Won't you be my neighbor?

I wrote the other day about a new Dallas Housing Project for poor blacks ("I want what you want . . . I just don't want to pay for it"). The townhome style project was built in an affluent North Dallas neighborhood. The affluent whites were understandably apprehensive about their new neighbors. People are quick to yell about racism and "not in my back yard" attitudes, but I believe these people are justified in their apprehension. Case in point . . .

A low income housing project in Dallas called Pleasant Village Apartments is anything but a Pleasant Village. Police have been instructed not to make calls there without taking at least four officers. This past Tuesday night, a couple of pre-teen girls, with the approval of one of the mothers, got into a fight. Other kids quickly became involved, the mother called her mother and some other relatives, a crowd of adults from the other girl's side showed up, and soon shots were fired. Chaos ensued as people scattered and ducked for cover. The mother who originally gave her approval for the fight called 911. The police arrived with more than the requisite four officers.

Rumors went wild and "they" told the residents that as soon as the police left, "they" were going to start shooting again. At 1:14 a.m., Wednesday, another 911 call reported that nine men had gathered with weapons behind the apartment complex. As some fearful residents left the complex, their car was fired upon. Three children were shot, one injured critically. Rumors are flying that more violence is in the making for the next few nights. Police will beef up patrols at the complex until things die down.

The manager of the complex said, "We actually have very good residents. We do background checks on every one of them. We don't allow criminals." Yeah -- sounds like a really high caliber people to me. Bet they'll fit right in up there in North Dallas.

"3 kids shot after girls' fight incites brawl at apartments." The Dallas Morning News; July 31, 2008; page 1A.