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<blockquote data-quote="toonertoo" data-source="post: 190589" data-attributes="member: 1944"><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p></p><p><strong>Perfect example, and no racial bias here, both black. The guy defended himself, and hes the bad guy. The poor 15 yr old is dead. If the intended victim had been shot, it would have been just another problem in the hood. But since it was a youth, its the legal owner of a guns fault. Regardless that he was defending himself in his home. And if you care to read further at <a href="http://www.plain" target="_blank">www.plain</a> dealer.com You will see he is the one being run out of the HOOD. More citizens on their porches with guns, will put an end to the people who grow up criminal, and it was the parents fault, not the almost victim.</strong></p><p></p><p> </p><p></p><p><strong>Time to save Cleveland's lost boys</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>Posted by <a href="http://blog.cleveland.com/earlyedition/about.html" target="_blank">[URL="http://blog.cleveland.com/earlyedition/about.html"][EMAIL="pfmorris@plaind.com"]<span style="color: #003399">Phillip Morris, Metro Columnist</span>[/EMAIL] </a>[/URL]April 25, 2007 19:59PM</strong></p><p></p><p>Categories: <a href="http://blog.cleveland.com/earlyedition/metro/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #003399">Metro</span></a></p><p>Let's dispense with the obvious. </p><p>Saturday night, Arthur "Ace" Buford, an unregistered "gunman" with a rap sheet, lost badly in his porch confrontation with Damon Wells, a trained and registered gunman. </p><p>It would appear that the law won. </p><p>As a result, a 15-year-old boy -- and would-be robber -- is being prepped for embalming. A 25-year-old, law-abiding Cleveland man and his fianc e are alive, but have been chased from their Kinsman Road neighborhood. </p><p>Depending on where you stand, this outcome is either cause for tempered celebration or profound grief. That is where the community conversation seems to have stalled. </p><p>But merely harping on the elementary facts of this sick encounter does little to provide illumination. </p><p>So, without using polarizing language, let's talk about the sad consequences, pathetic spectacle and lack of leadership reflected in the aftermath of Saturday's high-profile shooting of Arthur, a boy who thought he was a man. </p><p>The conversation can start with a dissection of the disturbing etiquette of young, urban street grieving now on display. Then, a community-based discussion on right and wrong seems appropriate. A primer on the futility of misguided revenge is also in order. </p><p>Ideally, Mayor Frank Jackson would start this conversation. Whether such a town hall meeting would be centered in Slavic Village or Mount Pleasant, he needs to address his emerging public relations problem: </p><p>Namely, how can he get people to buy into cutting back on tax abatement if they don'tbelieve they can sit safely on their front porches? </p><p>Jackson needs to signal that it's acceptable to grieve for this slaughtered boy, while he somehow reassures residents of this town that it's a legal and moral imperative to defend life and property. That's fundamental. </p><p>Instead, children are leading the parade. The children are speaking out for their dead. They are turning utility poles into impromptu mausoleums and are holding televised memorials. They are grieving hard -- especially the girls. </p><p>But the adults -- the leaders -- are mostly silent whilewe all watch the flight of an innocent man and the destruction of his rental property. And we watch as critical life lessons are being lost or unspoken in the din of the latest rage: </p><p>"Live by the sword, die by the sword." </p><p>Community activist Khalid Samad is a prince in this city. He fluently speaks the language of gang-bangers and foundation grant makers. He tirelessly promotes "peace in the 'hood." </p><p>But the dike is bursting around him. He needs help. He had counseled "Ace" in recent weeks. Tuesday, he could do little more than curse. </p><p>Samad cursed an amoral culture. He cursed the spiritual deprivations that placed him on the corner where "Ace" died. He cursed a community's warped embrace of violence. </p><p>His rage momentarily shook the neighborhood. To what end? </p><p>Too many Cleveland boys are being posthumously memorialized with stuffed animals. It's an infantile spectacle: Gun-toting, wannabe men buried with toys. </p><p>It's time for strong black men in the city, led by Jackson, to come off the porches and save their own generation of "lost boys." </p><p><strong>To reach Phillip Morris:</strong> <a href="mailto:pfmorris@plaind.com"><span style="color: #003399">pfmorris@plaind.com</span></a>, 216-999-4070 </p><p><strong>Previous columns online:</strong> <a href="http://cleveland.com/columns" target="_blank"><span style="color: #003399">cleveland.com/columns</span></a> </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><img src="http://blog.advance.net/comments.gif" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><a href="http://blog.cleveland.com/earlyedition/2007/04/time_to_save_clevelands_lost_b.html#comments" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: #00339e">Post a comment</span></strong></a> | <a href="http://blog.cleveland.com/earlyedition/2007/04/time_to_save_clevelands_lost_b.html#comments" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: #00339e">View comments (</span></strong></a></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="toonertoo, post: 190589, member: 1944"] [B] [/B] [B] [/B] [B]Perfect example, and no racial bias here, both black. The guy defended himself, and hes the bad guy. The poor 15 yr old is dead. If the intended victim had been shot, it would have been just another problem in the hood. But since it was a youth, its the legal owner of a guns fault. Regardless that he was defending himself in his home. And if you care to read further at [URL="http://www.plain"]www.plain[/URL] dealer.com You will see he is the one being run out of the HOOD. More citizens on their porches with guns, will put an end to the people who grow up criminal, and it was the parents fault, not the almost victim.[/B] [B] [/B] [B]Time to save Cleveland's lost boys[/B] [B]Posted by [URL="http://blog.cleveland.com/earlyedition/about.html"][URL="http://blog.cleveland.com/earlyedition/about.html"][EMAIL="pfmorris@plaind.com"][COLOR=#003399]Phillip Morris, Metro Columnist[/COLOR][/EMAIL] [/URL][/URL]April 25, 2007 19:59PM[/B] Categories: [URL="http://blog.cleveland.com/earlyedition/metro/"][COLOR=#003399]Metro[/COLOR][/URL] Let's dispense with the obvious. Saturday night, Arthur "Ace" Buford, an unregistered "gunman" with a rap sheet, lost badly in his porch confrontation with Damon Wells, a trained and registered gunman. It would appear that the law won. As a result, a 15-year-old boy -- and would-be robber -- is being prepped for embalming. A 25-year-old, law-abiding Cleveland man and his fianc e are alive, but have been chased from their Kinsman Road neighborhood. Depending on where you stand, this outcome is either cause for tempered celebration or profound grief. That is where the community conversation seems to have stalled. But merely harping on the elementary facts of this sick encounter does little to provide illumination. So, without using polarizing language, let's talk about the sad consequences, pathetic spectacle and lack of leadership reflected in the aftermath of Saturday's high-profile shooting of Arthur, a boy who thought he was a man. The conversation can start with a dissection of the disturbing etiquette of young, urban street grieving now on display. Then, a community-based discussion on right and wrong seems appropriate. A primer on the futility of misguided revenge is also in order. Ideally, Mayor Frank Jackson would start this conversation. Whether such a town hall meeting would be centered in Slavic Village or Mount Pleasant, he needs to address his emerging public relations problem: Namely, how can he get people to buy into cutting back on tax abatement if they don'tbelieve they can sit safely on their front porches? Jackson needs to signal that it's acceptable to grieve for this slaughtered boy, while he somehow reassures residents of this town that it's a legal and moral imperative to defend life and property. That's fundamental. Instead, children are leading the parade. The children are speaking out for their dead. They are turning utility poles into impromptu mausoleums and are holding televised memorials. They are grieving hard -- especially the girls. But the adults -- the leaders -- are mostly silent whilewe all watch the flight of an innocent man and the destruction of his rental property. And we watch as critical life lessons are being lost or unspoken in the din of the latest rage: "Live by the sword, die by the sword." Community activist Khalid Samad is a prince in this city. He fluently speaks the language of gang-bangers and foundation grant makers. He tirelessly promotes "peace in the 'hood." But the dike is bursting around him. He needs help. He had counseled "Ace" in recent weeks. Tuesday, he could do little more than curse. Samad cursed an amoral culture. He cursed the spiritual deprivations that placed him on the corner where "Ace" died. He cursed a community's warped embrace of violence. His rage momentarily shook the neighborhood. To what end? Too many Cleveland boys are being posthumously memorialized with stuffed animals. It's an infantile spectacle: Gun-toting, wannabe men buried with toys. It's time for strong black men in the city, led by Jackson, to come off the porches and save their own generation of "lost boys." [B]To reach Phillip Morris:[/B] [EMAIL="pfmorris@plaind.com"][COLOR=#003399]pfmorris@plaind.com[/COLOR][/EMAIL], 216-999-4070 [B]Previous columns online:[/B] [URL="http://cleveland.com/columns"][COLOR=#003399]cleveland.com/columns[/COLOR][/URL] [IMG]http://blog.advance.net/comments.gif[/IMG][URL="http://blog.cleveland.com/earlyedition/2007/04/time_to_save_clevelands_lost_b.html#comments"][B][COLOR=#00339e]Post a comment[/COLOR][/B][/URL] | [URL="http://blog.cleveland.com/earlyedition/2007/04/time_to_save_clevelands_lost_b.html#comments"][B][COLOR=#00339e]View comments ([/COLOR][/B][/URL] [/QUOTE]
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