We have a gang problem in Melbourne. Yet, we have a reluctance on behalf of the Police to define the problem as gang related. We have a community leader justifying criminal behaviour as kids just being kids.
People are not stupid and whilst they may not also believe the written word it’s very hard to deny the videos that have been widely shared of street gangs and criminal activity.
The latest episode a few days ago prompted Detective Inspector Pannell to say “I wouldn't call them a gang, no, they're a collective group of individuals who know each other.” That is PC garbage. Perhaps DI Pannell should familiarise himself with the dictionary.
DEFINITION GANG: a group of persons working to unlawful or antisocial ends; especially: a band of antisocial adolescents.
I don’t get hung up on words because far too often they’re used as attack weapons. But in this case I’m making an exception. A group of 100 people coming together to fight = gangs. Groups of people invading houses and places of business to assault and rob = gangs. Groups of people invading a house party = gangs. They are not collectives they are gangs.
Even more alarming are comments made by the Federation of South Sudanese Associations chairman Kenyatta Dei Wal. He said the youths’ behaviour was “the kind of thing that most young people do”. '(It was) young people who are just behaving as young people and making stupid choices,' he said. 'There's nothing significant about it.'
That’s an appalling thing for a community leader to say. These thugs were fighting, hurling rocks and abusing police. They also damaged a police car smashing windows. Police told locals to stay inside and lock their doors for their own safety. That’s not young people making stupid choices.
So no Mr Dei Wal that is NOT the ‘kind of thing’ young people do in Australia.
From all accounts most those taking part in the criminal gang behaviour are Australian born of Sudanese heritage. With views like Kenyatta Dei Wal I can understand why these thugs run riot. No control, no discipline and, community leaders failing to set acceptable standards.
Whilst police and community leaders trivialize gang behaviour in not calling it out for what it is or not charging offenders they’re basically saying the behaviour is OK. Whilst community leaders write it off as kids being kids they are also doing these young people a disservice. People in authority should be setting the example, making expectations clear and ensuring appropriate punishment for offenders. In other words helping these young people to become responsible adults.
Whilst police and community leaders trivialize gang behaviour in not calling it out for what it is or not charging offenders they’re basically saying the behaviour is OK. Whilst community leaders write it off as kids being kids they are also doing these young people a disservice. People in authority should be setting the example, making expectations clear and ensuring appropriate punishment for offenders. In other words helping these young people to become responsible adults.
If you mention the word Sudanese, you risk being labelled a racist. Well, if questioning the behaviour of some groups within our society makes me a racist so be it. If we believe in the right to express an opinion about things that concern us then we must continue to fight for that right.
I don’t believe all people of different races are bad or inferior. I am very deliberate in my communication not to condemn on mass which doesn’t always please true racists. But, that doesn’t alter the fact that some groups within specific races are bad and that includes groups within my country Australia.
When I state Australian born youths of Sudanese background running riot is not acceptable, that’s a fact. The vast majority are of that background and it’s certainly NOT acceptable. We don’t see gangs of white Australian born or Chinese, Malay or Indian Australian born (as an example) youths running riot, bashing, robbing or terrorising people.
In fact we don’t see gangs of youths of Sudanese background running riot in any other capital city either. This is a specific problem to Melbourne and the Sudanese community in Melbourne. We must be given the right and the freedom to ask why that is & what is going to be done to fix it. I don’t consider that racist.
