"livin in a violent world"

I am just making some observations tonight, but I am not getting on my soapbox, because that's what friends do; we just talk to each other.

A few years ago a former client came to me and wanted me to represent his little brother. He was upset because, as he put it at the time, the young man was a "civilian" and wasn't in "the game". He didn't have a record and was just caught up with some bad kids in the neighborhood. According to his brother, "he (his little brother) wasn't a soldier" like him, and he didn't want him to become one. 

Anyway, I have since heard that term "civilian" used to describe folks who aren't involved with a certain lifestyle by folks who are in that life. And I have since heard them address themselves as "soldiers" as well. I suppose that in their own minds, most of the people getting killed in our inner cities are "soldiers" fighting their own meaningless wars for drugs, money, and turf.

That is how the rest of society views them as well. Maybe not as "soldiers", but people thugs caught up in a deadly and violent lifestyle who kill each other all too frequently. But we know where they are, and we know when to stay away and who to stay away from. It is why even though we have had 193 murders and counting so far in Philly (not to mention the carnage taking place in other cities all over America) we don't even seem to notice or care. They are way at the bottom of our consciousness scale. Those killings don't affect us.

It is why President Obama did not make an official statement about the 274 murders in his hometown of Chicago so far this year, but he had to make one about the shootings in a movie theater in Colorado.

When violence is random and in places that we don't expect it, we get 24 hour cable coverage and front page news headlines. We know the names of all the victims and the shooter will forever live in infamy. It ignites gun control debates and we ponder and pontificate about the violence of our culture until it fades away and the next tragedy strikes.

That doesn't happen when we pick up the paper on Monday morning and read about the shootings and mayhem in the streets of pick a city, that's just the way it is with "those people". We expect that. It's like reading the box scores from last night's baseball game. And, believe it or not, the "soldiers" fighting their senseless and violent battles want it that way. They have their turf and their enemies are defined: Other "soldiers" in the game who know the rules and who, for the most part, play by them.

Sadly, the folks who live within the confines of their battle field do not have the luxury of just moving out or tuning out the violence. They might not be soldiers in the battle, but they are also at war. Unfortunately for them, though, the presidential candidates will not take a break from their campaigns to consider their plight and mourn with the rest of the country. Flags will not be flown at half-mast, and the residence of North Philadelphia, East St. Louis, or the city of Detroit will not be getting a visit from the president.

 “Turned on the TV this morning. Had this shit on about — about livin’ in a violent world. Showed all these foreign places…where foreigners live, and all. Started thinkin’, man. Either they don’t know…don’t show…or don’t care about what’s goin’ on in the ‘hood. They had all this foreign shit. They didn’t have shit on my brother, man.”   ~Doughboy (Ice Cube) Boyz N The Hood~

Well Doughboy, Aurora, Colorado is right here in America, but it might as well be in a foreign place to folks "in the hood".





    

    

       

Bullets over Broad Street.

"I'm back at the club with a snub, twistin up dubs
Sippin on Crist', bout to snatch your bitch....When the bar's sold out and aint no Belvedere No crowd control and the cops is scared
You know, the, the Roc, the Roc was here
Catch Mac V.I.P., section of the place
With the weapon on his waist, weight, two steppin to the base
I don't dance, I just move the crowd
And keep a big ass tool that's loud, that'll move the crowd
Only play the club dog if the music loud"

Question for Beanie Sigel: Why can't you just enjoy the club and have a good time without having a weapon on your waist? I know you are from a rough neighborhood in South Philly, and you are rapping about your reality, but I think it's time to take it down a notch.

This is a tough time to be in certain neighborhoods here in Killadelphia. Kids get their first choppa before a baseball glove or a bicycle. Young shooters will split a total stranger's wig for little or nothing. It's that serious.

"Police are asking for the public's help after a wave of weekend shootings claimed seven lives and left 12 people wounded across Philadelphia.

The violence began about 10 a.m. Friday in the 500 block of York Street, where police answered a call and found James Hall, 58, with a gunshot to the head.
Police arrested Calvin Atkerson, 22, who they said was shooting at another man when the gunfire struck Hall, whom they described as an "innocent bystander who was just sitting there."

About 12:30 a.m., police responding to a report of a home invasion in the 1800 block of South Newkirk Street in the Southbrook Park section found Aaron Tucker, 20, shot multiple times. He was pronounced dead inside the home. Three other men, ages 27, 28, and 42, were also shot in the incident and hospitalized in critical condition.

Police said three men and a woman knocked on the door of the home and, when they were let in, brandished guns and demanded money. When they did not get money quickly enough, they began firing. The four fled on foot, police said.
On Saturday about 3:30 a.m., police were called to the 3300 block of North 13th Street, where they found Shari Harris, 22, who was shot once in the head and pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators determined that Harris was killed during an apparent robbery. Police said that a gunman shot her and that when she fell to the ground, the man took something from her pockets and fled on foot.

About 3 a.m. Sunday, police responding to a call found Alfredo Santiago, 22, fatally shot inside a silver Honda Accord at Fifth Street and Girard Avenue. Police said Santiago was driving the car when an unknown man started firing at the vehicle.

About 4 a.m., police answered a call at a home in the 2700 block of Erie Avenue, where they found Kevin Underwood, 22, with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead a short time later.

Police said Underwood had been sitting in a chair at the address when an unidentified man walked up to him and shot him in the head at close range and then fled on foot.

In the 1600 block of North Lindenwood Street in West Philadelphia about 7:30 p.m. Sunday, police responding to a call found Christopher Lee, 22, shot multiple times.

Police said Lee had been walking with several men when two unidentified men approached, announced a robbery, and went through the men's pockets. Lee, who attempted to run, was shot several times, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

On Sunday about 8 p.m., police were called to 52d and Master Streets, where they found Alonzo Dennis, 28, shot multiple times. He was pronounced dead a short time later at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, police said.
They Dennis had been walking from a store on 52d when he was approached by a man who announced a robbery. When Dennis began to run, the gunman shot him..." [Article]

You Negroes done lost your minds! It's as if you are living out a damn video game. The only problem is that you are shooting real people and you can't reset and start the game over. Of course these killers living among us could care less about another person's life. Why? Because they don't even care about their own. I visit correctional facilities from time to time, and the inmates there actually seem happier on the inside than when they are out on the streets. Most hardcore inmates don't want to leave prison because the conditions are bad or they are afraid. They want to get out to get back on the block because they think that they are losing money or valuable turf while they are away. Being away at prison for these young bucks is like being away at college for some folks. It's a necessary right of passage. It's just that, unlike a college curriculum, what they learn in prison can't be parlayed into a decent 9-5.

I wish I could give you some encouraging news and some answers, but I can't. The truth is that these killings are not going to be ending anytime soon. Knuckleheads kill for money;to retaliate; for respect;for love;or just to impress their peers. With all those different reasons to kill and guns so easily available, expect the killings to go on for awhile.

"Beef? C'mon dog who you think gon bleed
Not Mac, never slip in the club
4/5Th in the club, told y'all never slip in the club
Niggas hit like shit, how that get in the club
You think I'm playin when I'm sayin shit'll drip in the club?"

No Beanie, I am sure that you are not.

Just in time for spring break.

I am used to living in a place where murders occur on the regular. I remember growing up in Jamaica and well over a thousand murders in a year was not that unusual. Believe me, for an island of about two million people that's a lot. Do the math. Now I live in a place I affectionately call Killadelphia (see my murder count on the side-bar) and even though we are doing much better, over three hundred killings in a given year is still way too much.

Still, when it comes to murders, both Philly and Jamaica might have to take a back seat to my friends south of the border. In 2008 alone they had well over 5,000 murders in that bad boy. That is Iraq type numbers. Since Calderon took office in 2006 they have had over 8,000 murders. Those are mind numbing numbers for a country that is not officially at war. Although, I take that back; they are at war, but it's a war against drug cartels, who are actually at war with each other. If you live on the American side close to the Mexican border, you have to be concerned, because now the violence is spilling over into the good ole U.S.A.. Thank goodness my Cancun days are over, because it's no fun getting your party on at Senor Frogs if you have to be listening for gunshots. It must be tough being a young buck on spring break down in that bad boy these days. Thirteen killed in Acapulco this past weekend alone.

And, sadly, now comes news that three people with ties to the American embassy were killed as well. Understandably our president is not pleased, and who can blame him?

"President Barack Obama expressed outrage over the killings, and Mexican President Felipe Calderon promised a swift investigation.Several U.S. citizens have been killed in Mexico's drug war, most of them people with family ties to Mexico. However, it is rare for American government employees to be targeted."

Don't hold your breath for President Calderon jumping on that investigation there O man, I suspect that some people very high up in his administration have dogs in these cartel fights. This is nothing new. We have seen this movie before, and I suspect that we will see it again. Unfortunately there is a lot of violence in this movie, and I am pretty sure that there won't be a happy ending.

Eathquakes have no conscience: People should.

I want to break away from the tragic events and human suffering taking place in Haiti to write about some tragic events and human suffering a lot closer to home. Here in Philly we are used to murders. I am surrounded by killings and killers in both my professional life and my life as a citizen. I could blog about a different murder every day, but I wouldn't have time to blog about anything else.

Sadly, every now and then one of the murders in our city strikes a nerve with me. The murder of Ellen Walton in East Germantown struck struck such a nerve. Here was a woman who dedicated her life to helping others, working as a social worker and volunteering to help food banks and her church in service to her community. A solid citizen and human being who contributed in a positive way to the fabric of this city. Yet some animal [or animals] saw it fit to brutally take her life away from her. The poor woman could not even enjoy her golden years.

"Sometime during the last week, Walton apparently returned to her house on the 6300 block of Magnolia Street, parked her car, and opened her back door to enter through the basement, as she usually did. Police believe she turned the key in the lock, and was then forced inside by an unknown number of people, who beat her to death and ransacked her home. The intruders took two televisions, cash, and possibly some jewelry, and drove away in Walton's Toyota Rav 4.."

"Two televisions, cash, and possibly some jewelry." "Two televisions,cash, and possibly some jewelry." Two televisions....no matter how many times I say it, it's still not making sense to me. When an act of nature destroys hundreds of thousands of lives it's horrific, but it's an act of nature. The elements are not supposed to have a soul or a conscience. When a human being does shit like this-take the life of someone so innocent and defenseless-it makes us all angry.

"Neighbors described Walton as a friendly woman who mostly kept to herself and had a kind smile for everyone. 'I can't even talk about it," said Karen Bruce, a nurse who regularly makes home visits to a house on Walton's block. "It's very upsetting - a tragedy."'

A tragedy indeed.

Of course, here in A-merry-ca, we have had our fair share of those lately. Tragedies are becoming the norm.

Just yesterday, in Virginia, another animal masquerading as a human being killed eight people (Including his wife and son.)

"The shooting occurred around noon Tuesday when Speight shot and killed his wife and son amid a domestic dispute, a vice-chairman of the Appomattox County Board of Supervisors told the Washington Post....Last night, Molnar confirmed to the Daily News that eight people -- including both men and women -- were slain. Their names were not released.
Three bodies were found inside a home in Appomattox County; four were found just outside, Molnar said, who declined to discuss a possible motive for the shooting.
The bloodshed came to light after a 911 caller notified authorities that a man, his eighth man, was lying in the middle of a rural road, mortally wounded."

Wow! Just wow!

And finally, back to the natural tragedy, the one without a conscience. It's nice to see different countries coming together to help the cause in Haiti. (This is what different countries coming together can do. Look what Italy, Ireland, and Jamaica coming together gave us: Alicia Keys!) Cooperation is always a good thing. And I usually never have anything nice to say about the IMF and the World Bank, but I am glad to see that they forgave about 1.2 billion in debts that Haiti owed them. It's just sad that it took a tragedy like this to get them to do the right thing.

Oh well, I won't trip, maybe there is some good in the world after all. It's just that it's so hard to find it sometimes.

Truancy In My Village

I am afraid that many of my people won't like this post that I am about to drop, but it has to be said. Now first, let me say this right off the top, in the spirit of true disclosure: I don't have children, so I can't imagine how hard it must be to raise a child; especially in this day and age with all the negative influences and distractions all around them. But-you knew there was a but coming right-a recent incident in my hometown-Philadelphia- really pissed me off, and made me realize just how a sleep at the wheel some of us black folks are when it comes to this parenting thing.

Folks, it's like this: Here in Philly, we have had damn near 400 murders this year. Most of the crimes have been committed by young African American males, and most of the victims have been young African American males as well. Our Mayor, and all of our city officials, have been pulling their collective hairs out trying to come up with solutions and answers for this wave of violence and bloodshed that has been sweeping our city.

One solution they came up with was to try and cut back on the truancy in our public school system. And why not? In any given year at least 44% of our districts 180,000 public school kids are truant. (8 absences or more) Yes, you heard right, I said 44% or 80,000. And on any given day, and average of 32,000 kids are absent from school. According to a study by Ruth Curran Neild of Johns Hopkins University, 8,000 kids will drop out this year, and another 5,000 will miss so much school, that they might as well be considered dropouts. Now folks, that's a damn shame, and we all know it. And frankly, given the fact that a vast majority of these children look like me, it's particularly troubling to the field.

So our Mayor, in collaboration with the School Board, sent out letters to about 6,000 parents, stating something to the effect that: "Your child has had eight (8) unexcused absences during the 2005-2006 school year". (The operative word hear being YOUR child)Te letter goes on to say that parents must attend the meeting or face possible fines or jail time. So what do you think happened? Yep, only about half of the parents showed up at Temple University's basketball arena for this meeting. Now call me crazy, but if I get a letter from my child's school or worse, the city, telling me that little Jamal has missed 44% of his classes, and my black ass will be fined or face possible jail time; what do you think the field is going to do? Well, after jumping all over little Jamal's little black ass, I am going to be front and center at that meeting. "Mr. Mayor, I am Jamal's father, and I would personally like to pledge, that if little Jamal is not in school more than 44% of the time next school year, it will be because he is either dead or in jail".

Folks, this is not rocket science, there is a direct correlation between an education and where you end up in life. It's that simple: Drop out of high school with no skills, and you get no job, or if you get one, you get one that pays minimum wage. And who wants to work for minimum wage? Not little Jamal. He can't buy "tims", or put Dayton rims ("throw some "D"'s on that bitch") on that new "whip" with minimum wage pay. Hell, he can't get a new "whip" with minimum wage pay. So what's left for little Jamal to do but sling. Yeah he could make a real nice living doing that. But he has to be careful, because more than likely he will end up in jail or dead, like some of the almost 400 who were inside the chalk lines on these mean streets of killadelphia so far this year. Or, he could get some girl or girls pregnant, but then, no job, so how is he going to support his child? Well, there is always the state. After all, that's how his mother made it, and he really didn't know his real father. See what happens? We are back to that same old vicious cycle that just won't go away. Think about it, just days after the Mayor's meeting, it was business as usual, because our little villagers were missing school again.

So make no mistake, schooling is important, but you could never tell that to the almost 3,000 parents who blew off the meeting with the Mayor. Poor Mayor Street, there he was quoting that old African proverb, you know the one, the one Queen Hillary used for her book: "It takes a village to raise a child". No Mr. Mayor, it takes a parent to raise a child. The village, and the resources that the village has can only help with the process. The village produced the infrastructure of the school, the books, the teachers, and the tools to support little Jamal getting an education. The village can't wake Jamal up and make sure he goes to f*****g school! That's Mr. and Mrs. Jamal's job. And if there is no Mr. Jamal, oh well, that's Mommy Jamal's job. Oh field, stop being so tough, Mommy Jamal works two jobs, and she has three other children, and she is not getting any support from their fathers, and the old man she has now is cheating on her, and he abuses drugs, and.....yeah OK, well I have two words for Mommy Jamal: Birth Control. Yep, that will take care of all those problems in the future. And since little Jamal is already here-yeah that sp..ahem,ahem, horse already left the barn- can we just make sure little Jamal gets a shot? Would it be too much to ask that you go to a f*****g meeting? I don't know, even if you don't care what happens to little Jamal in school, maybe so that you won't get fined, or worse, arrested.

Now the village is hiring more truancy officers, from 100-500, and the Philadelphia Family Court is also working some special projects and hiring more people to help tackle the problem.-They heard 8,820 cases in truancy court so far this year alone. But somehow I don't think this will be enough. Because until parents in the homes start caring what happens to their children, the school board and the city will be caught in that vicious cycle with these dysfunctional families.

"We are here to send a clear message to the children and parents of this city, truancy will not be tolerated"

I hear you Mr. Mayor, I just wish more parents could have been there to hear you as well.