28 December 2007

Final Friday of 2007...

This is going to be a pretty good day, relatively speaking, and I can make that claim based on several factors, not the least of which is the fact that "me and the missus" will be visiting our good friends and former neighbors at their place up near the Northeast corner of Allen County, far away enough from the madding crowds that inhabit our particular area.
Personally speaking, since I moved to Fort Wayne in 1997, I've spent the better part of these past eleven years developing a ever-growing disdain for the place we live in spite of the fact that the area ITSELF is a damn fine area with TONS of potential. Like any problem in our lives, it winds up boiling down to a PEOPLE problem. The real problem here is the PEOPLE.
So ANY chance I get to "get away" from the PEOPLE in this neighborhood, I take with an anticipation rivaled only by starry-eyed children on Christmas morning.
But this is always a two-edged sword.
You see, like many other neighborhoods, we have people watching our house, just as they do in NICE neighborhoods. The only difference is that "our" people are watching your house (or mine) for one reason only; They want to see if they can add you to their list of burglaries for the year. They're not looking out for your welfare or acting in any type of protective manner...all they care about is YOUR stuff, and how they can make it THEIR stuff.
But you don't have to take my word for it.
Check the police reports online and look at the sheer number of burglaries, break-ins, and home invasions JUST on "our" part of town, which I quaintly refer to as "The Badlands" (just like we called those dubious and dangerous neighborhoods back in Philly). Crime might be down (overall), but certain crimes are definitely not abating one bit.
Still, you have to weigh the good with the bad.
We can't become recluses for the rest of our lives. We just want to be accorded the same quality of life that all you fortunate people enjoy in your comfortable neighborhoods. The trouble is, that dog just won't be hunting any time soon, in spite of the FWPD's best efforts.
Our quadrant has the greatest amount of police resources dedicated to it, and we still don't see any cessation in criminal activity. And any current laws, ordinances or whatever other legislative guidelines that are in place are doing nothing to halt this trend.
Our outgoing mayor (King Richard) has seen fit to toss "us" the proverbial bone in the shape of a new Wal-Mart and Menards to replace the Southtown mall that former mayor Helmke allowed to deteriorate into oblivion. While I like Menards, and feel that a big box home improvement store was needed down here, I'm still not seeing any evidence that makes me believe THIS part of town is going through ANY sort of renaissance.
Speaking of renaissance, the new housing at Renaissance Pointe is another attempt to bring civilization to a group that only utilizes civilized behavior when it suits them (which isn't all that often), so this might be one of the most ill-conceived ventures this city has pursued.
You're just not going to make a silk purse out of ANY sow's ear...no matter how you cajole that sow into believing it's made of anything other than porcine protoplasm.
When you see drug buys along your street in broad daylight, how in the name of God is that providing anything positive for an area of any city?
When every robbery, mugging, or strong arm has a gun attached to the end of the perp's arm, how is that providing a better quality of life for those of us "normals" that still live here?
When every "new" neighbor is just more of the same human flotsam that NEVER has a job, but plenty of kids, a new vehicle, illegal drugs and guns, and hundreds of friends that have a new crib to "hang" at, where does that imbue any decent citizen with an air of optimism for a revitalized neighborhood?
So you can see where I'm coming from with my views regarding this part of town. Unless and until something is done to fix this "broken leg", all the band-aids from Johnson & Johnson won't matter one damn bit. You've got at least two generations that have grown up with little or no value system in place, a dysfunctional family (at best), no sense of REAL respect, morality or ethics, and a displaced sense of loyalty (mainly to themselves and like vermin).
It is, and always has been...a PEOPLE problem. THAT is what needs to be addressed, and sadly, it will take several more generations to reverse the damage already done to our society. May we live (read survive) long enough to watch it all turn back around.
So that's why I look forward to visiting my friend....who moved AWAY from HERE.
THAT is why I revel in any chance to be among people like myself, that are part of a seemingly dying breed...if only for a few hours.
We used to call them NORMAL.
I still do.
Have a Safe Weekend.

2 comments:

bobett said...

Glad you both are stepping out.
It's nice to get out of the surroundings.

Something you said about
(Johnson & Johnson),
the stock is a pretty good investment. Something to put
good energy into come this new year.

Best wishes always...

Bob G. said...

We did have a very nice (and all too brief) time out there...even with the weather as bad as it was (fog, sleet and drizzle).
But I can drive through most ANY weather.

I remember driving past J&J one time in New Jersey...took me about FIVE MINUTES...it's THAT huge. And that's just ONE facility!

As they say on Wall St:
Yeah, it's a "keeper".

Have a safe new year.

B.G.