I have to admit that I’ve done little work today. After hearing the news about the Van Driver attacking and killing people on Yonge Street in the neighbourhood known as Willowdale. I have not been in that neighbourhood for some years, but when I was a child, visited often; my grandparents lived at 69 Sheppard Avenue West. I also attended a small private school for two years of highschool on Sheppard Ave. East.
So there was some shock, surprise, and curiousity along with the great sadness I felt for what happens in other countries and cities, but not in Toronto! I’ve lived through some terrorism myself, but with bombs and guns and knee cappings and tar & feathering – (no I was never directly affected but had friends that were, and experienced the results on visits back to my native land of Northern Ireland) – and my first thought was that it was possibly a “terrorist” act. As defined by law. I also knew it was possibly the work of a mad man (which it turned out to be, apparently).
Warren Kinsella has some questions over on his site. I responded. I do not know if he will approve my comment; Mr. Kinsella and I had some “issues” years ago, when blogging was a big thing before social media came along. I don’t think he holds any grudges though and perhaps he will not even remember the events of about 2003 or 2004. I can’t remember the exact year. In his most recent post, he asks some questions which you can read here: Questions About April 23, 2018.
For what’s worth, here’s what I wrote as my comment:
I will answer some of your questions, Warren:
1. People are not taught critical thinking skills. They emote on words instead of recognizing reality.
2. There are many “reasons.” – Men are taught not be like men of the past, the heroes that might have tried to stop something like this. Oh, there are still some around, but probably none were today, in North York. Also, we’ve been brainwashed that we are not supposed to do anything – we are to wait for the police. This is horrific, and both society and the police are to blame for this, moving away from the Peel’s Principles, one of which states, The public are the police, and the police are the public.
3. I wonder the same thing. I found it odd to read some sources claiming he was known to the police, while Chief Saunders said he was not known to them.
4. Good question. Politicians are mostly useless as it is, prey on people’s fears, invent fears for people to be afraid of, so they can be elected. In the end, they are mostly sociopaths, and in when something is going down, they really show their true colours, unable to offer anything really.
5. Yes! Who was that police officer? I’m tough on bad policing, but that was GREAT policing. I’m wondering if he’s an ex-Community Guardian – our training was “Arrest/Force as a last resort.” Takes a lot of self-discipline to do that, which also accounts from bravery. You take control of yourself, deal with the fear, and take in reality of the situation. That police officer’s actions should be in EVERY single use of force training class in North America. In fact, maybe he should be promoted immediately to some position where he can do the training. Although, I’d bet he would not want to leave the streets.
6. I did not see many photos on Twitter. The ones I did see I thought were more about showing news. So, can’t answer that.
7. Profiling them is helpful. And it is the human condition to want to know “Why, who, what, where, when.” Check out your own questions ????
8. Good question. I would bet if not yet, someone will. People are still in shock at the moment.
9. Because politicians are mostly sociopaths and have a “need” to be seen, even if only to say, “we offer up prayers.”
10. We cannot make sure it never happens again. But we should be examining our societal values – encouraging men to be men that they once were, and perhaps even relaxing regulations about self-defence – and remembering “The public are the police and the police are the public.”
I wrote this quickly… I reserve the right ???? to modify and clarify in the future.
What do you think?