Sunday marked the end of a year, and the beginning of another. For my city of Toronto, 2005 has been named the Year of the Gun. Is that what Toronto should be remembered for? As a Torontonian, I think not. 2005 was packed with a total of 76 homicides, 52 of them gun slayings. The most tragic of which occured on Boxing Day, when most of the city was downtown shopping, including myself, my best friend, and my two brothers. A calm, busy Downtown Toronto street was turned into a street of panic, and bloodshed, in the most terrible form of gun violence; random. Six people were wounded, and a fifteen year old girl, Jane Creba was killed. It makes me sick to think that there are people in this city who choose such a happy time of the year to create panic, and grief. My best friend, my two brothers and I were shopping in a nearby Shopping Mall at 5:19pm, the exact time the shooting took place. In fact, we had just entered the mall after grabbing lunch at a nearby pub, when the shooting occured. The worst thing about this is, the two suspects caught are out on bail! Is this proper justice? The suspects may think so, but what about the family of fifteen year old, Jane Creba, who was shopping with their daughter when she was killed? What about the families of those six others who were wounded? And what about the families of the other 51 victims of gun violence? The justice system in my city sickens me, it really does.
It scares me to think that it could be dangerous, or even deadly to walk around my city, or my own community, at night. Just in November, a young man was shot outside of my apartment building. I thank God every day that he wasn't killed, but it's still scary. As well as I know my neighbourhood, I don't want to go out after dark unless I'm with someone. I remember when I was younger, and not having any fear of wandering around my apartment complex looking over my shoulder to make sure nobody was behind me. It disgusts me that I can't walk around my own city and not feel safe. Quite frankly, I don't feel safe anywhere in my city at night. I would never go downtown at night alone. It's just not safe anymore. What really saddens me, is that earlier this year, a four year old was wounded by several bullets in a driveby, and as a result he is afraid to step outside his door. A four year old should not be afraid to venture out of his home. I'm sure he's not the only four year old who is either. A four year old should want to go outside to play, and just be a kid, not cooped up in a home because they're afraid to leave. It's sad.
This city needs tougher laws, more police on its streets, and to fire those dipshit judges who put unlicenced gun owners out on bail after they've shot and/or killed someone. It's heinous that this government has it in their right mind that a slap on the wrist will make everything all better. It won't. It won't make it alright for anybody, victim or not. I've never been a victim of a gun crime, and I hope and pray that I never will be.
Not a day goes by where I don't hear about gun violence, it seems. Just five hours into the New Year, a young man was gunned down. Just when I thought we could start 2006 off fresh, I hear of another gun victim. It's completely and totally ridiculous. It angers me, it disgusts me, and it sickens me. It would be great if the violence could stop just for a week, a month... it would be even better if it would stop for good. Of course, I've just got too high of hopes, but I'm sure I'm not the only one in my city who wishes that. But until the laws in this city are toughened, more police are out on the streets, and less people get away with these horrible crimes, I will be praying for a brighter future for the city, and it's future generations.
