Urban Predators Speak Out

  Crime, Punishment and Just-U.S . (part 1 of 2) How ironic! While preparing to celebrate Independence Day, America owns the world’s highest prison rate (2.12 million incarcerated with 21% of them unsentenced), has “permanently” striped 5 million citizens of their voting rights, created private/for profit prison opportunities, offers select companies’ contracts for inmate daily essentials (e.g. toothpaste, underwear, cloths, shoes), manipulates both the census count and its fund allocations (N.Y.C. inmates become cheap laborers and are counted as residents of the prisons town).   But, with a 500% crime increase over 40 years, incarceration is not an effective means of achieving public safety. “The broad effects which can be obtained by punishment in man are the increase of fear, the sharpening of the sense for cunning, and the mastery of achieving unmet desire (Nietzsche); therefore, punishment can tame/break a man, but does not make him better (hearted)." So “Laws and in...

Housing Termites The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree! Feudalism had kings, nobles, vassals, and lords. Capitalism has corporations, elected officials, regulators, and land developers. Their common goal: Distribution and management of land and resources among low/middle income tenants (peasants and indentured servants ). But don’t feel helplessly sad and afraid! Get relentlessly willing and able! Call transient residents’ “ cockroaches ” that come to enjoy a season of the night life and go, each time leaving apartments subject to further rent hikes. Call land developers’ lethal “ termites ” that come, see opportunity, plot long-term visions, and without the early intervention of qualified exterminators, proceed to execute a methodic plan to settle and expand with permanently devastating consequences on community demographics and existing infrastructure. But a bug is a bug! Just flip the switch and watch the light of truth send the night feasting players scrambling for cover....

Reckless and Irresponsible Local epidemics and global pandemics are not new. Causing mass hysteria and death, viral threats test human resilience as they come and go. However, sometimes the body needs a boost. Initially, it was easy to blame viral spread on government shortcomings. Yet together with science they have successfully endeavored to deliver multiple vaccines on schedule to assure the pandemic containment and eradication process is well underway. However, hindered by citizen complacency and reckless irresponsibility, not only are breaks in basic protocols (hand washing, mask wearing, social distancing) causing the fatality rate to periodically spike, but recent complications with Johnson and Johnson’s vaccine has triggered a growing number of people to feel a right to independently refuse vaccination. Beware the cause and effects of herd mentality . Globally, leaders of government and science have near mandated vaccination and are issuing verification cards required for ...

Stop! Thousands of years ago, Jesus said “you will always have the poor.” Not much has changed but, accepting the stigmatic label of being part of broken homes full of lazy, addicted dependents often prone to crime and the exploitation of welfare opportunities is a grave error: You are not A repetitive, self-inflicted commodity to pacify with preordained meager rewards and punishments. That’s what waits for many living below the poverty level! But it’s your choice; to use or abuse resources and opportunities. You are an intricate part of a “catch all” safety net protecting a necessary political economic monster seemingly out of control and driven by fear, resentment and greed. But Jesus went further to urge the well off to “extend the poor a helping hand.“ Perhaps, weathering out possible “anarchistic” effects from the great depression, Franklyn D Roosevelt’s 1936 “New Deal” sought to keep citizens above, not below the poverty level. Institutionalizing his economic relief package hurl...

Buffalo Latino Village   COMMON SENSE When neighbors accept that “ It takes a village to fully raise a child ” STUFF HAPPENS! I grew up on such a block; a village within a village. I got punished because of neighbors ratting me out whenever caught doing or saying something out of line. Neighbors shared resources as simple as cups of sugar or milk. I didn’t like or understand it at the time but remember ; the name of the neighborhood cop that walked the beat and would take us to our parents instead of jail for trivial stuff, the mailman that delivered the mail with a smile, sprinkler caps put on fire hydrants for kids to cool off in the summer, and trees getting planted to beautify the blocks. That’s what united block associations can do to hold community boards accountable to use available resources (city, state, and federal projects and funds) for the betterment of the whole community. Sure, there will always be a few bad apples in the barrel; a drunk, a junkie, and/or a thief...

 Buffalo Latino Village TURNING THE PAGE Valentine’s day is coming! Make it an everyday event and collectively “Love Thy Neighbor as thy self”. Along with getting a new president, give your community a new Manifest Destiny. Originally coined by journalist John O’Sullivan in 1845 to mean “expansion of colonial borders”, the term eventually came to mean “everything on this side of the hemisphere would be Anglo, protestant, and English speaking”. The ending days of the Trump era revealed that, to many, such mind set is not only alive and well but expanding. Together with the 1823 Monroe Doctrine warning war with anyone attempting to encroach on, or interfere with the national agenda, look at your community. Is not the process of disinvestment and reinvestment displacing low and middle-income families and small businesses? If you don’t harmoniously unite and protect your borders the process of community gentrification will eventually feel like genocide. And make no mistake it i...

  Buffalo Latino Village Jan 2021article New Year, New Deal ?   Happy New Year! Its done! The ballots have been tallied, verified and announced. On January 20 th Biden enters as the new landlord and Trump exits as the delinquent tenant. But things seem far from over. Trump is not thinking of willfully vacating. So forget the drama and simply unleash the marshals with a court ordered eviction for negligence.  Like any of us, shouldn’t he be subject to arrest for trespassing. More so, shouldn’t his refusal to relinquish power be considered an act of mutiny : A crime punishable by death? But let’s wake up and face it; dominating the national discourse like no one before “Trump has been allowed to reshape the global office and shattered its century-old norms and traditions”. Fearing what’s supposedly waiting, he even seeks pardoning himself from any pending prosecutions. Funny how they call it an “ assault on the institutions of democracy ” without mention of “the...

  Buffalo Latino Village Election or Divine Intervention The American President! The promise of equal protection and opportunity for all! Really? Then how is it that regardless of all the negativity surrounding our Trump the Chump, our president, our commander in chief and alleged role model, acquired near half the nation’s vote for a second term. Trump has famously survived one impeachment, two divorces, six bankruptcies, twenty-six accusations of sexual misconduct, and an estimated four thousand lawsuits . Behold! our new, “Wanna Be” Teflon John Gatti . This election was too close to call it “ a people’s victory. The thought that trump almost won again is scary. No doubt, aside from the present pandemic, Biden is in for an uphill battle regarding the state of a nation dramatically divided by economic disparity and racial tension. Face it, this election is proof that the population is split right down the middle and on the verge of near all out confrontation. Once again, t...

    A Peoples Impeachment   part 3 of 3 There is a breach in the system . Somebody on the ladder (counsel men -assembly men – senate and congressman – mayor and commissioners) is not getting community issues done. Would you pay for faulty products when you shop? Do you pay for services left unfinished? Ok! Then lets fix the dilemma ! In addition to senate and congressional votes, let the peoples need be known and compared. Are civic officials truly representing the people or are their hidden agendas out of community reach. One thing is for sure; the tension of racist law enforcement tactics has shown what people power can quickly accomplish. People got fired! People were brought on charges with some facing jail time. Was that an isolated incident or a blueprint to apply to other matters. Imagen grassroot community organizations rotating daily protest in front of an officials office delivering ultimatums: PUT UP OR GET OUT! Sounds good! Well impeachment should...

    Withholding Taxes for Community    part 2 of 3 Stated in previous edition, there is reason to turn to, and empower, Grassroot Community based organizations (CBO). WHY? Wonder how your taxes are spent only to feel helpless. Wonder how much of your tax dollars pay for sustaining the life style of civil servants like the Senate, Congress , etc. A LOT! If officials, paid a lot, were listening to the peoples cry “ enough of President Trump ”  (a popular opinion), how is it that the Senate, (representing the peoples voice), can refuse to impeach the president. Either somebody is not listening or somebody is not screaming load enough. So If they are not listening to THAT cry, can you expect such officials to listen to community needs. It’s time for “we the people” to turn to, and empower good old grassroot community-based organizations (CBO ) Time to enable them to take actions beyond simple protests and begin dethroning negligent officials obligated to assure...

    Empower Your Community part 1 of 3 In more ways than one its hot! The desire to stay indoors nice and cool (for some) is strong. G lobal pandemic threats to take one’s life, and change the course of human history, makes staying home easy. But what of the natural need for human interaction? What of the potential increase of varied forms of addictions:   drugs, alcohol, and gambling to ease boredom and near forced isolation/incarceration. What of the potential for suicides due to isolation and financial hardships?   It happened during the great depression. If there is still a belief in a higher power – let God help us all! G overnment leadership is in a strangle hold due to partisan ideologies having little to do with public concerns. With media’s bombarding daily issues impeding on the sense of security, can we count on voters casting informed ballots during coming elections? Make no mistake “ America is burning ”!   It’s time for “we the people” t...