Peyton's crime study group already falling apart?

[Lunican]

MAD DADS President Resigns From Crime Initiative Group

Foy believes more leaders from high crime neighborhoods should be involved in the search for solutions. "They got one person on that committee that stays in a neighborhood where murders have occurred."

Full Article:
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=100113

[Steve]

That's a good sign for the committee.

Personally, I didn't need to be in meetings for a month to realize what he did.  I'm a big Jaguars fan, and I think that overall Wayne Weaver is great for Jacksonville, but what does he really know about walking through Jacksonville's most dangerous neighborhoods?

Now, I don't think the whole committee will fall apart - there are too many politically connected people that are too afraid to stand up and say it's a joke.  Donald Foy, while politically connected, isn't afraid to speak his mind.

[downtownparks]

"This is difficult work," the mayor says. "I hope he doesn't choose to take the easy way out."

What a sanctimonious ass!!!

[vicupstate]

I guess someone forgot to tell Foy that the whole thing was just political window-dressing, and not something legitimate.

Besides, everyone knows that the answer to rising crime is more prayer breakfasts.   

[Webini]

Does anyone remember the popularization of "The Tipping Point" in the mid to late 90s? Basically it was a social phenomenon where one dramatic moment can change everything at once.  At the risk of sounding pessimistic I believe this is what Jacksonville and many other high crime areas are left with.  I say that for two reasons:

1.  "...it's time to stop hacking away at the branches and get to the root..." Things are implemented with great intentions, such as the crime study group. But trying to solve a problem from the outside in just doesn't work. It's kinda like me walking into one of your houses and telling you that you need to feed your kid peanut butter without first know that he or she is allergic to peanuts.

2.  "Parenting"...yes, the old idea of actually minding your children.  While there are several factors that contribute to crime problems and the delinquency of  criminals, this is still the main problem.  For whatever reasons (legit or not) it seems child-rearing is at an all time low in this country and it's directly related to econimic status, and family state (broken homes, etc).

Eventually, there will be a "tipping point". I just can't see how things can really change when crime elements have become the norm. The only other option is the continue hacking away at the branches by placing unfamiliar people in unfamiliar places to solve a problem unfamiliar to them.

I said all that to say that the problem won't be solved until the people of these communities reclaim them.

[Lunican]

How often will this group meet?

[thelakelander]

Eventually, there will be a "tipping point". I just can't see how things can really change when crime elements have become the norm. The only other option is the continue hacking away at the branches by placing unfamiliar people in unfamiliar places to solve a problem unfamiliar to them.

Has an invitation been extended to people living in these areas to be a part of this committee?  I find it hard to image not one person living in a high crime neighborhood would not be willing and happy to take part in a committee with the goal of improving their neighborhood.

[Pavers]

Steve, are you saying that Wayne Weaver shouldn't give a care about crime in non-Avondale parts of town because he doesn't live there?  Should his time, brainpower, capacity to fund programs, and political influence be turned down?

In a similar vein, should Tony Boselli be told to take a hike because he lives in another freaking county?

There's a frustrating inconsistency here.  It is (properly) asserted that crime is a *community-wide* problem.  Yet when the leaders - and I mean the REAL leaders, those that have built a business, run an organization, or have truly implemented change - from across the community are called to focus and commit to making progress on the issue, they are dismissed as being geographically undesirable!  

[Webini]

Lake, I'm willing to bet that noone was.  Seriously.  Usually the these types of groups look to community leaders for help...and usually, even those leaders don't live in the community.

[thelakelander]

There's a frustrating inconsistency here.  It is (properly) asserted that crime is a *community-wide* problem.  Yet when the leaders - and I mean the REAL leaders, those that have built a business, run an organization, or have truly implemented change - from across the community are called to focus and commit to making progress on the issue, they are dismissed as being geographically undesirable!

I think the missing element is the entire community isn't represented.  Some of these guys may be leaders in a business sense, but all the book smarts in the world can't prepare you for what happens on the street.  Nevertheless, there's only so much outsiders and these committees can do.  You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink it.

[Webini]

Steve, are you saying that Wayne Weaver shouldn't give a care about crime in non-Avondale parts of town because he doesn't live there?  Should his time, brainpower, capacity to fund programs, and political influence be turned down?

In a similar vein, should Tony Boselli be told to take a hike because he lives in another freaking county?

This one is touchy, especially in Boselli's case, but the help has to handled within the context of the community.  What I got from Steve's entry is that Weaver is ill equipped to properly address ceartain issues in these specific communities simply because he's in an entirely different social segment.  I agree that his help shouldn't be turned down, but his help in conjunction with leaders who actually live in the communities would have a greater impact.

You have to remember one thing too (and I'm going to get CREAMED for this comment), that with most programs that are not birthed from the people you run the risk of creating dependence and even a reverse effect.  The governement and political leaders in Jacksonville can put cops on ever corner, build community centers and offer programs til the cows come home.  Without true representation and work (to maintain and grow)  from the community all these things will be controlled and operated by outside sources with rules, regulations/requirements that could have more of a negative impact and create more of a dependency on the outside source-- think welfare.

...okay let me have it. LOL

[Steve]

Steve, are you saying that Wayne Weaver shouldn't give a care about crime in non-Avondale parts of town because he doesn't live there?  Should his time, brainpower, capacity to fund programs, and political influence be turned down?

In a similar vein, should Tony Boselli be told to take a hike because he lives in another freaking county?

There's a frustrating inconsistency here.  It is (properly) asserted that crime is a *community-wide* problem.  Yet when the leaders - and I mean the REAL leaders, those that have built a business, run an organization, or have truly implemented change - from across the community are called to focus and commit to making progress on the issue, they are dismissed as being geographically undesirable!  

I'm not saying that we should turn down help - I'm saying that I don't see the answer to fighting crime in the ghetto coming from the guy who wears four figure shoes.

If you really want to solve this problem, why aren't we looking to hire guys who deal with the drug running in harlem.  How about the south side of Chicago, or the slums of LA?

Donald Foy was a good connection.  He is connected to those parts of town, he's the leader of MAD DADS, and he is well respected.  When these people bail this early in the process, it tells me something is wrong.

I had the same feeling when Sam Mousa, a veteran of city government, bailed 13 days into the Peyton Administration.  I'm not saying that Sam Mousa was always right, or they are always wrong.  However, when someone like Mousa who is known as a workaholic just throws in the towel on day 13, that tells me that one side is WAY off.  Since Mousa is from the Delaney & Austin Administrations, which was known as 12 years of economic and community prosperity, I'd trust that he was not WAY off.


Also, the Boselli fiasco had nothing to do with him trying to help, it had to do with a poorly written lease that originated in guess where - the Mayor's Office. Read this:

http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/112807/met_220980376.shtml

[JeffreyS]

Denise Lee could have extended the smallest olive branch been available after commenting and she would have been seen as reasonable instead of grandstanding.

Local leaders should be involved and anyone but Peyton would have known that.

  The people he has organized can get the job done.  We will have to give them what they suggest and I bet they solicit locals in the process.

This step is late but one you need. We will see if Peyton is serious or just grandstanding himself.

[Steve]

Denise Lee could have extended the smallest olive branch been available after commenting and she would have been seen as reasonable instead of grandstanding.

And yes, while the problem originated in the Mayor's Office, Councilwoman Lee didn't come off the best in the eye of the public.  I have no idea how she really means, but I can tell you how the public viewed that.  It also didn't help that Boselli is a devout Catholic in a pretty conservative town, and was a dominant Jaguar in his prime.

[spidey]

Boselli is definitely NOT Catholic.  He's a charismatic Pentecostal.  He and Mark Brunell founded an Every Nation church here in Jax - it's called Southpoint Community Church.