It’s A Little Late to Get Upset
I’m in a bit of a mood this morning. I’m upset over another story about the rape of a teenage girl in this town. I’m upset this happened in broad daylight at 21st and Carrolton. I’m upset this is the third time a female has been attacked during daylight hours in this town. And I’m upset the powers that be have been slow to respond and hold a news conference because they now want to look like they’re doing something.
There was no news conference when a woman was attacked in a parking garage across the street from city hall and later robbed and raped. The attack happened the day before the Mayor’s State of City Address. And there was no mention of it in the speech.
There was no news conference when a 14-year old was attacked while waiting for her school bus near John Marshall School, taken to a vacant house and raped. It took the outrage of a local pastor to shame the community into action.
Why did no one get upset when 4-year old Elijah Simpson was reportedly killed by his mother’s boyfriend because he was tired of Elijah sucking his thumb?
Why did no one get upset when two people died following a shootout on the northwest side?
Why did no one get upset when a State Senator got mugged in Monroe Gray’s district earlier this year?
Who got upset when this city had it’s 10th homicide in February. It’s 20th and 30th homicides that occurred last month?
Why is no one upset that we’re averaging a homicide every three days and at his rate we’ve already passed last year’s number of homicides?
Did anyone get upset when a police report was altered to keep a state senator’s name out of a report involving a raid at a pea shake house?
Why did no one get upset when the Sheriff was basically MIA when most of these crimes were taking place, but had no problem getting publicity when he endorsed his chief deputy for sheriff in an election that’s almost four years away?
Why is no one getting upset when our only recourse to solve our public safety crisis is to go to the legislature and ask for taxing authority as opposed to making tough choices and not giving every developer and his mother money to build low-income housing?
A lot of people have had ample time to get upset in this county and the way crime trends are going, they’ll have a lot more to get upset about.
And for people who would criticize me for this post, maybe you should spend more time getting upset at this community falling apart rather than me.
