I spent my teen years in a really rough city neighborhood. It was gang territory and there was no escaping them. Seen more fist, gun and knife fights than any kid should ever see. I ended the only fight anyone started with me and ended up with assault and battery charges. My mother filed charges against the one who'd attacked me,…
I spent my teen years in a really rough city neighborhood. It was gang territory and there was no escaping them. Seen more fist, gun and knife fights than any kid should ever see. I ended the only fight anyone started with me and ended up with assault and battery charges. My mother filed charges against the one who'd attacked me, and they cut a deal and the DA dropped the charges. Some things never change.
A young man I've known since he started kindergarten with one of my kids, was bullied something awful. One night, three bullies came to his grandmother's house and started a fist fight. The bullies went too far. Sammy loved his gramma and as they say, he ended the fight. It was three against one. Sammy did not start that fight. Those bullies had hunted him down for fun. But Sammy served three years in prison. He came home on parole and kept his hunting rifle in a steel box on a shelf, in his garage. He knew the rules, but he loved that stupid rifle. He got a call at work, the cops had broken down his front door. A few minutes later, Sammy was in handcuffs in the back of a cop car. The cops had arrested his wife and thrashed their home. Sammy was sentenced to another 3 years for having that gun at his home. He was out in a year, but... he's a two time felon. He's down in Texas now, and I'm here in Kentucky. Like clockwork, he calls once a week and we talk a while. Sometimes we talk a long while. We talk about America a lot.
Just an hour ago there was a report of an assault at the frisbee golf course at the park I walk in in the mornings. This was about 100 meters from my house. Homelessness and drug addicts attracted to the meth clinic they put in about a half a mile away. Most of this violence does not involve guns, but it's getting worse.
A habit I picked up in the land of Dixie is that I speak to people I encounter. Mostly they are cordial and speak. I've only had one incident where I seriously thought I would have to fight. He was cussing up a storm at me. I think he had mental issues, many of the homeless do.
I recently read that over 500 homeless people have died here in Phoenix in the first six months of this year. It said 10% violence but mostly drug addiction. Most of our violence does not involve guns, but I see more and more people talking up guns on the neighborhood ap to defend themselves. That's not about the "gun culture", it's a response to crime that is ramping up. The police recruiters are paying top dollar because nobody wants to be a cop.
I spent my teen years in a really rough city neighborhood. It was gang territory and there was no escaping them. Seen more fist, gun and knife fights than any kid should ever see. I ended the only fight anyone started with me and ended up with assault and battery charges. My mother filed charges against the one who'd attacked me, and they cut a deal and the DA dropped the charges. Some things never change.
A young man I've known since he started kindergarten with one of my kids, was bullied something awful. One night, three bullies came to his grandmother's house and started a fist fight. The bullies went too far. Sammy loved his gramma and as they say, he ended the fight. It was three against one. Sammy did not start that fight. Those bullies had hunted him down for fun. But Sammy served three years in prison. He came home on parole and kept his hunting rifle in a steel box on a shelf, in his garage. He knew the rules, but he loved that stupid rifle. He got a call at work, the cops had broken down his front door. A few minutes later, Sammy was in handcuffs in the back of a cop car. The cops had arrested his wife and thrashed their home. Sammy was sentenced to another 3 years for having that gun at his home. He was out in a year, but... he's a two time felon. He's down in Texas now, and I'm here in Kentucky. Like clockwork, he calls once a week and we talk a while. Sometimes we talk a long while. We talk about America a lot.
Sad to read that.
Just an hour ago there was a report of an assault at the frisbee golf course at the park I walk in in the mornings. This was about 100 meters from my house. Homelessness and drug addicts attracted to the meth clinic they put in about a half a mile away. Most of this violence does not involve guns, but it's getting worse.
A habit I picked up in the land of Dixie is that I speak to people I encounter. Mostly they are cordial and speak. I've only had one incident where I seriously thought I would have to fight. He was cussing up a storm at me. I think he had mental issues, many of the homeless do.
I recently read that over 500 homeless people have died here in Phoenix in the first six months of this year. It said 10% violence but mostly drug addiction. Most of our violence does not involve guns, but I see more and more people talking up guns on the neighborhood ap to defend themselves. That's not about the "gun culture", it's a response to crime that is ramping up. The police recruiters are paying top dollar because nobody wants to be a cop.