Not in my Backyard

Some local "Christian" hypocrites are opposed to a detox centre being located next to their precious little school. These people have spent years drinking the reefer madness kool-aid and have absolutely no idea how the illegal drug market works. Case in point:

The region has its sights on an 11.7-acre parcel of land southeast of the city for a 24-bed youth stabilization centre for teens with addiction problems. Six of those beds will be for kids who have been ordered into treatment by a judge.

The proposal has raised the ire of some of the parents of the 256 students who attend the Saskatoon Christian School, located next to the site of the proposed detox centre.

Parents are worried youth may wander from the treatment facility to the schoolyard. They're also concerned visitors to the centre will include drug dealers, enabling the youth to use drugs while in treatment.

No self-respecting drug dealer needs to recruit users at a detox center. They recruit themselves.

Luckily for me, an excellent response appeared in the Star Phoenix today.

Christian parents' opposition to youth detox centre absurd
The StarPhoenix
Published: Thursday, April 12, 2007

Re: School parents group opposes location of youth detox centre (SP, March 29). I cannot believe that a group of Christians would be part of a "not in my backyard" group.

For these parents to oppose a treatment center for youth who've lost their way and are attempting to better their lives just because the proposed location is next to their precious private school is ridiculous and hypocritical.

I was raised in a religious family and was taught always to "love thy neighbour as thyself."

The parents are afraid the detox center will bring an "unwanted element" to their location and their children will be exposed to drugs. It's laughable. I am sure that a detox centre would be rigorously policed for this sort of thing.

If these parents want to raise their children in a sterile and completely safe environment, they are sadly deluded. Their children are in for a rude awakening when they graduate to the real world.

All around us we see church youth groups going to South America and other Third World countries to help the less fortunate and to spread their faith. Yet, somehow we cannot help the less fortunate in our own backyard. How Christian is that?

These people need to rethink their position and the bad publicity it is causing for the entire Christian community.

I have lived for 15 years and raised a family within a mile of Yarrow Youth Farm and Red Willow Treatment Centre and no-one is any worse for it.

If there were a proposal to expand Red Willow to include a teen detox centre, I'd welcome it. At least the clients there are trying to make their lives better.

Randy W. Klingenberg

Saskatoon

Thanks for writing this, Randy. Christian hypocrisy should be called out as often as possible.