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Health & Fitness

Taking Action West Of Atlanta

by  C. Henry Adams :

I recall as a child growing up to fear in the City of Atlanta at a certain period of time which was eventually overcome through my faith in God. 


This particular terrible feeling that I mention also gripped my friends as well due to the events of the missing and murdered children in Atlanta during the late 1970's.

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Before someone can ask, " What type of fear?"   My answer is the fear of someone kidnapping a child to which would result in them being found dead.

But, before we go any further,  I want to stop right here and point out that this frightening incident was and is a crime.

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That being said, it is 2014, a new year and a new beginning for individuals, groups of people , as well as, small business in Atlanta to say the least.

Crime is the act of someone or a group of people who have decided to break the Laws of the Land while mistreating other people in the process.

That MAY NOT be a good enough definition of a Crime, but my point here is that I'm fed up with crime occurring in my community.

Why am I fed up with crime?

Please see the bullet points below :

1)  Crime lowers the economic status and potential of a particular area.

2)  Crime makes the streets I travel on dangerous at anytime of the day or night.

3)  Crime in an area can give that district a NEGATIVE name or connotation which means people living and thriving there will start to avoid it.

4)  Crime does not benefit the vast majority of people and the few thieves it does benefit eventually become incarcerated or end up dead sooner than later.

5)  Crime gives poverty a very bad name.   Not all people impoverish are criminals.  In fact, many great minds have evolve from living in low income situations.

6)  Crime brings about ignorance.

7)  Crime is often associated with trash, waste and illegal dumping seen on the streets, in wooded areas, creeks, as well as, in neighborhoods where people dwell.

When I was a child, I recall a PSA or Public Service Announcement saying stuff like, " Take a bite out of crime. "

I understood then that taking a bite out of crime was to stop crime.  

Today, I have associated an experience with crime, define the term of "crime" to the best of my ability and identified seven negative results of what crime can do to our lives.

Yet, to stop crime or at least to lower the chance of crime occurring in our homes, neighborhoods, communities and the City of Atlanta ; actions should be taken and considered by all of us as follows:

1)  Speak out against crime, get to know your neighbors and rally together to watch out for each other and their belongings.

2)  If  you see something on your street, in your neighborhood and or even the community- that appears  " Not Normal or Not Right ", call the Police - dial 911 and specifically ask them to come out to perform a " Welfare Check ", if it is NOT an Emergency.

Why should you dial 911 and specifically ask for a  " Welfare Check "?   Well, because the Life you might SAVE, might truly be your own.

3)  If you see trash laying around in the yard of your house, please consider picking it up and disposing it into the trash can.   If you feel driven to pick up trash in your neighborhood, be careful - wear gloves, bright clothes and or a reflected vest.   If you are able to motivate others to help you pick up debris, please do so willingly.  

Why pick up the trash?  Well, it might help lower the crime level to a certain extent while giving a boost to the economy in your area.  People appear to like dwelling in clean environments.

4) Consider saying positive things about your home, your neighborhood and community when talking to others.

Sometimes bad news travels fast and is often damaging whether you are aware of it or not.

5) Consider creating an alert system where all of your family, neighbors, friends and business colleagues living or working near your neighborhood can be contacted immediately in the event that a potential criminal act, natural /or man-made disaster occur in your neighborhood or community.

E)  The Georgia Association of Broadcasters offers GA AlertNewsNet for missing persons. Their web site might be a great location to bookmark and use to find lost love ones.

F) Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) offers Ready Georgia, it is a great resource and alert system to have regarding Natural and Man made Disasters.

6) Consider speaking cordially to your neighbors from time to time.  Be aware of your surroundings at all times, be familiar with the regular people who come and go often in your area.

7) Caring about others as you would care about yourself helps fight against crime.

So, what do you think?




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