How much do drug dealers charge for a motivational speech?

Recently I attended the PSA monthly crime prevention meeting for my area. This would have been my second visit and I was looking forward to hearing about the latest crime initiatives as well as meeting more of my neighbors. While last month's meeting wasn't exactly standing room only (there were about 8 citizens and just as many officers) I did get to meet people who lived on my street and they were great. I also was able to meet first hand the officers that serviced my community and it was so nice to put a face to a name. With the exception of one long winded gentleman (never did quite figure out what he was complaining about something or other about his non running car being towed) everyone had true community concerns. The main one being the issue with drug trafficking in the area.

For this months meeting I was expecting to see just as many if not more citizens at this month's PSA meeting. Peace hasn't exactly broken out in South East and taking into account the flurry of activity on the 7D list serve there seems to be plenty of concerns to go around, from noise complaints to drug dealing to the occasional shooting. Neighbors are up in (digital) arms about what is happening in the house next door or up the street. The same refrain is repeated over and over again "Where are the police?!!".

Based on that I was sure that July's PSA meeting would have at least marginally surpassed June's meeting in terms of attendance. I couldn't have been more wrong. There were a total of 4 residents who turned out. FOUR residents out of an entire PSA took time out of their day to discuss criminal activity in their community. On some level it was both embarrassing and disappointing to see such a poor turn out. There were actually more officers than residents. We did the best we could with what we had but it kind of warrants the question -who are we fighting for when the "who" won't even bother to show up?

Don't get me wrong. There is more than enough blame to go around, perhaps law abiding residents are tired of all the talk and no action...perhaps they are just plain TIRED but what I don't get is how someone can complain about a problem but so adamantly refuse to be part of the solution.

It's a knockout without even getting into the ring.

Then I got to thinking about our folks in the "hand to hand" pharmaceutical business and how if they ever put out a motivational manual how we common folk may need to take a page from their playbook. Instead of being called "How To Win Friends And Influence People" it could be titled "What Friends? Screw Everybody".

Just a few of my layman's observations on the "corner boys".

1. HAVE NO FEAR - I don't know if it is a lack of fear or good common sense but some of these folks will deal and steal from anybody, anywhere. I have yet to hear of a criminal stopping himself mid crime to say "I would sell this dope... but I really don't want to get involved". A little bit of fear can keep you safe a whole lot of fear can be crippling and in the animal kingdom" he that moves last becomes lunch first."
2. HAVE NO SHAME - This is probably the number one complaint on all the list serves. The total lack of regard for one's neighbors, for one's street, for one's community. Perfect example, in 7D for the past few weeks neighbors have been complaining about the same house causing a disturbance almost nightly (loud music, loud talking, loitering). People who have to get up at 6am to go to work are more mindful of their neighbors who also have to get up at 6am to go to work. You ever notice how rude people never realize they are rude? That's because in addition to having no consideration for their fellow man they have no internal shame meter. These are the type of people who aren't wearing clean underwear when they are run down by a bus.
3. DON'T BE AFRAID TO MAKE AN ASS OUT OF YOURSELF - Need I say more?
4. THERE ARE STRENGTH IN NUMBERS - I have yet to see a single man operation in my neighborhood. They work in groups and each member of the group has a job. It's a lot harder to pick off prey in a herd.
5. BE RESILIENT - I am often baffled by the pure gall of the criminal element to come out day after day despite the risks ( fellow criminals, cops, that rare concerned citizen) and keep breaking the law or making a general ass out of themselves but I suppose when your biggest challenge comes in the form of four citizens at a crime prevention meeting I suppose you can afford to take chances.

At the risk of getting all preachy. I really do wish that we IN THE COMMUNITY would get off our collective asses (or keyboards) and actually step up and be willing to make a difference. Don't get me wrong not asking anyone to put themselves in harms way by becoming the "caped crusader of ward 8" but stop waiting for someone ELSE to take up YOUR slack.

It is one thing to lose a battle it is another to just throw in the towel and that is what too many of us have done. How can we expect police and government agencies to step up in our community when we can't even make it out to a meeting for our own safety?

It's your home, your block, your community. If you not you - who? If not now -WHEN?

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