Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gentrification is a lazy answer and has little to nothing to do with the increase in shooting. You know what is directly attributable to the increase in shootings? DC's weird new Marijuana laws which have decriminalized it but it remains illegal. The chief and all of the police commanders keep telling us that these pop up Marijuana parties bring violence to EVERY community. They are advertised on social media and they advertise a confluence of drugs and money. Guess what follows drugs and money worldwide? Guns...and probably not the legally licensed types.

Our Police Division Commander 2D, said the same thing about pop up Marijuana parties. He said that the Homicide in Friendship Heights was related to a Marijuana pop up party and that wherever the parties go, robbery and assault often follow even if it does not reach the level of shootings. He claimed that the very nature of the parties were attractive to agitators from within and outside of the city.

I don't know what planet you're living on, but a handful of gatherings that draw trouble in DC (which has been happening for eons) doesn't mean they are being fueled by DC's MJ "grey area." It used to be go-go. You're just looking for a certain segment of the population to blame.

A certain activity to blame. Fixed that for you!

ghost guns.
a huge increase in gun purchases generally.
a lot of it is still about drugs (marijuana).

Anonymous wrote:

this is why I was against the mushroom bill. the weird gray area ends up attracting money and guns and out-of-towners. And of course the neighborhoods bearing the brunt are not in NW DC.

What part about

Our Police Division Commander 2D, said the same thing about pop up Marijuana parties. He said that the Homicide in Friendship Heights

Did you not understand?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gentrification is a lazy answer and has little to nothing to do with the increase in shooting. You know what is directly attributable to the increase in shootings? DC's weird new Marijuana laws which have decriminalized it but it remains illegal. The chief and all of the police commanders keep telling us that these pop up Marijuana parties bring violence to EVERY community. They are advertised on social media and they advertise a confluence of drugs and money. Guess what follows drugs and money worldwide? Guns...and probably not the legally licensed types.

Our Police Division Commander 2D, said the same thing about pop up Marijuana parties. He said that the Homicide in Friendship Heights was related to a Marijuana pop up party and that wherever the parties go, robbery and assault often follow even if it does not reach the level of shootings. He claimed that the very nature of the parties were attractive to agitators from within and outside of the city.

I don't know what planet you're living on, but a handful of gatherings that draw trouble in DC (which has been happening for eons) doesn't mean they are being fueled by DC's MJ "grey area." It used to be go-go. You're just looking for a certain segment of the population to blame.

jsteele wrote:It seems like every day there are multiple shootings in DC. Many of them are full out gunfights that you might expect in the O.K. Corral -- multiple shooters and 10s of bullets flying everywhere. I moved to DC in 1986 in the midst of the crack epidemic when daily murders were a normal thing. But we knew what they were tied to drugs. Now, I have no idea what is provoking these shootings and I see no discussion of the causes anywhere (there maybe some that I've missed). Does anyone have any idea what is going on?

As with the late 80’s and early 90’s, it’s still drugs, territory, and interpersonal beefs.

Brightwood Park has been a recent site where shootings have ticked up. Before the pandemic, we had an issue with some folks loitering at a strip mall at 5th and Kennedy St. NW. No one was terribly concerned until there was a 3 p.m. shooting at this corner. The cops parked some cruisers nearby and out up lights and cameras, which shifted activity west toward 7th St. and north to Longfellow St. Violence interruptors and folks from the mayor’s office came out to chat with the young men loitering outside of Kennedy St. businesses. They were offered job training but turned it down in favor of the “jobs” they currently have.

Meanwhile, there were some problem rental properties south of this location at Jefferson St. The neighborhood, CM Todd’s office, MOCR’s, and Racine’s office have all been trying to find creative strategies to deal with problematic behavior that keeps popping up at the same properties regardless of who’s on the lease.

Now that we’re in a pandemic, the same problems that have been going on for over five years still exist. However, there are no open schools or rec centers, and honest jobs for the untrained are harder to come by. You have more people with more time on their hands. Tension has also built during 50+ person gatherings taking place on the streets during the pandemic. I guess people don’t have their normal indoor places to go have smaller get togethers.

In short, it’s the same people and the same social problems that have always existed in the same locations. As with before, residents who are not involved in criminal activity are still at little risk. When you walk or drive through the neighborhood, you can see the nights when there are more folks gathering around on the corners. These are times when tensions kick up and it’s better to stay away from the area and keep indoors.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gentrification is a lazy answer and has little to nothing to do with the increase in shooting. You know what is directly attributable to the increase in shootings? DC's weird new Marijuana laws which have decriminalized it but it remains illegal. The chief and all of the police commanders keep telling us that these pop up Marijuana parties bring violence to EVERY community. They are advertised on social media and they advertise a confluence of drugs and money. Guess what follows drugs and money worldwide? Guns...and probably not the legally licensed types.

Our Police Division Commander 2D, said the same thing about pop up Marijuana parties. He said that the Homicide in Friendship Heights was related to a Marijuana pop up party and that wherever the parties go, robbery and assault often follow even if it does not reach the level of shootings. He claimed that the very nature of the parties were attractive to agitators from within and outside of the city.

this is why I was against the mushroom bill. the weird gray area ends up attracting money and guns and out-of-towners. And of course the neighborhoods bearing the brunt are not in NW DC.

Send Dr. Bronners Soap, Guns and Money!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gentrification is a lazy answer and has little to nothing to do with the increase in shooting. You know what is directly attributable to the increase in shootings? DC's weird new Marijuana laws which have decriminalized it but it remains illegal. The chief and all of the police commanders keep telling us that these pop up Marijuana parties bring violence to EVERY community. They are advertised on social media and they advertise a confluence of drugs and money. Guess what follows drugs and money worldwide? Guns...and probably not the legally licensed types.

Our Police Division Commander 2D, said the same thing about pop up Marijuana parties. He said that the Homicide in Friendship Heights was related to a Marijuana pop up party and that wherever the parties go, robbery and assault often follow even if it does not reach the level of shootings. He claimed that the very nature of the parties were attractive to agitators from within and outside of the city.

this is why I was against the mushroom bill. the weird gray area ends up attracting money and guns and out-of-towners. And of course the neighborhoods bearing the brunt are not in NW DC.

Anonymous wrote:I am PP but one of the most striking things about working in the high poverty schools I worked in were the kid’s binders. They were covered in initials and names of people they knew who had died. It was so sad and really demonstrated the level of trauma most experience at a very young age.

+1 the binders.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is one fact that I find relevant to this conversation: the average household income for white families in DC is nearly $150K while for black families it is under $68K.

https://www.dchealthmatters.org/demographicdata?id=130951§ionId=936

And I don’t have a source for this, but I would bet a large percentage of black families are DC natives while most white families are transplants. Generations of black kids have seen outsiders come into their city and prosper while they struggle. I think the gentrification argument has some weight.

Also, the halfway-legalization of pot hasn’t helped. I know at least some shootings have occurred around pot pop-up markets where there is a lot of cash and therefore guns. If these markets were in legal storefronts you would hope the potential for violence would be lower.

Funny, when I worked extensively with extremely poor DC black youth ( have you?) Very few's radius was off their non-gentrified block. There were DC teenagers who had never, ever been to the National Mall. They did not know, nor give one shit about, "white families moving in" . Try again.

Your take on gentrification makes sense to me. Related question, do you think the messaging about "white privilege" has an impact? I worry that "all white people have it so much easier than you do" messaging adds to the hopelessness these kids might feel and makes success seem even further out of reach.

I am not PP but have experience working with poor black youth and I don’t think white privilege was something they thought about at all. They didn’t consume the same media as older people. One of the main issues I found was a lack of opportunity and examples of success in their very small community (think a few blocks). And since they saw so many young mostly black males die from violence they felt like they wouldn’t live past 25, so why act any differently?

Yep, the fatalism and death rituals (throw a shoe in a tree, get a tattoo, have tribute T-shirts made) were on a loop. And no, they didn't give a hoot about white privilege. They were tuned into each other. Their aspirations were pinned to people who made it (whether through social or antisocial means) who resembled them. Their tragedies the same.

I am PP but one of the most striking things about working in the high poverty schools I worked in were the kid’s binders. They were covered in initials and names of people they knew who had died. It was so sad and really demonstrated the level of trauma most experience at a very young age.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is one fact that I find relevant to this conversation: the average household income for white families in DC is nearly $150K while for black families it is under $68K.

https://www.dchealthmatters.org/demographicdata?id=130951§ionId=936

And I don’t have a source for this, but I would bet a large percentage of black families are DC natives while most white families are transplants. Generations of black kids have seen outsiders come into their city and prosper while they struggle. I think the gentrification argument has some weight.

Also, the halfway-legalization of pot hasn’t helped. I know at least some shootings have occurred around pot pop-up markets where there is a lot of cash and therefore guns. If these markets were in legal storefronts you would hope the potential for violence would be lower.

Funny, when I worked extensively with extremely poor DC black youth ( have you?) Very few's radius was off their non-gentrified block. There were DC teenagers who had never, ever been to the National Mall. They did not know, nor give one shit about, "white families moving in" . Try again.

Your take on gentrification makes sense to me. Related question, do you think the messaging about "white privilege" has an impact? I worry that "all white people have it so much easier than you do" messaging adds to the hopelessness these kids might feel and makes success seem even further out of reach.

I am not PP but have experience working with poor black youth and I don’t think white privilege was something they thought about at all. They didn’t consume the same media as older people. One of the main issues I found was a lack of opportunity and examples of success in their very small community (think a few blocks). And since they saw so many young mostly black males die from violence they felt like they wouldn’t live past 25, so why act any differently?

Anonymous wrote:Gentrification is a lazy answer and has little to nothing to do with the increase in shooting. You know what is directly attributable to the increase in shootings? DC's weird new Marijuana laws which have decriminalized it but it remains illegal. The chief and all of the police commanders keep telling us that these pop up Marijuana parties bring violence to EVERY community. They are advertised on social media and they advertise a confluence of drugs and money. Guess what follows drugs and money worldwide? Guns...and probably not the legally licensed types.

Our Police Division Commander 2D, said the same thing about pop up Marijuana parties. He said that the Homicide in Friendship Heights was related to a Marijuana pop up party and that wherever the parties go, robbery and assault often follow even if it does not reach the level of shootings. He claimed that the very nature of the parties were attractive to agitators from within and outside of the city.

Gentrification is a lazy answer and has little to nothing to do with the increase in shooting. You know what is directly attributable to the increase in shootings? DC's weird new Marijuana laws which have decriminalized it but it remains illegal. The chief and all of the police commanders keep telling us that these pop up Marijuana parties bring violence to EVERY community. They are advertised on social media and they advertise a confluence of drugs and money. Guess what follows drugs and money worldwide? Guns...and probably not the legally licensed types.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is one fact that I find relevant to this conversation: the average household income for white families in DC is nearly $150K while for black families it is under $68K.

https://www.dchealthmatters.org/demographicdata?id=130951§ionId=936

And I don’t have a source for this, but I would bet a large percentage of black families are DC natives while most white families are transplants. Generations of black kids have seen outsiders come into their city and prosper while they struggle. I think the gentrification argument has some weight.

Also, the halfway-legalization of pot hasn’t helped. I know at least some shootings have occurred around pot pop-up markets where there is a lot of cash and therefore guns. If these markets were in legal storefronts you would hope the potential for violence would be lower.

Funny, when I worked extensively with extremely poor DC black youth ( have you?) Very few's radius was off their non-gentrified block. There were DC teenagers who had never, ever been to the National Mall. They did not know, nor give one shit about, "white families moving in" . Try again.

Your take on gentrification makes sense to me. Related question, do you think the messaging about "white privilege" has an impact? I worry that "all white people have it so much easier than you do" messaging adds to the hopelessness these kids might feel and makes success seem even further out of reach.

Anyway can be pretty grim for an undereducated, underparented black male in DC (also black female, though statistically less involved with youth gun crimes). And it has nothing to do with "gentrification". If anything, there is now a better tax base to help. So legislate thoughtfully and spend wisely.