Vancouver's Fraser Valley - 1929 Chicago???

[Rowdy]

First things first, Take all those pussy, handholding judges and fire them. Elect some new judges, like the americans do, enough of this appointed bullshit. Then, charge the daylights out of any of the offenders. Next, any offenders that are immigrants? Toss em out of the country. Once that happens? Put a few extra officers on the beat and give them the support to deal with the remaining scumbags.

I also found out how all those automatic and high powered riffles were getting into the country. We used to have THREE companies that were allowed to import weapons as props for movies.. now there are over 80 and they sell them off when finished. WTF is that? I mean come on!

[V2-OMG!]

Return fire with what?

I'm highly trained with firearms, and yet when I come to Canada I can't even think, let alone posses my pistol that I carry down here. Why? Because they probably think I'm going to shoot a mother driving a Cadillac.

Glad to see the Gun registry is a raging success!!

Frankly, I'd love to see a platoon of Marines walking down our streets expounding their time-honoured battle cry --

"COME ON YOU SONUVABITCHES, DO YOU WANT TO LIVE FOREVER? OOOOH-RAHHHHH!"

[Cap'n P8]

Didn't Tom Clancy write a book about a retired Green Beret who went after a gang? It was a wonderful fantasy.

"Without Remorse"

Awesome book, it's about his character John Clark. Basically shows his transformation from a regular joe to CIA black ops spook. I heard a rumour that they were supposed to make it into a movie, but so far nothing yet.

[Hedley]

I really doubt many Canadians have the stomach for this
solution, but ...

I was 'way down south last year. It was a looong way
north to Mexico. Nice country. But they used to have a
horrible problem with gang violence. Turns out the bad
characters would illegally sneak into the USA, and get their
graduate degree in gang technology in LA, etc then get
deported back home and really cut loose.

So the government made it a crime to be associated
with a gang, and rounded them all up. Then they had
a small electrical fire in the prison - over 100 died.

No more gang problem.

Not a very Canadian solution, though. And I have
the uneasy feeling that there are quite a number of
people in the employ of the Canadian government
that wouldn't mind treating me that way, too. A
friend of mine was recently told by Transport that I
am a "bad, bad man" and that he is to stay away
from me

Back on topic, I find it pretty frightening when the
government has that much power. Abuse is almost
certain, by the bureaucrats.

I really prefer an economic solution - take away
the gangs' money, and you take away their power -
but I understand that's far too complicated for most
people.

[Wilbur]

There are a couple things ordinary people can do to help get a handle on the gang problem.

It's tough to stop them from making money, but individual members of society can reduce the enjoyment that money buys them. Blacklist them and the businesses that deal with them. Scumbag and his family walk into your resturant for dinner, tell them to "about face because they and their drug money aren't welcome in your establishment." Scumbag walks into your GM dealership to buy his wife a new Cadillac; "about face because you and your money aren't wanted in my business." Motorcycle enthusiast shows up at the annual toy run; "beat it scumbag because no kid wants your drug and misery stained teddy bear." You know a business is serving scumbags, tell the owner he won't be getting any of your money and that you'll be spreading the word to everyone you know.

Challenge people when you hear them romantacizing and rationalizing that these groups "aren't so bad," "they'e quiet neighbours," etc. Call them what they are; scumbags whose goal is to get your kids addicted to drugs. They are bad people, they are not good neighbours or nice guys, and they deserve to be treated with contempt.

Call the cops when you have information about their activities.

Bitch, complain and demand the lame brain idiots of our Provincial judiciary and legal community start acting in the best interest of society. Demand that gang members not be permitted to plea bargain their way out of their serious charges, and demand that our judges start imposing meaningful sentences - nothing less than 5 years has any impact on gang members.

Write your MLA's, Chief Judge of the Provincial Court, and the newspapers. The longer this issue stays in the spotlight, the greater the heat on the politicians and judges to act.

[Hedley]

It's tough to stop them from making money

er, actually, no, it isn't.

Do these gangs make any money on alcohol or tobacco? If not,
why not?

What could we do, so that it was similarly economically difficult
for these criminals to not be able to make money on drugs?

Your idea of people not taking their money is nice, but not
very realistic.

Address the root cause, or choose to live with the problem forever.

[Wilbur]

I disagree Hedley. Crime groups will always find a way to make money. When booze was illegal, they sold booze. When booze became legal, they started selling drugs. If we make marijuana legal, they will expand the sale of hard drugs. If we make all drugs legal, they will move on to some other type of crime. Except for the period of US prohibition, booze has always been legal and drugs were almost entirely legal until the 60's. Prior to prohibition, organized crime made their most of their money through protection rackets (extortion), gambling and prostitution. During prohibition, the focus shifted to the easy booze profits. When prohibition ended, they switched to drug dealing. If drugs are legalized and they loose that source of cash, the lower level gangs will likely return to extortion type crimes and selling blackmarket tax free drugs, booze, and tobacco. More sophisticated groups will put their attention to accelerating and expanding their already growing internet crime operations.

The notion of blacklisting gang members is not as difficult as you might think. Some in the nightclub business, for example, already do this in partnership with police, and some resturants are starting to do the same. Not so much for the good of the community, but rather the simple reality that gang violence in your club or resturant is bad for business. Normal people get scared away. "Barwatch" is one such initiative. The business commits to a "no known gang member" policy. If one shows up, staff politely advise them of their policy and ask them to leave. If they refuse to leave, the police will attend and arrest.

[Doc]

Wilbur....you live in a dream world. Here is what WOULD happen.

Drug dealer/gang member walks into a GM dealer to buy his 'ho a new Caddy. Dealer sends him on his way, after telling him his money is no good here.
GM dealer found floating face down in the river, later that evening.

[Hedley]

Take away a punk's money - and power that flows from it -
and all you're left with is another loser with a knife in a scummy
bar.

Right now, criminals are handsomely rewarded for breaking
the law. This is the legal structure that the government defends.

If criminals didn't make a pile of easy money by breaking the law,
they'd have to get jobs like everybody else.

I know, I know. Too cerebral. Say, didn't Clint's last movie
make a pile of dough? Anyone seen it yet?

[niss]

Take away a punk's money - and power that flows from it -
and all you're left with is another loser with a knife in a scummy
bar.