NationStates Jolt Archive


Guardian Angels are back for Toronto

Hokan
13-07-2006, 04:14
The extremely controversial vigilante group the "Guardian Angels" are set to walk the streets of Toronto, Ontario in just days.
A group with the purpose of helping to 'police' cities around the world, to enforce where the police are lacking.

The group has tried to enforce Toronto before but as the CBC article notes;
Even though the organization has expanded to 60 cities around the world since it was founded in 1979, The Guardian Angels has yet to establish a Canadian presence other than an administrative office in Toronto.

Weisflock said she joined the group once before, when the Angels made a second bid to gain a foothold in Toronto in the early 1990s.

Before the failed bid in the early 1990s, the group also briefly opened a chapter in Toronto in the mid-1980s — but both attempts spurred the same sort of controversy that has dogged the group elsewhere.

Critics warned that the Guardian Angels were nothing more than posses of vigilantes, with some accusing them of provoking as much crime as they deter. In both bids, the group pulled out after drawing protests from local police and politicians.

Anyway, they are coming at Toronto once again.
Most likely because of all the gun-related deaths within the past year that are brewing there.
However as many people point out;
They aren't police.

Now, mind you, they are an official organization, not just some street bums with chains.
But that still doesn't change the fact that they are people inserting themselves into one of the most important roles of society.
They are taking the law into their own hands.
Could it not be possible that they are going to bring even more violence to the already torn city of Toronto?
Nobody knows what to think for sure but it is certain that they are deploying themselves and people are already getting nervous.

Here they come, the men and women in their red berets..

I personally think they are going to bring more harm than good.
If a community becomes swarmed with men and women acting as if they own the town, would that not spark violence?
This organization was clearly made to combat criminals.

And as Ghandi once said "An eye for an eye would make the whole world go blind"

-------Links-----------
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2006/07/05/guardian-angels.html?ref=rss
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guardian_Angels
-----------------------

Thoughts?
Greill
13-07-2006, 05:05
I do not have any problem with vigilantism, other than its occassional excesses. In fact, I think it is good when the law refuses to do its duties of protecting the people. I think people should do more to provide for one another's defense, instead of being utterly dependent on the police and the law. After all, the police and law can turn bad too, and then who protects the people?

Edit: Side-note, my favorite comic book character is the Punisher.
Si Takena
13-07-2006, 05:26
Perhaps if the Ontario and Canadian governments actually got tough on crime, and let the police do their jobs, then we wouldn't need vigilante groups :rolleyes:
Unlucky_and_unbiddable
13-07-2006, 05:40
If they're not wanted they have no buisness being there.
RomeW
13-07-2006, 06:19
Well, considering that Toronto Police isn't getting a boost any time soon the Guardian Angels just might be a benefit. I'll reserve my judgement until I actually see them in action- they deserve a chance.

I will say that Toronto isn't as unsafe as it's made out to be. Most of the murders in Toronto are gang-related and very rarely do random attacks occur. I lived near Jane/Finch- at York University- for four and a half years and I came out fine: I stayed alert and out of the dark. Common sense really. Toronto isn't scary if you don't let it be.