Trashed by CNN

Okay, I have to take this personally. Miles O'Brian (not my favorite person under normal circumstances) decided to trash Toronto on American Morning. Read here the Toronto Star article about it. He said, "The murder rate in Toronto has doubled this year," Miles O'Brien said. "There's a whole, you know, crime spree underway." Okay, sure the murder rate HAS doubled, that is not wrong, but let's keep things in perspective, folks. The murder rate in Toronto is STILL lower than Vancouver and every other US city of comparable size. So the whole "There's a crime spree underway" comment is simply false, unless you want to call the jump to three burgleries from one a "spree". Yes, violence has increased in Toronto, and these very public murders get a lot of attention, but much of the violence in Toronto is like the violence anywhere else: between people who know each other in a somewhat private arena.

Frankly, a lot of people have been killed up here this year, but the American media has latched onto the Boxing Day murder, I believe, because a cute, white girl was killed. The American media is in love with horrible things happening to pretty white girls. It is as if they are fetishizing the whole thing. Many black people were killed in Toronto this year, but the US didn't pick up on that. I'm not saying that someone getting gunned down at the Eaton Center on a busy shopping day is okay and shouldn't get attention, but I have to wonder if an immigrant had been shot, or a darker-colored person, would the US media have picked up on it? Is it a "crime spree" because white people are in the crossfire? Was the comment in retaliation for Canadian politicians suggesting that this sort of violence is being exported by the US through their music, movies, and general disregard for racial and social inequities that breed this sort of behavior? I have to wonder.

Personally, despite the recent "crime spree", I feel as safe in Toronto as I have felt anywhere. Every major American city I've been in, I've been told of the "bad" neighborhoods. Granted, we have some less-than-picturesque places here, but I've never been warned off of any area. I've never felt threatened by anyone, and many people, even here in Toronto, leave their doors unlocked, especially during the day. It just irritates me that there seems to be some sort of Canadian smear campaign down in the US. The Ambassador said the politicians can't use the relationship with the US as a campaign issue. Excuse me? I'm glad the politicians basically told him to shut up and get lost, as it isn't any of his business. Perhaps the US administration is worried that Canada will become more Liberal? I don't know.

Anyway, my apologies for the rant. If any of you meet Miles O'Brien, kick him for me, please.

Keep on keepin' on.