Physician, heal thyself.
Admiral James T. Kirk says this line to Dr. McCoy after the doctor is ‘injured’ in a cadet training exercise called the Kobayashi Maru in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
And besides being part of what I feel is great exchange between Star Trek’s immortal characters (yes I’m a geek), I feel those three words are something that everyone should take to heart.
Later on in, on Page A7 you will read a letter from Karen Cartwright who is concerned about the amount of crime in our community.
Yes, crime is an issue here in Barrhead just like it is everywhere else, although I am not sure if I agree that it is out of control.
If you talk to most RCMP officers they will tell you the cause of crime is the result of bigger societal problems. Drug addiction, mental health issues and poverty are right at the top of the list.
In Star Trek II, the hero, Admiral Kirk, says he doesn’t believe in ‘no win’ scenarios, just before being transported from the middle of an asteroid to save the day.
Unfortunately, in life there are often situations that are not winnable.
However, that doesn’t mean we should give up. While we may never actually win against the issues that are the root cause of crime, we certainly can make a dent in them. Cartwright suggests that we bring back organizations and programs such as Neighbourhood Watch and night patrols. In the County of Barrhead we already have one of these organizations, Rural Crime Watch.
These types of programs are a good start, but they are only a small fraction of the organizations that are out there.
We should look for other ways to help reduce or prevent crime, thinking outside of the box — look for opportunities to volunteer with organizations that help people deal with issues that lead to criminal activity. A good first step would be to visit the Barrhead and District FCSS which keeps a list of local volunteer opportunities.
In her letter Cartwright said not to accept ‘there is no solution’ from the people who are in charge and it is time to take charge.
I agree, and what a better place to start than by looking at how you can make the world a better place. As Admiral Kirk says, ‘Physician heal thyself.’
