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Wednesday, June 22, 2011

WHAT ARE OUR PRIORITIES?

Sometimes I just have to wonder what our priorities are as a community. I don't mean to minimize this incident because I value our trees and landscape as much as anyone else. The peeling of the bark from the cedar tree in Elizabeth Park was and is a senseless act of vandalism. The tree is not something that can be easily replaced, most likely it can't be replaced, and it has to raise the issue of what the people who did it really value or care about.

For several days now it has been in the media cycle, the names scratched in the tree are being publicized and broadcast in the hopes that the vandals will be identified. Thye television cameras and reporters have been all over this story.

Yet, Hartford is at 17 homicides for the year , we know those victims can never be replaced. There is no outcry except for maybe a couple ministers and the all too frequent vigils taking place on the street corners where they were murdered.

What does it say about our priorities when a 100 year old cedar tree receives more attention than a 74 year old innocent bystander shot in the chest and murdered on a Hartford street corner? How is it that all of a sudden numerous municipal and State resources can rally to save a tree, but it seems like no one is rallying to save Hartford's youth from the out of control gun violence.

Maybe I'm too cynical, but it just seems like our priorities are way out of whack.

9 comments:

RB said...

"How is it that all of a sudden numerous municipal and State resources can rally to save a tree, but it seems like no one is rallying to save Hartford's youth from the out of control gun violence." The proble, IMHO is two-fold. The lack of parenting, and the lack of community involvement. Kids having kids,no "man" to take responsibility for the life they helped create. Crimes happen, there are people around, but nobody sees anything. Why is no one rallying to help Hartford's youth? Most people I know are willing to help others..., that are trying to help themselves! It seems to me that Hartford has created problems for itself, and now wants some one to come in and clean up the mess. Tell me, what would you suggest?

Anonymous said...

RB, because the tree wants to be saved.

KEVIN BROOKMAN said...

RB,

To start, the first thing would be encouraging more events like the HCC held last night on Niles Street. Strengthening the bond neighbors have with each other will improve the quality of life block by block. I totally agree that we have an inferiority complex as a City and expect everyone else to come in and solve our problems, when we have the power within each and everyone of us to solve our own problems.

And if we are handing out millions to groups and non-profits expecting them to work to better Hartford, they had best be able to prove and document that they are.One of my pet peeves is the number of people that are making an excellent living off Hartford's problems, yet nothing changes and in many cases things have gotten worse. It is time for new ideas and give new programs and groups a chance to come forward with new ideas, not just rewarding those with grant money with very little return on our investment.

And finally, without ranting too long here, some accountability in city government might be nice. If you are working in Hartford goverrnment with the intention of just collecting your paycheck, go somewhere else and do it. The days of hiring extra layers of management to cover for incompetent management need to end. If you aren't doing your job, no one will be hired to hide the fact you can't do your job, your job will be filled by someone who will do the job.

I know, radical ideas.

RB said...

Mr. Brookman. Radical ideas, indeed! I belive your on to something.

Anonymous said...

Accountability seems to be the word of the day. Now let's try and grab the meaning and follow through!

RB said...

I belive the problems, violence, teens getting pregnant, addiction,can be traced back to poor parenting. Up till I was 16, I had a 9PM curfew. Of course, if there was something special going on, School dance, B-Day party, etc,I was allowed to stay out later. My parents knew who my friends were and where they lived. There was always a 50% chance that mom or dad would show up at my friends house, to check up on me. Don't misunderstand, I still managed to get into trouble, though not serious trouble. Perhaps a parenting class should be started, that would teach parents, well, how to parent. How to be involved in their child's life. How to effectively discipline their kids. also a mentoring program should be instituted,perhaps with the money saved from cancelling programs that have been around for years and can show no results. A mentor can/could, among other things, show a child that a hero isn't the drug dealer or pimp with a flashy car and lots of bling. The hero is the guy who goes to work every day carrying his lunch in a paper sack, and at the end of the week pays his bills and provides for his family.

Mr King to you said...

They need to bring the National Guard in here for the summer. Do a street by street sweep of all the houses, remove the guns, put the criminals in jail and scare the sh** out of anyone who thinks of commiting a crime in Hartford.

Black Dynamite said...

Only the Islamkic faith can save Hartford al these christian churches dont work only through ALLAH can Hartford be saved ASALA ALAIKUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dynamite

RB said...

Black Dynamite, learn how to use spellcheck. Also there's something called "punctuation" You should try using these two things. Then you wont sound so ignorant!