5 off-duty officers among bikers in SUV incident

[Crashed~N2~Me 970]

That's the problem, you can go though those places unscathed. It doesn't matter what color you are, crime is crime. Your line of thought is why folks think they can't go to black or hispanic poor neighborhoods.

Sorry Marvin...I wish you are right....but, you're not. Poor neighborhoods have higher crime rates...right? & it don't matter if it's a poor Black, poor Hispanic, poor Asian or poor White neighborhood...I would be a target ...period.

Not every1 in those neighborhoods are predators...of course not....but there are more predators in poor hoods than richer demographics. The odds of me being a victim of crime are higher in poor hoods.

Edited October 8, 2013 by Crashed~N2~Me

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Sorry Marvin...I wish I could take your word for it....but, it's not true. Poor neighborhoods have higher crime rates...right? & it don't matter if it's a poor Black, poor Hispanic, poor Asian or poor White neighborhood...I would be a target ...period.

Not every1 in those neighborhoods are predators...of course not....but there are more predators in poor hoods than richer demographics. The odds fof me being a victim of crime are higher in poor hoods.

I've lived in St Louis for over 20 years, it's in the top five of most dangerous cities in the US, number 1 for a few years until Michigan knocked us off. I never got robbed. And there were plenty of white folks that live there and go the places I go, and they don't get robbed.

Every place has a dodgy area, and in East St. Louis it's as bad as it gets. But you know what? There are a few white guys in my job that live there. They say the same thing, don't be a victim. It's not about the color, it's about the way you carry yourself.

[Crashed~N2~Me 970]

They say the same thing, don't be a victim. It's not about the color, it's about the way you carry yourself.

I totally agree.

(but) Ask a Q = Why do so many poor neighborhoods have many houses with iron bars on their windows & iron gates on their doors?

Edited October 8, 2013 by Crashed~N2~Me

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

I totally agree.

(but) Ask a Q = Why do so many poor neighborhoods have many houses with iron bars on their windows & iron gates on their doors?

Because crime is high, not because the crooks are black.

[Crashed~N2~Me 970]

Because crime is high, not because the crooks are black.

That's my point. I may have not communicated it very clear...but that's exactly the point I'm trying to make.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

That's my point. I may have not communicated it very clear...but that's exactly the point I'm trying to make.

It's like any other place, you know where to go and not to go at the right time.

[Crashed~N2~Me 970]

It's like any other place, you know where to go and not to go at the right time.

When I was in PI...while sitting on the porch of his house - I asked my father in-law - "if our car broke down...& I had to hoof it the 5 miles back to town...would I make it safely?"...He smiled & said..."Probably not"..."Why?" ..."Coz some1 would rob you & maybe hurt or kill you"..."am I safe here in this Barangay?"..."Yes. Coz you are protected by us"....

So...here in the states...where should I not go?

And as a society ...can we fix it? should we? & how?

The John Lennon "dreamer" in me says yes... & fix it with = Education, Jobs, Community / Civic development , & free sh!t.

The pessimist in me says - Fck 'em! Save yourself & let them die off.

The realist in me says - the let them die strategy has never bought a permanent solution. Eventually they would come looking to kill me instead.

I wonder how much crime is reduced by SNAP.....

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

When I was in PI...while sitting on the porch of his house - I asked my father in-law - "if our car broke down...& I had to hoof it the 5 miles back to town...would I make it safely?"...He smiled & said..."Probably not"..."Why?" ..."Coz some1 would rob you & maybe hurt or kill you"..."am I safe here in this Barangay?"..."Yes. Coz you are protected by us"....

So...here in the states...where should I not go?

And as a society ...can we fix it? should we? & how?

The John Lennon "dreamer" in me says yes... & fix it with = Education, Jobs, Community / Civic development , & free sh!t.

The pessimist in me says - Fck 'em! Save yourself & let them die off.

The realist in me says - the let them die strategy has never bought a permanent solution. Eventually they would come looking to kill me instead.

I wonder how much crime is reduced by SNAP.....

The same places I wouldn't go. Your skin color doesn't make you any less of a target.

Society says they want to fix it, but in reality they don't. My grandfather is 94 years old. To say the least he has seen some things. I took him to breakfast this weekend and asked about what we debate here all the time. He said take a look at the black neighborhoods, no support, no police, no city help. We are expected to police ourselves, fix every problem with no help, and not complain. We elect black officials who only take the job because no one else wants it. And it takes more than an idea and a slogan to fix decades of problems.

[Crashed~N2~Me 970]

The same places I wouldn't go. Your skin color doesn't make you any less of a target.

Society says they want to fix it, but in reality they don't. My grandfather is 94 years old. To say the least he has seen some things. I took him to breakfast this weekend and asked about what we debate here all the time. He said take a look at the black neighborhoods, no support, no police, no city help. We are expected to police ourselves, fix every problem with no help, and not complain. We elect black officials who only take the job because no one else wants it. And it takes more than an idea and a slogan to fix decades of problems.

Cool story about your Grandfather.

(but) Let's back up - My skin color doesn't make me less.. I think in some places it makes me more of a target. I'm not stating it guarantees an attack.. but it increases the possibility.

Surely there are places that would make you feel inhibited / uncomfortable / unsafe bcoz of your skin color. Same goes for me.

You say skin color has nothing to do with it?...I say let's test the theory - let's send Gary (unarmed) into the Blackest hood you can think of ...have him walk around for a few hours & see what happens...I'll bring the Beer & Digi-Cam..you bring the Pizza and body bag.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Cool story about your Grandfather.

(but) Let's back up - My skin color doesn't make me less.. I think in some places it makes me more of a target. I'm not stating it guarantees an attack.. but it increases the possibility.

Surely there are places that would make you feel inhibited / uncomfortable / unsafe bcoz of your skin color. Same goes for me.

You say skin color has nothing to do with it?...I say let's test the theory - let's send Gary (unarmed) into the Blackest hood you can think of ...have him walk around for a few hours & see what happens...I'll bring the Beer & Digi-Cam..you bring the Pizza and body bag.

I'll bet he comes out alive, as long as he acts like he has some sense. A long shot I know.

We have a guy here, a white contractor. His girlfriend is black, lives in Washington Park, ESL. Google Washington Park. He goes and sees her every night. The co-workers ask how does he do it. His reply? I go in, handle my business with her, and leave. He speaks to the black folks there, they speak back, he keeps it moving. Being white is not a death sentence in a black community, when you see that, you'll learn many other things.

[Crashed~N2~Me 970]

I'll bet he comes out alive, as long as he acts like he has some sense. A long shot I know.

We have a guy here, a white contractor. His girlfriend is black, lives in Washington Park, ESL. Google Washington Park. He goes and sees her every night. The co-workers ask how does he do it. His reply? I go in, handle my business with her, and leave. He speaks to the black folks there, they speak back, he keeps it moving. Being white is not a death sentence in a black community, when you see that, you'll learn many other things.

Definitely a long shot!

It's not an automatic death sentence...but it is most definitely an increased risk. Your White friend gets in & out coz he is protected & making sure he sticks to his business. Just like I was protected in the PI as long as I stayed near my wife & her family. Back in my youth - I went with a friend to go play quarter game at a dudes house in a black neighborhood. They were all nice to me and when I suggested I hoof it down to the corner to buy more beer...they wouldn't let me. Why? Coz they said " No way a White boy gonna make it back with the beer in this hood. You'll make it back but without the beer! One of us better do it"

This last weekend - 2 black kids knocked on our door soliciting odd jobs. I didn't think twice about mine or their safety. I would never send 2 White kids into a predominantly - any other color than white - neighborhood to solicit work unless it is an upscale neighborhood.

Just being frank about it...I will have to give it some thought & see if I can think of some reason my paranoia is unjustified.

Edited October 8, 2013 by Crashed~N2~Me

[GandD 5,966]

Of course, it's not like GZ didn't identify himself. I mean, I can't understand why a 17 year old would attack a grown man. GZ didn't do anything crazy like follow him for four minutes in a car and then on foot, at night, never at any time saying Hey, I'm the neighborhood watch and was just wanting to see if you were lost or needed assistance. I mean, you have folks on here that have stated repeatedly they would blow someone away if they felt the slightest bit threatened. Yet, in this case, TM had no right to feel threatened, right? There was no reason to be afraid of a stranger running after you, at night, who by admission by everyone said his decisions teetered between stupid and borderline dangerous, who broke every single neighborhood watch rule because he wanted to go above and beyond, and was packing a gun.

I mean, it's not like George had a problem with his temper.

Stop biting. It's like you can't help yourself. Yeah maybe I'll have the same conversation I've had with the NB like thousands of times now.

For real I think Marvin has an advanced warning system that goes off any time someone mentions GZ or TM on here.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Stop biting. It's like you can't help yourself. Yeah maybe I'll have the same conversation I've had with the NB like thousands of times now.

For real I think Marvin has an advanced warning system that goes off any time someone mentions GZ or TM on here.

I can, there have been a few threads where NB has brought him up and I kept quiet, probably because it's like talking chocolate to a brick wall.

I guess as a black man, it just astounds me that GZ action's are completely ignored by the folks that would have reacted the same way TM did if the situation was upon them. Gary has said repeatedly he would pull his gun and shoot someone if he felt the slightest bit threatened, even going as far as to say if a black man walked up to him at a gas station, he would put his gun in his face and ask can I help you, but it's TM's fault because he wasn't carrying a gun and died fighting a man who did. Slim carries an AK-47 around in his jeep, cusses out cops, and is ready for walking dead status, but found GZ's actions completely harmless. NB has chastised a man who had a gun and didn't shoot a guy who shot him with pellets, saying he should have blown him away, but seems to have completely blocked out the first 6 minutes of the encounter leading up to the assault.

[GandD 5,966]

I can, there have been a few threads where NB has brought him up and I kept quiet, probably because it's like talking chocolate to a brick wall.

I guess as a black man, it just astounds me that GZ action's are completely ignored by the folks that would have reacted the same way TM did if the situation was upon them. Gary has said repeatedly he would pull his gun and shoot someone if he felt the slightest bit threatened, even going as far as to say if a black man walked up to him at a gas station, he would put his gun in his face and ask can I help you, but it's TM's fault because he wasn't carrying a gun and died fighting a man who did. Slim carries an AK-47 around in his jeep, cusses out cops, and is ready for walking dead status, but found GZ's actions completely harmless. NB has chastised a man who had a gun and didn't shoot a guy who shot him with pellets, saying he should have blown him away, but seems to have completely blocked out the first 6 minutes of the encounter leading up to the assault.

Yeah well, consider the sources Marvin.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Yeah well, consider the sources Marvin.

I have and you know what the scary part about that is? There is quite a few folks out there that feel the same way. It's what got Jordan Davis killed. That's why Mr. Dunn didn't even bother to call the police when he lobbed 8-9 shots into a car full of teenagers.