Last weekend, someone placed a hose in the attic of a home in Bradner, and turned on the water.
The flood caused the ceiling to collapse, resulting in what could costs tens of thousands of dollars to repair.
It’s an act of mischief – illegal and punishable under the Criminal Code of Canada.
Under virtually any circumstance, such action wouldn’t be considered by otherwise law-abiding citizens, and to do so would be widely decried and condemned.
However, because this is the current home of a convicted child sex offender, some people actually think the act was justified in an effort to drive him out.
They are wrong; just as wrong as the misguided person(s) who think a criminal act is a justifiable means to an end.
This is vigilantism, pure and simple.
It cannot be condoned or supported.
Yes, parents in the area are fearful and resentful of James Conway’s presence among their children. That is entirely understandable.
They are correct in their assertion that laws need to be changed. Child sex offenders should not be allowed to live in the close proximity of kids.
Abbotsford’s mayor agrees, and city hall is taking measures to move Conway out on the basis that the home is not zoned correctly for the purpose of housing released inmates.
That process may take time, and it will take much longer to pressure lawmakers into changing the existing system.
Yet, that is how a lawful, democratic society must operate.
When individuals start to take the law into their own hands, and decide who has rights and who does not – regardless of their motivation – it undermines the foundation of the order, safety and security of all.