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You’re right. When you walk around in San Francisco and see the young black thugs, they most likely came from Oakland on BART. While there are black populations in Bayview Hunters Point and a few other areas, the crime in the city is often caused by these “commuters” from Oakland. Some are dope peddlers who ply their wares in the Tenderloin since the SFPD lets them as a “containment zone” and some are looking for victims to rob.

Last week, my Filipina sister-in-law and her Filipino-Australian husband were visiting (San Jose) from Papua New Guinea, where they live and work. They were taking a San Francisco tour and were going to walk around and take the Caltrain back here. I had a discussion with the husband about the serious dangers young black males pose and told him some precautions to take. Personally, I’ve walked all over San Francisco and never had a problem, but I always carry a Kershaw knife and often a tactical flashlight with a “strike bezel”. I also keep my head on a swivel, checking out potential threats and making myself a less desirable target as a victim as the predators know I’m aware of them and they won’t have the element of surprise with me.

I told him it saddened me to have paint a group with a broad brush like that, especially since I had good relations with blacks when I was in the military. However, the fine young men and women of color who serve in the military are very different from the feral vermin that inhabit the inner cities and we ignore the threat at our peril. (I’m hispanic myself, but I also go on alert when I see Latinos with green prison tattoos, or sporting the gang colors of red or blue.) I see quite a few at my neighborhood bar but I’ve never had a problem as the rumor there is that I’m an undercover cop. (I’m not, but I still sport a military haircut and that may have something to do with it.)

I had good relations with blacks when I was in the military. However, the fine young men and women of color who serve in the military are very different from the feral vermin that inhabit the inner cities and we ignore the threat at our peril.

That's because most do well when they have boundaries and certain expectations of performance. The military does that and so these young men do well for the most part...additionally they have the camaraderie of other men there who also are thriving within the military boundaries of conduct.