Comments on Silver Spring, Singular: While You Were Complaining About Skateboarders...

Oh, I just came up with another theory. The fact t...

2010-07-25T16:15:56.366-05:00

Oh, I just came up with another theory. The fact that so many people come to DTSS is the reason why so many teenagers come as well. Teenagers just like to show off around large crowds of people, which is why I always strongly disliked this whole revitalization thing (Damn large crowds of people). I don't remember ever being harassed by the drug-addicted hobos who slept in front of the Armory as a child. Mostly, they just left you alone. :D

So, you guys are the really problem! Ha.

Wait, actually, it isn't that bad, the revitalization increased the value of our home, so never mind!

Three years? Ha. I lived here almost my whole life...

2010-07-25T15:49:01.369-05:00

Three years? Ha. I lived here almost my whole life. If you didn't know, Silver Spring in the 90s was pretty ghetto. This is nothing. I've heard of some instances where if you immediately cross the street just to avoid suspicious looking teenagers, then that just makes it worst. I think it's kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy. You suspect teenagers to cause trouble, they'll pick up on it and do it.

Seriously, everyone needs to relax. I agree that t...

2010-07-23T06:45:01.874-05:00

Seriously, everyone needs to relax. I agree that there is an issue with kids running wild, which needs to stop immediately, but the police seem to have responded with increased activity. I'd even be in favor of a curfew for people younger than a certain age along with increased zero tolerance from police, so I'm really not a liberal "everyone hold hands and dance and crime will go away" type of person.

But in the meantime everyone needs to take a deep breath and calm down. In urban areas crime happens. That's a fact, pure and simple. It's the trade-off to be near restaurants and some nightlife. Happens in every urban area, whether within a big city or just outside of it like DTSS, Hoboken, Weehawken, Arlington etc. You absolutely can't let it get out of control, and this incident needed to be dealt with swiftly (um the kids involved were all caught and there was increased police activity right away, what else do you want?)and some tactics by police can be more aggressive - other than that you cannot do much. If it scares you, leave and live your life in a bubble, but for the love of all that is holy, stop whining.

Jon

As sad as this crime might be I am not shocked at ...

2010-07-22T18:35:10.647-05:00

As sad as this crime might be I am not shocked at all, I gave up on DTSS years ago. I no longer feel safe taking my seven year old daughter in the area since it appears to always be full of young inner city youth pulling at there genitals and smoking. I personally find the area to be disgusting and not family friendly.

http://unsuckdcmetro.blogspot.com/2010/07/jersey-s...

2010-07-20T12:39:30.989-05:00

http://unsuckdcmetro.blogspot.com/2010/07/jersey-shore-comes-to-bethesda.html

To all those who say violence/crime/etc don't happen in Rockville, Bethesda, etc...read that.

WHITE YOUNG ADULTS BRAWLING IN METRO! Oh the horrors of Silver Spring overshadow this though. *sigh*

I went through what seemed like 60 comments and di...

2010-07-19T15:44:21.527-05:00

I went through what seemed like 60 comments and didn't read on. All in all, SS is our town and so I pose the question, what are we going to do TOGETHER to voice our concerns to those in leadership roles? While I like our discussion here, we need to come together and help create a meeting where these officials actually hear our thoughts and answer our questions. Our opinions are all over the place (some blaming lack of law enforcement, businesses in DTSS, loitering youth, etc.) but all in all, we need to come together to inform our elected officials about the result of their revitalization. How about we hold a meeting to plan a larger community meeting where we invite those officials at the library (near DTSS)? I know this takes some effort on our part but change for the better always does. I would be up for throwing that meeting together (venue, time, etc.). Would people be interested in attending? Anyone want to help start this going?

I think we need to secede from the County and inco...

2010-07-19T10:02:37.181-05:00

I think we need to secede from the County and incorporate Silver Spring as a city of it's own.

Tonight (Fri.) there is a huge police presence in ...

2010-07-16T22:35:29.223-05:00

Tonight (Fri.) there is a huge police presence in downtown Silver Spring. I just came out from Piratz Tavern (don't ask) with a friend at about 11pm, and there were about 3 police vehicles and at least 2 bike cops standing around, with two black guys in custody and one in handcuffs. Then, walking home, I passed Colesville & Spring, where there were about six cop cars and a bunch of cops with another black guy - from what I could hear as I passed by, he exposed himself to a woman in the street.

Let's hope the police keep up this type of presence. It's wonderful to see.

I agree with you that Leventhal is the only counci...

2010-07-16T17:35:43.394-05:00

I agree with you that Leventhal is the only councilmember who seems to care. But I guess we just have to keep writing and insist that harassment by thugs and crime will not be tolerated by this community. A lot of the trouble makers who come here are not from this immediate area. So I ask you—why should we tolerate it? Georgetown and Bethesda do not tolerate this activity in their streets.
Stop making excuses for crime and those who commit it. These groups do not respect you or the nice things that our tax money is being spent on. They can make a skate park in Arlington Virginia. See how well that goes over.

One major factor in our favor is the new Civic bui...

2010-07-16T15:41:57.486-05:00

One major factor in our favor is the new Civic building. The county spent a ton of money on it, and I expect that they will do what is necessary to safeguard their investment by keep its environs safe.

The new transit center will help in that regard, too.

I think Maryland's weird penchant for not incorpor...

2010-07-16T15:29:31.348-05:00

I think Maryland's weird penchant for not incorporating cities and towns makes an effective response much more difficult. My dealings with Montgomery County have often been exercises in fruitless bureaucratic navigation. If there were authority figures actually accountable to the needs of Silver Spring residents, rather than pencil-pushers in Rockville, to deal with, I think a response would be easier.

I emailed all of the At Large Councilmember's toda...

2010-07-16T15:07:49.879-05:00

I emailed all of the At Large Councilmember's today as well as Valerie Ervin and county Executive Leggett's office. The only person who responded was Councilmember Leventhal agreeing that the violence is disturbing and that something needs to be done. He also CC'd MCPD and other County officials. At least one of them seems to care about their duty as elected reps. I was happy with his initial response, and appreciate him writing back. Too bad the rest of them don't give a damn, especially Ervin as I've heard she ignores emails all the time.

I'd really like to get involved in community action, that is practical and not extremist on either end (neither the apologist hippy everyone sing together crowd OR the carry a gun and shoot people crowd). The answer is in the middle, I just wish it were easier to get active in downtown Silver Spring.

The skateboard kids really could use a skateboard ...

2010-07-16T14:56:57.799-05:00

The skateboard kids really could use a skateboard park.

As for the thugs that commit crimes and harass people, they too could use something to do with their free time this summer. They can build the skateboard park, under the watchful eyes of Silver Spring's finest.

It's a win-win.

I find it absurd that we have some apologists who ...

2010-07-16T14:46:19.760-05:00

I find it absurd that we have some apologists who try to act as though this behavior should be justified because these kids come from bad families. Look, I fully appreciate that these kids may not have led charmed lives, but there is no excuse for this sort of violence. Plenty of kids grow up in similar circumstances and are well-behaved. Don't make excuses for these thugs -- this is not about them not having proper places to skateboard or hang out. Frankly, the violence won't go away even if you do give them those things, and in fact, those things may attarct more violence. Some examples: (1) the Anti-Violence concert, (2) this incident itself -- after all, these youth turned the plaza into a skateboard park, but that wasn't enough for them. They had to attack someone who wasn't bothering them in any way, (3) two recent shootings in DC outside of the same recreation center.

Fundamentally, these incidents are about a basic lack of respect for fellow human beings. These kids are making voluntary choices to harrass and assault others. Anyone who exhibits this sort of moral corruption does not deserve our sympathy, and we should not be trying to build things or organize events that will attract more of their ilk to our community.

"have a skateboard competition somewhere in DTSS. ...

2010-07-16T14:19:24.631-05:00

"have a skateboard competition somewhere in DTSS. Have a teen rap contest on the stage on Ellsworth. Something to stop the hanging out and start the tuning in."

Um, no. Okay, so build them a skate park but not int he downtown area, but fine nearby. No rap competition. Lat summer they had a concert that quickly turned into a riot. Not a good idea.

I feel sorry for these kids, school is out and the...

2010-07-16T13:30:27.578-05:00

I feel sorry for these kids, school is out and they face the worst teen job market ever. Their parents don't give a damn either what they do with their time and are all too happy to give them a few bucks to ride the metro and leave them alone. What we need is to give them something to do - have a skateboard competition somewhere in DTSS. Have a teen rap contest on the stage on Ellsworth. Something to stop the hanging out and start the tuning in.

The crime is not particular to or representative o...

2010-07-16T12:02:51.417-05:00

The crime is not particular to or representative of Silver Spring. It is particular to a specific ghetto thug subculture that, unfortunately, exerts a hold on a very sizable minority of residents in the DC metro area.

Unfortunately, these types of incidents happen everywhere in the DC area that isn't a lily-white, high-income enclave, particularly when it can be easily reached by public transportation. Does anyone think this stuff doesn't go on in Georgetown or Dupont? Of course it does - and much more frequently than it does in Silver Spring.

That's the sad reality of DC. It's one of the many things we just have to accept while living here.

@Aonymous 8:54 a.m.: I live in Silver Spring and ...

2010-07-16T09:30:20.764-05:00

@Aonymous 8:54 a.m.:

I live in Silver Spring and love it. I go out to restaurants and bars and the amazing AFI, and I exercise in Sligo Creek or simply walk in our beautiful neighborhood with my wife.

What crime-free utopia do you flee to after you leave work?

I work in Silver Spring. This is why I dont live o...

2010-07-16T08:54:00.287-05:00

I work in Silver Spring.
This is why I dont live or go out in Silver Spring.

Poor folks can post $150,000 bond. Look at a map ...

2010-07-15T23:27:47.422-05:00

Poor folks can post $150,000 bond. Look at a map where the kid came from - he's not anywhere close to well to do.

With bondsmen you don't need to put up the full figure. You merely need to show you have some collateral and are likely to show up for your court case.

I appreciate everyones comments here. In fact, I ...

2010-07-15T23:03:51.236-05:00

I appreciate everyones comments here. In fact, I feel better just knowing that there are others who are equally disgusted by this increase in crime and disturbance. I want to enjoy this area that I spend so much money to live in. I shouldn't have to feel like I am scared to walk around my own backyard. The cops need our support and the county council needs to know that we support more patrols and a larger tougher response to crime. If we don't get a handle on this now--it will be too late and we will have squandered an opportunity to make silver spring a safe and enjoyable neighborhood.
I urge you to email the county council and let them know that you support more funding for our local police. heres a link to their emails. http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/csltmpl.asp?url=/content/council/contact.asp

I hope some of the increased police presence is de...

2010-07-15T23:00:16.940-05:00

I hope some of the increased police presence is devoted to the area near the McDonalds, including the Metro. The article does mention that the teens began harrassing people there before moving to Veterans Plaza, and I have experienced harrassment in that area as well. Police are often called to the McDonalds, and I know of arrests on at least three occasions in the past month or so, so it would make sense to have a cop patrolling that area.

BTW, the article debunks two of our theories: (1) at least some of the feral teens are indeed from SS; and (2) not all of them are growing up in poverty; poor folks don't post $150,000 bonds.

add _32549.php to the link for the Gazette story. ...

2010-07-15T22:33:24.906-05:00

add _32549.php to the link for the Gazette story. Don't why it cuts this off.

First, here is a link to the article that works - ...

2010-07-15T22:31:49.473-05:00

First, here is a link to the article that works - http://www.gazette.net/stories/07152010/montnew180157_32549.php.

The article does state the head a-hole, Dante Chriss, is not known as a skateboarder affliated with those who regularly skateboard in the area. He is from Oxon Hill and a rather light 147 pounds (they feel tougher when a crowd is backing them.)

The kid who delivered the hit, Kunle Kehinde, is from Anacostia (long way from home.) Just taking a guess, but seeing his name and the name of the person who posted bond for him it seems he comes from an African immigrant family.

The information gathered can be found at http://casesearch.courts.state.md.us/inquiry/inquiry-index.jsp.

Not sure if this is the same guy who was harassing...

2010-07-15T20:23:03.234-05:00

Not sure if this is the same guy who was harassing people on Monday (and who is now in jail), but if so, he IS a skateboarder.