Big cities

come with big crime.  I am in a city that reminds me of a big, small town.  Although there is a population of 700,073 -- it just doesn't feel that big.  People who live here are all connected somehow.  Somebody you meet always knows someone you know.  Ironic.  Coincidence.  No, it's just a big, small town.  We sit 40 miles to the west of another large city with 1.2 million people.  Therefore, do the math, in a 60-mile radius there are 2 million people.

Crime seems to be striking -- close to home.  The economy can be blamed.  The life of hard-knocks can be given as an excuse.  But with a President who is giving everything and more to the "entitled legal and illegal residents with no working chips on their shoulders" ... why commit crimes? 

Because they CAN.  And they CAN walk away without a single punishment. 

I sit in my house, in this room...
I sit ONE-HALF mile equidistant away from TWO recent, unrelated, but very similar murders. 

2,640 feet
880 yards
804.67 meters

February 19
To the west, an eighteen year old boy came home from work at lunchtime.  He walked in on three boys robbing his home.  They shot him, dead.  This was a 'black on black' crime.  It did not receive a lot of media attention.  I am curious as to why it did not.  The rumor on the street was that it was a 'drug deal gone bad'.  But that is not the truth.  The only drug deal gone bad was for the three murderers, they did not steal enough stuff to sell in order to have their own personal drug money. 

March 23
I hear the helicopter circling overhead.  It is 2:00 pm.  I call my husband at work, "check the internet or news -- something is going on".  He finds nothing. 
To the east, a seventeen year old boy comes home from school at lunchtime.  He was with his older sister.  They walked in on two boys robbing their home.  The sister fled.  The boy was shot.  Dead.  Three laptops were stolen.  Two fifteen year old boys caught and released to their mothers.  No bail.  No punishment.  Just an arranged upcoming hearing.  Another boy, possibly the driver/mentor, was held on bail because he was 24.  He is out.  He is now suing the city and police department because they have ruined his reputation.  Who cares if he was in juvenile jail for five years already because he tried to poison his parents?  Who cares if he was the fifteen year old murderers' mentor?  Who cares if he supplied the ride?  And the weapon?  Who cares?  He gets to settle for thousands of dollars out of court.  They all walk! 

Where is the justice?
Where is the honor?
Why are kids killing for a few bucks?
How much can you possibly get for three HOT laptops?
Kids are carrying guns.
The kids are not running.  They will shoot you first.

A friend of mine, last year, her dad was shot and killed for the $5 dollar bill in his pocket.

Will I move?