And now:[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 12:16:02 -0400
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
From: Lynne Moss-Sharman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: how genocide works in Thunder Bay; why the court house and
jail are an industry
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
BOOZE CANS ARE KILLING OJIBWAY CHILDREN
>>><><<<
Constable Frank Beda wouldn't say booze cans are a top priority, but said
90% of problems police attend to are alcohol related.
>>><><<<
"I've contacted police about booze cans and I get the impression that
they're not going to do anything about it," said Linda. "If the authorities
aren't going to do anything who can?"
>>><><<<
Booze with no controls
Underground liquor sales are illegal and unsafe
Sexual assault among booze can risks
Chronicle Journal Kimberly Hicks
Thunder Bay October 10, 1999
Tara can still taste the flavour of rubbing alcohol from a brief outing at a so-called
booze can last March. It was her first time at such an illegal, unlicensed, drinking
establishment and in the few hours she spent drinking there it almost killed her. The
15 year old Thunder Bay high school student was introduced to that booze can, which
ioperated in a south-side city house, by some school friends. The tiny dark-haired
girl, who had a scared look in her eye when she discussed her experience, was offered
a clear drink in a small tea-cup style glass on that night back in March. "I thought
it was moonshine, but it was really rubbing alcohol. I don't drink hard stuff so I
didn't realize what it tasted like," said Tara, whose name has been changed to protect
her identity. The drink wasn't mixed and even though it tasted awful she continued to
drink it - six cups of it. The next thing she knew, she had blacked out and was taken
home by a girlfriend.
She was up all night throwing up and felt even worse the next day. When a friend
checked her pulse and could barely find it because it was so weak, she was rushed to
the hospital. "The doctors only found rubbing alcohol in my system. There was no other
alcohol. My insides were bleeding. I was throwing up blood and they kept giving me
needles to make my tummy and my head feel better," said Tara. "I almost died." Tara
said she learned to never again drink another open drink mixed by someone she doesn't
know and said she has never been to another booze can since. It didn't scare her
enough to quit drinking. Other underage drinkers continue to frequent illegal booze
selling operations in the city.
Booze cans are ususally an outlet for drinking after bars are closed and for
purchasing liquor and cases of beer when stores are closed. Donna, whose real identity
has also been protected, has been frequenting booze cans since the age of 13. She's
only 15 today and the thin, soft-spoken teen has been sober for three months.
She was at the booze can the same night Tara ended up in the hospital with alcohol
poisoning. She describes the drink as a mixture of nail polish remover and rubbing
alcohol that was being given out for free that evening.
"We were all drunk so we just drank it even though it tasted funny," said Donna. "I
would take a sip and then drink a lot of water afterwards. It was really strong and
made a lot of people sick and hung over for two days. I could taste it in my mouth for
two days." Donna said the proprietor of the booze can once gave her booze for three
days straight. She said she drank that time until she felt herself "blacking out".
She woke up with her clothes on differently, soreness in her vaginal area and a faint
recollection of being sexually assaulted. She can't prove it, but feels that she was
violated. "He's taking advantage of young girls," Donna said of the operator of the
booze can she attended.[?? attended?] "It's bad enough we have an alcohol problem,
but thenhe has to take advantage of us."
Donna wants booze cans shut down, for personal reasons and because it makes alcohol
more accessible, especially to minors. Her alcohol problems led her to a series of
drinking related offences, being kicked out of school and serious weight loss.
"I hit rock bottom. I thought I was trying to have fun, but I was just getting into
trouble," said Donna. "Nobody respected me and they called me a drunk."
She has seen youths as young as age 11 drinking at booze cans, teenagers passed out on
couches because they're too sick to get home and young people stealing to buy booze at
these after hours drinking establishments. [??after hours drinking establishments??]
Donna believes she wouldn't have dropped as low as she did if booze cans didn't make
beer so accessible at $2.50 a bottle. "I just wanted the police to get a hold on booze
cans and I want the community to know so they can drive them out."
She quit drinking three months ago and is spending more time doing volunteer work and
developing hobbies to replace drinking ... and her dark eyes brighten when she begins
describing the dress she is sewing for dancing.
EASY LIQUOR, VICIOUS CIRCLE
Booze cans exacerbate alcohol abuse
A more serious police crackdown on illegal booze selling operations is needed if we
want a chance at tackling youth alcoholism, says a native councillor. Vern Kimball
works with students at St. Patrick's High School and has also been employed in the
criminal court system. In both jobs he has seen a continuous cycle that starts with
alcohol. Kimball said native students from the Far North often can't keep up with
their classes and end up missing school and taking up drinking. Eventually they get
into a pattern of late night drinking and missing school and can't keep up their level
of concentration. They often turn to crime, living on the streets and end up facing
charges.
The cycle continues, said Kimball, who has heard too many stories from students about
the illegal booze selling operations known as booze cans. "Kids drop out of school,
stay out all night long, have nowhere to stay and become street kids. Booze cans are
contributing to that kind of lifestyle. They're making money and taking advantage of
kids. When I hear that it gets me really angry inside. It bothers me."
Kimball said 50 native students surveyed about problems they face going to school in a
new community all listed alcohol and drugs as one of their top five problems. Booze
cans have also been connected with violence. Last year one man was stabbed, another
was threatened at knife point and two others were assaulted at a booze can at 127
Cumming St. This took place during a theft of beer, liquor and a stereo. Neighbourhood
police officers have referred to problem booze cans in the McKellar, Bay-Algoma,
Simpson Street and Ogden-East End areas in their reports to the Police Services Board.
In February 1998 Const. Diane MacLaurin monitored a bootlegging operation at 509 Wiley
Street. An investigation of this operation led to two liquor and four criminal code
charges. At the same a quantity of liquor and restricted weapons were seized.
Const. Frank Beda said booze cans are tough to close down and often accepted by
neighbours as "a bar". "There is a tolerance level to them," said the Bay-Algoma
neighbourhood constable. It's awfully tough as a police officer, said Beda, to even
fget in to one of these illegal booze operations. "They just don't let anybody in"
said Beda, who has on at least one occasion managed to collect enough evidence from
purchasers of booze to obtain a warrant.
>>><><<<
Constable Frank Beda wouldn't say booze cans are a top priority, but said
90% of problems police attend to is alcohol related.
>>><><<<
Operators can face fines of up to $5000 if charged, but some booze cans can make
upwards of $1000 a night selling a case of beer for double the price sold in the Beer
Store. Const. Ken Lewis is the neighbourhood police officer in the Simpson Street area
where he guesses there are about four booze cans who cater to underage and hard core
drinkers.
Lewis said booze cans definitely contribute to getting young people hooked on
drinking. He has picked up minors passed out in back alleys and taken others to the
hospital with alcohol poisoning. "They (operators) don't care how much you drink, as
long as you've got the money," said Lewis, adding that users can also be slapped with
a $125 fine for purchasing booze at an illegal facility.
David, 17, isn't a drinker but has seen friends practically destroy their lives
because of alcohol. "Booze cans are a big problem," said David, whose identity is
being protected. "Some have been taken advantage of sexually, some have drank homemade
alcohol and have had alcohol poisoning because of mixtures that weren't safe." He has
known friends to steal money for booze and steal brand name clothing right off of
clotheslines just to "get a buzz on booze."
Booze cans, said David, make purchasing alcohol more accessible to underage drinkers.
"It's an easy way to get drunk."
There's no easy solution to getting rid of booze cans but Kimball believes it must
start at the community level. "The police, the community, community organizations have
to come together and work to make it difficult for these places to operate," said
Kimball. "We shouldn't wait for young kids to come out and get them in trouble but
work on closing the houses (where booze cans are) down. The new ones are catering to
youth." Kimball said it has to start with neighbours. "Neighbours of booze cans can't
ignore the problem. They should care because it could be their child," he said.
Educating the public about booze cans and what they are is a start.
Linda, a single parent whose daughter has attended booze cans isn't quite as
sympathetic. She wants police to make shutting down booze cans a top priority. "I've
contacted police about booze cans and I get the impression that they're not going to
do anything about it," said Linda. "If the authorities aren't going to do anything who
can?"
"Let Us Consider The Human Brain As
A Very Complex Photographic Plate"
1957 G.H. Estabrooks
www.angelfire.com/mn/mcap/bc.html
FOR K A R E N #01182
who died fighting 4/23/99
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.aches-mc.org
807-622-5407
