The Dead

Insite status quo feeds 'living dead'
Vancouver Courier
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
To the editor:
Re: "Health Minister cites VPD cop in Insite attack," June 27.
As a former resident, parent and non-profit organizer in Strathcona, it's time to
speak my feelings regarding Insite, which I'm sure will not be popular.
If it is true that addictions are an illness and treated as such and if it is true
that "supervised" injection sites are part of "harm reduction," then Insite
belongs in a medical facility and needs to be part of the process of recovery.
I initiated a non-profit organization dedicated to self-employment, which opened
the first new business on Hastings between Gore and Cambie a few years ago. I
was a resident of Strathcona, my daughter was raised in the community. From
my perspective, institutions such as Insite enable individuals to continue their
dysfunctional lives, provide make-work projects for the power barons who run
conglomerate non-profit organizations and continue to foster the attitude that
illness, abuse and horror is normalized.
I have no way of knowing whether the "scientific" research provided by
supporters of Insite is accurate or skewed. That being said, if Insite is
contributing to lessening the spread of disease and keeping individuals alive, it
belongs in a medical facility such as St. Paul's wherein people who use such a
facility are strongly encouraged to leave their community to receive treatment
as cancer patients are required to do. I feel the same way regarding the NAOMI
trials, which disperses free heroin to addicts.
The Downtown Eastside faces incredible challenges in the next two years, with
$1 million condos embedded amidst even more social housing for the "hard to
house." If there is any plan related to that neighbourhood, one is mystified in
trying to understand what that plan is.
For the life of me, having lived in that 'hood, I see no evidence of any "harm"
being "reduced" in the neighbourhood. The living dead in front of Insite is just
one more "going nowhere" testament to the salaries of the individuals who run
the various organizations dedicated to keeping the status quo in the
community.
Perhaps Insite should continue, but addicts need to understand that, if they are
to be granted a sanctuary to continue their deathwish, then such a "right"
comes with obligations. Their obligation to keep such a place open would be to
leave their community to receive treatment (and it should be considered
treatment), realize that usage of such a service is part of their commitment to
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reevaluate their lives and consider treatment. Otherwise, Insite is an unsightly
and dangerous experiment in enabling the living dead. The people outside the
facility may be animated, but who would call that "living?"
Ruth Meta,
Vancouver
© Vancouver Courier 2008