Prince William County Police should be commended for the quick crime-solve of the Sudley Place vandalism. Kids can do some mighty stupid things but residents should not have to bear the cost and time that go into fixing the damage. Hopefully, the group who did this vandalism will receive very inconvenient, stiff sentences that teach a lesson.
Some of us were talking about what causes this type of behavior. We seem to have had a rash of it with young adults here recently. Houses in Gainesville were vandalized. Cars and a few homes were vandalized in Sudley. Why do young adults (who basically are still kids in my mind) and kids go on rampages like this?
Is this new behavior? Is it reflective of the community? Is it reflective of the times? Is it more rampant than it used to be? Do kids have more freedom? Is it part of a hate crime tendency?
With this type of crime occurring as frequently as it does, is this the time to be cutting back on police on street? As the economy grows worse, should we expect theft to increase, vandalism to increase because unemployed people have too much time on their hands?
What county services would you be willing to give up to keep the PWC police force at its current levels rather than it suffering the same cut backs as other county agencies are going to have to do?
These are tough questions for tough times. Give us your opinions.
See full story at the Washington Post.
It could only be the PWC illegal immigrant crackdown resolution. Couldn’t possibly be anything else, right? All evil ultimately can be traced back to enforcing the law.
Only if you say so, Slowpoke. And what will the black velvets think of you for blaming the resolution? Awwwwwww! Shame!
Are you really that myopic? Of course not. What do you think the cause of this stupidity is REALLY?
In tough economic times, we can live without Neighborhood services. Its a “luxery” I don’t think we can afford at the moment (particularly when we consider the options). Much of what it does can easily be hosted in other agencies (why are they involved in zoning again?) or made available on the internet. The rest may simply “cease to exist.”
If you really want to play, the Strategic Planning Taskforce public input is scheduled for tomorrow evening. You can tell the Planning Taskforce what you think the future of Prince William County should look like (and what you would trade for public safety funding). Information may be found at http://www.pwcgov.org/docLibrary/PDF/009203.pdf
Enjoy!
Poor judgement, due in part to either a lack of maturity or because they were under the influence may be the cause. Nowadays it is not unusual to hear about teens doing stupid things and then seeking some sort of misguided fame by bragging about it on their social networks. I noted in the article that the suspects chose to use a soap marker, and that seems to indicate a lack of desire on their part to seriously cause permanent damage to others property, or they decided that if they got caught they didn’t want to be stuck with a huge bill owed to those whose property they damaged. Did they use racial and ethnic slurs because they believed what they wrote? Or did they do it for the attention it would muster? Stupidly though it caused them to be suspect of a hate crime. Guess they didn’t think about that part of their actions.
I suppose that defines immaturity: failure to see far enough down the road to recognize unintended consequences are lurking.
—A victim of hate crime does not have to actually be part of a group of people the offender hates. For example, a person might be targeted because the offender thinks they are part of a group of people – even if they actually aren’t. This is still hate crime because hatred of a group of people is a factor in what the offender is doing.
Why is hate crime so serious?
Hate crimes like racism and homophobia (hatred of gay people) are very cruel and hurtful. They can make victims feel frightened, unhappy and angry, and can have deep and long-lasting effects on them.
But hate crimes can also have a serious effect on the way people live together in whole communities. If they are allowed to go on, people feel that they can’t trust one another, or live and work together peacefully.
The law, schools, and authorities like the Government treat racism and other hate crimes very seriously. They all want to make sure this kind of behaviour and crime is stopped as quickly as possible.—
http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/UNDERZONE/getting-help/racism.htm
Some themes to pick out here–because this passage is not talking JUST about crime. It discusses the climate of fear and hatred we are seeing in this county, the kind that does affect the way our kids grow up and how they view the world:
The law, schools, and authorities like the Government treat racism…..very seriously.
(Except our government which thinks promoting it okay.)
…..racism and homophobia (hatred of gay people) are very cruel and hurtful. They can make victims feel frightened, unhappy and angry, and can have deep and long-lasting effects on them.
Kids know what is going on around them. They learn from the media, from adults, from conversations. They can feel tensions and dynamics we think they ignore. What’s really happening is they are absorbing it all. That’s what we have seen in this crime. These kids absorbed it all and spat it right back at us.
Don’t you think these kids hear the way adults talk about immigrants? Kids aren’t stupid. And we are the ones teaching them.
If there were a full-fledged, open program against racism with discussions about WHAT racism is (and homophobia), what it is NOT and how racism is NOT acceptable, and if there were adults modeling that kind of behavior, we would not be seeing such a rash of hate crimes. The schools can’t do it all and neither can the cops.
So how do we teach kids that racism is wrong no matter what their ethnic background? I think we have to do it by example. But there has to be something else, and that includes bringing down hate groups and groups that pretend they are NOT hate groups, groups dressing up like mainstream groups as they spread around the poison these kids have inhaled.
–Poor judgement,–
Poor judgment over 100 time???? I don’t buy it. There is more to it than just that. Where do their anger and rage come from and how did it come out in the form of ethnic slurs and slurs against homosexuals? That stuff isn’t random. It COMES from somewhere.
Kids do stupid things for a variety of reasons. They get sucked in by peer pressure. Some are the products of bad parenting. Some come from families who espouse their prejudices openly and children learn much by example.
Let’s all remember the frontal lobe in the brain controls reasoning. That area of the brain does not fully develop until one is about 25 years old, thus, kids do stupid things and make inappropriate choices. That being said, there is no excuse for what they did and these kids should and need to be punished.
We should refrain from throwing the book at people this young. This was relatively minor stuff. Let’s reserve the severe punishments for crimes of violence.
Agree, Mackie. However, the attitudes behind such minor crimes (even if they are held in the minds of youth), can develop into the hate that allows one to commit violent acts. I think it is good we are paying attention to and pondering WHY this is happening.
I have gay friends who are subjected to yells of “you F*^%ing Weirdos” from passing cars when they’re out in their front yard gardening. They’ve taken to wearing shirts with “YFW” on them and waving back to the bigots. What makes an adult or teenager feel comfortable screaming slurs from a passing automobile? Could it be the anti-gay marriage amendments? The “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy? The initial labeling of AIDS as a gay disease? All this crapola takes an eventual toll. Add to the mix teenagers’ questions about their own sexuality or sexual orientation. And add further all the hoopla surrounding the recent election.
I agree that soap pen or not, all suspects if found to be guilty should suffer some sort of punishment. Maybe a resurgence of use of public stocks might put an end to relative stupidity such as theirs. I don’t know what defines a hate crime under the statutes either federal or state. Nor do I have an understanding of their motivation to be stupid. But if the vehicles were targeted at random as the paper states, and if the slurs, though hateful, were also random, does a hate crime exist? I do not deny that hate crimes/intolerance exist in this country and should not be tolerated. But if one writes ethnic slurs on a vehicle of one who does not belong to that ethnicity, has a hate crime been committed? Is a hate crime about intent, or does it have to be specifically targeted? I ask because I’m not sure what the definition of a hate crime is. I trully believe that the suspects are your typical, too much time on their hands, need to get a job, kinda individuals who thought to get their 15 minutes of fame by engaging in stupid behavior.
Actually, Moon-Howler, I’m extremely myopic (thank God for high-index lenses). Hard to say what’s causing it, but I think it’s interesting that these kids, who don’t fit the “profile” for MS-13 members are spray-painting MS-13 graffiti (and doing a piss-poor job of it at that). Do these kids idolize gang-culture? I could see when you’re young, that might seem “cool”. I’d be VERY interested to be a fly on the wall in our local high schools to see what, if any, influence gangs are really having.
Is it a hate crime if the victims are random? I always thought that what made a hate crime was the intended victim rather than what was done.
MH
Here is an article that might answer your question…
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/politics/ny-posuff1612176542nov17,0,6037494.story
Slow, you raise a very good question. I think that kids do idolize gang culture in many cases and this is not particularly new phenomena. Just check out the mall clothing stores to get a good look what some of them are wearing. I also do not know what the answer is. Wannabe is not attractive.
I think you are right though. The ms-13 spray painters aren’t (ms-13) . Now that is not to say that ms-13 isn’t in the area. We both know that they are.
Mackie, I don’t want to send them to jail for the rest of their lives but I think it should be painful to be stupid and even doubly painful to destroy someone else’s property. Fines, weekends in jail, and community service seem like normal punishments to me…or for those less punitive than I am, reminders why to not be an AH.
“Hate crime” is like “racist”….it’s applied so loosely by bleeding-hearts that it’s long since lost any meaning. And the booger is that this shotgun-spraying of terms that should have meaning ultimately hurts the people who should be protected from the behavior in the first place. I’ll help out…border and law enforcement is not a hate crime. That ought to get you started.
MH,
I think you may be right because the guy (thug) who did the damage in Gainesville didn’t get charged with a “hate crime” either, yet when the damage was first reported…it was referred to as a hate crime…at least on the blogs, can’t remember if it was tagged that in the main stream media or not.
Slowpoke,
I think your point of idolizing gang culture is an interesting one. I was in my boss’ office last week and he was asking me what my next cause would be after I’m done with this one. We were kidding around about the different causes (legalizing weed, lowering the drinking age etc.) He’s got a sophomore daughter and when I mentioned lowering the drinking age, he said “no way, that needs to be higher! And the driving age, too!”.
He said “you would not believe the kind of $&^% I see on my daughter’s My Space/Facebook pages! He said “these kids all think they are gangsters”. Keep in mind this guy lives in Broadlands, a neighborhood where homes probably start in the 600’s. He said he’d love to drop some of these kids off in SE DC and see how they fare. He said it is absolutely mindblowing some of the things he has seen and read.
I’m sure gangs have always had a certain “appeal” to suburban kids who want to envision themselves as tougher than they are (or rather tougher than they should ever care about being). Ask me, if these kids are looking for something to associate with “tough, or manly”, they should look at veterans of previous generations. Now those folks have seen and done things that would make your ordinary, machete-toting MS-13 kid pee himself. And they did it with honor, as a duty to their nation, they did their “tough stuff” for something…to push back the Nazis, to counter an out-of-control aggression. Sorry, I’ll get off my soapbox..but I think a little understanding of history, and the honor that many of their ancestors fought with would put things into perspective when it comes to thinking these street gangs are so cool.
Slowpoke, I believe kids used to look at veterans and other ‘heroes.’ I am just thinking of GI Joes and Supermen. How much influence do you think the music industry has on gang wannabe crap?
I absolutely think that there is a certain idolitizing of gangs, without a true understanding of what it means to actually be in a gang. It’s a vanilla, white attempt to be black, hispanic, ghetto Irish, gang member whatever. My Irish ancestors were gang members, but then it was a man thing, a union/political thing. No matter how they made a living their children went to Catholic schools, their children never acted out. When they did, the neighborhood “social committee” solved the problem.
That’s a great point about the music culture. There was a recent study that showed teenagers who were exposed to more suggestive tv shows had a higher tendency to be sexually active. No surprise there I guess, but it’s great that they are statistically able to show this.
Also, just wondering if anybody noticed that Stewart immediately cried ‘voter intimidation’ with the Virginia Oaks vandal but I haven’t heard any Supervisor quoted denouncing the ethnic & gay slurs. Just an observation.
In terms of public service cuts, I’m not sure cutting back on neighborhood services is necessarily a great idea. If neighborhood services prevents blight then keeps property values elevated increasing the counties tax base which funds the budget.
I’m dead serious about asking why County taxpayers need to pick-up the tab for the 287(g), why can’t we rely on the new state law that was enacted?
MH,
“Defining a Hate Crime
A hate crime is a traditional offense like murder, arson, or vandalism with an added element of bias. For the purposes of collecting statistics, Congress has defined a hate crime as a “criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, ethnic origin or sexual orientation.” Hate itself is not a crime—and the FBI is mindful of protecting freedom of speech and other civil liberties.”
http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/civilrights/overview.htm
A victim of hate crime does not have to actually be part of a group of people the offender hates.
According to Chief Skinner, there were drugs and alcohol involved in this case.
However, drugs and alcohol tend to bring out behaviors, ideas, and tendencies that already exist. They release inhibitions. It’s safe to say there is something going on with these kids in terms of their ideas on race and gender identity, and it’s not just latent-teenage rebellion.
I’d be curious to see what other company they keep besides one another.
Alanna, re 287(g) Lucky Duck explained this back in July, I think. I don’t understand it well enough to retell, but we get a lot more bang for our buck with the MOU with ICE. Maybe he will tell us why what we have is the better deal. I think all the state program does is notify ICE that we have someone foreign born. There is no obligation for ICE to do anything about it.
I have no problem with getting people who have committed serious crimes off the streets. I hope that is what I am getting with 287(g).
I looked and could not find the explantion. Sorry. Maybe he will give us another explantion?
–I have no problem with getting people who have committed serious crimes off the streets. I hope that is what I am getting with 287(g).–
Went to a Unity in the Community meeting last night featuring Manassas City Police Chief Skinner. According to Skinner, at least 40 people were let go from ICE only to reappear in the community to be re-arrested.
He said his focus and the focus of the police department is NOT illegal immigration and never will be. Their focus is on community safety. He also indicated that 287g HAS put a strain on the City’s budget as it has done in PWC.
Furthermore, someone reported a Manassas City Councilwoman said last year that Manassas Park will NOT engage in the ethnic cleansing as seen in PWC. Yes, folks, she used the word.
The reality is that these children probably learned their hatred from someone close to them. They translated that fear and ignorance into action and hopefully they will be given a punishment that will help them learn tolerance, not just a punitive measure.
Pink, thanks for that report. That is very disturbing to learn that many people are back in the community. First we are told there are holes in the law so that we are having to turn criminals who happen to be illegal aliens back on the street. Now we are told that after spending millions on the 287(g) program we are still turning criminals loose rather than getting rid of them.
At this point, I don’t know what to believe.
The MP woman should not have used inflammatory language. I do not see the 287(g) program, whatever its pitfalls are, as an ethnic cleansing program. In fact, I find it very insulting that she said that.
Right. 287g isn’t ethnic cleansing, but the MCC woman wasn’t saying that according to what Pinko wrote. She was talking about everything that happened after we got 287g here. We got 287g and no one made a stink about it. No Human Rights commission, no Civil Rights commission, no 13 hour citizen times, no “we have to vote on this before the election” b.s. That’s because in order to be affected by 287g, you have to have done something criminal.
“Ethnic cleansing” is too strong of a word because it makes us think of war criminals of the worst order. But if the phrase had not already been in use, and did not have those connotations, one could put those two words together and accurately describe the purpose and the result of the Immigration Resolution.
None of this would have been possible, none of it would have been called for, and none of it would have been acted upon if there was not an ethnicity to be pinned on the “illegal” people designated for removal. If there are or were a heck of a lot of Canadian “illegals” running around in PWC, I wouldn’t know and I can’t imagine how anyone would have known.
Nope, nope, nope. We would have no “cleansing” here unless there were brown people to fear.
I’m sorry if it hurts to hear it, but it’s true.
I forgot to expand on the difference between 287g and the Immigration Resolution from a practical sense. Immigration law is civil law. It is a civil offense to overstay your visa. It is a civil offense to wait 6 years with your husband for you papers to come in, even though your student visa only lasted five.
Ordinarily, we wouldn’t want to put people in jail for civil offenses. One reason is we should save jail space for people who commit criminal offenses. Another reason is that the Immigration Resolution was written in a way that seemed to target ethnic people for this extra scrutiny, and it led to racial profiling a few times, and would have led to many more incidents if the law had not been changed in April.
That’s why most people are okay with 287g and not okay with the Immigration Resolution. Unconstitutional, baby. Unconstitutional, unfair, unjust, and, it would have led to costly law suits. Can you imagine 20 million dollars in legal fees on top of all the other mess the Immigration Resolution has created?
–Right. 287g isn’t ethnic cleansing, but the MCC woman wasn’t saying that according to what Pinko wrote. She was talking about everything that happened after we got 287g here.–
YES! She was referring to the original resolution, not 287g!
I’m glad she said it like it is, though. MH I know you and I disagree with that, but I think if we do NOT say it like that (bluntly) people are going to get apathetic and think it’s okay.
Pinko, where were you when that insane virtual street fight broke out on Saturday? 300 comments has to be a record. Curse words and insults flying. Innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. Husbands coming to the rescue of wives. All because John Stirrup’s soul is possessed by Greg Letiecq. I love it!
M-h said:
“Are you really that myopic? Of course not. What do you think the cause of this stupidity is REALLY?”
As you can see M-h, most of your regulars are myopic. They all seem to agree with Slowpoke’s original contention.
Reading this stuff is like watching a train wreck.
Just a guess, but I don’t think Posting as Pinko would have helped to defuse the powder keg. I thought it was about John Stirrup’s failure to represent his community, but bottom line: a regular contributor to our blog went bananas.
Otherwise, nothing to see. Please disperse.
Stirrup does represent his community. His community is Caucasian people who are not yet comfortable with modern day Virginia, you know, the ones who don’t consider Northern Virginia the “real Virginia.” I don’t think we can blame the man for having a community that he feels comfortable with. That’s why he moved to PWC after all, to get away from those other people he doesn’t feel as comfortable with. The problem is that he represents me also. And this is the opposite of the community I want to belong to, even if they DID want me to be a part of them.
We are lacking in reading comprehension, ShellyB. Simply that. 🙂
I would think it’s safe to say that many were hopeful that the intent of 287(g) would result in ethnic cleansing.
The article I linked above advises that hate crimes are defined by the state. They actually use the example of vandelized cars. Here are some of the highlights of the article. Interpretation varies……
__________________________________________________________________________
When vandals sprayed a block of cars in Mastic with racist graffiti last week, Suffolk County police didn’t consider it a hate crime. But when anti-Semitic symbols were painted onto cars in Jericho in late October, Nassau County police counted it as a hate crime.
In the wake of the Patchogue killing of Ecuadorean immigrant Marcelo Lucero and the arrest of seven local teenagers charged in connection with the stabbing, immigrant activists accused Suffolk County’s Police Department of manipulating its statistics to show county hate crime on the decline, a charge police officials vehemently deny.
The difference between the two counties’ approaches to reporting hate crimes highlights the difficulty in tracking bias crime statistics across police jurisdictions. Despite a state law that stipulates the definition of a hate crime, local departments have wide latitude in interpreting what falls into the category.
“Trying to measure how much hate crime there is and to measure how widespread the problem is by statistics is a problem,” said Eugene O’Donnell, a professor of law and police studies at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, in Manhattan. “The law and the process leave a lot of room for varying interpretations.”
In counting hate crimes, Suffolk police adhere strictly to state law, which defines a hate crime as a criminal act against a specific person because of their “race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, religious practice, age, disability or sexual orientation,” said Det. Sgt. Robert Reecks, the commanding officer of the department’s eight-man bias crimes unit.
So when the Mastic vandals tagged dozens of cars with anti-black sentiments, police determined the graffiti was not targeted against a specific person. And because the paint easily washed off the cars, police did not even classify it as one of the 65 crimes covered by the state hate crimes law.
“If I don’t have permanent damage and if they’re not targeting an individual or a family, I have to look at that as disgusting, but not necessarily a hate crime,” Reecks said.
In Nassau, where police have reported increases in the number of hate crimes in each of the last three years, police Commissioner Lawrence Mulvey said the department counts any incident that could be reasonably considered a hate crime. Had the Mastic incident occurred in Nassau, he said, it would have been counted as a hate crime.
“We will classify something as a hate crime if there’s any inkling it is a hate crime,” Mulvey said. “Our posture is to be overly aggressive and overly sensitive.”
A New York Police Department spokesman said the department abides by the state hate crimes law, but declined to elaborate about its interpretation.
Part of the problem with putting weight into any hate crimes statistics, hate crime experts and immigrant advocates say, is that people who are victims of hate crime are less likely to report it to police than victims of other types of crimes. A 2005 FBI report concluded that for every hate crime reported to police, 15 more go unreported.
In Suffolk, where county Executive Steve Levy has built a national reputation on his hard-line policies against illegal immigration that have inflamed local Hispanic leaders, the number of anti-Hispanic hate crimes reported by police has dropped 93 percent in four years – from 15 in 2004 to one in 2007.
Suffolk Police Commissioner Richard Dormer attributed the drop specifically to Levy’s “outreach” to Hispanic communities.
“I think that our outreach to the community is working,” Dormer said. “Steve Levy has been very, very active in reaching out to minority communities.”
But Patrick Young, the program director of the Central American Refugee Center in Hempstead, was not so quick to praise Levy’s efforts in Hispanic communities. He said relations between immigrant communities and Suffolk police have deteriorated since Levy took office in 2004.
“If the number of rapes dropped 95 percent,” Young said, “would we assume the number of rapes had dropped off, or would we assume women stopped reporting them?”
Even Reecks said the county’s statistic is not credible.
“I would be lying if I told you hate crimes against Hispanics disappeared in Suffolk County,” he said. “But I can’t predict the unpredictable. If someone is telling me I have 25 reported hate crimes, how do I know?”
==Pinko, where were you when that insane virtual street fight broke out on Saturday? 300 comments has to be a record. Curse words and insults flying. Innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. Husbands coming to the rescue of wives. All because John Stirrup’s soul is possessed by Greg Letiecq. I love it!===
LOL! Yeah, I saw that.
I left the building. My last comment was “I’m not going to bother anyone any more” and then the blog went NUTS! Guess I missed all the fun, eh? 🙂
As for Stirrup, what he doesn’t understand is that PWC is NOT some little white community he wants. Only part of PWC are like that and he cannot inflict his little fantasy on everyone!
–Just a guess, but I don’t think Posting as Pinko would have helped to defuse the powder keg. —
I left before it blew, Shelly. I have my own way of saying things and I will defend that right, but it’s not my intent to blow anything up.
Juturna, thanks for posting that. It’s really troubling that the reporting of hate crimes against Latinos is down in those “crack down” areas, while the incidents of hate crimes against Latinos are skyrocketing nationally. What that means is that hate crimes against Latinos in the “crack down” areas are actually up (perhaps even more than the national average is up), but the victims are afraid to report it.
This is another way in which a severing of the relationship between police and the Latino community leads to more crime, not less.
Pinko, after the AWC meltdown over the weekend, I don’t think anyone will be able to accuse you of blowing things up. Some may not like your word choice, but you never sound paranoid and attack everyone who posts, even those who are trying to help you.
Why is it that some people are so intimidated by the existence of hate crimes, and so quick to dismiss or disparage anyone who is concerned about them? I understand the logic, but it is pretty dumb I mean c’mon: “Racism is perceived as being a white people thing [an inaccurate perception]. I am white. Therefor hate crime reflects on me. [wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong!]”
Hate crimes can be committed by anyone. Hate crime statistic are important because they are a temperature gauge for the worst kind of violence, the eye-for-an-eye kind, and the kind that can spread into an epidemic. This is a serious matter, not something to dismiss, and it is not a knock against white people.
It is, I think, a knock against politicians and TV and radio personalities who exploit racial tension. Let’s face it, hate crimes vs. Latinos are way up in the past two years, despite the fact that in many places they are under-reported. It is a reasonable connection to make between political exploitation of racial tension, and the recent rash of hate crimes toward (surprise, surprise) the same group that is targeted in political campaigns and TV/radio broadcasts.
I think it’s reasonable anyway. Perhaps others don’t and that’s why the object to any and all discussion of hate crime statistics.
Posting as Pinko,
Since there is a name recognition with you and certain others are mad at you, I have a feeling that if you had come in and contradicted AWC, then the insanity would have grown, no matter what you tried to say. I tried to tell AWC no one was attacking her personally and she should calm down, and I tried to tell others that it was unfair to gang up on her, and for my trouble I got called a bitch and an idiot by AWC and her husband!
I am a Pinko fan. Have been since day one. 🙂
Whether kids are purposely committing a hate crime, imitating something they’ve seen or just being stupid, they need to know the impact of their actions. I would think that good police officers/judges can distinguish among the lot and deterime their intent. It needs to be addressed at the appropriate level or degree of intent.
I think it is very hard to figure out if a crime meets certain criteria regarding intent. Unless it can be proven absolutely enhancing the punishment is never the right thing to do.
I am a fan of Pinko and everyone here. This blog is a real service to the community. No one needs to have a nervous breakdown over who’s right and who’s wrong though. I’m sorry if saying Posting as Pinko wouldn’t have helped seemed like a criticism. No one could have helped as I found out!
Hey, well I am feeling the love! Thanks! Wasn’t feeling it a few days ago for sure! LOL!
OMG, AW’s HUSBAND attacked you??? What the hell?
Shelly you are right. I get into this thing where I try to explain and try to explain and all it does is make people want to keep coming back at you. I don’t know why that is. I always hope logic will kick in, but with some people, it just never does. They can’t seem to say, “We disagree. Okay.”
This is a blog. When it gets that bad, it’s time to WALK AWAY.
And yes, there are three or four people (not all on Anti) that have a personal vendetta against me. Most of you know whose these people are as well as I do. Personally, I think it’s a waste of their energy. God. Who wants to spend all that time hating someone for….you know, I don’t even KNOW what reason. Waste of energy as well.
Alanna, Elena, and MH, I give you a LOT of credit for keeping up with this. Moderating a blog with volatile people is NOT fun in my book. You really ARE doing a service. Hope you have tylenol on your desks!
Jut, you’re so reasonable and so right about trying to figure out intentions. I think they call it a hate crime if it’s directed at a specific population, no matter what the intent. I doubt “Well we were just kidding around” ever holds up in court.
==Some may not like your word choice, but you never sound paranoid and attack everyone who posts, even those who are trying to help you.==
NGL, I really thing AWC’s lack of sleep and not feeling well were making it worse for her and everyone else. I’ve been down that road and if I realize I’m taking it out on the rest of the world, I try to shut the computer down and just sleep it off. Lack of sleep can make you paranoid all by itself!
I like AWC and everyone else too and so on and so on. ( reminds me of this commercial)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgDxWNV4wWY
Everyone needs to stop and step back for just a second and ADMIRE ALL of us for sticking to our grounds or learning something NEW. SLEEP or not,drunk or not,this blog or that one and so on and so on. 🙂
DISCLAIMER: assholes have no excuse they have a PURPOSE 😉 LOL
The sh#t the other day reminded me of a song: LOL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHIj_Kyl5M
Someone had to invent the term SH%t happens and got a giggle in the movie Forrest Gump and I tried to find that video -no luck but I understand what I am talking about LOL 🙂 peace. Let’s talk about something else, start a new thread.
RD
I forgot about this video…this sums it up, LOL 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54Q_nbw2Xvo
Let’s talk about how much time we think RD spends on YouTube. It will be like “Guess how many jelly beans are in this jar”?
RD, are you up for it? 🙂