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| Violence in Oakland forces residents to seek private security |
| 2013-08-18 |
| [CBSNEWS] There has been 61 murders so far in Oakland, Caliphornia, an impregnable bastion of the Democratic Party,. And with crime on the rise, some neighbors are taking extraordinary steps. When gummint ceases doing its job the citizenry must of necessity pick up the job. Just ask Charles Cora. Gunfire has become so common on the streets of Oakland, Caliphornia, an impregnable bastion of the Democratic Party, -- that even in neighborhoods that once seemed immune to the city's violence, residents are no longer shocked. But they'll continue voting Democrat, because there's no such thing as cause and effect. "It's like, 'Oh, another shooting,'" said Jan Hetherington, who has lived for 14 years in the Oakland neighborhood of Maxwell Park. It's a place with glorious views across the Socialist paradise of San Francisco ...where God struck dead Anton LaVey, home of the Sydney Ducks, ruled by Vigilance Committee from 1859 through 1867, reliably and volubly Democrat since 1964... Bay, neat houses and friendly neighbors. Referred to in the local papers as "a bastion of white privilege." "This is the most wonderful neighborhood I've ever lived in," she said. "...except for the occasional dead guy." Yet she acknowledged she has to bring in private security to feel safe. "Until I hired Thugmont, life wasn't quite perfect." With budget cuts forcing Oakland to trim its police force by a third, Anybody remember when Bill Clinton was puffing and preening about how he'd pushed through legislation to "hire 100,000 new policemen?" They're not new anymore. residents decided to pay themselves for private security patrols, which is understandable when you hear this from Hetherington. Watch for the guys in the hoodies. You end up in court, you racist bustard. "A car came down the street, three guys got out with a gun. There was a shootout three blocks over. And I did hear actually a bullet went through somebody's house." You should send a strongly worded letter to Mayor Jean Quan. Or perhaps Mayor Ron Dellums can come out of retirement and fix the problem. Or his predecessor, now Gov. Jerry Brown. That routine gunfire turned tragic last month. Oh, hold me, Ethel! "Our neighbor Judy, who lived in the next block to me, was shot and killed," said Hetherington. "Oh, Former Mayor Brown! What shall I do?" Judy Salamon, a 66-year-old dog walker, was murdered as she drove home. Who did it and why is unknown. Neighbors gathering at the spot where she died fear that if it could happen to Salamon, it could happen to anyone. They're a brilliant lot, aren't they? See how they picked right up on that? Pastor Gregg Brown moved here nine years ago. Even he has been threatened at gunpoint, right outside his Lutheran church "I was scared and I'm still scared," he said. "I'm allergic to lead!" The man with the gun complained about the noisy power washer used to clean the church sidewalk. Brown was told to stop or he'll be shot. "That's how close the crime is," he said. That's how much his life is worth. Eighty-one-year-old Joyce Nichelini has lived Maxwell Park for 42 years. "I lock a gate now and I lock my door and I have alarms. I even put bars on my house," she said. Yet she acknowledged she doesn't feel safe. Perhaps because she's surrounded by the descendants (spiritual and otherwise) of the Sydney Ducks? Other residents hope that when the private security patrols begin in a couple of weeks, it will bring a sense of security to a neighborhood most love too much to leave. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #7 Mike, you're correct, but then, big time Demo Donors don't get rich on police contracts. |
| Posted by: AlanC 2013-08-18 20:11 |
| #6 With budget cuts forcing Oakland to trim its police force by a third I'd be willing to bet that any reasonably intelligent adult could find a whole buncha things that they could cut long before the police force...but they'd all be racist/sexist/homophobic, etc.... Mike b |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2013-08-18 19:39 |
| #5 This model is more like the original model started by Sir Robert Peel. It often seems we are "blessed" more with a securitate than police nowadays.... |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2013-08-18 18:16 |
| #4 With budget cuts forcing Oakland to trim its police force by a third I'd call that slashing. But that would force CBS to admit that Caliphornia has problems. |
| Posted by: gorb 2013-08-18 17:02 |
| #3 Maybe they can form a Neighborhood Watch? |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2013-08-18 15:43 |
| #2 If you have the money, you hire security guards to make you "feel" safe. However, a well armed and trained, and disciplined neighborhood would stop the Riff Raff Rat Club in its tracks. Welcome to the future, urban Dem America. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2013-08-18 14:56 |
| #1 Yet she acknowledged she has to bring in private security to feel safe. How dare she follow Rosie, Bloomberg, etc and all other gun grabbers who hire armed private security. Doesn't she know her place. That's an |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2013-08-18 11:27 |