Mayor's Neighborhood Crime Fighting Gone Awry in Macon, GA

This is not your grandma times, Macon GA.  Today is a new time with different circumstances, different reactions, different upbringing, different everything.   I can only imagine Ms. Gibson-Council fear when approaching young people in a street meant for cars.  Children today practically dare a car to hit them when they are obviously in violation of the law.  Macon – Bibb City ordinance states young people are in violation when found playing in the street and/or impeding the natural flow of traffic.  



Most of you living in neighborhoods/communities today such as mines and Ms. Gibson – Council know what it’s like.  You have adults and their children who have no respect for themselves or others.  I’ve reference back in the day in “my truths” often, mainly, because of situations such as this taking place in today’s neighborhood/s.  I myself have dealt with similar circumstances, however, a supportive law enforcement precinct was able to eliminate a serious outcome, in the past.

I personally have call law enforcement so much based on what I believe is my right and fear for my safety…….it appears to me they are no longer interested in responding.  It has been my experience as with any city/county department if you utilize the service (what they believe is too much) you become the nuisance not the violators.  When you live in a neglected neighborhood such as mines there is no such thing as “too much”.  So you are caught between a rock and a hard place.  Which is, allow the violator to continue breaking the law and/or take matters into your own hands.  None of us know what precipitated this confrontation, but what I do believe is this sixty – seven year old lady feared for her life and believe this was her only choice.

I believe safety in neighborhoods such as mines is talked about too much (Mayor Reichert’s Proclamation – August 2, 2016) and not implemented enough.  Neighborhoods such as mines are being short changed.  We have minimum police protection (rarely patrolled, long response times, no community and officers relations, overworked deputies, understaffed precinct etc.) and safety.  Only a few months ago I could call my precinct and I received immediate response.  To give you an example, my precinct had a change in commanders and deputies, a changing of the guards.  I ask to speak with one of the new commanding officer (to establish rapport as with others in the past) and was told by him and his supervisor that he would meet with me.  Never happen, and upon my inquiry and requesting someone else be sent out, nothing happen.  It has been downhill every sense.  A neighbors told me they called the precinct and was told a deputy would come out and didn’t.  I’ve called and reported a minor violation and spoke with the sheriff and nothing happen, I was told by an officer, who I believe was told by his superior to not pursue what was an obvious violation of the law.  In his word, “let it go”.  Now, I ask you, what do you do and what would you do when those people who are sworn to protect and serve, do not?   Do you do as Ms. Gibson - Council did and take the law into your own hand or do you wait for law enforcement to respond?   I don’t have the answer it is definitely an individual decision based on that individual circumstances and resources.

Bottom line, I don’t know what I would have done, but I can tell you this, I’m not “mad at her” based on my experiences and today’s times.  Let's not forget Mayor Reichert did say, "crime fighting is all of our responsibility".

Mayor of Macon GA Robert Reichert, Are You Serious ?????????????

Mayor for Some of the People

Let me start out by saying, I'm a spectator.  I'm not in the trenches, however, I'm an experience spectator.  That said, I know from firsthand experience what a night out with Mayor Robert Reichert can accomplish. Absolutely NOTHING.  And before his supporters get up in arms I did say this was my experience (my truth).  I question the timing and genuineness of what I believe to be a political publicity stunt.  People in the video appears to be an AARP group/Senior Citizens, not saying they should not be there, "just saying" that it is apparently staged. The mayor doesn't seem to understand, nor his political cronies, one night of hoodwink/bamboozled/staged caring cannot compensate for three hundred and sixty - three days  a year of neglect and misery.  It appears I'm not the only one whose not in the trenches.  Is it me or does it seem to you he only appears in those neighborhoods affiliated with Mercer, Knight Foundation, Mill Hill, New Town Macon with vigor, enthusiasm, and genuineness?

So he says fighting crime is everyone responsibility.  It appears to me it becomes everyone responsibility when it hits home and/or he needs to make a television appearance.  Crime has come to a neighborhood near him and/or his cohorts.  The diverse group of people in WMAZ - TV video more than likely (speculating) were ask to show –up.   Maybe not, but they don’t seem to be willing participants, to me.  The majority appear to be black which sent a message that crime only occurs in black neighborhoods (divisive hidden agenda).  I think crime in Macon Georgia is in all neighborhoods, it’s just spotlighted in some neighborhoods, as are some perpetrators of these crimes.

Mayor Robert Reichert, if you are serious about fighting crime and it is all our responsibility, produce action not words on a piece of paper (proclamation).  Put surveillance cameras in these neighborhoods where crime is prevalent.  Surveillance cameras have been effected  in apprehending suspects/criminals and preventing crime in communities/neighborhoods.  Organize people to truly participate in crime deterrents by training individuals to recognize people not adhering to the law, whether it is a felony and/or city ordinance, develop a system to report crime anonymously(using a similar if not an exact design as SeeClickfix as a model),  and contribute more of the splost money to neighborhoods that need it, not want it.  Mayor Reichert be a mayor for all the people, stop wrapping yourself in a cocoon (City Hall Meetings where citizens concerns are only shared one-way, night out where one person talks with you and you fake listening,  and staged community forums, gentrification of neighborhoods, ) be a mayor for all the people not a few and all the neighborhoods not a few.

Do you really think a meager twelve million dollars is going to eradicate blight in neighborhoods?  Yes I said eradicate, because that’s what’s needed, not a band-aide ($12, 000, 000.00). What will twelve million dollars buy in today’s hard hit economy?  What twelve million dollars purchased twelve years ago, will not today, when you factor in inflation. So Macon - Bibb County government is once again short changing us and our neighborhoods.   In Macon it will provide salaries for over paid and under worked city government officials, but it will not put a dent in Macon’s blight issues

The mayor stating, fighting crime being the responsibility of everybody has so many contradiction, on so many levels when you look at what he has done and what he is doing.  Stop giving people a false sense of security and start making safety a priority for Macon citizens in their/my neglected/deprived/blighted neighborhood/s.

Take/Taking A Leap of Faith in Macon, GA Deprived/Neglected Neighborhoods

Mr. Danny D. Glover has started a "Gofundme"  page for an area in South Macon that has an illegal dumping problem.  People in the community, according to news reports have ask the city for assistance with no positive outcome.   I do believe Mr. Glover is on to something, however, he cannot achieve his intended goals without the assistance of people like you and I.  Your contribution can accomplish several things for this South Macon community (1) let these people  know there are people  (if not the city government) that care (2) there are people listening to their concerns (3) give them a clean area to live, and(4) assist in the revitalization of Macon, GA's blighted neighborhoods/communities.   We can revitalize our communities and neighborhoods with spreading the word, contributing financially, and becoming involved (volunteer).   Mr. Glover is spending his time trying to make Macon's blighted communities/neighborhoods better, you can spend your money/time to show you are willing to have his back in such an admirable endeavor.

 I don’t know what dollar limit "Gofundme" will accept, but you can find out by starting with a dollar (if that’s what you have to give) with the hope someone else will match or exceed your contribution.  Folks it will all add up in the scheme of things, and allow Mr. Glover to focus on other areas of the community, city/county government has failed.   If your dollar is not accepted search out information for a contact #, P. O. Box, email address, whatever, to send what you can.

 CAN WE TALK?     Your contribution will definitely help someone you know, have known, or will know.  We do know the people Mr. Glover are assisting…directly or indirectly we know them.    You say I can’t and I say you can.  My mother would say, “The only thing that will beat failure is to try”.    Mr. Willie Womack is a prime example of that adage.   He is cleaning up his Bellevue neighborhood/community in spite of disabilities (recovering from a stroke).  I’m asking everyone who read this to use one of those dollars you spend on luxuries this week to start making a difference in Macon, Georgia’s deprived/neglected/blighted neighborhoods/communities as these men are doing.

The parents/grandparents of these two men appears to have left an indelible impression on them, that is missing from our communities/neighborhoods today and we need to get it back.  Our endeavors/goals need to be as our ancestors were, building not tearing down, leading by examples, setting goals/expectation high not low, accepting nothing but the best…..not settling, exceeding expectations, high maintenance instead of low maintenance (within your means), helping our fellow man/woman, and to always strive for the top, because the bottom is full. 



The Dumping Grounds (South Macon Neighborhood)

Clueless Maconites are so quick to say that some people are looking for handouts, that some people don’t want to give, they only want to take, and believe that some cannot produce good outcomes.  I say to all of those naysayers, put your money where your mouth is and give to what appears to be a worthy cause.  There are valuable resources available in the city of Macon…grant writers, funding researchers, and affluent people who have the means to make a difference, this young man can use your help.

If you have doubts (as I do) make a contribution anyway and give this young man a chance to prove you wrong (as I have).  In fact, I’m of the opinion it is only human and wise to question a person motives that you do not know, but if you don’t give you will only be able to think about the role you could have played in giving this community a “hand up”, when it succeeds………..no matter how small ($1.00) or large (having the means) that role is, you’ve made a difference in someone life.   Mr. Glover has taken a leap of faith, now it’s up to us to be there to support him, catch him,  have his back., and too, take a leap of faith.But some more than others.  The latter thought will be/has been America's demise.  The time to prevent major tragedies is not after the fact it is before the fact.  We are equally complicit in these wrongs……….not some more than others.

A person's self-worth as a human-being is of(not should be, but is) equal value.  My solution to these tragedies is to begin to respect people as human beings (your equal)...not Black and White, Asian and Muslim,  American and European , Rich and Poor, Ghetto and Trailer Trash, Suburban and Westside or Eastside, etc.

Macon, Georgia City/County Government you have the opportunity to right wrongs, and learned from these tragedies.  Will you?  I doubt it, because you have a history, along with state government of divisive policies and treatment of people.  George Santayana, philosopher:  "Those who do not learn from the mistakes of history are doomed to repeat them."   I don't believe policies and treatment made by Macon City-County Government are mistakes.  I believe they are strategically and ruthlessly planned.