After a better sleep

I'm finding little material on violence, excessive noise, etc. as a health issue, but it is increasing. Of course, to label such activities as affecting our health, means that the enforcement (city codes, laws, regulations) need to change their framework of what have, until now, been viewed as infractions of law. It also means we get serious about the holistic approach in connecting and involving ALL the family, the immediate neighborhood, health and code enforcement agencies, schools...it means tearing aside the layers of bureaucracy that separates the individual from the power-to-do/$$ at the top.
It means that the people take charge of their neighborhoods and build relationships and awareness of their neighbors and how what we do and how we live affects everyone. It means letting people know that when they act disrespectfully, we care and expect any negative behavior to change. It means that we expect those who who have been elected or appointed to oversee a higher quality of life for us, do their jobs.
It means that, since most of our elected or appointed public servants don't live with these affronts of excessive noise, of guns fired, of heavy vehicle traffic through a residential neighborhood, that we need to keep reminding them that we deserve better than this. There can be no hiding behind the curtains or the other extreme of running out and yelling at and threatening the kids because their very presence, number and color intimidate a resident. Responsibility, conversation, assessment of self, action of civility, critical thinking, compassion, the list is endless, but anger and thinking only of self is not the answer. (4/7/09)

Violence as a health issue

I stayed up last night until 2:30am. An acquaintance makes videos about neighbors and (wow! sorry for the digression, but I just looked up to the sky; an awesome full moon is positioned against the still light blue sky) how disturbances affect their lives. He looks at the violence as psychological, emotional, mental and physical health issues instead of law-related. Disturbances include excessive noise such as car stereos, over-populated and/or noisy houses, littering, public urination, vandalism, etc.
The reason I couldn't get to sleep - agitation about something that appears going on in my neighborhood. I've called the authorities, but even while I know they are checking it out and that it takes time, it's unsettling and annoying to see the continued activity. We've had drug houses here in the past (not saying this is a drug house, but I'm realizing over the last years how, when we live with this stuff, how absurd and inane it is that we become desensitized and treat it as an everyday occurence.
For instance: On Saturday I called the police and said I wanted to talk with an officer and be assured that something was being done or I would make a tremendous nuisance of myself with people connected with this activity. I don't want to do that, because what it essentially does, is simply move a 'problem' from one block to another. I don't believe that's an suitable answer.
After seeing a black and white pass my house three times without stopping, and I had not received a call-back, I went outside to pick up litter as I wrote down car makes and license plates. I glanced up the block and saw two or three squads blocking the next intersection. A friend was outside and we chatted, while another three squads blocked the intersection to the south of us, half a block. Later, I thought, all these squads blocking someone and here we are chatting as if it's nothing.
I also realized how hyper-vigilant I've become to sounds of different cars and which ones park where - and do the blink headlight on and then off, wait a few seconds and repeat. I even have photos of what appears to be a drug exchange (taken from my livingroom window). We recognize cars used by several drug dealing scum and know the street names of several. I even know the given names of some and am sorely tempted to greet them with these names (which they don't like).
There is something to changing the frame of how we look at these occurences. Perhaps it offers nothing more than a fresh look. And that's all right. I hope, though, that it changes how we take action against these activities and perhaps WHO takes action. If it's a health issue, wouldn't that superbly broaden the circle of people who could make change and have been effective in other areas?