Thugs in Atlanta? Bad parenting, bad politics, what? (Jackson, Sparks: home, neighborhoods)

[Huckleberry3911948]

according to current theories there is no such thing as crime and no such thing as criminals. they are just "kids" acting out and the only need for adjustment is for "the have people" to be more compassionate and understanding. the trouble is that the majority is "confused" and have "a wrong perception" regarding what is going on around them.
there are many decent people in the "poor community" that do not see it this way at all.
they do not share the opinion of those who claim to speak for them.

[backfist]

Originally Posted by Bunky39

according to current theories there is no such thing as crime and no such thing as criminals. they are just "kids" acting out and the only need for adjustment is for "the have people" to be more compassionate and understanding. the trouble is that the majority is "confused" and have "a wrong perception" regarding what is going on around them.
there are many decent people in the "poor community" that do not see it this way at all.
they do not share the opinion of those who claim to speak for them.

Mocking an unpopular and irrelevant theory might get a few nods in agreement. But at some point, one either has an intellectual grasp on the issue and won't share it; they don't have the articulation abilities to do so; or they have neither.

[SEAandATL]

Originally Posted by NYGirl1216

I've lived here in the Atlanta area for almost a year. I am amazed at the high rate of crime and complete lawlessness. There is no control...crime is out of control, growth is out of control, traffic, etc. I agree with a previous post. Atlanta is the next New Orleans. That's a scary thought!!!

Another post refers to Atlanta as the next Detroit. Actually, crime is no stranger to Atlanta. The crime rate was actually overall higher in the 80's and 90's. The only difference was then it was concentrated in certain pockets, while now there is crime in a lot of the suburban areas as well. Buckhead used to be safe back in the day, but in this decade they've been having problems as well. Crime is also going up in Cobb and Gwinett counties.

[otoatlanta]

Originally Posted by SEAandATL

Another post refers to Atlanta as the next Detroit. Actually, crime is no stranger to Atlanta. The crime rate was actually overall higher in the 80's and 90's. The only difference was then it was concentrated in certain pockets, while now there is crime in a lot of the suburban areas as well. Buckhead used to be safe back in the day, but in this decade they've been having problems as well. Crime is also going up in Cobb and Gwinett counties.

Just like in sales, there should be some goal such as,"to reduce violent crime in Gwinett county by 65% in 2008". If that goal is met, a substantial pay increase. If that goal is not met and results are stagnant, salary remains the same. If the crime actually increases, salaries and incentives should be cut from the top down. Police officers and government officials have made themselves in part responsible for the crime in a city by having the authority and access to the private lives of all other citizens, and having rights that go beyond the rights of the common person. If they aren't doing their jobs "to protect and serve", then they are simply being granted priviledges that they haven't earned based on results.

[PKCorey]

Atlanta is much safer than Baltimore. I always wondered what the murder rate was for Atlanta when I first came here because in Baltimore, news reported daily on the murder rate for the year. I was shocked when I found out that the murder rate for 2005 was just 90 or so. Baltimore murder rate was 268 so when I hear the crime rate is rising in Atlanta, I still say its not as bad as the northeast.

Was the murder rate alot higher in the '90's????

[ArthursChoice]

we had no idea!

Originally Posted by kayrob

That sow is nothing more than a ripoff of shows on non-BET like Blind Date and others with a little Jerry Springer mixed in.

[SEAandATL]

Originally Posted by PKCorey

Atlanta is much safer than Baltimore. I always wondered what the murder rate was for Atlanta when I first came here because in Baltimore, news reported daily on the murder rate for the year. I was shocked when I found out that the murder rate for 2005 was just 90 or so. Baltimore murder rate was 268 so when I hear the crime rate is rising in Atlanta, I still say its not as bad as the northeast.

Was the murder rate alot higher in the '90's????

Actually I remember a time in the 90's (right before the '96 Olympics) when there was a report that Atlanta had more killings than Sarajevo, Bosnia, which was in a war at the time. The 90 homicides in 2005 was a 40 year low for Atlanta, but it's only been going up since then. 2006 had 110, and looks like 2007 will have more than that, if it hasn't topped it already.

[Ms Classy]

this is for atlantagreg30127, you seem to be a logical person on social and political issues in ATL and all you could think about is "blasting Country Western Music" to run people out but that doesnt address change it just shifts the people and problems to a different location. Do you believe in reform or change? and how besides playing your preference of music to people. I do agree crime and poverty have 2 different definitions but are proven to be linked together and throw in lack of education results in self hatred.

[nrgpill]

Studies have been done many years ago. Unfortunately for African Americans, the networks have fallen in love with Hispanics instead.

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

Would the news network be called "BNN"??? Sorry- couldn't resist.

I'd be willing to bet that if Viacom or someone else thought they could generate enough revenue to justify the existence of such networks, they'd be available on your TV right now. I'm thinking they've done the research and don't feel that it would be profitable- that's not to say that it wouldn't be beneficial, but those companies don't do much charity work, as you can probably imagine.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by Ms Classy

this is for atlantagreg30127, you seem to be a logical person on social and political issues in ATL and all you could think about is "blasting Country Western Music" to run people out but that doesnt address change it just shifts the people and problems to a different location. Do you believe in reform or change? and how besides playing your preference of music to people. I do agree crime and poverty have 2 different definitions but are proven to be linked together and throw in lack of education results in self hatred.

No... I didn't make up the music thing. I was just repeating a variation of what has been whispered for so many years down here. I used to work in the restaurant business myself, and that was one of the things that people who went around setting up restaurants for new owners would tell them, and they would literally say it like this - "If you want to keep the trashier blacks out of your place, play twangy country music for your background music. It's like fingernails on a chalkboard to 'em". - Oh yeah, I heard that A LOT from owners, managers, consultants, etc. I did not make this stuff up. The first time I heard it I just had to laugh at how dumb it sounded.

As far as social "change" goes, know where you are. Have southerners ever and I mean EVER been known for accepting change of any kind well? Remember segregation? Remember what happened only a few years ago when they changed the state flag? You'd have thought they outlawed religion or told people they had to sacrifice their first borns.

There are only a couple of things that will cause change...

1) As more and more people move into the region from the West, North, and other countries, they will bring new attitudes with them. Some better, some the same, and some may even be worse in some ways, but they'll bring change in their own way. The old ways will still be here, but more and more be "lost" as they're surrounded by so many others that are different.

2) The older more racist-oriented people will simply grow old and die. Their children will be SIMILAR to them, but perhaps not quite as bad. They grow old and die and THEIR kids will be just a bit more moderate, etc etc. You're talking a few more generations before everyone is singing Kum-ba-yah.