Tenacity Turns To Tragedy In South L.A.

Los Angeles Times ^ | May 5, 2004 | Jill Leovy

[Libertarian444]

A determined couple's vow to remain in their increasingly dangerous neighborhood ends with their son's death. Now they plan to move.

Let them wonder. Let people who don't live there ask why a middle-class family would stay in South Los Angeles when it could go elsewhere — why the Murrays didn't move up and out, as so many of their friends did, before their tall, quiet, carefree son, Sean Murray, 20, was killed last month in a drive-by shooting.

It's not that Rodney and Vivian Murray didn't think about it. Over the years, as gangs and chronic poverty encroached on their quiet L.A. neighborhood, staying seemed increasingly quixotic.

Yet leaving, too, seemed impractical. And there was another issue: defiance.

The gangs were annoying, even menacing. But, "I was not going to have them run us out," said Vivian Murray.

"My son should be able to walk in his own neighborhood," Rodney Murray said.

Besides, the Murrays had seen the costs of running — how businesses dried up and services declined as successful minority families like theirs left. They wanted to stand and fight.

[Libertarian444]

Sad story. A good family trying to fight the good fight. But, of course, Wal Mart is the "real" threat to South Central.....

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[Ron in Acreage]

Democrats run that utopia. Just keep on voting for them and they'll fix it. Tommorrow.

[martin_fierro]

Got anything to say, Maxine?

Anything meaningful, that is.

[jocon307]

From further in the article:

"New immigrants from Latin America were crowding in. The Murrays felt the chafe of clashing cultures. The newcomers were Spanish-speaking; the Murrays spoke only English. Neighbors had roosters, ducks and goats. They blocked the Murrays' driveway with ice cream trucks. They converted garages for families of 10."

Pretty amazing to see this in the LA Times, they are actually not blamining Whitey, they are blaming the Mexicalis.

I don't think there is any indication of who shot this poor guy, but it seems plain to me that his parents (may God comfort them in their loss) didn't put their children's safety first. Not a good plan. They should have moved to North Dakota, NYC or South Central Africa if that's what it would have taken to keep their children safe.

And, another amazing fact, their house is worth over $300,000. To live in a crime zone! A random murder zone!

Next question: how long until the real estate bubble bursts?

[kdot]

Very sad story. I can understand their defiance. Our society is just not interested in solving the crime problem.

Hey what was with the characterization, "— tall, with a long, prominent nose — "? What was the point of that? (no pun intended)

[Cultural Jihad]

Got anything to say, Maxine?

Anything meaningful, that is.

All she has ever said to murderous gangs is to call them her 'babies.'

[Landru]

"Pretty amazing to see this in the LA Times, they are actually not blamining Whitey, they are blaming the Mexicalis."

Ummmm, what makes you think these people are white?

I've lots of black acquaitances.

...& one of 'em's named "Murray."

[RightOnline]

Anyone who would stay in that sewer is asking for misery. I'm sorry for their loss, but they practically begged for it. I'm a father of seven, and I would have taken my kids from this pit long before it got this far.

[Jaysun]

Did the killers have drivers licenses? Were they getting their welfare checks on time? Were we respecting their right to import their "culture" along with their illegal asses instead of "forcing" American culture down their throats?

[Dogbert41]

Babies or constituants?

[tom h]

"Got anything to say, Maxine? "

Of course she does: "I'm marching today because my mother was unable to get an abortion."

Gosh. She is one U-G-L-Y broad.

[GATOR NAVY]

I don't think there is any indication of who shot this poor guy, but it seems plain to me that his parents (may God comfort them in their loss) didn't put their children's safety first.

That's what hit me too. It's hard to understand why they had this attachment to a neighborhood that didn't share any of their values. That's not tenacity, it's stupidity.