My Summer Vacation

[Left Seater]

Due to a stupid injury on my part that required going under the knife I was unable to fly for the past few months. With my other jobs on summer vacation I had no idea what to do with myself. My wife suggested working with one of our charity partners for the summer and that is what I did. For the past 15 weeks I volunteered with the Houston Housing Authority working with at risk kids thru the Boys and Girls Club and various other outreach programs.

I spent mornings going thru public housing properties looking for kids to take to the Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA, or other athletic or camp type programs. In the middle of the day I worked with adults on helping them get SS#, DL, Birth Certificates, etc. Then in the afternoons I would return to the Boys and Girls Clubs / YMCA and drive the kids back to their homes. I met some wonderful kids, two of which I am now a "big brother" thru big brothers/big sisters.

I don't share this to get props etc. Instead it is to share my thoughts and ideas.

First I must say that my eyes were opened to many problems that I knew nothing about and that some of my bias and beliefs were challenged. Other items were reinforced and strengthened.

So I will use this to say to those who run and those who support some social programs, I WAS WRONG! Some of these programs do have a place and add value to our society. That said, those in these programs need time limits and exit strategies.

There are far to many people in these programs that are accepting section 8 housing assistance or living in gov owned housing projects who have more electronics and gadgets than Best Buy. Same with those driving late model Escalades, Hummers, and BMWs. I met plenty of people who had no desire to ever go to work for the rest of their life. Why should they when their housing is paid, their food is paid, and any money they have coming in goes to toys, cars, or booze. On the flip side there are those who are so greatful and really want to raise themselves and want to better their lives.

Having learned what I did this summer I don't think all of these programs should be eliminated tomorrow like I used to. At the same time no one should be allowed to remain on these programs for more than 30 months. Any longer than that and you are out. No more food stamps, no more housing assistance, nothing. In extreme cases, those that are unable to operate, they should go to mental facilities for treatment. Child Protective Services should step in and remove kids from these homes when the mother's are continuing to have kids just to increase their take from food stamps or WIC. The kids don't get what they need and would do much better in stable homes.

Props to all those social workers, bless those of you who really do care and give it your all every day. Enjoy hell those few that work the system and take more from it than they give it. Great work all of those at the Boys and Girls Clubs / YMCA / etc.

[Shlomart Ben Yisrael]

"Sounds great. Ummmm...by the way, just curious...no reason really...uhhh...is there a background check?"

Sin, Diego

[PSUFAN]

Rack Lefty. Nothing like a well-informed take

[Left Seater]

No pics. I can link you to news stories of multiple shootings while I was "on property." One was over a new backpack. Another was a driveby at a Texas Southern University Event to thank the Rapper Tre for his work.

Wasn't big on showing any thing that was of value in the hood. Was held up once and luckily I had already been advised to carry only my DL. Nothing else for that exact reason.

[Mikey]

I'm surprised you weren't exercising your Second Amendment rights down there.
Isn't it just the type of place where you need self-protection?

[Left Seater]

Mikey,

Yes. Most of the time I would be carrying. But for a rule by both the housing authority and Boys and Girls club that prevents it.



Screw,

I have never understood why more criminals from the 'hood don't go to the suburbs more often. The wealth concentration is much more in the burbs than in the 'hood. But I guess if the criminals were smarter then they wouldn't be criminals of that type.

[TheJON]

Why would thugs from the hood make their way to the burbs? There's cops there. There may be nicer things, more people with money, and nicer homes in the burbs but good luck with that! The crime level in my neighborhood is so low I sometimes wonder if I really need this ADT security. We've had no instances in the 3 years we've lived here in our neighborhood but we've still got a lot of security and there's cops that regularly scan the area. If you can find a way to bust into a home here, steal some shit and NOT get caught I would tip my cap to you and say you deserve to just keep the stuff you stole. Anyone can get away with a crime in the hood. No one snitches and cops don't care to bother.

[M Club]

I spent mornings going thru public housing properties looking for kids to take to the Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA, or other athletic or camp type programs. In the middle of the day I worked with adults on helping them get SS#, DL, Birth Certificates, etc. Then in the afternoons I would return to the Boys and Girls Clubs / YMCA and drive the kids back to their homes. I met some wonderful kids, two of which I am now a "big brother" thru big brothers/big sisters.

Was it during the drives home where you made fun of their names to their faces?

[Dinsdale]

I have never understood why more criminals from the 'hood don't go to the suburbs more often. The wealth concentration is much more in the burbs than in the 'hood. But I guess if the criminals were smarter then they wouldn't be criminals of that type.

If you build it (a light rail system), they will come.

Sin,
The Portland Area

[Cuda]

"Sounds great. Ummmm...by the way, just curious...no reason really...uhhh...is there a background check?"

Sin, Diego

[Dinsdale]

Dins,

I disagree with that take. You think these thugs are going to steal flat screen TVs and carry them onto rapid transit? Doubt it. Crime still happens in Georgetown despite the lack of heavy rail.

Disagree all you like -- but I watched it happen in my neck of the woods with my own two eyes. And I'm quite confident the crime stats for the burbs in question will back me up.

There's more to crime than just stealing flat screens. Hell, I'd say a large percentage of stranger-on-stranger assaults in Washington County occur at the train stations, and such assaults were all-but nonexistent before they drilled the hole through the hills and built the Underground Thug Railroad.

[Derron]

Dins,

I disagree with that take. You think these thugs are going to steal flat screen TVs and carry them onto rapid transit? Doubt it. Crime still happens in Georgetown despite the lack of heavy rail.

Disagree all you like -- but I watched it happen in my neck of the woods with my own two eyes. And I'm quite confident the crime stats for the burbs in question will back me up.

There's more to crime than just stealing flat screens. Hell, I'd say a large percentage of stranger-on-stranger assaults in Washington County occur at the train stations, and such assaults were all-but nonexistent before they drilled the hole through the hills and built the Underground Thug Railroad.

Concur with Dins here....the Metropolitian Public Drug Transportation Express has contributed to the spread of crime on the west side quite well. It has been established less than the Eastside, where it flat out changed hoods for the worst. These hoods went down hill fast as all the home boys and anybody who does not drive, or can't drive needed to move the weight around some how and the train was the best way.

It would be great to ride to PGE Park to catch the ball game, but after 2 car break in's at the Park and Rides, I will drive, and I will pay to park and I don't give a fuck. We went in there with another couple about 3 years ago and the train was crowded and some gansta types got on and started giving an older couple some shit. My buddy walked right up to the gansta, grabbed his elbow in a pinch point, opened his jacket a bit and showed the gansta his Glock and badge on his belt, and told the gansta to get the fuck off at the next stop and if he saw them later on, and if he even made a move, he was just going to fucking shoot him.

Gansta looked around at his home boys, who I had moved to cover, since I was LEGALLY carrying as well, and my buddy kept that elbow in that pinch point until the next stop, which on that train is about every 200 fucking feet. Never saw them again, and never rode that fucking train again to this day.

Our local police agencies have had to ramp up to cover that shame train, and I think there is about4 officers minimum for a 12 mile area. Fucking insane.

[Dinsdale]

Concur with Dins here....the Metropolitian Public Drug Transportation Express has contributed to the spread of crime on the west side quite well.

It's the rate and quantity with which it did it that's so shocking. 15 years ago, if you told me Central Beaverton would become a crime-riddled gangland, I would have peed myself laughing... silly me. Build it, and they will come.

I got no problem riding the train, used to do it more when the woman lived next to a the Killingsworth station... funny thing, that -- North Portland seems like it's become safer than Beaverton.

But, I have no problems. Despite my skinnyassed build, I'm geberally not the guy in the crowd that's going to get picked on -- one glare back, and I distinguish myself as a not-so-easy mark. But, there's always the situation you described -- when you feel compelled to defend others. That's when things get sketchy, but I'll always do it... I'm not "that guy" that sits back and watches other people get victimized, never have been.

But the Killinsworth/Alberta/Kenton stations don't scare me, I'll hang out there all night. The Beaverton and Gresham (sup Meximafia heroin dealers) stations -- they scare me.

How quickly this town has changed. There was a day when I wouldn't go bumping around Kenton/St Johns at night by myself... now, it don't bother me a bit.

[Derron]

The Beaverton and Gresham (sup Meximafia heroin dealers) stations -- they scare me.

Let us not forget the dude who got caught fucking the 13 year old in the bushes at the Beaverton Transit station last year...he was banging her in full view of the train, and was so caught up he forgot to notice the cops coming up on him.