South Berkeley residents take cover as gunfire rings out in fatal shooting

its very dangerous incidence

Dear Punditty,

Why is your Marxist People’s Republic of South Berkeley such a war zone? Could it have something to do with your leftist, counter-cultural erosion and corrosion of the moral fiber and fabric of the nation? And especially of our inner cities?

You know, I find your experience of distant rumblings of violence utterly ironic. As a combat-wounded Marine veteran of the Vietnam War, I was very glad and happy, and extremely sanguine to leave a real combat, war zone in 1968. The phrase then went something to the effect, ”sky back to the world” as if the return back to America was a return to civilization, normalcy and peace. Instead we were greeted by a hostile and belligerent anti-war movement and treated like pariahs and drugged out, crazed killers and murderers.

However, again ironically, I found myself in another war zone both figuratively and literally; for I then proceeded to spend most of my adult life on many of the meanest streets of America. And brother, I tell you, mean streets are “mean” no matter where they’re at.

I evidently have survived that war zone too, but with many more incidents than yours, of which I suspect were also a lot more “up close and personal” than yours as well.

I am sorry, but I must lay this social indicator of institutionalized crime at your leftists’ doorstep. When you lolly coddle, protect, defend and support, and above all else, apologize and make excuses for these thugs and mindless psychopaths - you only embolden and make their criminal behavior and attitudes worse.

My question now for you is, how does it feel to be totally defenseless and at the mercy of a criminal thug and or psychopath, even if it’s hundreds of feet away from the barrel of his gun?


Irv,

Lots of questions there, Irv. No easy answers. But for the record, the homicide rate in Berkeley is much lower than it is in come cities that are rarely if ever accused of promoting "leftist, counter-cultural erosion and corrosion of the moral fabric of the nation."

Glad you made it back from 'Nam; sorry to hear about how you were treated upon your return.

I am glad that you had the common sense to tell her to duck or she would have taken a head shot.

If these casualities are caused by anything, it's the failed trickle-down economic policies of past administrations that leave many citizens without the hope of joining the 'american dream' without joining the underground economy, not a very tiny group of 'thugs and mindless psychopaths' which exist in all communities. Berkeley actually reaches out to these troubled souls (as well as veterans) with some of the best progressive education and social services in the country.

Dear Punditty,

First off. I failed to actually praise you in a sufficiently sycophantic, obsequious and fawning manner which seems to be de rigueure for these environs. For you see, I found your article to be rather well written. In fact, I thought it was quite literate, evocative, riveting and compelling. All of which I regret to say - good writing - is a rather rare commodity on these pages.

But enough servile, sycophantic praise - back to the grind.

Yes, exactly my point. The crime rate, or particularly the murder rate in Berkeley, might be somewhat low, and the mean streets there somewhat tame compared to cities like Detroit, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Buffalo, Newark, Gary, Philadelphia, et al, et al, et al. But again, as I previously said, mean streets are “mean” no matter where they are.

Moreover, all this social dysfunction and social pathology in the latter cities, possess one single, glaring, common thread which all these failed, bastions of the War on Poverty, The Counter Culture, the Drug Culture ad nauseam share - liberalism qua liberal progressivism qua liberal socialism qua socialism and yes, even communism qua Marxism.

Irv,


PS. Oh, BTW, I too graduated from DINFOS, in 1969 to be precise. For you see, after having endured the Tet Offensive quite intimately, and then watching the communists’ negotiation tactics which were nothing less than pure deceit and lies; I figured the war was going to go on forever. And if I was going back, I’d rather push a pencil or a pen than tote a rifle or a machine gun. Ironically, there were plenty of libs and commie-libs there even back then.

PS. PS. One last point of business. I have taken the liberty to contribute herein a short epic poem of mine on these pages in installment form which covers and incorporates most of my arguments, ideas, opinions, observations and critiques of the left. In this regard I have already contributed the first chapter of ten.

It is entitled “The Once Mighty Midway Revisited.” However it appears the good editors here at Allvoices have deemed it unworthy of the front page herein; thereby all but buying it from sight.

Check it out if you wish and let me know what you think of it - or not. It’s your dance.

Now, how’s that for craven self-promotion?


Irv,

thanks for sharing, punditty, glad you're ok!

Thank you for sharing this news report. Stay safe.

well written - thank you

Dear Worldsmith,

I find it remarkably trite and predictably so, that you libs qua commie-libs qua etc.; find it rather necessary, indeed, absolutely necessary; to always blame someone else for the monumental failure of your policies, programs and failed governance, all of which are a direct result of your liberal ideology qua liberal progressivism qua liberal socialism qua socialism qua etc..

However I do not plan to quantify nor qualify nor detail the gruesome, gory details herein; for just as Punditty has pointed out, now is neither the time nor place to make such a vast effort. Agreed, the task is just beyond both the scope of this comment and the former’s article.

However, I do wish to make two quick points here. First, your rebuttal of my comment appears to me to be the stuff of pure apologism. In fact, in the form of a rather purblind, true believer, Stalinist Apologism; which I consider to be emblematic of it and also its most egregious form as well.

Secondly, you hide this liberal apologism of yours by couching it in terms of liberal, social-scientific determinism. Essentially, you are saying that it‘s no one’s fault; because it simply is a matter of environment and the random selection of atoms and molecules.

Moreover, you further intimate that the true culprits and villains here; are evil businessmen and equally evil, conservative intellectuals and politicians; who somehow supposedly control and dictate the terms and means of the environment. Which is a truly inane and preposterous notion. In fact, I maintain that this sort of reasoning and flimsy argumentation borders upon psychological disassociation and egregiously commits the logical fallacy of omission as well.

I have pondered and written on these issue for literally decades. So there is truly much to be said - but again - not here.

However, I have encapsulated many of these burning issues into a major, (short) epic poem (10 chapters) which “if the creek don’t run dry, and the editorial Gods are willing” I both wish and intend to contribute and share herein in installment form. I will submit Chapter 2 within a day or two towards that lofty goal.

This is no self-promotional plug; but rather, it is an attempt to deal with these serious issues in a serious way. I only hope that I will be given that opportunity to do so, and that my short epic will be worthy of these pages, its writers and editors, and above all else, its readers.


Irv,


PS. Your “...some of the best progressive education...” Do you mean your successful brainwashing, indoctrination and propagandization within your miserably failed, substandard, intellectually, academically and scholastically worthless, but politically correct, statist, collectivist and monopolistic public schools?

This had to be a terrible situation to be catch up in and not know have any better protection than a large sofa.

Thanks for Sharing this news. Rated Up

Thanks for sharing, this is an never ending story here in Detroit...glad you're ok