Car rims so coveted, some people will even kill for them

chron.com ^ | 4-18-10 | Mike Tolson

[smokingfrog]

Shiny, unmistakable and a little strange, the custom wire wheels of choice on some of Houston's toughest streets are the star attraction of whatever they're beneath, be it Benz or Bentley, certified slab or laughable junker.

No doubt they demand attention. They are the stuff of local legend and lore, of lust and commerce at its most American, and most dangerous. Poking out 6 inches or more from the hub like a chrome tepee frame, they sing a siren's song, and young men hear it droning.

For more than two decades these unconventional rims, going by nicknames like swangers, elbows and pokes, have been coveted as none other by the car enthusiasts in Houston's poor black neighborhoods.

Those who live there, who ride there, who pay attention to what rolls down the streets, are fully aware of their allure. They also know well the mayhem that sometimes comes from possessing something so desirable.

“They have created an adverse culture of killing,” said community activist Quanell X.

DeAndre Elliott heard the siren and could not resist, and so his 1993 Buick Park Avenue was suitably equipped.

If Elliott had concern for his safety, it was not enough to overcome the pride in ownership. A junior at Worthing High School, he had no time for worry. He'd been through the bad times, losing his mother at an early age, and come through the other side.

He was the popular star running back of the football team. He had a girlfriend. He had something in short supply in the grittiest neighborhoods — hope — and of course he had that car painted a fresh blue-green and finished off with elbows and white-walled Vogues, the only tire worthy of pairing with such expensive rims.

Elliott died Nov. 19 on his girlfriend's doorstep.

[Paladin2]

3-7-77

[GrannyAnn]

***I wonder how poor Elliot came up with the money to buy those rims?***

From his 2, maybe 3 baby mommas who get monthly welfare checks. So, you and I paid for those rims.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Interesting history...
Vogue made the first white wall tire in Chicago.

[rightly_dividing]

My wife and I were in Houston over the weekend looking at houses. We are moving to Houston soon, maybe we should rethink this move? We were looking around Cypress and Hockley. Are we walking into a war zone?

[Touch Not the Cat]

.
Those words would be considered inflammatory — if....

[ecomcon]

"[i]f you feel that you just got to mug somebody because of your hurt and your pain, go to River Oaks and mug you some good white folks. If you’re angry that our brother is put to death, don’t burn down your own community, give these white folks hell from the womb to the tomb."

A fine fella, what?

Think he voted for Obama? Violent racist goon is the go to guy for an article in a newspaper, and nothing is said, no disclaimer, no full disclosure about this "activist", just approving quotes.

[smokingfrog]

Are we walking into a war zone?

****

I live near Cypress. Good schools and low crime. Probably the most conservative area of Houston is the NW and west side Katy area. Some parts of Houston are probably not all that safe, but it’s the same with any large city.

We have a few nice gun ranges in the area as well.

[Oldpuppymax]

But naturally they won’t describe “which” people.

[Paladin2]

Vogue history is interesting as an ethnic/socioeconomic phenomenon.

[smokingfrog]

I remember that one.

He must have been channeling Dan Rather or something.

[dfwgator]

Now this is an issue the President might be capable of addressing. Oh, wait. He doesn’t have street cred, either.

[Sudetenland]

Who cares? Let the dumb s^&*(^&(&*itches kill each other off.

I wonder how many of those who are "strapped" have obeyed the law and gotten a CHL. . . . There's a reason for profiling.

[tacticalogic]

The title is misleading. It should be:

"People So Screwed Up They'll Kill for Car Rims"

[dfwgator]

Or as they used to do on the Chappelle Show, “When Keeping it Real Goes Wrong.”

[ExGeeEye]

In my eeevil little mind, it occurred to me that if you want to acquire a fine collection of throwaway weapons in a hurry, just disguise yourself and four friends as “old codger driving a whitebread mini-van”, roll up beside one of these 70’s road yachts with chromed wagon wheels, hit the slider and - how about you use your imagination :)

[Clemenza]

Houston has no zoning laws, so you can buy in what looks like a nice community, but you have the thugs living in the apartment complex next door and attending your children's schools.

I prefer the "snob zoning" we have in the suburban northeast to keep the trash segregated and away from our schools.

[AceMineral]

Around here there is a lime green car with the Hawaiian Punch logo.

[ASOC]

LOL

Chris Rock has a bit on rims. I cannot repeat any of his profanity laced diatribes, but that bit is funny.

The things you sometimes hear on airport TVs. would make a sailor blush....

[Repeat Offender]

I wonder how poor Elliot came up with the money to buy those rims?

A. Selling Drugs

B. Payday Loan

C. Pawn Shop/selling stolen items

D. Title Loan

[denydenydeny]

"[i]f you feel that you just got to mug somebody because of your hurt and your pain, go to River Oaks and mug you some good white folks. If you’re angry that our brother is put to death, don’t burn down your own community, give these white folks hell from the womb to the tomb."

You rarely see this thought expressed so openly.

The problem for people like "Quanell X" is that once you "authorize" violent sociopathy against certain groups, it's very hard to put the genie back in the bottle. The people at River Oaks are far away; it's much easier for violent sociopaths to commit mayhem close to home.