Tico said:
Art, harsh? That's not harsh. Harsh for me is when a ghetto-criminal has victimized me for years (See letter below). He's released from jail early, and I'm still waiting for his re-visit at my home. Wait until you get victimized, then you need more than 3 blocks to get away from ghetto- criminals (They can surely travel!) Speaking of Philly friends, I get one. She is a professor. She had taught in Temple University until she got fed up with the criminals from the ghetto. She quit! Hmm... I bet she totally disagrees with your remarks: "Three blocks (well <1 mi) can make the difference between a good and bad neighborhood."
As to arming yourself legally for APs in a casino (i.e., licensed weapons or big long flashlights
), why not?
The Prosecutor Office mailed me the above letter which "warned" me about Jonathan coming out of the jail
.
Wow, lotsa of Brothers and Sisters were waiting to get into SugarHouse
.
Curtis Sliwa has established Guardian Angels Chapter in Philly for years to combat violence and crime ... Hmm... the 2 Brothers in Reds look like Guardian Angels
. Welcome Angels...Hey not only Philly, AC also needs the Angels to combat violence and crime.
One mile, 3 blocks? In NYC, 1 block can make a difference. But what's that got to do with anything? You can't live your life in fear. You need to make some common sense decisions:
Don't go anywhere where you need a handgun, unless it is absolutely necessary to be there. If it is absolutely necessary, then carry the handgun. But I challenge you to name areas where you must go and that require you to carry a handgun. You probably have no business being there in the first place. Sometimes, going with a bunch of buddies is a good safeguard and you can leave the handgun at home.
Don't carry large sums of money and wear expensive jewelry if you must walk in unsafe areas. I remember when Christian outreach workers in NYC were required to carry at least $15 (1970's) in case they were mugged, because typically if they did not have at least that amount they would be beaten badly for having no money. Of course, these workers deliberately walked into the worst of neighborhoods.
If you must walk the streets, especially at night, walk where there are plenty of other people also walking. For example, in AC, I don't mind walking the boardwalk if it is heavily peopled. If it's relatively deserted, that's another thing. And I avoid the streets on the other side of the casinos at night. Even in daytime, I am constantly vigilant about my surroundings, and avoid deserted streets.
Drive to casinos. Park at indoor parking facilities. Be vigilant of the surroundings before you choose a parking place, and before you depart your vehicle. If you feel uneasy, spend a couple of dollars for valet parking.
If you must leave a casino with a large sum of money and you feel the journey to your car is unsafe, ask the casino to provide a security escort.
Anymore, I do avoid walking streets in AC, Vegas, or practically anywhere at night. I don't rush from casinos into indoor parking lots without first scanning the situation and determining if it seems safe to proceed. My worst three journeys at casinos were:
Walking with $10K at 3 am from Circus Circus to my car at their indoor parking lot (those who have been there know what I mean--in the wee hours, it is what seems like a mile-long, shadowy and winding passageway that leads to the parking lot). I should have requested an escort.
Walking the strip several blocks north to the Venetian where I was staying. What was safe when I left, was completely deserted when I returned at between 2 am and 3 am, and the deserted corridors and stairways near and at the Venetian seemed the perfect place for a mugging. I now always drive to casinos at night unless it's a safe and short walk across the street.
Just waiting for a Jitney in AC to travel back to the Borgata from the oceanside casinos. It was daylight and nice when I arrived, but dark and foreboding when I left. Standing at the bus stop by the Taj Mahal with several thousand dollars in my pocket is not a good feeling. I now always drive.
As for the Sugarhouse being within a mile or three of a bad area, that seems to describe everything from the the Bellagio to the Vatican. It's a bad world out there, but c'mon, what's new? Sorry for those who have been victims of crime, but I am not ready to triple bolt my door, spend my life ordering Chinese home delivery, and watching The Simpsons with a shotgun on my lap.
For Tico, sorry to hear about your trouble. If you can get a restraining order from the court to keep this lowlife from your door, get it. Just the same, carrying a concealed handgun with permit is not out of order if you believe your life is threatened. As for the professor, females are much more susceptible to street crime than males. I don't even like my wife shopping at night by herself in a good area. And we do have an excellent alarm system that alerts the police and makes a ton of noise when I am away from home.
