New Topic Some May Not Like... Comments please!

Ok, I've been reluctant to broach this subject, but seeing as we seem to need a new topic, here's one that might generate a few posts...

 

Before I continue, let me say that I love Verdun, I was born, raised and lived there for 43 years before coming to Virginia just this past August. I watched Verdun change a lot over the years, people. Just as I am sure that those of you who remain there have as well. All these memories that we've rekindled in the recent past in this group have been wonderful for me, as they help me to remember the Verdun that once was. BUT...it is no longer that Verdun anymore, I am afraid. For instance:

For several years before I left I would sit on my balcony and watch the going's on and could pinpoint to you who and where in my neighborhood there were drugs being sold. It would not be an exaggeration to say that there is at least one drug dealer on any given block now. I lived with my sister for almost a year before I left, she lived on Lasalle Blvd. at the corner of Hickson. There are prostitutes frequenting the area, believe it or not. I remember one instance when I was with my 7 year old daughter and we were waiting for the streetlight to change....a prostitute happened to come up and stand beside us. Well, my little girl took one look at this chick and said to me "Mommy! That lady looks "different"?!"THAT is how obvious it was, I just thank God that my daughter didn't realize why the woman was dressed the way she was. A gentleman to my right and I just looked at each other, shook our heads and raised our eyebrows. ANOTHER time I was taking my morning speed walk at 6:30 a.m., here I was dressed in a sweat-suit with my hair just thrown in a pony-tail speed walking along Wellington, and near the corner of Woodland some guy pulls up in a car and rolls along beside me and was saying something to me...When I finally understood what he was saying I almost kicked him in the face...He was saying " ARE YOU WORKING NOW?" I was so shocked that all I could yell at him was "EXCUSE ME??????" to which he replied "Oh, I guess not." and tore off.

The "Rock Machine" who are the "little" Hell's Angels control Verdun's drug trade now and there have been shootings right on the street and I even remember a bomb going off in Verdun a few years back relating to it all. I read The Gazette online every morning and yesterday there was an ending to some of the Hell's Angel's mega-trial for murders etc and once again Verdun was mentioned with a not so nice face...here are some excerpts from the column this morning:

 

*Pierre Provencher, 54 (Rocker): According to court testimony, Provencher was among a group of Rockers who were supposed to gain control of drug turf in Verdun during the late 1990s. The Rock Machine was already well-established in the area, and the battle for Verdun became a focal point in the biker-gang war

 

*Patrick Turcotte, 24, killed May 1, 2000: The Rock Machine associate was shot several times while walking in Verdun.

 

Yes, I am not so blind to not realize that this isn't going on in Verdun but in a lot of places today. But hell, you know and I know that Verdun was NOT like this when we were kids. And Verdun still IS a place where a lot of children are still raised and still play on the streets, only they aren't the same streets anymore and it's a very scary thing when you think about it.  I know it's not easy for the law to get control of it either, but hell something needs to be done if we want today's generation of Verdun kids to have the same kind of wonderful memories as we all do, ya know? Maybe all the citizens of Verdun should take a "zero-tolerance" attitude and take it upon themselves to drive out all the trouble. yeah...siiiiigh...I know it's just stupid fanatasy that's easier said than done, but it's just that I'm so disillusioned with it all. It makes me so sad and afraid of what could happen if it gets even worse than it already has.

Comments anyone?

Luv, Sharon