Richmond police investigate shooting in Whitcomb Court
Richmond police are investigating a shooting last night in the Whitcomb Court public housing complex.
A man in his 20s was walking in the 2300 block of Ambrose Street about 9 p.m. when a shot fired from a vehicle hit him in the torso.
He was taken to VCU Medical Center with injuries described as life-threatening. No arrest was immediately made.
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Dubiousthoughts and Mr. E make excellent points and although he certainly does not need it, I congratulate Mr. E for moving on up and out, I am sure it must have been very difficult even for the most motivated. The initial concept of public housing and other assistance was necessary, but it was never meant to be a permanent solution for any one family, never mind generations of the same family. Public housing, and other assistance is still necessary, but laws need to be enacted, and strictly enforced, that place limits and conditions for participation. Laws such as not being allowed to participate in the program while continuing to bring children into a world you cannot afford your self, and laws requiring adults without a G.E.D. to obtain one while in the system. Other requirements could/should require participants to perform a certain amount of work for the community in exchange for their assistance. (child, or senior care, cleaning, delivery, etc., etc.)
“dubiousthoughts” you have a point, but when does one begin to realize that the light is brighter at the opposite end of the tunnel.
I lived in Richmond’s housing projects from childhood to the age of 18. I graduated high school, went to college and now have a prosperous career in local government.
We are what we decide to be and those who choose to “blame” society for their misfortunes, deserve them.
I am black and what you speak of has nothing to do with “concentrated poverty” or “welfare”. These issues are not only relegated to “black” communities, they occur everywhere.
“Isolation” and imprisonment are the results of the choices we make and the “breakdown of family” affects those who allow it to affect them.
The comment about entitlement is spot-on. The government is basically paying for these people to sit around and do nothing, while straining the police force due to increased crime. When people have a full-time job, they aren’t going to spend all day causing mischief. Cut off their money, and, all of a sudden, they’ll get motivated to find a job. Those that truly need help can find it through the many private and non-profit organizations.
This is the result of years of concentrated poverty, isolation, the breakdown of family, welfarism, jailism, and many other “isms” that plague the Black community. There is no easy way to treat the symptom that makes a Whitcomb Ct what it is, except to raze it and start anew and disperse the residents. That’s an unpopular idea among some, but the former way of building massive housing projects shows a failed policy for unexpected reasons not forseen initially.
Although I’ve never lived in Whitcomb Court, I have lived in other housing projects in the city.
There are many problems that contribute to this type of activity. Number 1, the majority of the residents seem to think that entitlement is a right, so they sit and lay on their behinds ALL day, never worrying about wanting a job. Number 2, parental involvement is seriously lacking, which even contributes to the school drop-out rate. (I bet those kids even went trick-or-treating alone last evening). Number 3, many of the residents of these areas allow people who aren’t supposed to be there, come into their homes and neighborhood, but as soon as something major happens, those same residents seem to develop “amnesia”.
As it has for more than 3, 4, or 5 decades, the cycle will continue. 95% of the residents decide to live with it, ignore helping the police investigations and yet complain to the media about “how society has done them wrong”.
We succumb to our own levels of idiocy!
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