The effect of Habitat for Humanity on St. Albert has been discussed at length — crime will increase or lower-income undesirables will influence children. If the poor aren’t here yet and money apparently insulates us, what reasons can the upstanding citizens of this city give for the current displays of thoughtlessness, carelessness and illegal activity in our own front yards?
Somehow it became a good idea for a group of teenagers to drive through St. Albert and take pictures of my son while he was playing in the front yard. They stopped, called out to and laughed at a child, took pictures with a pink cell phone and scurried away like the cowards that they are. My nephew is special needs, does not talk and was simply jumping on a trampoline. To laugh at and photograph an unknown, vulnerable child is one of the most disgusting displays of a lack of compassion and poor parenting that I have ever witnessed.
After his impromptu photo shoot, my son came inside, managed to indicate that people said things but couldn’t say what and has been in his room ever since. He definitely knows that something was said that he didn’t like. Shame on the teenagers.
There are two general reactions to St. Albert — the people are really nice or people from St. Albert think that they are better than everyone else. Apparently in this case, the latter is true. What parents taught their children that it is OK to harass other people? What community tolerates children who have no compassion or regard for other people and their rights? You may think that I am laying blame where it doesn't belong; you are wrong. Someone had to teach these people how to act in society. The insulation of money has taught them intolerance, stupidity and little else.
To the teenagers who laughed at and took pictures of a special needs child, here are some words of wisdom that might help you become a moderately decent human being. Cardinal Roger Mahony wrote, "Any society, any nation, is judged on the basis of how it treats its weakest members — the last, the least, the littlest." From your display today, I don’t want to live in your society. To the parents of these children, if you have no idea how to instil compassion and respect for other people, you should have not had children. You can blame their friends, but the blame is ultimately yours because you raised children who bow to the peer pressure of idiots.
As a city, we feel and act apart from Edmonton. We shake our heads when injustice is reported. We should look much closer to home and see that St. Albert is the same. We may never know who took the pictures. We can guarantee that if they ever surface, you will be prosecuted and money, your parents and St. Albert can't protect you from what is right and just in a civilized society.
Nicola Quilliam, St. Albert
