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My Hometown has Grown Up and Died

An essay, my one, only and last on FR

This morning I awoke to the news of the death of an eleven year old girl, who I have never met. Never known. Nor ever seen in my community. I was born here over 40 years ago and been in and out of this home town throughout. I have always loved it here, less now, not so much because of this murder, but because of the desire of my home town to become a "big city." Sadly, Sarasota can now claim the honors of being like Detroit, Atlanta, Los Angeles and New York.

We have come together in this community. But it is of little relevance. Thirty years ago, I used to walk the streets here and the biggest worry was a snake or an alligator. Now, in my former small town, I must worry about child killers. Illegal immigrants driving drunk. Corrupt judges and politicians. And the Hollywood elite which have decided to take our coastline and turn it into the new Malibu. I have shed many a tear for Carlie. I cry for the death of the soul of our town. All of the new residents, the Stephen Kings, Marilyn Mansons and Jerry Springers of the world mean nothing to me. I would rather have 50,000 more Carlies than people like those. Who bring their ideals and perverse culture into our formerly small town.

I guess this means that I must grow up to. Should I fight the liberal scourge in a fruitless effort to save the soul of our community? My heart says yes, the practical side of me says "no", quite resoundingly. I have seen the drug shoot outs, illegal aliens injuring my friends while driving drunk (then fleeing the country), and the indifference of the liberal elitists as they build one subdivision after another, with gates and guards to protect them from the reality Carlie endured. Yet they shed no tears for her. They cry for their version of the victim, one Joseph P. Smith. The liberals cry that if only a "Bush", any "Bush" had given more money to the unemployed and for rehab programs this would never have happened. They cry that it is unfair that people like Joseph P. Smith do not get more counseling and understanding.

I live less than fifteen blocks from where this entire story started and ended. I was born just down the road in my formerly small town, which was high on values and proud of it's history. Now the liberals have their wish. We have film festivals and art shows. Hollywood visitors and residents. And the death of our small town. Because tolerance and secularism is more important than an eleven year old girl.

In my eyes, Carlie was not the only one that died this week. Sarasota, as a small town, died also.