Comment 39671

By moylek (registered) - website | Posted April 12, 2010 at 11:05:55

I'm not so thrilled with the Code Red series. For one thing, it veers toward the sensational - and occasionally the hysterical - in tone.

For another thing, the articles appear to imply that poverty in a neighbourhood - poverty meaning lack of money in the pockets of the poor or lack of money spent by the governments on services - causes the shocking outcomes (high rates of hospital visits, crime, delinquency; low life expectancy).

Of course poverty is associated with all of these problems. But we can't assume that poverty is always the cause; might not poverty be another outcome of the same underlying problems? So giving money to people or spending money in neighbourhoods might not improve the outcomes much if the root problems remain.

And what are the root problem? I don't know. I expect that few people do or else we would have sovled more of them by now. But I don't think that the problem in 21st century Hamilton is what it was in 19th century Britain - a simple lack of money to feed, clothe and house families leading to disease and death and crime.

I hope (against hope) that the government and the public think hard and carefully about causes and effects after getting over the initial shock. The alternatives are to either grown more callous or to waste more money.

Comment edited by moylek on 2010-04-12 10:08:58

-- Kenneth Moyle Hamilton, Ontario

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