turf wars

Now that the good weather has arrived, we need to finally get a lid on all this boombox action. Loud noise is one way the disenfranchised steal from all of us, driving down the value of our property and robbing us not only of our equity but of our quiet enjoyment of that property. They also get in the way of legitimate commerce. Other ways they do this is by loitering on the corners and in front of the stores, dealing drugs and hot or knockoff merchandise, and roaming aimlessly in gangs.

It's a turf war, and the only things they bring to the battle are a lot of time to spend and a willingness to engage in mindless or even harmful activity, all this abetted by low self-esteem, anger, and frustration. We need to begin taking away their weapons, the things they bring to the fight. In doing this, we'll bring them back into productive society.

They, too, can have a stake, but somehow they have to come to want it. Right now, their stake comes by spoiling somebody else's, and that's no way to grow a city.