The mayor of Calgary says the rise in local gun violence and hate crimes must be addressed and that it is time for the public to better demand their elected officials.
Mayor Jyoti Gondek posted a series of Twitter posts Wednesday morning following a shooting at a school in Uvalde, Texas, which left at least 19 children and two adults dead, in which he condemned political inaction and radical partisanship that have served as a breeding ground. for hatred.
“You may think these are far-reaching issues that don’t affect you,” Gondek said on Twitter. “You may think it’s not a matter of people like me intervening in these matters. Maybe you think these things could never happen here. Stop and check your assumptions.
“Our own security issues, armed violence and hate crimes need to be addressed by policymakers. This is only successful by abandoning partisanship and focusing on the people we serve collectively. to collaborate widely for a stronger society.
“Radical partisanship and dangerous ideologies will not lead us to a just society; political extremism will only fail us all. Especially among elected officials, clinging to outdated troops and rhetoric is a lost game.
“It’s up to us all to demand better.”
Gondek says he “has no quick answers or solutions,” but “will continue to lead with humility and compassion,” and that “we must be united in our pursuit of a just society.”
2 / Have you shed tears and been horrified by the news of downtrodden children, of a religious community that is the target of a gunman and of black people dying at the hands of an armed racist? Now ask if your elected officials felt the same way.
– Jyoti Gondek (@JyotiGondek) May 25, 2022