Toronto the Good? - by Jon

Huge life news this week, but I'm going to hold off on writing about it for a while - want to let some thoughts settle, first. Here's what's on my mind, lately:

The nickname "Toronto the Good" is apparently derived from Toronto's historic reputation as a bastion of Victorian-era morality. I'm sure it's also a nickname that's getting tossed around sarcastically this week, as the city got word of what must surely be the most public homicide in the city's history.

(For the record, I frequent this stretch of highway almost daily - it's on my route to work. I was in Kingston when this all went down, which was fortunate, because my work schedule would have almost certainly got me stuck in the traffic catastrophe that followed.)

Police aren't sure at this point what exactly happened... did Dayne Rose jump from the car to avoid getting shot, but was cut down anyway? Was he shot in the car, and dumped onto the busiest highway in the country in a bizarre public display? Who was in the Lexus? Was it gang-related? A jealous lover? How could this happen in broad daylight?

If the thought crosses my mind that Mr. Rose must surely be a criminal, does it make me cynical? Or worse, racist? Or does common sense tell us that humble, law-abiding citizens don't get riddled with bullets and dumped on the 401 for all to watch in grim horror? Am I blaming the victim?

Oddly enough, any mainstream media I've read on the subject, be it from the Star, the Globe and Mail or the Sun (*shudder*)...

Wait, strike that thought. The Globe is the first to tell us whether Mr. Rose was "known to police," that most polite, print-friendly indicator of criminality.

Pardon my just-world hypothesis. But if Mr. Rose didn't deserve it, then such a thing could happen to anyone... and who wants to face that thought?

Enough musings about a brazen daylight killing. A closing thought:

Why is this my favourite song, lately? No idea, but it's damned catchy.