Dear Summer,

Dear Street Corner Hustlers
I assume no one has every tried this approach w/ you so I waned to be the first. It may be a little ridiculous but, at least hear me out. (deep breath) What plans are you making for the next couple of months, I know when the weather breaks you can’t wait. I wanted you to think about taking the summer off. What I mean is that for 4-6 months see what it might be like, without all the shooting and killing? Baltimore is currently in the top 3 cities for murder rate, and drugs, and I know it’s celebrated in songs but what is that to be happy about. You’ve probable gone to more funerals or jails in one year than you have church services.

I know what your thinking, “this nigga must be stupid” and “he must be on that sh*t”; The crazy idea of you just shutting down the factory for a few months - way too much money to be made, and too many customers to serve.(hell we have all seen The Wire & The Corner) And then your afraid if you were to do that, someone would still your spot, b/c everybody thinks the spot they are selling at is the hotspot to get money. Somebody will try to steal your turf. Or since they see you aren’t their, someone may try to expand their territory.

I would never ask you to stop what your doing b/c that would be a ridiculous request, but I'm asking for one step at a time.

Truthfully who am I to stop someone from getting high or to stop you from your entrepreneurial conquest. It’s not so much the drugs or the selling of drugs. You can keep selling drugs. Just stop the shooting and the killing that goes with it.

I found out that I lost someone close to me recently b/c of these senseless acts of violence, and I'm asking you for a break. Grant us a small hiatus for families, children, friends, our grand parents, the little kids who can’t play our neighborhoods, everybody in this city. Just stop.

I dare you to take the chance, show some testicular fortitude – show the same balls and mind that you did when you decided to go out on that corner and risk your life for that dollar bill.

What’s the worst that can happen….Let me think, less crime, less murders, less kidnappings, less police harassment (I know you like that one), less jail time (see a pattern).

This may even be the best thing you could do for yourself. Use this time to evaluate what you're doing with your lives. Spend a little time w/ the 3 and 4 kids you claim at tax time, or take a vacation. Go beyond the corner of Hollins and Pulaski and just get out of town for a little bit. I know you don’t want to spend your remaining years selling dope, risking death or jail? I know people be talking that dumb sh*t, “I’m in it for life!” That’s a damn lie cause I have never seen a 70yr old man standing on the corner saying, “got that blue, got that red, and yellow” as you walk bye. Wouldn't you rather convert your cash to, say, good housing or clothing stores? Unless your doing Scareface deals, you make more money flipping houses than you do drugs.

So please consider what I’m saying b/c I’m just tired of turning on the news and seeing the same stuff over and over.
“Drug arrests // Police raided a house in the 600 block of N. Luzerne Ave. on Saturday night and arrested two men on charges of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of a handgun.” Or “Drug arrests // Members of the Organized Crime Division raided a house in the 1800 block of W. Lombard St. on Sunday night and arrested a man and two women on drug distribution and handgun charges.” And always “in the 2800 block of W. Garrison Ave. was identified Wednesday as the man who was fatally stabbed Monday evening during an argument in an apartment in the 3000 block of Thorndale Ave”

If you're going to continue to make money selling heroin and coke, you can at least drop the violence.

Sincerely


A concerned resident