Drug dealer's rep shows up at neighborhood meeting
...or at least that is what it seemed like.
Another 1st Monday, another stinky neighborhood meeting. It begins hopefully, with myself, police rep, parole program rep and ANC commissioner. Meeting was supposed to begin at 7 PM but starts at 7:15; maybe we can say what needs to be said and get the heck out at 8 PM. NO. About 10 people trickle in between 7:30 and 8, apparently on CP time.
Of the topics covered are the Parolee program and how police can work with Parole Officers to help deal with crime. There are plenty of questions about providing citizenry more info, stay away orders and the like. In the back of the small church room is one old woman, who brings up things that now make me wonder if she wasn't a plant sent by the neighborhood drug dealers.
The first thing she brings up during the conversation on citizery involvement was the horrible killings of a whole family by a drug dealer in Baltimore and the recent attack on a woman and her daughters in southern (SE?) DC. The way she was talking it seemed she was saying 'ooo y'all better not talk 'cause the dealers gonna come after you.' At first I was thinking, yes, some people are scared to do anything. Other meeting attendees kept engaging her saying the Baltimore woman was regularly and visible confronting the dealers outside her home, we suggested less visible ways to help the police. She remained unmoved. Okay you have the right to be scared but don't go trying to scare others from doing the right thing.
Next topic that coupled with her first statements just then made me wonder if she was a plant. The CSOSA/parolee guy was talking about what he does and trying to get parolees from hanging out where they aren't supposed to, and at some point in the conversation the woman in the back starts talking about how hard it is for some people to find jobs. Fair enough it is an issue for some in the neighborhood. This goes south when she begins making excuses for those who resort to prostitution and selling drugs because they can't get work and need to support their families. Several jump on her. There are tons of programs in our immediate area of Shaw that serve the hungry, sick and naked (food, health care & clothing). The ANC bemoaned how he has invited people to jobs fairs and make arrangements only to have those people not show up. THERE IS NO REAL EXCUSE TO SELL DRUGS!!!! She seems to remain unmoved.
Last topic she brings up. Renters getting thrown out. This is more than the general gentrification complaint but something particular to her block. The ANC knows what it is all about and starts talking about home buying programs for her area, specific to her area that the administrators don't bother telling residents about. He offers to tell her more and help her after the meeting. She walks out when the meeting is over without talking to him.
I really don't think she was interested in being helped.
posted by Mari @ 5.11.03
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