I sure hope we provide that kind of tight security at all the schools...

I mean I wouldn't want to give an unfair advantage of better protection to all those black kids at one school, when another school in a different 'hood only had 1 rent-a-cop.

That seems blatantly racist and prejudiced.

Wait... then again why are the police there in the first place? I thought we didn't want to infer that certain schools having a predominantly black population are more likely to be gang ridden, quasi day care centers for the less economically advantaged?

I don't want the appearance that we are labelling the particular school, and having that police force there to control minors implies that we believe the school in question is out of control.

We should not be terrorizing our kids with that stigma. SPD please go back to your precinct station, as we have a politically correct populice to continue fooling.

I once had a case of populice. It wasn't pleasant.

Fuck. This is tough for the kids at Madrona. Way back when I went there it was a peaceful place; I hope the teachers have been given enough info to help students keep from speculating too wildly.

We actually heard a call about this yesterday:

1:16pm - Madrona Elementary - Suspect, who is known to carry weapons and lives near the school, making threats against someone at the school.

http://www.centraldistrictnews.com/2008/01/23/security-issue-at-madrona-elementary

If a large proportion of the urban black population wasn't prone to violence then these stories would not have to be written.

It's really sad that on the day after MLK day, we see another example of the failing of the black community. You would think that we would have made progress in the last 40 years. Alas, it seems in many ways, we have moved backwards.

It really is sad.

@5 yoru remarks provoke a profound silence.

Is it that people don't care? No, we care. This is Seattle.

That they disagree? No, on Slog you hear about it if people disagree.

Could it be: we agree... but ... it's not .... comfortable ... to say so....
Maybe they agree, but are not comfortable with that.
e fact that they agree?

Actually, unPC, Ecce Homo is a well know troll. That's why no one's responding.

But, since you guys seem to be such good pals, maybe you can go cross burning together, or share tips on how to get your Klan hoods exxxxxxtra white. Snoogens.

Oh ecce, we were getting along so nicely there for a few minutes, but it looks like you're back off your meds.

Let me just murmur gently that it's not a "failing of the black community". It's a failing of society at large.

Then let me blab to everyone that the guys at North Acres park have voted you out of "the grove". They say you're too needy, and your hygiene is lacking.

This morning's P-I headline: Funeral stirs love, talk of revenge

Collapse of basic civility in the Middle East, Kenya, Kosovo, et.al. I think Trudeau has it nailed - unfortunately, Move-On.org has no apparent influence in these atavistic matters.

http://www.doonesbury.com/strip/dailydose/index.html?uc_full_date=20080113

Explain how it is the rest of society that is to blame when a FUNERAL is a target of violence?

I am not threatening the school, gangsters are.

Give me a cogent reason as to why I am responsible.

Ecce dear - you delusions are showing, along with your slip. Pull your skirt down a pit, straighten your hose, and relax.

I said that society (meaning the greater whole) was to blame, not you. You are not society (thank God).

But then again, you sort of do represent society, with your simple-minded assertion that "urban blacks" are overwhelmingly violent, and that this is a "failing of the black community"

We live in a violent society. It's not a black issue. It's a societal issue.

@ 11 That is such fucking bullshit liberal crap.

It is a black issue. You just refuse to accept reality. When you look at the statistics, you see profound differences between black and whites and how they handle their differences. Do you ever see the sheer magnitude increase in violence in schools in neighborhoods where it is predominantly low income black? Are you conveniently ignoring the obvious? Sure you can name me a sporadic incident here or there where it happens at a predominantly white middle class or upper class neighborhood/school, but let's call a spade a spade. There is a reason that only certain areas of town, or schools have more violence... can you tell me what that is? Hmm?? Who is committing those crimes in such large numbers? Hmm?

Why don't we hear this stuff at North Bend High? What is the demographic of the average kid who goes there? Hmm??

Sure it is a societal issue. Unfortunately no matter how much you super duper wish with all your little might, we have a ethnic divide in this country with a large percentage of the black community who refuse to participate in the melting pot of society, and be decent, respectable, contributing members of a working middle class.

Instead they'd rather hold themselves down with self defeatest mentality and prejudices. They'd rather "Blame the Man", and "White Folk" who hold them back from achieving their goals.

Do I think this is an absolute statement? Absolutely not. There are some who manage to take responsibility for the actions of themselves and their families. They do whatever sacrifice it takes to make something of their lives. They take responsibility to provide a stable nuturing home for their children so they don't turn to gangs or violence as an "answer" to all of their shortcomings.

Unfortunately the ignorant portion of the black community doesn't seem to care about having a stable environment for children. They take pride in their single parent homes, popping out children left and right that are very likely going to be a social service problem at some point in their lives. Instead of being intelligent and logical, and possibly holding off on having children at all or at least until they are stable, they instead seem to love having children when there is no way without social service (read: taxpayer) assistance that they are able to afford them. They count on welfare providing for them.

In summary, all of this "learned" pattern of behavior and life choices contributes to schools and entire cross sections of communities that are broken and disfunctional ....

resulting in school tragedies.

Yes this is a black problem.

The black community needs to get their act together and fix their issue... because I as a taxpayer am tired of dealing with their BULL$H!t.

Reality Check

That little g's myspace (before he died) was all like OHHH I'M SO STREET! I'M SO HARD! STREETS!

chalk up another one.

...they'd rather hold themselves down with self defeatest mentality and prejudices. They'd rather "Blame the Man", and "White Folk" who hold them back from achieving their goals.

Do you actually know any black people? Cornel West and other black intellectuals aside, black folk do not concern themselves with blaming others for their problems. White liberals are the ones most likely to blame society and white people for black people's problems.

Unfortunately the ignorant portion of the black community doesn't seem to care about having a stable environment for children...they instead seem to love having children when there is no way without social service (read: taxpayer) assistance that they are able to afford them.

So what accounts for black single parent families before the Great Society programs of the 1960s, hmm? There's a well-documented history of broken families among African Americans. In the absence of a stable nuclear family, the community stepped up to support children. Something you would know if you weren't an (unbelievably ignorant) armchair sociologist.

Oh Calm yourself, Reality Check. It's not your fault you're wrong. Why don't you and Ecce go over to Denny's and have a nice cup of coffee or something?

But in the meantime, look at the school shooting that have happened in recent years, both here and nationally. Pretty much white, wouldn't you say? The Tacoma Mall Shooting? White. The Omaha Mall Shooting? White. The Salt Lake City Mall Shooting? White. Does this make it a problem of the "white community"? Is there even such a thing?

And there is no shortage of white women "popping out children left and right that are very likely going to be a social service problem at some point in their lives". Doubt me? Take a look around Lynnwood or Bremerton, or any other suburb.

Violent societies begat violent people of all ethnicities, sweetheart.

@15 thank you

@12 I love how a socio-economic issue instantly becomes a race issue when a person of color is involved. As @15 pointed out, these incidences are going to happen in low income/disenfranchised members of our society.

Wouldn't it be a wonderful country if we spent more resources bringing up the lower half of the tax bracket, better education, jobs etc. Thereby increasing the disposable income of the majority of the country as apposed to giving tax breaks to large corps. and the top 5%.

Father Greg Boyle - "Nothing stops a bullet like a job."