Data is true, Victoria has a problem with violence
Re: Head + Ass = Statistics, Dec. 22-28
Congrats, Grant, on an excellent first year @ the helm of Monday: great job! I must disagree with your editorial, however. As the venerable Bertrand Russell once urged, we must not use data to suit our purposes, even when we feel it is for the 'greater good.' Indeed, it often seems institutions with vested interests use stats to prove whatever conclusion they want. But in the case of Victoria's terrible showing in per capita violence, this time the data is true.
Not just the recent rash of 'horrific crimes,' but just about any weekend downtown is chalk full of fights, aggression, and intimidation. This is what happens, I suppose, when a suburban community sprouts up artifically because of a few instantly-manufactured institutions like UVic, without going through centuries-old growing pains like most more-easterly cities, mixed with a downtown the dimensions of a shoebox. Remember, this is yahoo cowboy country where fair treaties have yet to be agreed upon with First Nations, and politicians are in scandalous cahoots with their logging/development relatives. We should not be afraid, but we should admit Victoria has a problem with violence.
Kenji Fuse, Saanich