Some things never seem to change much.Before I spent three years living in the east,there were a disturbing series of thefts here in the Calgary area.It seems someone,or perhaps more than one someone,as disturbing as that is to believe,is targeting poppy boxes and the seemingly small amount of change that they collect on the behalf of needy war veterans.This is my first Rememberance Day back in this fine city,and,guess who else is back.Right,the poppy thief.
Sometimes I think Calgary is the meanest city on earth.Lets see if I've got this righgt.Three years ago there was a theft of cash from a poppy box at a certain North Hill restaurant.A waiter chases the thief down,but what do you know,he turns out to be a down on his luck,destitute street person.So of course,the restaurant manager does the right thing and simply allows that individual to keep the stolen money.Makes perfect sense to me.If you want the wolves at the door,just keep putting meat on your front lawn.No wonder the thief is back this year,to the very same restaurant.However well intentioned this restaurants manager may have been,he is simply misguided in a very simple way.A homeless,destitute person?Excuse me!It seems that certain other people don't get it,so let me explain.This homeless destitute person is somehow neither able or willing to obtain the services that are available in this community to his kind?And,of course,he is far more deserving than the veterans who also need the assistance provided by poppy fund donations.
There is a certain,unpopular,admittedly politically incorrect way of discribing those who would rob poppy boxes.The problem here is not homelessness.It's being morally challanged,being destitute of the most rudimentary ethics,of having not one grain of respect for veterans or the society that you live in.This person is not some cute,unfortunate homeless person.He is a predator.
It's a complete shame that theft from poppy boxes cannot be dealt with in the manner that it deserves.This is no ordinary act of theft.It is a complete act of moral indecency.Sadly,the penalty for theft is written into law,and can't be stiffened over a mere matter of disrespect.We could,though at least call the prosecutors office en masse to demand that the thief,if caught,be tried by indictment,as opposed to by summary conviction.Indictment is always at the prosecutors discretion and carries somewhat stiffer penalties,though the move would be largely symbolic.But sadly,there is fat chance of that ever happening in a province that can't even bring rapists to justice fast enough to prevent them from beating their charges.
All of this leaves me with one single question.IS THIS WHAT OUR VETERANS FOUGHT AND DIED FOR?
Sometimes I think Calgary is the meanest city on earth.Lets see if I've got this righgt.Three years ago there was a theft of cash from a poppy box at a certain North Hill restaurant.A waiter chases the thief down,but what do you know,he turns out to be a down on his luck,destitute street person.So of course,the restaurant manager does the right thing and simply allows that individual to keep the stolen money.Makes perfect sense to me.If you want the wolves at the door,just keep putting meat on your front lawn.No wonder the thief is back this year,to the very same restaurant.However well intentioned this restaurants manager may have been,he is simply misguided in a very simple way.A homeless,destitute person?Excuse me!It seems that certain other people don't get it,so let me explain.This homeless destitute person is somehow neither able or willing to obtain the services that are available in this community to his kind?And,of course,he is far more deserving than the veterans who also need the assistance provided by poppy fund donations.
There is a certain,unpopular,admittedly politically incorrect way of discribing those who would rob poppy boxes.The problem here is not homelessness.It's being morally challanged,being destitute of the most rudimentary ethics,of having not one grain of respect for veterans or the society that you live in.This person is not some cute,unfortunate homeless person.He is a predator.
It's a complete shame that theft from poppy boxes cannot be dealt with in the manner that it deserves.This is no ordinary act of theft.It is a complete act of moral indecency.Sadly,the penalty for theft is written into law,and can't be stiffened over a mere matter of disrespect.We could,though at least call the prosecutors office en masse to demand that the thief,if caught,be tried by indictment,as opposed to by summary conviction.Indictment is always at the prosecutors discretion and carries somewhat stiffer penalties,though the move would be largely symbolic.But sadly,there is fat chance of that ever happening in a province that can't even bring rapists to justice fast enough to prevent them from beating their charges.
All of this leaves me with one single question.IS THIS WHAT OUR VETERANS FOUGHT AND DIED FOR?
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