The sad fact of the parable Jim shared with us is that it does indeed parallel real-life. Most of us are so caught-up in our own personal lives that we feel we do not have the time necessary to devote to issues that do not directly affect our everyday lives. Consequently, because most citizens live in a relatively crime-free environment, most will never get involved in solving the larger social issues facing our fine City.
I read with some interest recently where two council-members commented on the announcement made by our Chief of Police that a "new" crime-fighting force was being implemented to deal with livability issues in our city. The concern expressed by these two individuals was where the manpower for this force was coming from. There was a concern that the "safety" of their wards would be compromised for staffing this force.
My answer to this? So what if it is? My conscience can live with a bike, or to being stolen from someone's yard if it prevents ONE MURDER on the northside. A democracy is set-up for the good of the majority. Not the good of the few. The crime-ridden, inner-city neighborhoods that constitute a fair percentage of our overall population NEED this task force and it should NOT come at the sacrifice of patrol officers that currently man the streets of these crime-infested neighborhoods. It SHOULD come from the neighborhoods that already experience a much safer, much more livable quality of life than we experience. Unless I am mistaken, that is what democracy is all about. Affording evryone the same opportunity (or as close to it) as you can.
Most of the kids I see on my streets (and I see a lot of them), are already predetermined by their family environment, as to what their station in life is. We (as a society) seem to gladly help this along by making sure that they also have to face the most obstacles in the environment OUTSIDE their home and family.
One of the local news channels recently ran a list of license plates from "buyers" stopping on 26th ave n. Guess what? Roughly 85% of the vehicles weren't even registered in Minneapolis. And the petty dealers standing on my street corners? The overwhelming majority don't live in my neighborhood. They come from the 'burbs, or south Minneapolis. Yet, some of our fine council members, most of our citizenry AND our state government seems to be perfectly fine with taking the apporach that it is "their" problem.
My answer? Keep your eyes oipen. When your neighbor receives a nondescript package in the mail
marked "rat-trap", start looking for a house in the 'burbs. You can run, and more than likely, for a lifetime, you can hide. As long as the legacy you leave your children is unimportant to you.
dennis plante jordan
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