Closing Bell: Clinton Hill Crime Press Conference & Rally

Hey, where's Clinton Hill's Assembly member and Senator in all this? I believe it's Velmanette Montgomery, and I'm actually not sure who the Assemblyperson is. But what do they have to say on the matter?

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 4:15 PM

Hopefully the people who spent hours posting their heads off last week will show up instead of staying home and continuing the war on recessed lighting.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 4:31 PM

"unwilling?"

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 4:32 PM

I wonder if the drug dealers and other thugs who hang out at the location will attend to provide their point of view.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 4:38 PM

4.38, they don't need to, Charles Barron will argue their side.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 4:47 PM

Could the person who commented "Drug dealing and shootings are a way of life in the ghetto, perhaps for cultural reasons that you white yuppies just can't understand" come to the rally and elaborate on what "cultural" has to do with 10 years old being burned in their homes in NJ or 15 years old shot in the Rockaways? I am sure James would be intested, and whiteys too!

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 4:52 PM

I agree on the 4 pm time as being ridiculous, since it will cut out "regular" working people of all races... Only ones in attendance will be drug dealers and yuppie freelancers....

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 4:56 PM

"Drug dealing and shootings are a way of life in the ghetto, perhaps for cultural reasons that you white yuppies just can't understand"

I'm a black person, and that statement is just about the stupidest thing I've heard this year.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 4:57 PM

I agree, but there were quite a few like that (I quoted that one literally) in the thread last week. We should really all work together to make the streets safer for ourselves and our children.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 5:03 PM

I knew it was just a question of time before the juveniles butted in.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 5:14 PM

Clinton Hill's always been pretty shaky. Of course, 5 years ago all you people were still in Wisconsin or Manhattan so I guess this stuff is shocking to you.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 6:46 PM

"unwilling?" "tomfoolery?" i dealt drugs for years. in fact, when i flunked out of college, i used to tell people that i got my equivalency degree in entrepeneurial management. so, now i've cleaned up my act and even have professional dealings with "five-oh." let me clue you in on something: i took steps to not get arrested. i don't get the veiled accusations that the precinct doesn't care or is corrupt. some of you make cleaning up this situation sound easy; it ain't. in this compstat-quantified world, there is nothing that a commanding officer and everyone under him/her wants to do more than rack up good arrests. career advancement is on the line here. just thought i'd share a different perspective.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 7:08 PM

7:08 I hear you. Nobody on this thread is going to appreciate your skill at not getting arrested, but I commiserate. As a former dealer, I give myself credit where credit's due. Cleaning up this corner is not something that can be easily accomplished. Besides, I credit most of protest to come from NIMBY newcomers, not those who have lived the hood the way we have. Let's recognize that dealing is not the attrocity that people on this board often make it out to be, nor is it always associated with violence.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 7:21 PM

"Clinton Hill's always been pretty shaky. Of course, 5 years ago all you people were still in Wisconsin or Manhattan so I guess this stuff is shocking to you."

I've been in Brooklyn my whole life (45 years) and the ENTIRE borough (and the whole city for that matter) is FAR less shaky than it's ever been. All of this fraidy cat fear of crime is a big joke as far as I'm concerned. This is not perfect by any means, but it's nothing compared with the 1970s or even the 1980s.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 7:24 PM

Yeah, but on the other hand, 7:21, it is more associated with violence than, say, being a teacher, a postal carrier, running a corner store, being a doctor, many, many things. Saying it's not *always* associated with violence is pretty weak, since it's more associated with violence than most professions.

And I'm afraid the drug trade is responsible for a great deal of the violence in this city. So you're not really saying much of anything at all.

I don't think 7:08's perspective is irrelevant, though. It's quite relevant. What S/he is saying is that it's not so easy to solve. This is an intractable problem.

What we're really talking about, here -- and let's be blunt -- is moving the problem to another neighborhood where most of us are less affected by it. No one's looking to solve the problem in its entirety -- just don't wave it under our noses.

Which -- and here I'm being honest, again -- I'm fine with. I'd prefer not to have drive-bys four blocks away from me. The larger scourge of drugs: it's a mess, fueled by silly policies, but I throw up my hands.

Let's just all be clear what we're talking about.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 7:32 PM

Al Vann is too busy doing nothing to get involved. HE is hte ultimate hack.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 7:32 PM

7:24 the crime in this area is on an uptick and if the people that live in Clinton Hill dont do something about it the values will get hammered. It may not be as bad as the 80's but if it gets half as bad the townhouses will be sel

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 7:33 PM

selling for half has much as they are now easy. I

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 7:38 PM

downing it is Brooklyn and music does thump. Its like hearing birds in the burbs.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 8:17 PM

I will be appearing in opposition to the absurd NIMBYISM of people like Brownstoner. This is Brooklyn, if you don't like it go f_ck yourself.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 8:56 PM

So what happened on Classon on Sunday?

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 9:09 PM

nothing happened on classen and laf. on sunday. inflammatory BS.

and yes, the bigger problems are the way drugs/poverty/etc are handled in this society, but drug dealing isnt okay, kids get killed, its got to stop.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 10:26 PM

Yes - shots were fired on Classon on Sunday. Saw it reported on gothamist. Also saw the helicopters above.

Posted by: guest at May 21, 2008 6:35 AM

I also saw the activity at Classon and Lafayette on Sunday. Cops everywhere, a red SUV with windows shot out wrapped in yellow 'Caution' tape. Three or four NYPD cars parked on the sidewalks at every corner surrounding Lafayette Houses, NYPD chopper circling above for quite a while. Around 3:30 pm.

Posted by: guest at May 21, 2008 8:48 AM

Tish, smmish. I have been in the neighborhood since the mid eighties and this building has been a problem time in and time out. Why don't we go after the landlord. Oh I forgot section 8. We are supposed to protect these criminals.

Posted by: guest at May 21, 2008 9:19 AM

crime in brooklyn?

really? lol

Posted by: guest at May 21, 2008 9:24 AM

Brooklyn is disgusting.

Posted by: guest at May 21, 2008 10:03 AM