Re: 鈥淚 have a right to feel unsafe,鈥� letter, Feb. 16.
With sensitive regard for the 鈥渞ight鈥� to feel unsafe on the part of the writer, I am appalled at the correlation of people who have mental-health issues with rare acts of violence in Victoria.
I have a 鈥渞ight鈥� to feel unsafe when people such as the writer assume that mental-health issues lead to street violence, such as the stabbing referred to. I have a right to feel 鈥渦nsafe鈥� whenever police officers profile me in public using that same reasoning.
That written, Victoria Police Chief Del Manak deserves everything he asks for in municipal budgets.
Violent crime is rare in Victoria, and I suggest the writer of such a letter justifying a feeling of 鈥渦nsafe-ness鈥� should look to his/her own circle of friends and relations. Everybody knows the most intimate of crimes (murder) is committed by someone with whom the victim is involved.
Manak is well aware of this, which is why he is asking for more funds to help manage the population of folk with mental-health issues from becoming so desperate as to attack a stranger.
He should get his funding. If the aforementioned writer feels unsafe, then he/she should just stay home.
John O鈥機arroll
View Royal
