Originally Posted by
Partsky
Yes, its an important story. A child has been killed and good, decent people are rightly worried. However, just because a journalist was born nearby does not give them a better insight into the city. As many other previous postees have pointed out, wandering around any area with a film crew you immediately draw attention to yourself. The knobhead contingent in this area, as in any troubled area will put Ken Dodd to shame if you shine a light of them. Its the low I Q you know. That and the weapons. I worked this area for years as a council worker until recently, and was met by nothing but kindness and decency, and I must have walked around the area dozens and dozens and times and gone on over 500 visits over 3 years, many on "gang" territories. I was never intimidated or followed and my car was never damaged.; probably because I knew it was sensible to keep a low profile and I did not draw attention to myself. However, its not a way that anyone should have to live and the fact that a little boy lost his life simply going home is the proof of that. I worked also in Anfield and Kirkdale during the terrible drug shootings there and yes it could be frightening but as usual, vast majority of the people were great. Decent people, often on low incomes, forced to be quiet by (often) young idiots with guns, knives, imitating the older wave of dealers who were not better but were, shall we say, more discreet, about their wrongdoing. The shame is the really nice people forced to stay silent to protect their households. There is a culture of "looking the other way" in these gang families. They say nothing when they see their kids come in with trainers costing £100 and the latest phones whilst not even bothering to sign on. They look the other way when they bring home goods obviously nicked from decent peoples houses. They know what they are up to. but they do nothing. Its easier. Sometimes they pay the ultimate price and follow the horse drawn funeral and take pages and pages of adverts in the Echo (where they are often described totally inaccurately as "loved by all", "a loveable rogue" or worse of all "a gentleman"thats without the abhorrent "Soldier/solja crap), and help to build the shrines that no one can tear down without their windows going in. Its only in their homes that it can be controlled, whether it croxteth, anfield or any other area of this or any other City where drugs are the currency of power. In the meanwhile, the decent people of Croxteth or anywhere else have to watch their tongues to avoid damage to them. Its a sad, sad situation. Arrest the parents. Its where the rot often begins or is allowed to begin, sadly.
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