “feared?” The word should be “hoped.”
I predict that Canadian taxpayers will be asked sooner or later to pay to fly his remains home to his “beloved” Canada. Think it won’t happen? Hang around.
Harry Shardlow, Chilliwack
No pleasing them
More shelter space opens up for the homeless camped out in Oppenheimer Park but apparently it’s not good enough.
One man interviewed by Global News said that if he moved to the shelter he would have to walk to eat his meals at a mission, walk to go do his laundry and he would have to be in by a certain time.
I would think that having a dry, warm place to stay beats camping in a park, even if I had to walk for food and laundry. It’s obvious that these people prefer the camp. There is no pleasing them.
Randy Williams, Kamloops
Kaboom!
As I was filling up at a gas station, I noticed a cigarette butt on the ground. When I was done, I looked around and found 17 butts on the ground. About a week later, I saw a guy lighting up beside the propane-tank exchange cage. If any one of them had even a small leak, I might be writing this from a hospital bed if I was lucky enough to have survived the explosion.
If you smoke, don’t do it near a gas pump or a propane tank. I figure it’s just pure luck that we don’t have a gas-station station exploding into flames every day.
Jerry Steinberg, Surrey
Give us choice
Would it be OK if the government forced us to buy a selection of Canadian-grown broccoli or lima beans before we are allowed to make our other food choices?
Not likely.
So why do we accept being forced to purchase Canadian television content? Canadian programming, like any other product, should succeed or fail based on merit. It’s the only fair way.
Steen Petersen, Nanaimo
The editorial pages editor is Gordon Clark, who can be reached at gclark@theprovince.com. Letters to the editor can be sent to provletters@theprovince.com.
