So, I start my week, if it was possible, being even happier that I don't live in the greater Toronto area. It appears that the GTA is a great place to be a bully and a thug.. but not so good if you're a bright kid trying to succeed.
As reported in the Toronto Sun today, after being threatened and harassed throughout high school - with neither the school or police offering any refuge, Rob Scorcia felt his life was hardly worth living. He was depressed, he contemplated suicide.. after raising complaint after complaint, the thug would be suspended from school only to return and continue his intimidation and threats - egging Rob's car and his family's cars.. and still, no refuge, no credible support for Scorcia.. the final straw coming when the bully called Scorcia's mother and said:
"How would you like your throat slit?" ..how would you like your throat slit ear to ear?"
Scorcia finally snapped. He grabbed a pellet gun, and found the bully and threatened him, telling him to leave him and his family alone.
The result - predictably in Toronto - a charge and now conviction for using an imitation handgun in the commission of a robbery. And a minimum one year in jail. And a conviction that will follow him for the rest of his life.
What came of the bully that the Ontario Crown so ably defended.. well, it appears that in his second day of college this year he was charged with sexual assault on another female student.. and another charge of robbery after kicking and spitting on another male student, demanding his property.
Just a thought - without in any way minimizing the importance of reducing domestic violence - if you think that the Courts, the Police and the Crown would have tolerated this continual history of harassment and threats where it a domestic situation - you're dreaming.
Again - our Country, and in particular, the lovely pink left side of the Country in the GTA shows that the problems of the decent, the extreme "normal" in society have no lobby. Maybe Rob should have said he was gay. Maybe then someone would have taken notice. Too bad, he was just a bright, motivated young white male. Sorry Rob, we have no government program to support those who take care of themselves.
Here's a thought - I've noticed a few firms in Toronto who seem to enjoy showing the good they do with their pro bono (free) work.. perhaps one of them might step up and help Rob and his family..
Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP - they seem very committed to many causes - perhaps they could spend a few hours helping out an atypical cause - people who normally ask society for nothing.
McCarthy Tétrault - they profess that "on both the national and local levels, we support a number of civic, health and social causes that contribute to community building and improvement" - maybe they could use their efforts to help someone who needs help, but who falls in a demographic not typically addressed by charitable work - the average, normal, contributing members of society.
How about the University of Toronto - founder of Pro Bono Students Canada.. maybe they could lend a hand?
Maybe someone could undertake giving Rob a hand on his appeal and, while they're at it - how about a negligence suit against the High School he attended for failing to just expell the loser bully at the first opportunity, and perhaps the Police for failing to exercise the same dilligence I'm sure they employ in protecting women from domestic violence and harrassment?
2 comments:
Reminds me of a bit out of Mein Kamph - prosecute the innocent and let the guilty go free. The idea was that by so doing, the people were enraged over these actions and did not pay attention to the bands of steel control that were being applied to the populace.
Lord.. wouldn't that be something.. let's make it very clear that you can't protect yourself, so you have to rely upon "us" to protect you..
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