We don’t know why we channeled DeNiro’s oft-repeated line from Goodfellas but it came to us and seemed appropriate this morning.
People who know us would say we tend to swing more to the realist than the alarmist. Being frightened of things we see happening around us tends to shut down the brain and we prefer to acknowledge certain facts and respond to them.
That said, recent developments indicate to us that Lamorinda – our chosen quadrant of the 24/680 – seems to be getting more than its fair share of attention from people exhibiting ill intent towards us. And that hurts us, just a little bit.
While we’re just like every other community in the Bay Area – and Texas, and Georgia, and Idaho – whatever bastion of civility and liberty you’ve chosen as home ground, we’re not invulnerable or immune from incursion by ne’er do wells.
In the not-too-distant past Moraga, at least, has enjoyed some sense of protection afforded by its relative isolation with its sister cities suffering a bit more due to their exposure to our namesake highways.
Lately, however, we’ve seen a virtually unheard of bank mugging in Moraga, some fisticuffs, a number of burglaries, package thefts, pursuits, a robbery at knifepoint and some suspicious cruising by folks we figure are here to size us up. A sharp-eyed Orinda PD officer chased a plate-less Audi (that enforcing legislation doesn’t seem to be working too well) out of town just this morning (Wednesday) with the driver disappearing into the much-maligned Caldecott Tunnel.
It appears we have stuff people want and they’re coming here to get it. We would counsel some increased vigilance on the part of locals, development of basic urban survival skills, and some increased good neighborliness as we circle the wagon.
Just putting it out there for now as we push through this latest spate of incidents and look for ways to protect our mail, bikes, money, and mums and dads.
This, too, shall pass. But we’re thinking we’re going to have to suffer first – hopefully just a little bit.
Each community polices based upon a public expectation. Is it time to change our expectation?
In what way, Mark?
NEWS24/680
When the trouble that occurs “elsewhere”, arrives in our neighborhood it shakes us, as we choose to reside in this area with the thought that our exposure to such misconduct would be minimal (and hopefully non-existent). However the landscape of reality has changed, and we need to be more vigilant of our surroundings and situations. This is not an easy fix, as there are many ingredients to our current local criminal activity cocktail. I can hear the shouting in the distance (e.g. lenient/progressive DAs; Wokeism is the cause of this calamity; education and wealth disparity ).
This is a multi-layered problem with many a moving part.
Friends and neighbors, stay safe!
You know, sometimes there are simpler answers and solutions. I think we are so smart that we can’t believe that anything simple can work, but we must do studies, town halls, expert interpretations etc etc ..because everything of course is so complicated. If your water pipe breaks you turn off the main valve. Simple! You don’t have to over analyze!
With crime, we need to kind of go back to the old thought that if you do wrong you need to be punished, and be rehabilitated to be brought back into society. Punishment was a deterrent to crime . This idea now of never punishing people and holding them accountable is not working! Even the most ardent liberal & tolerance among us are finally waking up to this fact. ( though there’s still some that are not believing that these policies have failed and don’t they want to admit it )
Well you better wake up, because it’s going to get much worse! I work in Oakland, and it’s awful! Just seeing what’s going on daily in front of our business, located in one of the best Uptown areas, will sicken you! Our hearts break to see the bloody injured and traumatized innocent victims that this social crime experiment is costing . And yes, a County’s DA sets the tone for the criminals. And now we have DAs in both Alameda and Contra Costa that openly state they wont send people to jail for doing crime. How much better do you think it will get? Will you or your family be victimized? Or are we going to Analyze This and Survey it, do extra studies and throw in a big dollop of histrionics and think we’re going to come up with something?
We’re reaching a tipping point and tipping points usually lead to change. This has been an interesting process so far with society and governement attempting to fix some things – leading to issues elsewhere. I believe our penal system is in need of reform and I also believe some sort of punishment is required for those who feel they have a right to commit crimes and hurt others. I would be interested in some modification of sentencing procedures as some have suggested here, with creative penalties for small time offenders and harsher penalties for those who hurt others. .
What a notion, bringing oybin skills to the semi-rural.
When are you people going to wake up and realize that defunding the police and not holdings criminals responsible for their crimes is completely bringing our country to its knees. The experiment is not working, liberals have made our streets less safe, our society less cohesive and our police forces inept or almost non existent or mute.
Wow! Scattershot. I guess WE know who WE are.
Called that one didn’t you?