Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I was raised in a 4am town. It was the time when all the bars had to lock the doors. Cut-off or last call was 3:20*and last drink served at 3:30am. .
It was a river town where criminal*activity was*usually 'average' meaning it wasn't too bad or too good on any day. If it was bad, it got worse, and then it got better; it always did. It all depended upon the weather and the economy. The gang activity was always worse*when the free flowing greenbacks trickled to a dribble in the summer, or dried up before Christmas. Very little enflammed the public passion any faster than the kid that was tossed off the Interestate bridge or the young kid who was chased into a culvert by a gang of older boys who stole his money, cell phone and winter jacket.
The two smartest things the city did was enforce a 10pm curfew. It started a few summers ago and morphed into a 24/7/365 today and fix the liquor*code. Now bars in known hotspots cannot stay open to 4AM, and it they are closed for violations it is much harder to reopen. The city finally concocted a violation system where the worst repeat offenders simply could not afford to reopen and get a new City liquor license. To keep a license bar owners are also requires to sell a percentage*of food to keep the liquor license.
None of this directly pertains to South Carolina but every city in your State could do something similar to what my hometown did over fifty-years too.
Then they elected a mayor with a vision and a 10-year plan to clear out the crack houses, bars, section 8 apartment complex, gambling dens, rabbit holes and boarded up buildings in a 30 blockt by 15 block area. It was a project that worked. Greeen areas sepereate ice center from the library and opened shopping to residents. New single family and gated communites replace the public housing. Today with a TIF incenitive new bussiness is moving into the 10 year plan area.
The parents were held financially responsible to see their children 17 and under were at home at 10pm when all radio and TV stations broadcast this message. It is 10pm. Do you know where your children are? It was in print and on billboards all over town? It worked.
"rabbit holes"? Do you mean "rat hole"? Rabbits arent the rodent that are destroying neighborhoods.... They also need a "close the cut" program to close off some of these adjoining vacant lots.. the ones that have a footpath worn through them that are used as a short cut by day and an escape route by night...
Last edited by Woodlands; 06-28-2011 at 11:59 AM..
I didn't see the confederate flag shown in the interview, but the interview definitely cast the city in a bad light. The thing about this crime is that these 8 thugs were not provoked. They attacked a nice guy, jogging at night, and beat him within an inch of his life. I'm glad to see a good number of the local citizens are outraged. Five Points has had some major safety issues for a few years now. Maybe now the city will work harder to make the area safe.
The interview did not cast the city in a bad light....I think people across the country understand that crime happens in all places. I saw a story about the shooting in Charlotte on national outlets as well. But, outside of a few people who want to create a different story than actually exists, people understand that there are bad people everywhere. Still not sure how that is hard to understand for you. And, why are you not as diligent on this forum in trying to get Greenville to beef up patrols in downtown to keep officers from firing a weapon into houses. That is as bad as this random act. It goes back to some earlier posts, we all agree this is a bad incident but, you and other Greenville posters are trying your hardest to paint a metro based on this incident. Sad use of time.
The interview did not cast the city in a bad light....I think people across the country understand that crime happens in all places. I saw a story about the shooting in Charlotte on national outlets as well. But, outside of a few people who want to create a different story than actually exists, people understand that there are bad people everywhere. Still not sure how that is hard to understand for you. And, why are you not as diligent on this forum in trying to get Greenville to beef up patrols in downtown to keep officers from firing a weapon into houses. That is as bad as this random act. It goes back to some earlier posts, we all agree this is a bad incident but, you and other Greenville posters are trying your hardest to paint a metro based on this incident. Sad use of time.
Yes, crime does happen everywhere. Thank You.
On a related note, Columbia does have a problem on their hands with Five Points. For those who are unfamiliar with the City, 5 Points is a small village area that caters to young adults and does not represent the entire metro, or city for that matter.
However, the district itself does have an issue with cime, gang related or not. This is NOT a random, one-time situation like the ones to which GSP101 relates these crimes to. They are repeated circumstances. This is not a Greenville/ Columbia argument, or a Tiger/Gamecock argument. My parents attended USC and are appauled by the happenings in their prior college hangout; however they see the need for enforcement. Furthermore, they have friends whose children have been victims of such attacks in 5 points. It's not random, and it's not rare. When you know someone first hand who has been the victim of similar attack, it's a big deal and DISGUSTING. It's not fair to the victims, who end up FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES IN THE HOSPITAL to compare their situation to a bar argument. This is unbelievable! The best news that could come out of this is that the City of Columbia might make some substantial changes that will actually impact the safety. But until then, those of us who know victims will remain cautious and watchful of such events.
Parents are letting their young teenagers run loose after midnight. Greenville enacted a curfew on its Main Street for that problem, a curfew that hasn't been challenged in court, and now Columbia is enacting one for Five Points. And life goes on.
On a related note, Columbia does have a problem on their hands with Five Points. For those who are unfamiliar with the City, 5 Points is a small village area that caters to young adults and does not represent the entire metro, or city for that matter.
However, the district itself does have an issue with cime, gang related or not. This is NOT a random, one-time situation like the ones to which GSP101 relates these crimes to. They are repeated circumstances. This is not a Greenville/ Columbia argument, or a Tiger/Gamecock argument. My parents attended USC and are appauled by the happenings in their prior college hangout; however they see the need for enforcement. Furthermore, they have friends whose children have been victims of such attacks in 5 points. It's not random, and it's not rare. When you know someone first hand who has been the victim of similar attack, it's a big deal and DISGUSTING. It's not fair to the victims, who end up FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES IN THE HOSPITAL to compare their situation to a bar argument. This is unbelievable! The best news that could come out of this is that the City of Columbia might make some substantial changes that will actually impact the safety. But until then, those of us who know victims will remain cautious and watchful of such events.
You are right about one thing, this is not a Columbia/Greenville argument, not sure anyone said anything about Carolina or Clemson. But, it is consistently people from Greenville who start these threads because, by their own admission, they don't like Columbia and want to cast the city in a bad light. And, that is unfair because, events like this happen in other cities, it is not unique or representative of Columbia.
Just like I said, these acts are terrible for any city. I am not into comparing or ranking crime, go back and read what I said instead of injecting what you want to read. A person who gets stabbed on Main St or White Horse Road in Greenville would not think that their situation is lower than anyone else. Why would you even think to compare crimes? They all are bad and that is the point. As far as this being a repeated event, this is the first I have heard of 8 people jumping another person. Since it is a college bar area, I do agree that more enforcement is needed.
As a side note, I have had a family member beaten to death in the upstate, I know exactly how this feels.
You are the one who has likened this event to others, not me.
Actually, what I said was that crime happens in all cities and then used some recent events in Greenville and Charlotte as examples. That is not a comparison.
Anyway, this is getting into semantics. We all agree that patrol in 5 Points should be increased. It is a college bar area in which the predominant crimes are property & alcohol related, not a surprise. The only good which can come from this act is an increased police presence and action. Hope some of the civil liberty attorneys see that it is not right to fight the tougher new actions.
On a related note, Columbia does have a problem on their hands with Five Points. For those who are unfamiliar with the City, 5 Points is a small village area that caters to young adults and does not represent the entire metro, or city for that matter.
However, the district itself does have an issue with cime, gang related or not. This is NOT a random, one-time situation like the ones to which GSP101 relates these crimes to. They are repeated circumstances. This is not a Greenville/ Columbia argument, or a Tiger/Gamecock argument. My parents attended USC and are appauled by the happenings in their prior college hangout; however they see the need for enforcement. Furthermore, they have friends whose children have been victims of such attacks in 5 points. It's not random, and it's not rare. When you know someone first hand who has been the victim of similar attack, it's a big deal and DISGUSTING. It's not fair to the victims, who end up FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES IN THE HOSPITAL to compare their situation to a bar argument. This is unbelievable! The best news that could come out of this is that the City of Columbia might make some substantial changes that will actually impact the safety. But until then, those of us who know victims will remain cautious and watchful of such events.
The issue of crime in Five Points has been an issue for several years now and the city (either on purpose or by ineptness) has never really focused on the true source of the crime. Most of these crimes have been committed by thugs that hangout in nearby Maxcy Gregg Park and MLK Park. These thugs decide to roam through Five Points and do their damage.
YET, the city, focused on a 2:00 AM bar closing......bars frequented by college students, who may get a bit rowdy, but are NOT the ones committing these horrible crimes.
The city needs to stop overlooking where these crimes are coming from and get serious with extra patrols not only in Five Points, but around the two mentioned park areas.
Additionally, anyone looking to visit Columbia should put safety in the front of their mind if they plan to visit Five Points (which city tour guides tout as a must see).
From reading the thoughts of many Columbia citizens in numerous forums online, this latest crime against Carter Strange has been a real wake up call.
Last edited by gsupstate; 06-29-2011 at 05:54 AM..
A 1000-person fight involving 14-year-olds would have put the city more on the fast track toward the shaky curfew they've just imposed. Greenville's curfew came swiftly after their aforementioned Main Street fight.
Curfew? bring it on-- I have a right to walk safe at night--more so then some young person does to be on the street late with no specific plan or purpose.
I disagree. Why does a 17 year old citizen have less of a right to be on public streets than an adult?
I don't see how the government can legally discriminate against an entire group of people. Which, it is discrimination. This law was put in place to lower crime on the assumption that 17 year olds and under are going to commit crime. Well, anyone can commit crime. It is an ageless activity.
That being said, I do wholly agree that parents shouldn't allow their children to wander the streets at such late hours, but I don't think the government has any right to enforce a law banning a group of people from a public place. If a private entity wants to do it, fine, then that's their right.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
They also need a "close the cut" program to close off some of these adjoining vacant lots.. the ones that have a footpath worn through them that are used as a short cut by day and an escape route by night...
