NOW, AIN'T THAT THE TRUTH?
The following two paragraphs were sent to me in a private email from an old and dear friend who knows whereof she speaks; she might also have added that soon we will be giving smokers free cigarettes:
VANDU overtook Vancouver city council chambers for a
couple of days protesting the gentrification of the DTES and mightily objecting
to the loss of their open air drug market as they claim that the police are
rousting out the drug dealers and they wish to be able to have their drugs
available as they have for years. They object to the increased police
presence as they claim it will cause drug wars and they will have to go in
search of their drugs if it is not available in their neighbourhood.
Preposterous and unbelievable. One might ask, what is next, criminals
objecting to rapists being captured and arrested, drunks objecting to road
blocks and road checks as this might prevent them from committing their crimes
of carnage with their death machine cars.
The DTES continues to practice the circus of the absurd
and governments continue to aid and abet the twisted demented performance by
funding and providing resources into the big vast pit of misery.
1 comment:
David -
I'm disappointed in the one-sided coverage on this issue. I have to question that your friend does not know whereof she speaks.
VANDU is one of many organizations and individuals opposed to unleashed development in the DTES; for a multitude of different reasons - not least is displacement of low-income residents.
The Coalition includes:
Aboriginal Front Door
Carnegie Community Action Project
Citywide Housing Coalition
DTES Neighbourhood Council
DTES Power of Women Group
Gallery Gachet
Streams of Justice
Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users
Western Aboriginal Harm Reduction Society
Endorsed by:
Indigenous Action Movement
Latin-American Collective
Association of Chinese Canadians for Equality and Solidarity Society
Harmony of Nations Drum Group
Longhouse Ministry Church
PHS Community Services Society
Lookout Emergency Aid Society
Purple Thistle
Pivot Legal Society
Vancouver Catholic Worker
Teaching Support Staff Union Social Justice Committee
Mosaic @ the Space
Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood Helpers Project
Council of Senior Citizens Organization of BC
First United Church
Oppenheimer Park Ladies Tea Party
Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter
Impact on Communities Coalition
Spartacus Books
Vancouver Transgender Day of Remembrance Society
Carnegie Community Centre Association
Interfaith Institute for Justice, Peace and Social Movements
Women Elders In Action Society
St. James’ Anglican Church Social Justice Group
Solidarity Notes Labour Choir
End Prohibition Committee
Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood House
Jacob’s Well
PACE Society
Jen’s Kitchen
Western Aboriginal Harm Reduction Society
Vancouver Action
Lifeskills Political Action Group
Fairview Baptist Church Peace and Justice Committee
Teaching Support Staff Union Social Justice Committee
UBC Social Justice Center
UBC Color Connected Against Racism
Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America
The issue is so much bigger than people getting all riled up about drug users. One group spoke from their perspective and of course, that's the comment that takes off like wildfire in the press.
Here are a couple links to articles from a different perspective -
http://themainlander.com/
http://dtesnotfordevelopers.wordpress.com/aboutpantages/#comment-403
Thanks for taking my comment David.
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