Humpday Happenings...

Welcome to the midweek crisis known as WEDNESDAY.
We've got us some ground to cover today, so let's see what the weather holds in store for us.
In Hoosierland, we'll see partly cloudy skies, with increasing clouds into this evening with 30% chance of rain increasing as we get close to tomorrow..
Temps will rise today into the mid-60s, so that's not all that bad.
Gonna be fun to see how people deal with wind and rain on Halloween, though, because tomorrow's weather will be anything but inviting.
Now, with that over and done with, let's get into the heart of today's matter, shall we?
Sit back, top off that morning beverage and let's see what the heck has been going on.
*** First out the door today is our Motto of the Week aka WHO SAID THAT?
"Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out."
The answer at the top of tomorrow's post.
Meanwhile, back at the self-help seminar...
*** That City Council "5thTuesday" meeting took place last evening, and I originally thought that since it was a "public" forum, that regular everyday PEOPLE would be speaking...nope.

Instead we had representatives for the people, mostly from the black community (where all this sh*t violence is stemming from) in their place, and that wasn't too painful to watch.
After several MONTHS of skulling things around as to HOW to proceed with this (latest) initiative, I was expecting a LOT more than what I wound up hearing, and that's not to say that all the speakers were lame...certainly not.
In fact, more than a few of them sounded like they spent a lot of time trolling around my blog (here), because THEY were saying much of what I've already said...for years.
Here's the story link from several media sources, so you can take your pick and see who's shooting closer to the ten-ring (no pun intended)
(Journal Gazette)
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20131030/LOCAL/310309976
(News-Sentinel)
http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20131030/NEWS/131029560
(WPTA)
http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/local/Building-Bridges-To-A-Better-Community-Presents-Action-Plan-229807241.html
(WANE)
http://www.wane.com/news/local/community-meeting-addresses-violence-in-the-city
Personally, I like the News-Sentinel take...it's the most comprehensive coverage, even if it doesn't have a video presentation.

The Urban League (of more than a few less than extraordinary gentlemen) of Fort Wayne laid out a 10 point "plan" to deal with the issues we suffer down here. Well, there is a difference between ISSUES and outright PROBLEMS, isn't there?
We hear the hackneyed rhetoric about unemployment and poverty, but we also heard a smattering about mental health (yay), and broken families (about damn time). as well.
There are too many out there who mistakenly believe that we have a major "socio-economic" problem that is promoting the rise in violence, not only HERE on the SE side, but around the nation.
Yep...time for another EYE ROLL...
((...ROLLS EYES...))
ALL of these things are contributory in nature, and not the problems themselves...
And those of you that read these posts KNOW that already.
If you have to place these things into a ONE WORD problem, it becomes too simple.
It's called...
E T H I C S.

Doesn't matter what else comes down the pike...without ANY ethical behavior, everything else good never happens.
And this includes religion as well. Never met a sinner yet that was ethical beyond belief.
But a MORALLY-RIGHT person has ethics out the wazoo...think about it.
Ethics needs to be the cornerstone to the rest of what follows as far as the human condition is concerned.
Ever come across any criminal that HAD ethics?
NO, because if they DID, they wouldn't be a frigging criminal, would they?

The people that spoke last night came SO damn close to the REAL problem...the ROOT cause, but again, I felt like I was watching Dancing With The Stars...(excellent quick-stepping - I give them an "8", along with Bruno...lol)
I DID hear the word "culture" come up, but ONLY in reference to a "culture of violence".
Well, that was a good START, but again, they dropped the ball when they were a mere couple yards away from that next first down.
The culture in the black community, or I should more correctly say SUB-CULTURE is what is causing most ALL of the problems they currently face.

It's the generational entitlements, the unprotected sex, the illegitimacy rates, the drop out rates, the high unemployment rates...you name it.
ALL of these facts bear quiet witness to a serious problem IN those communities, but reflect only the symptoms OF that problem (disease).
The lack of respect, lack of civility, lack of morality, lack of ...yes, ethics is the ROOT cause, because the culture is FLAWED, and preys upon itself (when not preying on others). And it also leads to an inherent disdain for law-enforcement, and the laws in general.
It produces the zipper-lipped people, too fearful or apathetic to speak a word in order to solve crimes in their parts of the community.
Instead, such inaction allows crime to thrive...which it does.
And this sub-culture is braced up by all the bad choices, bad behavior, and bad influences that are allowed into those communities.
I have said here many times that the ONLY way to change the situation in ANY ghettoland is to change the MINDS of the people.
And since all the programs created to help those have gone for naught far too often, tossing ANY more money at still more incentives will do nothing.
Not enough return for all the dollars spent should send up the red flag every time.
FWPD chief York again stated that the guns on the streets were a major concern (well intended), but city councilman John Crawford came to "rescue" with his statistical repartee citing that MOST guns wind up in the wrong hands due to either being STOLEN...or STRAW-PURCHASED...
What have I been saying for years?
I swear Crawford is reading this blog...and that's fine by me. Wish he'd COMMENT...lol.
Council President Tom Didier was very impassioned with his comments, because he lost his uncle, Jim Didier way back in 2000 to a teen that botched a robbery and instead shot Jim dead.
I STILL recall that with clarity, and that alone should have empowered many around here into action.
It made me get in touch with the police more often, and I've been commended more than a few times by a couple city journalists , the former FWPD quadrant captain, and a few members of the department, but I'm only ONE person here, and the job is all but insurmountable at this point in time.
Do I believe anything will come of this?
Given the fact that much was begun after 1997's banner year, but few if any LONG-TERM results were seen, I'd have to say if the citizens and community leaders wind up growing a solid pair, and can keep the momentum to indeed STOP the violence...or at least diminish it to tolerable levels...they might just be able to enact a change for the better down here...but NOT before.
And that's about as good as it can get, when you fail to change the minds...the culture...the REAL causes of violence

Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay SAFE out there, America.