8.09.2006

The Kids are Not Alright

I decided not to support Linda Cropp in the mayoral race after she pushed through that ridiculous "crime emergency" legislation that extended a youth curfew to 10-friggin-pm. I can't imagine being 16 and having to deal with that bogus legislation. It seemed especially pointless considering the 15-year-old who helped kill Alan Senitt was out at 2am. That was way past the old midnight curfew. If anything, that shows that curfews don't work. Why extend it?

And I was only 16 seven years ago. I remember how pointless youth curfews were. All they did was promote the image of teenagers as being driftless thugs. It was fundamentally unfair to people my age! Outrage!!

I still think that curfews are pointless and don't do anything other than make legislators feel good about themselves. But my opinion of teenagers took a pretty steep tumble after reading this horrifying story in The Washington Post.

Someone fired a gun in the crowd, shooting a 14-year-old girl in both legs and a 13-year-old boy in one leg. A 17-year-old youth was pistol-whipped. Bottles were thrown, [Assistant Police Chief Brian K] Jordan said.

It goes on:

Police are looking for another teenager who left the scene in a white Honda. In the chaos of the shooting, two girls, ages 13 and 14, began to beat another girl with a bottle. Police arrested them, and the victim was taken to a hospital, Jordan said.

Good Lord. The cause of this violence? Police seem to believe it was a neighborhood rivalry exacerbated by a go-go concert. Apparently local go-go bands shout out local neighborhoods to get the crowd excited. I think that's kind of neat. Unfortunately, it doesn't work if portions of your audience are criminally deranged.

I no longer believe the children are our future.

70 comments:

  1. All that curfew shit is just PR. The public is scared because someone got stabbed in a neighborhood they've actually been to. The politicians announce a solution - a new curfew and the promise of more patrols. The public, who has no idea of why these things happen, thinks "That's a good idea" and feel a little safer sipping their espressos at Dean & Deluca.

    Actual impact on crime, ZERO!!

    My point - (ritch) people in this city are like fucking sheep.

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  2. Notice that the article says the incident took place at a daytime concert?
    PS- what are "go-go" concerts?

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  3. and linda cropp is trying to use fenty's vote against her pointless, outrageous curfew to say that he's "soft on crime". what a jackass.

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  4. what a tool. Get your own name, dammit.

    You are the builder of toolsheds, you clown.

    STAND DOWN, PRIVATE SHIT CLASS. THIS IS A DIRECT ORDER.

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  5. oh, and by the way, go go is probably the shittiest form of music known to man. Small wonder it has not made it out of this shithole in the 15 years it's been around. It's basically some stupid repetitive beat with some dude shouting behind it. Comparing it to the advent of hip hop in the bronx is about as stupid as it gets. oh, but wait, that's from the TOOLSHED that cannot invent his own name.

    -TOOLBOX

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  6. How the fuck u live in DC and not know about go-go? I'm too lazy to explain what it is, so this lame-ass wikipedia entry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_go) will have to do. If you're realy interested, stop by any mom-and-pop record store in the district and cop some Backyard Band or Rare Essence CDs.

    And its not only go go clubs that shout out neighborhoods, DJ's and MC's at most hip-hop spots do that.
    Same type of shit happened a little bit ago in PG, when a DJ played Lil' John's "Put your hood up" and some rival "gangs" started beefin.

    All this is off topic, but I had to school ya'll a bit.

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  7. Oh, and fuck THE REAL Krystal Koons for talkin shit about go go.

    If you don't know, keep your mouth shut.

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  8. a few years ago there was a big community push to hold williams accountable for rising crime rates. fenty, graham, mendelson all worked with community activists, but linda cropp refused to even meet with these folks.

    and she claims to be tough on crime. hah ... let's address the real problem with after-school programs and ways to keep at-risk teens from slipping into a life of crime. that's the fenty approach.

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  9. Rusty, your lack of knowledge concerning go-go music in DC is one of the most racist statements I've read on this blog since your bigoted post about the escalators being down at Dupont.

    Someone, please, stop this man before he drags the entire city into a cesspool of prejudice and segregation.

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  10. Whoaaa. I know what go-go is. I've just never been to a show. Morrigan is the one who didn't know what go-go was.

    Nice try though, race-baiter.

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  11. Hey Rusty,

    You were up in arms about that DC detective who made a racist comment yet you've completly ignored the fact that the governer of your home state made a far more racist comment.

    http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/07/31/romney.racialremark.ap/index.html

    Refering to something as a tar baby is alot worse than what that detective said. Go screw asshole.

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  12. First of all, I didn't vote for Romney. And saying "tar baby," though insensitive, is not 1/100th of racist as what Andy Solberg said.

    "Tar baby" means an "inextricable problem or situation." It came from an Uncle Remus story. Uncle Remus was not telling us to report blacks in Georgetown, so he deserves the benefit of the doubt.

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  13. Rusty you literal dbag, you know damn well tar baby connotates very differently from the definition you posted. God this blog has lost it.

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  14. Hey, not knowing about something is hardly racist. I'll admit to being an out-of-the-loop white girl, but how am i supposed to learn if i can't ask a question without everyone freaking out? Thanks to anonymous for the info.

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  15. "Oh, and fuck THE REAL Krystal Koons for talkin shit about go go.

    If you don't know, keep your mouth shut."

    Oh, I do know. I know it sucks shit.

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  16. OK, former D.C. public high school teacher here. A few things:
    -Youth curfews do indeed perpetuate the idea that "youth"="criminal underclass." There are kids who are thugs,a nd they need to be cracked down on. But treating all kids like potential thugs reinforces that idea in their own minds.
    -If you're not from here, you may not understand how gangs in D.C. work. They're less opt-in than they are in other cities, and they're split along neighborhood lines. Kids who live in certain neighborhoods are often assumed (by themselves, by other kids) to be members of the neighborhood gang. Most smart kids who do not want to be criminals just sort of lie low about this.
    -Go-go shout-outs can, therefore, be easily seen to be gang shout-outs. Resulting fights are deeper (if no less stupid) than just "my neighborhood is better than yours." There are rivalries, and there's violence.
    -When I was teaching (and this was almost 10 years ago, so things may have changed), the kids most likely to be stupid on behalf of their neighborhoods were ninth graders, so, 14-year-olds.

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  17. Anonymous, I understand how "tar baby" is now seen as insenitive. But, back in the day, it had nothing to do with race. Are Uncle Remus stories now racist too? Cause that would suck. I loved Remus growing up...including the tar baby and the briar patch.

    Seriously, stop race-baiting.

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  18. Ok. The second Krystal needs to switch their name. This is confusing me.

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  19. Can this blog keep an intelligent conversation thread? These conversations are starting to have a set formula.

    1. Someone starts talking about the post,
    2. Krystal Koons (any one of them)makes some inane off-the-topic comment or insult.
    3. There is infighting amongst the Krystal Koons
    4. Someone calls Rusty racist.
    5. Someone like former dc school teacher tries to reel in the conversation with some thought-provoking comments
    6. This comment is largely ignored and folks go back to calling each other doo doo heads

    What gives people? If you can't say something intelligent, at least try for something witty...this blog isn't even entertaining anymore. Rusty, I know you can do better. Bring back stuff like the wingman and dc late night shots club posts!

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  20. If anyone has negative commments, please post them on this blog: http://hiptranquilchick.blogspot.com/

    I hate this broad as much as... I hate D.C.

    --Borf

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  21. Rustor, you are just pissed off that the child molestors can now only find targets before 10:00PM. A flagrant violation of their constitutional rights, you know.

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  22. "And how dare you insult the local music around here. I'm white and from out of town but I like it. It's obvious that you don't play any musical instruments.... I've actually heard go-go played on radio in NYC w/ more of a brassy feel...."


    How "dare" I? "And how dare you insult the local music around here."

    How can one even respond to such a statement? You are a clown.

    Yes, one can quite possibly argue that go go is not very good music. One could even go so far as to say that it sucks shit. Now, I love hip hop, I love blues, I love rock, I love all types of music, captain clown. Go go, however, is shit. Sorry to have offended you. Actually, no I'm not.

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  23. I don't think there's any conflict between tracking pedaphiles and violating their Constitutional rights if you change the laws to avoid constitutional challenges.

    How about this bit of commonsense, Shithole?

    One conviction of child molestation gets you life in prison. Period. If you want parole, you voluntarily agree to be electronically monitored. If not, you simply decline parole and there's no conflict.

    In that manner, they would be giving up their privacy "rights." I mean, chemical castration doesn't work and other tracking options don't work.... If they still present a threat to the public, then they should be kept away.

    There's a fundamental difference in the brain that makes someone a pedaphile. You can't hold them morally accountable for being a child molestor, but you can hold them accountable for breaking the law by acting on their urges.

    I hope that's not a racist comment.

    I'm sorry you were molested. :)

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  24. Don't criticize Rusty or he'll delete your post like it never existed.

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  25. Hmmm...how would a NY Times review of go go exactly read?

    "This music, spawned in Washington D.C., consists of thumping beats laced with odd shouting in the background. Owing to its skyrocketing popularity, it has not managed to make it out of DC in the fifteen years it has been around. Some people claim to like it, though most sentient beings realize it sucks shit."

    How's that?

    Oh, and when you're done with Pat Buchanan's book you can do humanity a favor and flush it down the toilet, toolshed. Floss if you want to floss.

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  26. Formerly, I only do that to you.

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  27. Criticize Rusty on a regular basis and he'll start deleting your posts like they never existed.

    I thought my post was quite subdued, well-thought-out and justified, based on your previous statements. Do you care to explain why you deleted it?

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  28. Formerly, I do not care to explain.

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  29. "Owing to [go-go's] skyrocketing popularity, it has not managed to make it out of DC in the fifteen years it has been around...."

    I have heard it in New York, but it's been around for at least 30 years.

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  30. Anonymous,

    "One conviction of child molestation gets you life in prison. Period. If you want parole, you voluntarily agree to be electronically monitored. If not, you simply decline parole and there's no conflict."

    I hope you are saying that this is how is "should" be, and not how it really is, because there's not a state out there that has any law even close to this.

    My post is directed at Rustor the Molustor who is more concerned about the rights of CONVICTED child molestors than the safety of our kids.

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  31. Both hip hop and go-go suck shit. It is the most vile and repulsive excuse for music that has ever existed. All rappers should have their heads ripped off so we can all shit down their necks.

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  32. Shithole,

    You are CORRECT. I was saying that is indeed how it SHOULD be. And I realize there is not one state in the union that'd agree w/ us.

    I don't think electronic monitoring (hey, why not use RFID tags?) is completely ridiculous.... It's riculous not to protect children.

    Hey, I know a guy who was kidnapped when he was five years old. 60 years later, the memory was as fresh as ever.... Seriously, I think tagging them is a good idea.

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  33. Rustor made it perfectly clear that he's against Megan's law because the child molestors in question have "paid their debt to society" and should be left alone.

    He's a dick.

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  34. If you destroy a life, you can never really repay your debt to society.

    In Europe, they think we in the U.S. are savages for imprisoning some inmates for 30 years or more--which is really a lifetime. I can see their point, but lifetime imprisonment for murderers is a heck of a lot more humane than the death penalty (which I oppose).

    Anyway, I think w/ technology we are now getting some good solutions for protecting the Constitution, allowing convicted child molesters to some day see light and redeem themselves, while ALSO protecting children.

    It just makes to much sense to use technology to do this. Hey, some parents are already tagging their children. Why not go to the source of the problem? Recidivism rates for that sort of thing are ridiculous.

    How awesome would this be: a parent or child receives a text message that the child is within so many feet of a convicted child molester (w/o revealing his/her identity), based upon the RFID tag in the molester and the tracking technology in the child's cell phone.

    W/o going Orwellian, there are some solutions coming up to make most people happy.

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  35. His Royal Doucheness would be opposed to everything you have suggested. God forbid we endanger the rights of child molestors to protect our children.

    Rusty is a dick.

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  36. I have no problem with monitoring released molestors with an ankle bracelet to prevent them from hanging around parks and schools.

    Shithole, I hate child molestors. Calm down. I just also love civil liberties.

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  37. Then why are you opposed to Megan's Law?

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  38. Why don't we get back to the real problem with DC...politicians like Cropp who play on the fears of rich people while still trying to prove she's Blacker than the other guy by complaining about developing slums into something useful...

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  39. Wow, Rusty. You'll let someone call you a dick, but won't let someone criticize your tone and topics?

    In that case, you're a dick.

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  40. I oppose Megan's Law because it brands someone as a sex offender for life. I have no problem with telling the neighbors that a perv is moving in next door immediately after release from custody, but for some that stigma follows them the rest of their lives...even if they never commit another crime.

    Scarlet letters don't prevent crime. They just make parents feel better.

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  41. Megan's law brands someone a sex offender for life because that is exactly what they are -- a sex offender for life. Child sex offenders cannot be rehabilitated and have the highest recidivism rate of any criminal.

    To say that Megan's Law does not prevent crime is laughable. By knowing that a child molestor is living in your neighborhood, you can take appropriate measures to protect your children. It is a parent's right to know who is lurking around and may harm your kids. If it has prevented even one child from being harmed (which I'm sure it has), it is worth the supposed "violation" of the sex offenders' collective rights. We are comparing the innocent to the guilty here, and you are clearly taking the side of the guilty.

    But thanks nonetheless for finally answering the question. Even though your views are warped and you haven't got a fucking clue as to what you are talking about. I hope you never have kids.

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  42. Rusty,

    That post doesn't make much sense. You oppose a scarlet letter but believe it's beneficial to inform neighbors that a new resident is a convicted sex offender. How is that different from branding someone a sex offender for life?

    You also support requiring them to wear ankle bracelets. Though invasive, wouldn't RFID tags be less noticeable and wouldn't some sort technological system like I mentioned be less of a stigma?

    The bottom line is that these people don't just commit a crime b/c they were in a one-time circumstance or had a bad upbringiing. They comitt these crimes, researchers believe, because their brains are different. Therefore, they won't change and it makes sense to brand them.

    But it could be done in a way that is constitutional and provides them the best possible chance for a better life. That sounds humane to me.

    Okay, I'm done.

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  43. [Fade in to candidate shaking hands with working class voters....]

    UNLIKE MY OPPONENT, I OPPOSE THE IRAQ WAR, THE SENSELESS KILLING OF SMALL PUPPIES AND, OF COURSE, CHILD MOLESTERS.

    I'M NED LAMONT AND I APPROVE THIS MESSAGE.

    [Show American flag, fade into white.....]

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  44. Shithole, of course molesters can be rehabilitated. You're right that sex offenders have the highest recidivism rates, but those rates are still well below 100%.

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  45. Rusty,

    [white chick voice] I canNOT believe you just wrote that.

    [ghetto voice] No you DIDN'T!

    Well below 100% is still pretty godamned high. Wow, would it have to be 98% to make you happy that rehabilitation is a bit tough?

    Look, I don't know WHY you think rehabilitation is possible. Have YOU looked at the data sets? Are YOU a scientist? Are YOU a child molestor?

    The brain (through no fault of their own, god bless them) is different! It's a brain difference they were cursed to be born with (most likely, is the prevailing theories).

    I would trust scientists a bit more than 23 year-olds who read the newspaper.

    I almost shit my pants when i read that.

    --Krystal Light

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  46. Hey, you people who oppose the death penalty because sometimes innocent people are executed:
    How do you feel about the possibility that innocent people (wrongly) convicted of molestation could be branded pedophiles for life, even after they've done time and been released?
    Just curious, not sure where I stand myself.

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  47. I'm confused. Why do you live here? What a miserable SOB to stay in a place you hate. Move and be happy. Be free!

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  48. Nancy,

    I oppose the death penalty (and its propitiators) for many, many reasons. It's absolutely barbaric and it's a shame that Europe and Canada should lead the United State of America in any category!

    At least if you've branded someone a sex offender for life they have a lifetime to appeal that designation. Someone who's been executed for murder has no such opportunity.

    Capiche?

    And why live someplace you hate? Because we are all herky-jerky human beings who have mixed feelings about everything and fears about life. I am afraid I won't like another place, but afraid that I actually like D.C. at the same time.

    Though I hate d.c. there are some things i like:

    1. politics
    2. i cannot possibly be unemployed (i've tried and people have actually fucking recruited me out of unemployment w/ big salary jumps).
    3. There are really pretty girls here (i prefer white, but goddamnit these black and brown girls are fucking hot!) Everyone who visits me from other regions of the country (even NYC and the South) says, Man, there are some hot women here.

    As the FBI villain said in the Silence of the Lambs sequel: This town is full of country pussy.

    I mean, Jesus. I should really stop complaining. Boy, pretty girls and plentiful employment. I'm pissed 'cause I don't live in a city w/ more high rises and better public transportation and that other people are pissed about the high cost of real estate.

    There are ups and downs to every city. Truth is, we just don't have the purchasing power that people in NYC, LA and Tokyo have. We're not as sophisticated. Seattle has a cooler scene... And it's really fucking hot here.

    I truly have mixed feelings about this place. I think I'll move within five years. I don't want to settle down here but some very good things have happened here.

    I am, after all, a resident of the capital of the world's only empire. My job is good as long as the war is on--and that's lookin' good too. Life is okay.

    --Wannabe Krystal

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  49. Nancy,

    I hate DC but I'm gettin' laid and gettin' paid.

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  50. Shithole, of course molesters can be rehabilitated.

    What science backs that up?

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  51. I don't know why I even bother with anymore, but sex offender rates are usually well below 50%.

    http://www.csom.org/pubs/recidsexof.html

    So, your 98% hypothetical is just as ignorant as "sex offenders can't be cured."

    This topic has nothing to do with DC and I really don't care that much. But if this is the fight you want to pick, go nuts. Sex offenders are awful, but so are murderers and muggers...yet we don't brand them for life.

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  52. You're such a hypocrite, Rusty.

    Why do you defend child molesters while at the same time you make fun of deaf people?

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  53. My father was kidnapped at the age of five. Sixty years later he got drunk one night and spoke about it. SIXTY years. Tell me that son-of-a-bitch DOESN'T deserve a life sentence or monitoring.

    Drunk, sure. I love that man. Fuck YOU.

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  54. "Why do you defend child molesters while at the same time you make fun of deaf people?"

    Because that's what liberals do.

    "Sex offenders are awful, but so are murderers and muggers...yet we don't brand them for life."

    That's because muggers don't generally destroy lives. As for murderers, you don't consider life in prison being branded for life? What the fuck have you been smoking?

    Okay, so only 50% of child molestors that get out will destroy another life. Sure Rusty, let's just leave them alone then. After all, half of the fucking pervs will not do it again.

    The only thing worse than a liberal is a stupid liberal.

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  55. The average incarceration for a homicide is less than ten years. Nice try though.

    And I never made fun of deaf people. I was wondering why they would go to concerts. The question was answered.

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  56. Rusty stop answering the trolls. It's not worth it.

    This blog should be called "why the imposter krystal koons is a fucking clown."

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  57. I'm sorry. I was being a smartass. I just think it's funny that people bust Randy's ass here for beinga child molester and racist. :)

    Maybe he likes to touch children but who am I to judge?

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  58. Interesting discussion. I personally have to problem with Megan's Law insofar as it keeps people informed.

    However, is that once the community is empowered by this information, they must be prevented from overstepping the boundary between a) being informed and proceeding accordingly and b)taking some sort of direct action in the matter (e.g. actively seeking to harrass said felon, harm said felon, hound said felon out of the neighborhood).

    These provocative actions can have the unintended effect of driving a former sex offender (and I mean former only in the LEGAL sense) to relapse and commit crimes again.

    Clearly, nobody wants that. The rules of engagement under Megan's Law between offendors and non-offendors should definitely be one of mutual "leave each other the hell alone."

    Maybe, get back to curfews, now?

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  59. Who the hell is Randy?

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  60. whyihatedc deserves better. http://onestupidblog.blogspot.com/2006/08/whyihatedc-needs-new-hater-part-one-of.html

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  61. whyihatedc deserves better. http://onestupidblog.blogspot.com/2006/08/whyihatedc-needs-new-hater-part-one-of.html



    HOW ABSURD. YOU START A BLOG TO MOCK ANOTHER?

    Here's a suggestion: relax a bit. have a club soda.

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  62. Once this sudden fear of crime in D.C. thing blows over, you can change the name of this 'blog to howilearnedtostopworryingandtolovedc.blogspot.com.

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  63. I think that the creator of this hater blog is Formerly Anonymous (the troll behind whyihatewhyihatedc.blogspot.com.)

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  64. Death penalty for any crime is the only solution!

    Although that means I would have been dead 20+ times, but i still stand by my opinion.

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  65. Unfortunately children are our future. It's just not a future we really want to look at...

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  66. Um, a word of explanation. I might have made some over-the-top comments on Friday that could be interpreted as more sexist or racist than my usual splatter on this Web site.

    Lemme tell ya, I was working from my home office that day and I started out with a pitcher of Bloody Maries, routed my calls to voicemail, and got some beer. From there, things went down hill. Hope you all have as much fun at work.

    Peace out.

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  67. Oh, for Christ's sake! You've all outdone yourselves this time.

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  68. You know, it's easy for you to call a crime emergency "ridiculous" since you weren't the one raped or brutalized.

    So it makes sense not to create "safe spots" in the nation's capitol to protect tourism revenue, not to mention the right of Americans to make a pilgrammage to their national treasures?

    Man, that's such a knee-jerk opinion that has nothing to do with progressive politics. It's just stupid.

    Go find a hacky sack circle and have a good hack.

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  69. "two girls began to beat another girl with a bottle."

    Man, those Bush girls are CRAZY!

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