Visually impaired grandmother stoned, robbed

A visually impaired Winnipeg woman says she was insulted, pelted with stones, which also struck her grandson and service dog, and robbed by a mob of young girls last week.

[Walt]

I hope that the schools in close proximity speak to their students and point out that as young people they should be above picking on those weaker than themselves.

I am sorry, Mrs. Chartrand, that I was not in the area when it happened. I know that girl gangs are robbing women etc and if the bystander was a single woman she may have been scared herself.Knives have been used by them.

[Ace]

What kind of monsters are we raising these days? I can't imagine that sort of insanity going on.The fact that it happened at all is horrible, but when the victim is a visually impaired Grandmother,with her grandchild,and seeing eye dog...It makes my blood boil. Years ago when the north end was getting real bad,guys used vigilante tactics.A van full of capable young men would patrol the streets and help out in cases like this.It was not legal and I don't suggest it.But what is the answer? I wish I knew. Damned sad.

[Walt]

I share your concern and while I don't want vigilante-ism either more community involvement is the only answer. These girls go and tell others what they have done and everyone who holds that secret is guilty of beating that woman if they don't tell the police even if only through Crime Stoppers.

Ace wrote:

What kind of monsters are we raising these days? I can't imagine that sort of insanity going on.The fact that it happened at all is horrible, but when the victim is a visually impaired Grandmother,with her grandchild,and seeing eye dog...It makes my blood boil. Years ago when the north end was getting real bad,guys used vigilante tactics.A van full of capable young men would patrol the streets and help out in cases like this.It was not legal and I don't suggest it.But what is the answer? I wish I knew. Damned sad.

[Ace]

I agree,community involvement is the logical answer. Sadly it seems no one wants to get involved anymore.Gangs and individual acts of violence are everywhere now.I don't pretend to know how to solve it.Europe,especially England has cameras set up that record almost everything on the streets.It seems to work well.I think it's sad so many kids have kids of their own,and have never learned any values to pass on to them.When we lose the family structure,things go bad fast.

[Walt]

Yeah, the big brother is watching you thing. It is a desperate act to go to those lengths. I wonder if the people are even aware, or concerned, about them anymore. Maybe, in some twisted way, they find comfort in them.

As long as those in power can restrict the use to the purpose purported maybe it is one thing but it could also be like opening the barn door and going off to answer a phone in the house. Employers monitoring employees, companies watching patterns etc.

We need some solutions and I am sure some of them lie outside of spying of any form. Getting people gainfully occupied might be one small step.

Ace wrote:

I agree,community involvement is the logical answer. Sadly it seems no one wants to get involved anymore.Gangs and individual acts of violence are everywhere now.I don't pretend to know how to solve it.Europe,especially England has cameras set up that record almost everything on the streets.It seems to work well.I think it's sad so many kids have kids of their own,and have never learned any values to pass on to them.When we lose the family structure,things go bad fast.

[Ace]

I am not an advocate of Government control .The people of London claim to be in favour of cameras and report lowered crime rates after cameras went up.I don't know what to believe. Sadly a lot of muggers consider themselves gainfully occupied as career criminals.Safeguarding our streets seems quite simple,but quickly becomes very complicated as all the details are considered. But everyday the situation gets worse.I think we need to rethink our gun laws.