Comments on: “No stabbing, no murder, no drive-by, just secret dance party” From a Reader

By: Melanie

Melanie — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 03:13:51 +0000

Well said The Kid. I hope POP is more careful in the future about screening out this sort of judgmental, stereotyping commentary when posting. It would have been nice if this were limited to just highlighting the concert as a really positive event and a pleasant surprise and kudos were given to the police for the initiative.

By: The Kid

The Kid — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:46:49 +0000

The title to this post is pretty bad. I find it disturbing that the anonymous commenter was “disturbed” that the police didn’t know of neighborhood blogs. Perhaps this is because the vast majority of people in the immediate Columbia Heights area aren’t Young Urban Professionals who spend their time writing and reading blogs about the economic development in the neighborhood. I’m guessing reading neighborhood blogs about area development is a pretty piss poor way for a police officer to reach out and make connections to a skeptical population.

Having a block party for community members is probably a much better way. I would think it’s safe to say that it wasn’t blown up on the internet and in the blogosphere because it is a BLOCK party. You know, for folks on THAT BLOCK. We should all try to realize that neighborhood identity can be very narrowly defined and folks welcome on one block may not be welcome on the next.

A party that had all of Columbia Heights there would have been counterproductive to what I imagine to be the mission of the event, to do some good PR and forge some relationships on that block, you know the one that you all bitch about and never walk past on the way to the metro and then when a party happens you bitch that you weren’t invited.

If you wrote an article about my block and titled it “There were no highly stereotypical racial behaviors going on, just a dance party I wasn’t invited to” I certainly would be inclined to not invite you the next time either.

Yes a lot of violence happens on that block, do you think it’s everybody? Do you think the vast majority of people on that block aren’t scared shitless either? How many white young professionals have been killed on that block? I’m not sure but I’d venture to say it’s close to 0. The people that live on that block are the ones who are rightfully scared.

Fuck you all for feeling entitled to be there, all you do is talk shit on that block the other 364 days a year.

By: Alex

Alex — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 03:01:34 +0000

@Anon July 27th, 2009 at 11:03 am – and thank goodness for that!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:08:54 +0000

@Anon 3:03 : ditto!!

By: Anon123

Anon123 — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 19:03:44 +0000

Guy with the green bottle: Hot.

By: KR

KR — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:27:36 +0000

If not having any stabbings or shootings is a notable achievement of a CH block party, then that’s why I would avoid it.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:20:08 +0000

I think it is sad that an organizer cannot put on a block party event without it being called a failure.

Why does it have to be a “major event’? Why does the entire community have to participate for an event to be a success–are block parties not acceptable? Why are 200 people at any given moment (and probably more total that didn’t stay the whole night to be counted by the reader) not enough? Why can’t you “put something like this on in a week” and if you didn’t, so what?

It sounds like it was a fun time for the people who live there and that seems to have been the point, which means it was a success.

The MPD DOES have community liaisons and they have online discussion groups that anyone can participate in (they have been around since 2006).

And if there is any blame to be laid, I don’t think it lies solely with MPD. The sign next to the stage says “District of Columbia Parks and Recreation” which means the event was at least co-sponsored, if not entirely sponsored by DCPR.

By: vonstallin

vonstallin — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:59:27 +0000

They should have sent a message to all the radio stations. Most times the stations will shot out the information for free.

When I was in Elem n JHS the police band was badass!!! they would play at raymond field and other playgrounds and I remember them playing at my school also.

Havent heard them playing since late 80′s.
It made me look at cops differently as a kid.

Good to see them back and for a good cause.

By: Angry Parakeet

Angry Parakeet — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:58:48 +0000

The PSA 302 liason reads PoP

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:03:39 +0000

Readership on this blog and other similar websites is a very, very small percentage of the people that live in CH, Petworth and surrounding neighborhoods.