THUNDER BAY – EDITORIAL – A lady I know was the victim of an egging earlier this week. This is a part of a game that some very misguided people in our city play where mea-sprited people drive by Aboriginal people who are walking on the sidewalk, and throw things at them from their car. It is a game played by cowards who have let their mixed up racist views overtake their humanity.
Whether it is called “Spoons” or whatever these misguided individuals call it, these senseless acts of personal attack are is something that needs to stop.
Through the Aboriginal Cultural Association offices at Lakehead University comes information that “There have been many reports of items being thrown out of windows of passing vehicles to Aboriginal Youth walking on the street. As a result, Thunder Bay Police has assigned an incident number which is to be quoted when making reports to Thunder Bay Police – Incident # P11027242. It is encourages to report all such incidences and quote this number”.
This is not a recent development, last year, another person I know was walking along Red River Road. A group of people drove by and threw a spoon at him, hitting him in the cheek and slicing him open. Another nine-year old girl, last winter was the victim of another of the drive-by eggings. She was wearing her new winter jacket, and was both sad, and honestly unable to understand why people would throw eggs at her.
Earlier this spring, when a famous fast food chain was offering free coffee, it was hot scalding cups of coffee thrown at people. It is incredible that people in what we all would like to call a civilized society would treat fellow human beings like that!
Its beyond sick. It is positive to see action coming from the Thunder Bay Police Service. According to some, it has been a long time coming.
Victims are left wondering what is wrong with our city, and with people. The racism is in effect not just assault, but it borders on being a potential hate crime.
That young girl is not alone in not being able to understand why anyone would throw eggs, hot scalding coffee, spoons, or anything else at people walking along our streets.
We live in a wonderful community with many benefits we all can share and enjoy. The kinds of people doing acts of hate and vandalism are making our community look bad, not only in our eyes, but in the eyes of a growing online audience of people.
The lady who was egged earlier this week is left wondering what is wrong with our city that this goes on.
We all should.
That of course is just my opinion, as always your mileage may vary.
James Murray