Last evening a young guy, 24, was on his front porch, downloading movies on his laptop when two morons--at least one with a gun--came along and apparently wanted the laptop. The young man got up to go inside, sensing trouble, but too late--the idiot with the gun shot him in the back.
Then there's this:
A Kansas City resident taking a walk this morning found a man shot to death in a grassy area near 44th Street and Myrtle Avenue.
So, once again--we're used to it, unfortunately--some people have been shot in town and there's no one to prosecute for them, so far.
You wouldn't believe we're in the middle of a mayoral race, would you?
I've written here several times before about how these two co-mayors don't say a thing or offer any guidance or leadership on these shootings and killings in town. No calling for City Hall to get together with civic, church and other community leaders to meet and discuss just what we all can do--nothing. They don't even reference the shootings, as though they never happen.
Nothing. Not a word. Not a peep.
Now, two shootings in about 12 hours time and still, to this moment, not a word. Five days ago, another teen was found shot dead in a car here in town (see final link, below).
Hopefully one or more of the mayoral candidates will speak up on this, declare it unacceptable and make some very real promise to have these meetings, at least, so we can get to some hopeful solutions to the shootings, drive-by shootings and killings in Kansas City.
Links: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/11/29/2480895/computer-user-shot-in-back-on.html
http://www.kansascity.com/2010/11/29/2480820/kc-police-investigating-fatal.html
http://kcpdchief.blogspot.com/2010/11/teen-found-dead-in-car-identified.html
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3 comments:
Hey, I just can't believe you didn't get any "amens" on this entry. Maybe because it's so stupifyingly obvious? Well, here's an amen from me. There is so much that needs to be done to address this violence, but the obvious start is for public officials to stand up and say that they are absolutely outraged and will not stand for it as the status quo any more.
By the way, check out this piece from Midwest Voices. Your eyes might water a little in response to what this father of a murder victim has to say.
http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/my-murdered-son-did-not-die-vain/
I agree on the stupefyingly obvious and yet--not one mayoral candidate has said anything yet.
So much for leaders and leadership.
As for an "amen", yes on that, too. I thought, at minimm, Dr. Evans from the Kansas side would chime in.
Dear Mr. Kevin: Thanks for mentioning me on your blog!! Yes, I agree, I should have "chimed in"--got distracted with such holiday obsessions as Christmas cards!! Your point is very well taken: I have watched the ongoing, early stages of the campaign for mayor--and no one even mentions crime as an issue. This in a city that has a most dubious (and most unwanted) national distinction: KCMO is the only large city in the US to have had more homicides in 2008, 2009 and 2010 than in 2007--all over the nation, despite the recession, most cities have been seeing falling rates of homicides since 2007. (In Washington, DC my old hometown in 2009 they had the lowest homicide total in 50 years--and they expect to have an even lower total in 2010.) If the political/financial elite of the city thinks this is not known and observed around the nation then they are truly delusional. If something is not done to contain this violence, we are going to have a harder and harder time attracting conventions and new industry and new residents--people don't schedule many conventions in Detroit, Camden, New Jersey, East Saint Louis, etc (Meaning no disrespect to those fine cities!!) So, my message to the people running for office next year: Starting talking about the elephant in the room--the crime issue. Sincerely, Respectfully and In Christ, Ernest Evans
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