Tales From The SOUTH Side...

...And it's a wonderfully "brisk" day to do something...somewhere (else).
We've still got enough WINTER to go around with a breezily cold morning staring at us in the Midwest.
Don't expect temps to get above freezing, but DO expect to see the sun coming up (for a change).

Today's post will be a sorta-kinda followup to yesterday's post about crime down here and what some "people" want to do about it (if anything), so get comfy, and top off that morning cup of coffee, tea, or whatever else trips your trigger.

*** But first, Let's take a brief travelogue...

Imagine yourself in the nation of CYPRUS, and then suppose the government there went belly-up financially (as a lot of EU nations seem to do these days)...not a good way to start a morning, right?

Then, that same government comes up with a "novel" way to get some much-needed capital...they decide to TAX YOUR DEPOSITS in the local BANKS!

Well, that would precipitate a RUSH to those ATMs to get your money OUT, so the tax is less (or not at all).

Surprise, the country CLOSES THE BANKS on you...and they have YOUR money.

How fascist is THAT, hmm?

Well, here's the story that tells the tale:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/mar/18/eurozone-crisis-cyprus-bailout-savers-markets
Yeah, all that Russian Mafia money that travels through there is stuck...and the Russkies aren't pleased over this.
So, they want to "help":
http://news.sky.com/story/1066004/cyprus-bailout-savings-shift-amid-russia-offer
And the UK stock market takes a triple-digit PLUNGE as a result...better keep tabs on OUR stock exchange numbers...those record highs are due for a drop...like riding the Loch Ness Monster in Williamsburg, VA...lots of ups and downs, folks.
*** Now, more about this crime on the SE side of Ft. Wayne...

I explained the problem that was levied at the PEOPLE living down here, rather than the GUNS used in the commission of the crimes, and I don't think I'm incorrect in that assessment.

Now, let's back up a bit and look at the distrust those same people have for the police.

More than a few years ago, there was a brouhaha over the allegations that the FWPD was "unfairly" targeting minorities when doing vehiclular traffic stops (signal 30s).

The department came under the gun (no pun intended) by local ethnics, such as Michael Latham and Hana Stith, and specific officers were even cited in these nonsensical claims.

Predominantly, it was white officers pulling over black drivers, but I have said that you could have 100% black officers down here, and the claims would be the same.

It was NOT "racial-profiling" as the allegations stated, but rather CRIMINAL profiling...

We call that GOOD policing (back in Philly)...or at least we USED to.

At least it's NOT a mug shot!

Now, around the same time, I was interviewed by Kevin Leininger (News-Sentinel) and DEFENDED the FWPD on their job that they were doing (which did make a difference down here at that time).
And the article was a decent read, because it told the TRUTH.
Not to mention, this goes back over 8 years ago.
Suffice it to say, some things HAVE changed...it's gotten WORSE down here.
Whenever the FWPD does good policing, they are always called on the carpet by the NAACP or some "community leader" stating abuse of power or authority.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
And I want to cite a story from NYC regarding the "stop and frisk" gig they've been doing, and the "profiling" aspect to this.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-18/nyc-police-stop-and-frisk-policies-face-racial-bias-trial.html

The ONE thing you should take from this story is this (and I quote):
"New York Police Department lawyers countered that officers must go where the crime is – and the crime is overwhelmingly in minority neighborhoods."
THAT is the SAME problem encountered in Fort Wayne's SOUTH side...it's FACT.

Of course, one can also point to a few years back when Sheriff Ken Fries wanted to bring back the METRO SQUAD to specifically address rising crime issues down here, and THAT was ALSO promptly given the boot by the SAME community leaders for the minority population...which has become the overwhelming MAJORITY down here.

Complaints were that it would (again) UNFAIRLY target minorities...
Well, kids...WHO THE HELL is causing the MAJORITY of the crime in the city, hmm?

It's a minority of the minorities...plain and simple.
And WHERE is it happening?
In the MINORITY COMMUNITIES!

Now, with a 20% growth of the Hispanic community, we're seeing MORE of THEM now visiting the local courtrooms and lockup...

You can't fight the numbers on this, because they (unlike these community "leaders") do not lie and are not in denial.
There is this duplicity at work here...on the one hand, the minority communities want the violence to STOP, while on the other hand, they feel the police are specifically targeting THEM...

You either FIGHT crime (and the people perpetrating it), OR you back the f$ck off, and let them all kill one another (and hopefully NOT a lot of innocents along the way)...not much of a choice here, is there?
Funny thing, there are times on the police radio that you hear an officer speaking about a "certain" part of the SE side...and how another officer said "...If you don't HAVE to go there...DON'T!".
Sounds JUST like what we used to call the BADLANDS back in Philadelphia...parts of NORTH PHILLY that even the police would shy from, unless they had a much GREATER NUMBER of officers responding.
We've already seen in some inner cities where even the FIRE DEPARTMENT responders are shot at...and it's ALL in the MINORITY communities.
Like I say, there IS a problem, and it's a PEOPLE-DRIVEN one.
Now, do these ethnic community leaders actually decide to DO something to address the PEOPLE involved...or do they continue to dance around the REAL problem with solutions that never actually FACE the problem to begin with?
Time will tell...as it always does.
*** Lastly, today, a good article by Frank Gray in the Journal-Gazette regarding the LACK of .22 ammo in Ft. Wayne (and pretty much everywhere else).

Gimme back my bullets!

Used to be a time when a .22 was a right-of-passage for many boys across America, especially those on FARMS or rural settings.

Hell, I hear that in Fort Wayne, they used to have RIFLE TEAMS in the high schools.

Some, like Bishop Dwenger STILL do.

But way back when, that must have been a time BEFORE parents were trying to BEFRIEND their children, rather than PARENTING them.

I grew up in a CITY, and shooting was something done when you visited a relative out "in the sticks".
Still, you have to wonder WHY the run on .22 plinking ammo?
The story spells it out nicely:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130319/LOCAL0201/303199965/1047/LOCAL0201
Easy enough to convert an AR (.223 caliber) to accept standard .22 ammo for target shooting, and that would explain a lot.

But, I think there's a larger issue here...
You have to agree when the government buys up a couple MILLION ROUNDS of ammo (mostly .40 S&W and 9MM, as well as other calibers), for the Department of Homeland Security...something stinks like 3 day old fish in the sun.
And here I thought that HOMELAND SECURITY represented YOU and I...and every other citizen of the USA who would willingly defend what this nation stands for.

I mean the ORIGINAL homeland security dates back to the late 1700s, if we were to be CORRECT.

I still believe in this country and what she represents, and that little 16 page document is ALL the proof I need.

It's called the U.S. Constitution...and unlike the EU...IT (still) WORKS!

Be well, make a difference to someone today, and...

Stay SAFE out there, America.