Street Lockdowns Proposed for Baltimore

Yahoo News via Drudgereport ^ | May 17, 2007 | AP

[khnyny]

BALTIMORE - A city council leader, alarmed by Baltimore's rising homicide rate, wants to give the mayor the power to put troubled neighborhoods under virtual lockdown.

"Desperate measures are needed when we're in desperate situations," City Council Vice President Robert W. Curran told The (Baltimore) Sun. He said he would introduce the legislation next week.

Under Curran's plan, the mayor could declare "public safety act zones," which would allow police to close liquor stores and bars, limit the number of people on city sidewalks, and halt traffic during two-week intervals.

Police would be encouraged to aggressively stop and frisk individuals in those zones to search for weapons and drugs.

[khnyny]

I guess it's ok to talk about the unbelievable amount of crime in Baltimore City, now that Martin O'Malley is no longer Mayor. LOL.

Wasn't there some question of the crime statistics being mis-stated during O'Malley's reign? BTW, Curran is O'Malley's wife's uncle.

[Sgt_Schultze]

During the election campaign, wasn’t O’Malley’s administration busy jailing thousands of young black men without eventually charging them with anything? Did O’Malley get the black vote in Baltimore?

[CAWats]

Let’s lockdown the Senate.

[ClearCase_guy]

I'm not sure I see where any long-term benefits will be achieved here. It just seems like an excuse to create a police state.

Maybe they should declare martial law in the schools. Discipline. Uniforms. No teachers unions. No government jobs or benefits to families who have kids that don't behave in school. Accept the fact at the beginning that a certain percentage of the darlings are totally lost causes. Get rid of them as soon as possible. Long term, you're saving the others from joining the rot.

Flat out force the up-coming generation to learn good behavior and basic skills. Then see how the community benefits.

[khnyny]

I don’t know about the jailing episode you’re talking about. Perhaps you can research that story and fill in the blanks.

O’Malley couldn’t have won the election without carrying Baltimore City.

[DanielRedfoot]

Thats Just wrong!
Who are we to impose our culture upon those people.
Pointless violence and murder is their right and all they understand -Sarc-

[yuta250]

Under Curran's plan, the mayor could declare "public safety act zones," which would allow police to close liquor stores and bars, limit the number of people on city sidewalks, and halt traffic during two-week intervals.

Are things now so bad in Baltimore that they've going to resort to police state tactics? Un-Constitutional, will never fly.

[VeniVidiVici]

Why don’t they just pass a law mandating all criminals to turn in their weapons?

Gee whiz. How hard could that be?

[khnyny]

LOL.

[Tenacious 1]

Wow! Baltimore is still in America, right? You are going to “close streets and businesses” and “Detain and search” pedestrians for contraband and weapons at random in these besieged areas? The mayor is going to decide which areas to attack at two week intervals?

This sounds like something we should be implementing in Bagdad. What do the business owners and residents of the area think about this localized dictatorship?

[Phantom Patriot]

We rely on our politicians to protect us. We have no choice as in their wisdom they have deemed that self defense is only for government officials and the police.

We wait for their promise of utopia while people are robbed, raped, and murdered. Then they have the audacity to proclaim this as the next strategic step.

Exercising your SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS can help prevent crime and you can go out without fear. OF YOUR GOVERNMENT.

[khnyny]

Are things now so bad in Baltimore that they've going to resort to police state tactics? Un-Constitutional, will never fly.

Things have been that bad for a long time, this isn't just a sudden occurrence. As far as it being "unconstitutional" - you're forgetting that you're talking about Baltimore and Maryland, lol.

[khnyny]

LOL. Yes, it’s worked so well in DC.

[ClearCase_guy]

It is un-American. On the other hand, predicating government jobs or benefits to families on passing drug tests and staying out of trouble is not un-Constitutional. You want access to government money? Fine. Here's what we expect in return ...

That would help.

[wjcsux]

Let me guess. Curran and O’Malley are both RATS right?

[Sgt_Schultze]

Here you go.

[khnyny]

I don’t know how the residents and businesses feel about this proposal, but it would be very interesting to find out. And you’re right, it does sound like something that should (and could be) happening in Baghdad.

The real question that’s begging to be asked though, is I thought Baltimore had made so much progress under O’Malley’s watch...

[sgtbono2002]

Gee: I wonder how many white people in Baltimore are responsible for this great crime spree.

If we took all the crime statistics in this country and subtracted the crime committed by blacks and illegal aliens,America would be one of the safest places in the world to live.

[Tenacious 1]

Maybe they should declare martial law in the schools. Discipline. Uniforms. No teachers unions. No government jobs or benefits to families who have kids that don't behave in school. Accept the fact at the beginning that a certain percentage of the darlings are totally lost causes. Get rid of them as soon as possible. Long term, you're saving the others from joining the rot.

I sense there was some sarcasm intended here. Unfortunately, not all of this is too over the top for me when it comes to schools. I think we afford "kids" to many rights in some areas and not enough in other areas.

Uniforms? Sure! Teachers Unions? throw em out! Send drop outs to a special Marine division dedicated to the inspiration of troubled youth? I could be convinced.

I think we grant to many rights to "kids" in some areas and not enough in others. Kids are regarded mature enough to decide on whether or not abortion is ok for themselves without parental consent. But they are not considered mature enough to consent to sex before a certain age that is older. "kids" can be trained to call in air strikes, manage explosives, fight in wars and Fly fighters. But they can't go buy a beer (not so much with full fledged fighter pilots). "Kids" can't rent a car or qualify for some loans until a certain age. But they can run a business. "Kids" have rights to privacy in some areas but not in others.

[khnyny]

Correctamundo.