The GGG has struck once more, this time tagging various signs all over my neighborhood either saying “RIP Julian” or something related to Slim. I’m guessing Slim was the “gangster nickname” for this particular person. I’m not going to make any assumptions about Julian himself, or his moral character, but any loss of life is particularly tragic for friends and family.
I’m also saddened by the realitities that crime has gone up in neighborhoods all over the United States. Maybe I was more oblivious to it as a child, but I see in my local neighborhood watch Facebook group that crime is on the rise in Garden Grove. Particularly robberies of catalytic converters, graffiti, and increased homelessness. Not to mention the illegal fireworks that kept me up all across the wee hours of America’s birthday.
Much in the way that we have stopped holding students accountable in the classroom, leading to increased misbehavior, I think not holding criminals accountable in real life has also less to increased misbehavior. It’s no surprise that so many stores are closing in urban neigorhoods, due to increased robberies and sadly leading to more food deserts in the area. Kamala Harris got a lot of flack as a district attorney for punishing parents who didn’t send their kids to school, but I actually think that held parents more accountable for the actions of their children. Now, we have declining enrollment across all school districts, and sadly more juvenile deliquents. If there’s anything that is a “prison pipeline”, it’s not schools. It’s lack of proper parenting.
In the end, I imagine most people want the same thing. Less crime overall and better neighborhoods to raise their children. I worry Garbage Grove will not be the same Garden Grove I grew up in as a child.
