The Observation Deck

While even the smallest parking discussion now draws five police (three out of the photos talking with the other car's owner). The entire country is totally stressed out by finances, health costs, job layoffs, work day stress, the war and on and on.

What makes these stressed out types even madder is the overly medicated group that really doesn't care.

However, this does not excuse bad behavior, or even worse violent behavior.

We can be better.

We have to be.


.

Sharon, you took many of the words out of my mouth, and more eloquently. I think Lakewood shares in a national malaise of incivility, or "culture of disrespect," as you aptly called it, Ken.

But my concern is that Fitzgerald is the one who made much of scary statistics, and he should be held accountable for his statements. If the statistics are correct, he has valid points. If not, he is misleading and manipulative. It is character, not number of felonies I am most concerned with.

So many posts assume that crime is rising in Lakewood, and I just don't know. 13 years ago a bike was stolen out of my garage. 11 years ago a man tried to pick up my 7 year old daughter walking home from school. About 10 years ago a 15 year-old from the east side crashed a car into my neighbor's tree. About 6 or 7 years ago there was a spate of burglaries in my neighborhood.

The current and recent Lakewood High School kids, in my experience, are mostly wonderful kids. Drugs and drinking, while of course present, are much less pervasive among them than it was in my high school in the early 70s (not LHS). They seem to be regaining an interest in the world beyond Lakewood's borders, a refreshing change from the political apathy of kids in the 80s and 90s.

So, I am hopeful for Lakewood. As Sharon says, the problems will just be different ones. With the new library, schools and all the other new construction, I predict civic pride will see an uptick.