Back...

I have taken a long break from this blog. Prior to that break, I had already slowed down on posting, but during the summer, I choose to abandon it. I abandoned it because one of my students was killed at 101st and Main. That kinda rocked me. It got me thinking about a lot of things and made me think about the time I have spent in LA. It was a rough August. Right before he was killed a young man was killed at Western and Century, another down the street 109 and van ness, and another by a nearby park...then my moms was in a major accident in the Bay and was in the the hospital...There were several huge police responses to shootings in the area. Then in December, shooting and graffiti picked up because a "youth center" opened that sponsored dances that ended up attracting the gang bangers. Made me think that in the last few years I have been here, I can think of several murders that have happened here in my neighborhood. Two of which I heard the shots. May 06 - Man killed in the ally where my parking space is Dec 06 - Man killed at the Post Office across the street April 07 - Double homicide down Van Ness Christmas 07 - College student killed at Jesse Owens Jan 07 - Western and 108th - Hoovas set up a kid that just had joined a gang March 08 - Man killed across the street in the ally (see picture of message below Christmas 08 - 18 year old killed on Christmas Eve shooting up Van Ness August 09 - Man killed at Western and Century then another a month later

It is just sad that so much violence occurs here with so little purpose. It makes you feel powerless.

They keep saying that crime is going down, but the conditions don't change.