(I received the following via email in regards to the recent shooting that took place at the Granby Theater. For background on this, see these articles 1, 2, 3, 4. The author of this piece wishes to remain anonymous but is a long-time resident of the city.)
Early Wednesday morning a black man pulls a gun and critically injures another black man. You may say that this is just another night in the city. But this incident didn’t happen in Huntersville, Denby Park or Park Place, it happened in Downtown. Black on Black crime is nothing new to this city, but when it happened in Downtown, it drew outrage from the Mayor and the Vice Mayor. The Mayor made sure every department in the City that could close the Granby Theatre showed up the same day. Where is the outrage and response when the very same thing happens in other parts of our city?
From the Virginian Pilot, Friday March 30th, 2007:
Fraim made it clear the safety of those who have invested in downtown homes is a top priority. “They need to know that in fact the city is serious when it learns about issues concerning public safety,” he said. “The truth is, downtown remains one of the safest areas in Hampton Roads, and we intend to keep it that way.”
What about those that have invested in homes in Park Place, Huntersville, Denby Park, Wards Corner, Ocean View and all the other neighborhoods of our City? Don’t they deserve the same outrage and response to crime when it happens outside of Downtown? Have you ever heard the Vice Mayor, Mayor or any Councilpersons publicly speak out against Black on Black crime? Have you seen clubs anywhere else in this city get closed down as quick as the Granby Theatre, even though neighborhoods have complained for years about the dangerous behavior going on inside and outside? Gary’s on Little Creek Road was left alone for years even after a cold-blooded murder occurred on the premises.
What we have in Norfolk is two Cities. Downtown is where the movers and shakers have invested their money and your tax money. That makes Downtown your Downtown. But your neighborhood, where only you have invested your hard earned money, is treated like some third world country when it comes to reacting to the outrage of people killing one another. Are Blacks that get shot Downtown different than Blacks that get shot anywhere else in our City?
Something else to chew on: Downtown will soon have their own Police Sector. Ask any of Norfolk’s Police Captains about their staffing problems. They are already terribly short staffed. They will tell you that this new Downtown Police Sector – “the Green Sector” – will take police officers from already staffed-strained sectors. Why? Where is the justification? Oh, that’s right. The Mayor said, “The truth is, downtown remains one of the safest areas in Hampton Roads, and we intend to keep it that way.”
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Vivian….This is GREAT work….Fraim and the rest of the Norfolk City Council should be ashamed of themselves….looks like Norfolk citizens exist to “support” Norfolk’s downtown businesses…I’m sure the corporatocracy loves this reasoning.
Excellent points. I’m not that familiar with Norfolk, having driven through on the way to Virginia Beach, but the problem is the same as what exists in other major urban areas, including DC. When you look at the problem of black on black crime in DC and compare it to such as we have in Northern Virginia, you see a contrasting view. In DC one gets the sense that there’s a general throwing up of hands in some areas and a “what can you do?” attitude. In Northern Virginia every jurisdiction prosecutes crime of whatever sort strongly, especially violent crime. There’s a multijurisdictional gang task force and every violent crime is taken seriously. The gang units go to all the neighborhoods where there is such crime, not just the rich ones.
All the people in all of Norfolk’s neighborhoods deserve to be safe. This shift of police to the “good” areas is very shortsighted because criminals from the “bad” neighborhoods will sooner or later roam farther afield looking for victims. This has happened in DC, where in the last couple of years we’ve seen an increase in violent crimes against tourists and others in the supposedly safe areas of DC such as the Mall and Georgetown.
Fraim and Burfoot look flat out stupid on this one.
Is there one businessman more responsible for the revitalization of Downtown? Let’s see how nice Downtown Norfolk looks with that theater empty another ten years.
What a bunch of schmucks.
Good post here.
One of my best friends is joining the Norfolk police force. I’ll be interested to learn if he’s moved to the “green zone.”
Excellent post Vivian. One of the few times I’ve seen you “fired up”!!!
But… it’s not limited to Norfolk believe me. Portsmouth has two cities as well. We have Olde Towne… and The Rest of Portsmouth. And yes, the police department has an officer assigned every shift to patrol ONLY Olde Towne.
Sillyness abounds…
Well slap me silly. I just re-read the post. The “Anonymous” writer is “fired up”.
Wow, Vivian. Fantastic. This is a mjor issue, and you’re exactly right. I have no problem with elected officials being outraged at crime, but violent crime is outrageous no matter where it occurs.
I bet a very interesting conversation can develop as to why outrage in other neighborhoods isn’t voiced.
Quite frankly, I think it may result in some who demonize the police to be demonized, and for Norfolk to elect its own Guiliani.
Just a reminder: I didn’t write the post. Of course, the fact that it is on this blog should give you some sense of how I feel about it 😉
And Grumpy – trust me, I do get “fired up” but not during tax season 😦
By the way – will there be outrage over the stabbing near NSU last night?
This whole incident is a perfect example of Institutional Racism. Norfolk Councilman Paul Riddick, the former Vice Mayor, said it exists in Norfolk and lost his job because of saying it. Let’s exam this situation closely. Why do we have the Mayor’s and Vice Mayor’s outrage for Black on Black crime on Granby Street and yet, not a whimper from them when it happens on Norfolk State University’s campus? Is it because the movers and shakers haven’t invested heavily in that University? Would there be a comment from our elected officials, if the same thing happened in the University Village at ODU? Why were we told that it was a Black on Black incident at the Granby Theatre when that is never an issue when it happens elsewhere in our City? Is this not Institutional Racism?
“Whenever members of an establishment confuse their desire to maintain their own power with their duty to guard the public trust, sound judgment will invariably become impossible for them. Their blind ambition will keep them from seeing and comprehending the very truth they are to guard”