Fatal stabbing in N. Adams

newsketeer wrote:

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Having lived for the better part of my life in and around North Adams, I can state unequivocally that what you are saying is partially true, but in many ways is ignorant about the changes the city has seen.
I graduated from McCann Tech in the 70s. There was a lot of drugs, mostly pot, and alcohol has always had a stranglehold here. But what you see today is way different. This latest murder is emblematic of a far more disturbing set of associations than the drugs of the past.
What we see now are an influx of metro-mostly New York City-type gangs, and all the culture that entails, with a romanticizing of violence. It is, in short, the crack culture.
There is a philosophy that says "a drug is a drug." Alcohol is also a drug, and there is plenty of violence attributed to drunks. I know, I'm related to a drunk who only yesterday threatened to put a bullet in my head. I've lived under this kind of low-level anxiety for years.
I think the crack culture of today is very, very different from the North Adams of the 70s and 80s. It is different because violence is not just incidental, but a built in feature of the accoutrement of this culture.

What you are saying tells me that if the Mayor gave strict orders to the police department to make life unbearable for any and all drug-dealers and customers, they'd soon move out of town rather than deal with the harassment.
What say Barrett?

HMMMMMM wrote:

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Whew. The client base should dry up shortly, as cultured people and artists do not use drugs. Is that what you are saying?

When I look at who the artists are, and look at the gang bangers, I see two different groups of people. If the artists in North Adams are using drugs, they still aren't stabbing people. That's what I'm sayin', yo!

At least the suspected murderer is off the streets. He was picked up in NY this morning.

Kudos to NY Police. I'll sleep a little easier tonight.

ryan wrote:

you people have nothing else better do, but to criticize crime here in berkshire county.... get a life ..........

It's coming to a neighborhood near you ! Sooner than you think.

It doesn't help when we have slumlords offering people (drug Dealers ) 100.00 off rent and free months rents to move here from the slums of N.Y.

newsketeer wrote:

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When I look at who the artists are, and look at the gang bangers, I see two different groups of people. If the artists in North Adams are using drugs, they still aren't stabbing people. That's what I'm sayin', yo!

What I am sayin', yo, is that drug use crosses many social boundaries. Just because a certain group uses drugs but does not stab makes it okay? Drugs cause trouble, no matter who uses them. Time to step up to the plate on the drug issue. And time to get judges that will not sentence a heroin dealer to two weeks probation after the time, energy, and money that goes into these investigations.

Evening wrote:

i blame gay marraige.

Aaaah, a sense of humor among us.

HMMMMM wrote:

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What I am sayin', yo, is that drug use crosses many social boundaries. Just because a certain group uses drugs but does not stab makes it okay? Drugs cause trouble, no matter who uses them. Time to step up to the plate on the drug issue. And time to get judges that will not sentence a heroin dealer to two weeks probation after the time, energy, and money that goes into these investigations.

If you live in my neighborhood and get stoned out of your gourd in your house I could care less. If you come out of your house and stab someone then Ihave a problem with you.

Does this clarify a difference for you?? HUh?

You yo-yo wrote:

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If you live in my neighborhood and get stoned out of your gourd in your house I could care less. If you come out of your house and stab someone then Ihave a problem with you.
Does this clarify a difference for you?? HUh?

Yup

Drugs and violence are present in every community all across the country. The crime rate in North Adams is not any worse than it has been--it's just that when something like this happens, it is splashed across the news and right in everyone's face, as it should be. The perception that somehow the Mayor can control it, the police can control it, and the courts can control it, is uninformed and overly simplistic. Crime, addiction, and violence are the problems of the whole community--by the time a murder takes place, it is too late for both the victim (obviously) and the offender. Finger-pointing and laying blame on "those in charge" abdicates the personal responibility that we as memebers of the community all share. How may refuse to cooperate when you witness a crime by calling the police, giving a statement, and testifying in court? How many dismiss a domesic violence or sexual assault victim's plight as "a family matter" or "her own fault". How may people see drug and alcohol addicted friends, co-workers, and even family members struggle and decide that there is nothing they can do. How many fight to get out of jury duty? This is the stuff that happens to other people, right? Leave it to the cops, courts, mayors, etc. to "do their jobs" and leave the rest of us alone. Our only role is to criticize when things don't turn out the way we think it should--not that we have the slightest real idea how to solve these problems. I'm listening--solve away, if you can.

This stabbing occured at 2am on a week night! Most normal people are sound asleep at this hour. We have JOBS to go to in the mornining!!!

When I was 19 I was in Vietnam fighting for my country. I say reinstate the drafft let these young punks earn an honest paycheck. It is obvious that a good number of them have an awful lot of free time. Let them learn what disipline is all about. It sure will add new meaning to watching your buddies back!

lost in na wrote:

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no really he didnt a punch is far from beating someone to death and he still might of got into a lil trouble but if this was your family member or friend you would sure as hell **** you off so maybe you need to know what your talking bout before you talk it

Maybe u need to know what the F%$#% you are talking about. Ask the guy who lives in the beaver about his stay in the hospital. I drove by the guys house as the paramedics where picking him up from the pavement. I wasn't refering to the security gaurd at Big Y. And what this piece of shit has done, I wouldn't call it a lil trouble.

you should realy look around north adams and you would't hane to look far right down the road there living in the high rise among the elderl try the 8th floor for starters!!!everyone in town is a weare of it. come on now lets clean it up.

Dee wrote:

At least the suspected murderer is off the streets. He was picked up in NY this morning.
Kudos to NY Police. I'll sleep a little easier tonight.

You mean the cops finally got a Clue?

I agree with what a few post has said about the victim, he was someone to somebody. He died a horric death which no matter what your background is, you dont deserve to die that way. To the comment a few days ago about blaming the managers at that trailer park, I am disgusted at the fact that someone would think they were to blame for that happening, and then to name them. They were no way shape or form involved or could even be thought to be the blame for that happing. This can happen in the best and the worst of places, just because it happened in a trailer park in no way means that the people living in wheel estates or any trailer park in fact are trailer trash. I feel people should have a little more compassion for the tragic event that happened and stop the finger pointing and name calling, fact is that there is a drug issue and crime issue in our society and what everyone should think about is how to make it better for the babies that are growing up in these days.

Because it was North Adams I didn't make the connection, but my kids went to St. Joe with Danny Walters. Not saying he didn't make bad choices, but I was fortunate enough to have seen the good side of that kid. May God have mercy on his soul.

thinking wrote:

I agree with what a few post has said about the victim, he was someone to somebody. He died a horric death which no matter what your background is, you dont deserve to die that way. To the comment a few days ago about blaming the managers at that trailer park, I am disgusted at the fact that someone would think they were to blame for that happening, and then to name them. They were no way shape or form involved or could even be thought to be the blame for that happing. This can happen in the best and the worst of places, just because it happened in a trailer park in no way means that the people living in wheel estates or any trailer park in fact are trailer trash. I feel people should have a little more compassion for the tragic event that happened and stop the finger pointing and name calling, fact is that there is a drug issue and crime issue in our society and what everyone should think about is how to make it better for the babies that are growing up in these days.

He was a crackhead that neglected his child, abused the child's mother, and beat up old people. He died trying to rob a crack dealer. WHAT GOES AROUND.. COMES AROUND