Suburban Baltmore delegate calls on governor to address city crime (Baltimore: skateboarding, renting)

[Gil3]

Originally Posted by oneworld25

I don't see why he felt the need to identify the race of those making up the supposed mobs. If those kids were white why would he have identified them as white? I don't think so. Furthermore, I don't even understand why he chose to address the issue. He doesn't even represent the city.

That's the kicker to this whole situation. WHY does it take a delegate from the county to raise the issue? Where are the city leaders? Mayor Blake has done little, if anything about it and won't until the problem gets beyond her control. If she gives the BPD a green light to enforce the law by any means necessary, she will get flack no matter what.

Plus, the so-called civil rights leaders in Baltimore have not addressed the issue. Last time I checked, walking around town without the fear of getting you face kicked in IS a civil right no mater what color you are.

I also have to ask you is it white kids that have and continue to go around and beat the crap out of people? We know the answer to that.

What this man said isn't racist, but the truth.

[EdwardA]

Originally Posted by Gil3

That's the kicker to this whole situation. WHY does it take a delegate from the county to raise the issue? Where are the city leaders? Mayor Blake has done little, if anything about it and won't until the problem gets beyond her control. If she gives the BPD a green light to enforce the law by any means necessary, she will get flack no matter what.

Plus, the so-called civil rights leaders in Baltimore have not addressed the issue. Last time I checked, walking around town without the fear of getting you face kicked in IS a civil right no mater what color you are.

I also have to ask you is it white kids that have and continue to go around and beat the crap out of people? We know the answer to that.

What this man said isn't racist, but the truth.

The city is 65% Black, if she said the same thing as McDonough she wouldn't be mayor much longer. She's already unpopular among many Black Baltimoreans. I guess she can go the Mayor Nutter route who condemn the behavior of African-American males but she'd have to do it delicately.

[sl0622]

As a city resident who doesn't live far from the harbor, and likes to walk her dog there in the evenings, I am so disappointed in our elected officials' responses to the downtown mobs. At worst, these kids are fighting and hurting each other and/or assaulting random people that happen to in their vicinity... At best they are littering and making downtown/the inner harbor a mess, and are scaring away tourism and business that the harbor needs. As much as I think he's a blowhard, I wish we had a mayor like Rudy Guliani or even Mike Bloomberg - - either of those mayors would unapologetically take care of this situation. Unfortunately SRB (who I did NOT vote for!) will do nothing and instead will continue to tout the general decrease in crime city-wide. And the overall decrease is great. But there needs to be a serious and CONSISTENT police presence downtown every evening as soon as spring breaks and the weather gets remotely warm. Those kids need to know that congregating in massive groups like that won't be tolerated; that they shouldn't even bother to come downtown b/c they'll be asked to keep moving along...

I will say though that as I was driving up Calvert St last Friday night around 11pm, I did see cops on every corner up to the courthouse. On some streets they just had their squad cars parked on the corner with the lights flashing, and they were out on the sidewalk, just milling around. So that was encouraging. I hope that continues.

I also am starting to appreciate the "segway guys" that "patrol" Mount Vernon, too - courtesy of my special benefits tax. ha.

[EdwardA]

Originally Posted by sl0622

As a city resident who doesn't live far from the harbor, and likes to walk her dog there in the evenings, I am so disappointed in our elected officials' responses to the downtown mobs. At worst, these kids are fighting and hurting each other and/or assaulting random people that happen to in their vicinity... At best they are littering and making downtown/the inner harbor a mess, and are scaring away tourism and business that the harbor needs. As much as I think he's a blowhard, I wish we had a mayor like Rudy Guliani or even Mike Bloomberg - - either of those mayors would unapologetically take care of this situation. Unfortunately SRB (who I did NOT vote for!) will do nothing and instead will continue to tout the general decrease in crime city-wide. And the overall decrease is great. But there needs to be a serious and CONSISTENT police presence downtown every evening as soon as spring breaks and the weather gets remotely warm. Those kids need to know that congregating in massive groups like that won't be tolerated; that they shouldn't even bother to come downtown b/c they'll be asked to keep moving along...

I will say though that as I was driving up Calvert St last Friday night around 11pm, I did see cops on every corner up to the courthouse. On some streets they just had their squad cars parked on the corner with the lights flashing, and they were out on the sidewalk, just milling around. So that was encouraging. I hope that continues.

I also am starting to appreciate the "segway guys" that "patrol" Mount Vernon, too - courtesy of my special benefits tax. ha.

Baltimore Leaders Increase Security At Inner Harbor « CBS Baltimore

[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by EdwardA

The city is 65% Black, if she said the same thing as McDonough she wouldn't be mayor much longer. She's already unpopular among many Black Baltimoreans. I guess she can go the Mayor Nutter route who condemn the behavior of African-American males but she'd have to do it delicately.

I think the issue is that McDonough publically stated that the problem is black youth. He tried to cover his tracks by claiming that it was not an issue about race, yet, in the same breath he pulled the a tree is a tree analogy by mentioning that those involved just happened to be black. Hey, this is an issue about safety, not race, but all of those involved are black, so what am I supposed to say, they are not black? Well, they are. Something like that.

Mayor Blake may not have the best record, but once McDonough said that, her hands were tied. If he simply said crime is getting out of hand in the Inner Harbor, leaving race and age out of it, Blake would be in a better position to respond appropriately.

[Henry Bowman]

Move along, nothing to see here.

20-30 Students Mob 7-Eleven, Assault Owner On Free Slurpee Day « CBS Baltimore

[EdwardA]

Originally Posted by K-Luv

I think the issue is that McDonough publically stated that the problem is black youth. He tried to cover his tracks by claiming that it was not an issue about race, yet, in the same breath he pulled the a tree is a tree analogy by mentioning that those involved just happened to be black. Hey, this is an issue about safety, not race, but all of those involved are black, so what am I supposed to say, they are not black? Well, they are. Something like that.

Mayor Blake may not have the best record, but once McDonough said that, her hands were tied. If he simply said crime is getting out of hand in the Inner Harbor, leaving race and age out of it, Blake would be in a better position to respond appropriately.

I'm with McDonough, call a spade a spade. By saying there is a crime problem it implies that at any given time a random group of young people will attack in the Inner Harbor. So folks should be just as afraid of a group of Asian kids walking in the Harbor as they would Black and White. Yet we know the problem is groups of Black kids so these kids should be the focus.

[boomtownfunlover]

Don't think they didn't notice when a city cop tried to correct some spoiled, smartmouth kid at Harborplace and was fired for his efforts.

[oneworld25]

Originally Posted by boomtownfunlover

Don't think they didn't notice when a city cop tried to correct some spoiled, smartmouth kid at Harborplace and was fired for his efforts.

The situation being referred to happened a few years ago and refers to an altercation between a kid who was skateboarding at Harborplace (and was white) and a police officer. The kid may have been a smartass and deserved a good tongue lashing but the minute that cop laid hands on the kid it became assault. The cop's firing was justified.

Here's the video for those interested


Baltimore cops V.S. skateboarder - YouTube

[EdwardA]

Originally Posted by oneworld25

The situation being referred to happened a few years ago and refers to an altercation between a kid who was skateboarding at Harborplace (and was white) and a police officer. The kid may have been a smartass and deserved a good tongue lashing but the minute that cop laid hands on the kid it became assault. The cop's firing was justified.

Here's the video for those interested


Baltimore cops V.S. skateboarder - YouTube

BS I didn't see anything in that video that deserved a firing. BPD needs more cops like this one. That's the only way you are going to get a handle on crime, cracking some skulls. I guess this is what passes for parenting these days being more concerned about little Johnny getting roughed up a bit for mouthing off as opposed to the mouthing off part.