Georgia Tech Robberies (Atlanta: renting, hotel, standard of living)

[brownhornet]

My point is people are blaming rap now but was NWA responsible for the gang killings on the west coast back in the day? What about Ice T? Hitman Sammy Sam? I mean come on... the ability to be able to differentiate between wanting to live out a lifestyle heard in a song or not falls solely on parents. And the reason being that some folks choose to let the tv and the radio raise their kids rather than do it on their own. My mom hated the music I listened to so much she would forbid it in her house. I still listened to it but I knew what was real and what wasn't because she taught me. Bottom line is there are a lot of people that are raised by the streets and not a parent and that's why they try to live out what they hear on a radio.. they feel that its something they can relate to. But just like they have the choice to listen to and be inspired by other hip hop... they don't because they choose not to.

[hookem89]

Well at least now they're doing something about this (the georgia tech robberies). I was driving down hemphill to go to northside liquor and there was a police checkpoint at the mcdonalds.

[DeaconJ]

I think they've been doing something about this for months now...some people need to see things like checkpoints and police presence to actually believe it, but I pretty much think that 95% of law enforcement officers take their jobs seriously. We can't always see the work that's being done to protect us.

[wxjay]

Originally Posted by DeaconJ

I think they've been doing something about this for months now...some people need to see things like checkpoints and police presence to actually believe it, but I pretty much think that 95% of law enforcement officers take their jobs seriously. We can't always see the work that's being done to protect us.

I would like to believe that, but after 12 or whatever robberies in a short time span in a 1-2 mile radius, and given the fact that I have seen how GT Police patrol campus (I know that they are not the same as ATL police necessarily), I have my doubts.

[AcidSnake]

Originally Posted by brownhornet

My point is people are blaming rap now but was NWA responsible for the gang killings on the west coast back in the day? What about Ice T? Hitman Sammy Sam? I mean come on... the ability to be able to differentiate between wanting to live out a lifestyle heard in a song or not falls solely on parents. And the reason being that some folks choose to let the tv and the radio raise their kids rather than do it on their own. My mom hated the music I listened to so much she would forbid it in her house. I still listened to it but I knew what was real and what wasn't because she taught me. Bottom line is there are a lot of people that are raised by the streets and not a parent and that's why they try to live out what they hear on a radio.. they feel that its something they can relate to. But just like they have the choice to listen to and be inspired by other hip hop... they don't because they choose not to.

No one's trying lump all of the blame on "hip hop" culture and "gangsta" rap, but let's be honest here: after 18 or so years of people rapping about about this stuff where has it gotten the black community? How much more can these rappers lean on the excuse that they are the "CNN" of the hood? Maybe for once I want them to be the "MSNBC" of the hood and rap about good stock tips or buying a house at a low fixed-rate interest.

Fact of the matter is the quality of life in the black community is not as high as everyone else's because we have TOO many people who raise lousy children and emulating bad lifestyles compared to other communities. We have adults who rather than put a voice to why there is this nonsense, they'd rather talk AROUND these issues, preferring instead to talk about race stuff, and how "Mr. Charlie" keeps his invisible foot on a brotha's neck.

These black morning radio shows like V-103 & Hot107.9(which is Corporate owned, I know) are the perfect example of adults who consistently AVOID talking about deeper issues at EVERY opportunity. That's where I'm getting at.

As long is our community refuse to get into an accountability mindset, we will always be at the back of the bus in this country in EVERY facet of American life.

[brownhornet]

The thing is there is just as much rock music out there about negativity and I don't see anyone using it to make excuses for them. And the reason being is because its not to blame, its entertainment nothing more nothing less.

[Louie_Miami]

Blame it on whatever you want. But there are just people out there that are criminals and take advantage of any opportunity. One of my employees got robbed at gun point along with 3 others around that area at 3 in the afternoon about 2 months ago. The thugs told him if he calls the cops they would come back. obviously they called the cops and 2 hours later the thugs came back to the location and banged up his car. Crazy Shizzo!!!!

[AcidSnake]

Originally Posted by brownhornet

The thing is there is just as much rock music out there about negativity and I don't see anyone using it to make excuses for them. And the reason being is because its not to blame, its entertainment nothing more nothing less.

Come on Brownhornet you know better than that. Rock music culture and rap music culture has no comparison. Is there misogny with rock music? Yes. Are there often songs about killing in rock music? Yes.

And yet the communities who contribute to the culture of rock do NOT suffer the SAME oppressive amount of poverty, crime and disproportionate deaths relative to the share of the total U.S. population that the black community is.

Again, I am not so much blaming the music itself as I am blaming the low-brow mindsets that seem to run parallel to the culture. Why can't the so-called "People's Station" like V-103 talk about things like low interest rate housing lows and avoiding credit cards with high variable interest rates? Can't Gucci Mane rap about NOT blowing $3,000 to buy spinners for some busted up '87 Monte Carlo and instead invest in laddering CDs?

Say what you want, but I'm not getting off this subject for a minute. Accountability has to start SOMEWHERE...

[SAI126]

Originally Posted by waronxmas

I've lived in this city my whole life (with long stints in other, more insane cities like New York, Mumbai and Manila) and trust me when I say this is the safest it has been in my life. The current wave of crime we are seeing is directly linked to the economy. What do you think happens when people who are poor get even poorer? They get desperate and do stupid things. Smash and grabs were unheard of just a few years ago. Now they seem to happen every other week. Is it because they are mindless hoodlums who want to steal them to have the freshest fashion, or are they stealing them to sell on the street so they can eat? It's not right, nor do I defend them, but we have to be realistic about how and why crime occurs.

Why did crime drop drastically in the 30s and have a meteoric rise in the 60s?. Using an economic model to explain trends in the crime rate is a very incomplete way of looking at a complex problem. Also, I can't speak for Mumbai and Manilla but the statistics and my own personal experience belies what you say about NYC. I do not post this to bash Atlanta or to compare it unfavorably to NYC. I lived in Atlanta years ago, visit often and in general am fond of the city and state of Georgia. There is a serious city wide violent crime problem, and I found the area on Spring Street just north of the Varsity near the Tech campus, as one spot among many to be too dicey for my liking. I'm hoping Atlanta will be able to turn things around like some other cities have, but given the current political situation I'm not holding my breath.

[MovedfromFL]

Originally Posted by afonega1

Some were white , Some from India,China, and one or two were black Americans.Why do you ask?

The post asked about the suspects, not the victims. The victims were from all different races. So far, the only suspects arrested have been African-American. Hence, the chatter on here about poverty and rap music.