Owner says establishment will add jobs, opponents say it would attract trouble.
Their concern is that it will attract gang members and neighborhood thugs, joining an array of nearby fast-food restaurants that have devolved into hot spots for violence.
"We, as regular citizens, would not be able to go to that hot dog stand," said Jeannie Wainwright, who lives nearby and has stood with dozens of others in opposition to the business. "It would just be another hangout, another place for narcotics exchanges. Any place where they can loiter, they just seem to take over."
"It has nothing to do with him, it has to do with the type of business he wants to open," Wainwright said. "If he wanted to sell clothes or shoes or something like that, it'd be fine. But we know these kids around here and we know what they gravitate toward...."
***
The disease is ignored and the symptoms are blamed. The problem in this neighborhood isn't the potential hot dog stand, but illegal gang activity. Ms. Wainwright's comments show a blindness to the problem, much like the Chicago ban on effective self defense. Punishing or restricting the innocent and productive to empower the criminal element, or to cause the public to cower in fear of criminals is wrong. The agreement with the neighborhood group by the Police Chief shows he knows it is out of control and seems to be a surrender.
No comments:
Post a Comment