PUT THE HOMELESS IN PRISON, NOT SHELTERS

Re: "Downtown crackdown draws fire: Critics say increased enforcement
will move the problem, not solve it," by Steve Magusiak, City, June
15-21, 2006.

If nothing else we can all agree that the homeless problem is one of
the most horrific problems of the modern age. I think we can also all
agree that the problem is getting worse, and for those of us who work
and live in the downtown core, I think it is safe to say we are
getting pretty freaking sick of it.

Enough! No more shelters for the homeless. And for God's sake quit
with the "we need more social workers in the field" crap! No, we
don't. Here is what we need, speaking from the point of view of a
taxpaying citizen: arrest, imprison and educate (while in the prison
system). We have tried it the "bleeding heart liberal" way and guess
what? It doesn't work. So, like our parents said when we were bad
boys and girls, "this punishment is for your own good." And, while it
may not be for their good, it certainly is for the rest of us.

Dermot Baldwin of the Calgary Drop-In Centre states, "I think it will
have a significant effect, but not for the positive." He is speaking
of the City of Calgary and Calgary Police Services cracking down on
the homeless and crackheads. Arresting and jailing homeless
crackheads is a positive step in my book. He goes on to say, "I have
never seen an addict cured because he has been punished and put in
prison." Mr. Baldwin, the revolving door you call treatment, I call a
waste of time and money. Maybe going to prison won' t cure their
addictions, but I don't care. They (addicted homeless and crackheads)
have two problems: (1) they are addicted to drugs, (2) they are
becoming violent and out of control. We as a society cannot cure
their addiction, only they can do that. However, we as a society can
cure their violent tendencies.

It is time that this city stop pandering to the bleeding heart
minority and take care of its law-abiding, good-hearted and decent
people. Putting the problem in a room and locking the door for a
couple of years may not cure them, but be damned with them, let's
protect everyone who is not homeless, addicted to drugs and violent.

David Roddie

Calgary