Baywalk Manifesto!

Two comments stand out. Blaming blacks and southside residents? Come on. This web site has earned respect for it's incite and honesty. Racism does not belong here.

Where you there? WHat should we say they weren't black? They weren'tsouthside residents? Incite and honesty vs Political Correctness is what has gotten us to this point in the first place. Facts are the facts my friend.

[Tom]

I have lived most of my life in south St. Pete. I have seen a small minority give our community a bad name. I live a few blocks from the corner of Newton and MLK, which is the subject of discussion on another post.

The Bartlett Park Neighborhood Association has supported the great work of our police officers since we started 17 years ago. Most of the other southside associations, churches and other organizations also support the police.

If you don't know anything about us and just drive through you could easily get the opposite impression. We need to do more to take back our own neighborhood from lawbreakers. Too many of our street corners are used to sell drugs. You will see kids gather on the corner who look like thugs. Thats because some of them are thugs, but many are just wannabes who succumb to peer pressure to dress and act like thugs to fit in with criminals who seem to be in complete control of the entire neighborhood. In fact the drug sales seem to be retreating. Maybe they are moving to another part of our neighborhood. We are getting more residents to call when they see crime happen.

I objected to words that seemed racist to me. I don't know the anonymous person who posted them so I do not want to assume that they are racist. I just want to point out that poorly chosen words can distract us from our goal of having a safe and peaceful neighborhood. Sometimes we get divided and forget about our real problems.

We are your allies in the fight against crime.

PS
Anything you can do to bust the people selling drugs from the two houses on the South side of 15th Avenue South and 7th Street(701 15th, 1500 7th) will be greatly appreciated.

[Tom]

Still, I thought the statements of the mayor ("The police handled it well"), Police Department ("a couple" of troublemakers) and BayWalk management ("a security plan that worked") were a little forced. Your standards and mine for what constitutes the unacceptable breakdown of civilization might be different, but mine include gunplay and melees in public places.

http://blogs.tampabay.com/troxler/2007/ ... l#comments

Hey Tom, where are you and those like you when the police are out taking some type of enforcement action? I’ll tell you where….INVISIBLE. For what ever reason, you and those like you are no where to be seen when people are throwing stuff at the police, or doing their best to incite the crowds when arrests are being made, or spitting on us, or accusing the police of being biased or racist because it’s a black person being arrested.

I have been here for over 20 years and can count on one hand the times I was involved in a hostile situation and someone from the neighborhood came forward and stood up for the police AGAINST THE LAWBREAKERS AND HOODLUMS while it was in progress. Better yet and can count it on one finger. Even no fingers, because it has never happened. There have been some kind words expressed after the fact by good citizens, thankful that the police are there trying to help, but the message would be more powerful if you and those like you took a public stance.

Sometime silence is deafening.

Two comments stand out. Blaming blacks and southside residents? Come on. This web site has earned respect for it's incite and honesty. Racism does not belong here.

Where you there? WHat should we say they weren't black? They weren'tsouthside residents? Incite and honesty vs Political Correctness is what has gotten us to this point in the first place. Facts are the facts my friend.

You're black and from the southside arn't you? Yeah every time a black man gets in trouble is isn't his fault, he wasn't there or he didn't see it. Same old thing different day.

I'm a white homeowner on the southside...and have had great luck living where i do. The majority of my neighbors are black and i get along with everyone...haven't had any problems...etc...

interestingly enough...these same neighbors recognize where the problems lie and who is responsible for most of the stolen cars, home invasions, drug dealing, violence...

being politically correct doesn't solve any of the problems facing this city...and black residents who recognize this and stand up for themselves will be better off in the future...as their property values will increase and the lawbreakers will be forced to go elsewhere...

unfortunately, this area is still many years away from this...and i'm glad i don't have kids because things would be different if i did...but at this point i'm here for the long run.

The problem has very little to do with the color of a persons skin. The problem is not “black people”. Black people are just like you and me. They have jobs, they go to school, they don’t get arrested and they obey the law. They want to just be left alone in their community, just like you and me. The problem is the CRIMINALS in their community.

The problem is NOT just the CRIMINALS. The problem is what is accepted behavior in the black community by law abiding citizens. The kids causing the problems are not criminals. They are the children of the law abiding citizens who are acting out as they do everyday in their own community. They are doing what they see everyday!

I know that its not a representation of the entire black community but it dam sure is a representation of the majority of the black community. Thats a fact like t or not! Now instead of playing the race card and claiming unfair discrimination how about taking a ride around the black community and opening your eyes. Then keep your kids at home and spend some time together instead of letting them gather like a bunch of uncontrolled animals at Baywalk.