COVID 19 BE DAMNED, OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM BE DAMNED and OUR POLICE SERVICE BE DAMNED

The shame of it all is that there are excellent police officers, judges, and prosecutors within the system. Unfortunately similar to teachers (in my opinion) the filth, the incompetent and the corrupt are not removed even after multiple complaints, warnings and investigations. The judicial system just like the education system is built to protect all the participants from outside criticism no matter how warranted. By participants I'm referring to the paid members not the parents or children in the education system nor the defendants, plaintiffs or general public in the judicial system. You are on your own including having to pay thousands of dollars in lawyers' fees for the privilege of playing either in the schoolyard against schoolyard bullies such as Board superintendents and other senior administrators or in the legal system whether you appropriately initiated a complaint or whether you've been targeted by either a well off individual or group with an axe to grind. The shame includes the fact that the system exacerbates the ignored or defended bad behaviour of individual members to the degree that it unfortunately tarnishes all the good ones. It is called guilt by association and it doesn't have to be. Vigorous, honest and courageous internal disciplinary systems and measures versus good old boy, blue wall, collegial protectionism and tokenism is desperately needed to stop the erosion of faith and confidence of the public in our various systems.

Waterloo Region has not been spared either police or other judicial members rude, dangerous or disrespectful behaviour towards members of the public. I listed a few incidents of this in my post here two days ago. There are many others some of which have been kept out of the public eye via Confidentiality Clauses in private settlements paid to citizens from public funds. Private settlements based upon police misbehaviour, error, or incompetence.

Last evening thousands of citizens still in the midst of a pandemic put their lives and health on the line for a worthy cause. They marched in downtown Kitchener, Ontario. They marched in solidarity with the protests in the United States over police killing of black citizens and they marched in protest against racism in Canada as well as locally in Waterloo Region. Their signs indicated that they were protesting police brutality and racism across the continent. They marched in order to affirm that Black Lives Matter. My hat goes off to each and every participant. Today's Waterloo Region Record carries the story (and photograph) on their front page titled "Thousands turn up to Black Lives Matter rally".