THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 12, 1995 TAG: 9511100174
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Long : 123 lines
THUGS RUIN HALLOWEEN
Writing this letter stems from a desperation to be heard, if not by a court of law, then by a court of public opinion. Having just ``celebrated'' Halloween, I am left with a feeling of disgust over the cruelty of those punks, thugs, whatever name your generation may have for such malcontents, who feel it necessary to vandalize our neighborhoods by smashing large, expensive pumpkins, and much labored over jack-o-lanterns, as well as terrorize our youngsters while out trick-or-treating.
For the first time, my son felt he was old enough to trick-or-treat with a friend without having a parent accompany them, although a parent was a block ahead for security. He was enjoying his first independent collection of candy and being out for the evening with a friend when a cigarette-weilding teen grabbed his pillow case of candy from him and ran down the street, scattering his candy all over the street. Needless to say, he returned home, shortly, horribly downhearted.
After checking to be sure he wasn't physically hurt, I tried to calm him by telling him the same things I remember my mother telling me; that someone who does things like this is terribly unhappy themselves and probably has a miserable home life; that children cannot show kindness and respect unless someone at home shows it to them first; that ``what goes around, comes around'' and someday the perpetrator would experience the same pain in trying to comfort a child of his own who had been victimized.
However, having said all these things, I had to remove myself from the room to vent the anger that was boiling inside me. When a child victimizes another child in this way, it robs the victimized child of much more than candy. This experience has robbed my child of the innocent, fun-loving enjoyment of Halloween. By accosting my child on the street, this thug has taken the sense of well-being in his own neighborhood from my son and thrust on him that awful sense of being invaded, which everyone of us, as adults or parents, has sadly experienced at one time or another. I had certainly hoped to spare my child from feeling that peace of mind-robbing sensation for several more years.
Just once, I would like to catch one of these miscreants in his thoughtless act of victimization and require him to observe and deal with the results of his actions, such as buying the family a new pumpkin and carving a jack-o-lantern with the family or apologizing to his victim for stealing Halloween candy and buying his victim candy, perhaps with his cigarette money, thereby giving his lungs a brief respite. That consequence for his actions may sound ``Pollyannaish'' rather than punishing, but in order for a child to understand the pain he has inflicted, he first has to understand the love and care that created what he ruined, and only then may he be able to hear his conscience.
Margaret A. Seagraves
Thornwood Street
Nov. 1, 1995
YOUTH FOOTBALL PLAUDITS
As the 1995 Youth Football season comes to an end, its only suitable to recognize the teams at Cavalier Manor for their outstanding year. First we have the Pee-Wee team, coached by Odell Ming III and Anthony Boone closing in with an impressive 5-0 record. And the Junior Pee-Wee team, coached by Aaron Sawyer, George Jones, Larry Jones, Wailon Jordan, Nina Lewis and Adam Gardner, had a solid 4-2 record.
Finally the Junior Midget team, coached by James Ramsey, Dwayne Tisdom, Mack Keys and Ronald Scott, had an excellent 4-0 record.
The two flag-level teams coached by Frank Whitehead, Eric Black, Rufus Hurdle, Dale McNair and Daryl Goodwyn, also contributed to program growth this season.
League president Eric Hardson and staff are looking forward to a strong showing during the Holiday Bowl game at Winston-Salem, N.C. in November.
James Smith
Tazewell Street
Nov. 2, 1995
PUBLIC HOUSING WOES
It is a sad commentary on the state of progress in the city that the only story that can make the front page of the Sunday edition deals with public housing projects and the innumerable problems that are found in them.
The public perception is clear that these areas are rife with crime and that all citizens are guilty by association of laziness or one form of criminal activity or another. However true this is, I would beg Ms. Cooke to not cancel her subscription, but to continue to speak out in favor of those in her community that are leading positive lives in a sea of negativity.
Still, I must disagree with the concept that The Virginian-Pilot is racist in its choices of front-page stories.
Unfortunately, most newsworthy of front-page coverage is negative. A recent example is the untimely death by assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Crime, especially when it is concentrated in a single community, also draws attention to itself as an issue for the society as a whole to address. Thus, front page coverage to give the facts and figures to the people of Hampton Roads in an effort for them to be more informed.
I remember several weeks back there was a look at three welfare mothers on the front page of the Sunday edition showing the effects of Governor Allen's welfare program in northern Virginia. Two of the three women were white and the statistics that accompanied the article stated clearly that though there are a greater percentage of blacks on welfare, there are more whites receiving welfare benefits. The story on public housing and crime is not racist it is just another example of gathering information for the purposes of giving all citizens a clear picture of where the crime is in our region.
I am not qualified to guess what percentage of crime in public housing is committed by outsiders. As a resident of Cavalier Manor, I cannot say how many public housing residents commit crimes in my neighborhood. What is clear is that there must be open channels for discussion of the issue no matter how negative it appears to make an area seem.
The truth, statistical, or otherwise, can be harsh when viewed on the front page of the Sunday paper. Harsh though it may be, it does not say that all people that live in public housing are criminals, nor should it be perceived that way. It can be easy to use public housing, where there are many problems, as scapegoats for the growing problem of crime on our streets. This is an ignoble fallacy.
Finally, we as citizens of Hampton Roads must not ``let up on public housing'' or we risk the chance of the 28 percent like Ms. Cooke, who have pride in their community, giving up all hope and falling victim to the 72 percent with no self-esteem.
To the residents of public housing I would say keep volunteering, take charge of the community, take charge of your children's lives, or something far worse faces the generations to come, whether you live in Dale Homes or Cavalier Manor.
Michael S. Spence
Roosevelt Boulevard
Nov. 7, 1995 by CNB