The news that a 16-year-old boy from Morley had been arrested in connection with the shooting of a German tourist last month has sparked a social media storm of animosity between Cochrane and the neighbouring Stoney Nakoda First Nation. When this incident occurred, some crassly placed bets on where the perpetrator was from, caring more about casting aspersions against an entire community than the well-being of the victim or whether justice would be done. Midway through the investigation, a description of the suspect and an earlier detention of a Cochrane man had turned people's attention away from Morley, but that changed following the latest arrest. As soon as the news hit about where the person was from, the flood gates of bigotry opened. Attack after attack was leveled on Morley including all the tired, ignorant and baseless stereotypes regarding First Nations people that persist because people are too lazy to educate themselves. The double standard of this reaction is glaring, yet too many lack to the personal introspection to grasp it or are too entrenched in their perceptions, which are largely based on ignorance and racism to ever understand. After the first arrest and before the suspect was released without charges, no one blamed Cochrane as a whole for the shooting. There were no ravings about how bad Cochrane's education system is or how the shooter was a product of a failed state leeching off the government. How could there be? No one knew anything about the history of the detainee, his financial status or his previous record. While there is even less information disclosed about the boy arrested, the apparent knowledge of everything from his upbringing to how an entire community is to blame for its collective failures is seemingly common knowledge. There are some who have even decided we should set our legal system back half a century and bring back the death penalty. It is disgusting that anyone would view hanging a 16-year-old as justice. Not to mention there is still the little matter of the case going to court to prove guilt, but the social media lynch mob has already determined our court system is obsolete. The people commenting on this case with such racist, ignorant and foul overtones should be ashamed of themselves. They should also take time to educate themselves on topics of which they obviously have no understanding. We are all citizens and the same province and the same country and we should be working toward betterment for each of us an not working to tear others down. Attacking a group of people, a community and a neighbour for the actions of one individual – especially considering those actions have yet to be proven – is of such low intellect it is baffling that it has to even be said.
