crime and an comment on the last post

On this blog, and also on davenport snarkiness, we have posted facts, figures, reasons, methods, causes, and theories on the crime rate. We have both asked for opinions on how to solve the problem, with varying degrees of success. Our whole goal as citizens of Davenport should be to lower the crime rate and make the entire city a safe place to be. Most of the problem, I feel, is misinformation. Having lived in the East end of SOLO most of my life, I know about bad reputations. At one time it was deserved here, but even after a rigorous clean-up effort, several Crime Watch groups, and seeing our crime rate drop, we still have the reputation. Now it has spread to our downtown.

I don't wish to see all of Davenport get a bad reputation. When I am at an out of state funtion, I would really like to hear, "It must be great living there." Not, "You must be awful tough living where you do." We have been getting a lot of negative press in all the media. The Quad Cities, as a group, needs to stand up and say- Enough! I think rumors do more damage than the truth. Just look at the people who won't go to certain sections of town. They think SoLo is a wall to wall drug infested war zone. Downtown isn't safe anymore according to "them". It's always puzzling to talk to these people because they KNOW it's unsafe, they just don't know why. I've had way more hassles at 3rd. and Warren than I have had at 3rd. and Main. And even then it's been either a streetwalker or homeless guy looking for change.

My last post seemed to rub some sore spots, if anyone was offended by it, that wasn't my intention, and I'm sorry. I just stated an opinion. But look at where we stand now. Most people didn't realize we had a crime problem until it came out in different blogs. Now, we have a crime problem, a poverty level problem, and a bad reputation. Where does it end? One would hope with a sharp downturn in crime, an easing of poverty level, and an end to an undeserved bad reputation downtown. Davenport has too much invested in the downtown area for it not to be used, often and by many. We, the citizens, can change these problems. If we don't like where it's heading we can vote out certain politicians. We can become more involved ourselves through interaction on the blogs, attending city council meetings and getting informed, keeping an eye out for suspicious behavior, actually going downtown, and practicing what we preach. Or we can do nothing, complain to deaf ears, and hope things go away. I know which way I'm going.

Addendum-
Starting now I will not post my comments in the comment section unless I'm asked a question. I will continue to moderate, just in case, but I haven't felt it necessary to delete any comments to this point. So just play nice.