NEWS: Killing the Neighborhood to Save the Neighborhood

CULTURE: Killing the Neighborhood to Save the Neighborhood

The city of Los Angeles has acquired a court order that evicts an entire apartment complex because its a long history of gang activity. The complex in South L.A. is a known base for the 69 East Coast Crips and also sits opposite a middle school.

No neighborhood, no gang activity—so much for innocent residents.

Of course, it is unknown where the residents whom have no social or familial network will go this close to Christmas.

[Hat tip: Drudge]

Im sure that people who break the law would never squat in these houses illegally. Bravo, LA!

Why don't they open a police precinct in the building?
It's only fair, you break it - you bought it.

I don't feel for the "non criminal" residents so much in this instance. They claim to not be involved, but why the hell else would they stay in an apartment complex that had been subject to 13 drive bys in a little over two years? that's just about one drive by every two months. To assume they couldn't find a better place is bullshit. Besides, if they were really worried about their kids (re: article), then what kind of parents are they to allow them to live in such a bad place?

Coming from the UK, i am lucky enough to not really see any of this gang stuff so i have no idea what it would be like to live in such an area.

I guess it sort of makes snese though. The only thing is, when they are all thrown out, where they gonna go? Won't they just find another place to infest?

one could also assume that they couldn't afford to leave

Or that they are too old to leave.
Or that they are married to criminal residents.
Or that they are the children of criminal residents.
Or that they have lived there all their lives and don't want the criminal elements to scare them away.

For example.

I would think it would be parents trying their hardest to somehow and in someway to get their children outta harm's way. Having grown up in a urban warzone,Let me tell you that it's not as easy as you think to just up and move. We managed to move from my old neighborhood and are now teaching all of our children not to think that the lawns and shit they see now weren't earned offa the sweat and tears of ALL of our family. Economic racism is still a big reality in trying to get out..........

While we're at it, why don't gang members just stop being in gangs?! Because that's exactly how things work in Easier-Said-Than-Done Land.


[Edited on Dec 15, 2004 by UnnecessaryZ]

I agree completely... you know the source of the problem, quanteen it... dispersing it just sends all the problems elsewhere

Apparently, the police's hands are tied most of the time when it comes to the really, really serious criminal activity in America. From race-related legal issues if the cop is white and the gangster is black, to our revolving door prisons, to the fact that many or all of the gang members could be underagged, and therefore not able to be tried as an adult, to the fact that anyone they arrest had damn well BETTER be PROVEN guilty of something or they'll just turn around and sue the cops, there are plenty of reasons why the police can't just grab their tear gas and riot shields and go "Okay, you guys are all part of an evil gang! You're going behind bars for the rest of your lives!" It just doesn't work that way.

Not yet, at least. Shrub is working on it. I guess we'll see if life gets better or worse once we eliminate all of those pesky civil liberties.

tough shit

Because that would require more officers. More officers require more tax dollars to pay their salaries, but additional equipment, etc. No one wants to pay more taxes, so...