I prefer to point out the many good things about our community. For example, in past columns I discussed how our metro communities came together to battle the Missouri River flood and how thousands answered the call for volunteers to fill sandbags and contribute supplies to help flood victims. I discussed neighbors helping neighbors and neighborhoods banding together for cleanups and to donate to charity, increase public safety, etc.
The exceptional winter (so far anyway) has led me to re-evaluate what is happening in our community. Mild temperatures and little snow have allowed us to be outside quite a bit. In fact, I even managed to get in 18 holes of golf on Dec. 31, so trust me, I am not complaining.
However, this also seems to have a bit of a downside. Usually during the winter months, we see less violence in our community and many fewer incidents of graffiti. Not so this winter.
Our community has seen its share of violence in 2012 and graffiti has not ceased. Please note I said "our community" because these are community issues. Just because we do not live in a particular geographic area does not mean you are not affected. If you think you are somehow insulated from what goes on in other parts of our community, then I fear you are in denial. Violence and graffiti can and do happen everywhere, and if you think you are immune in your neighborhood, then I have a bridge to nowhere that I would like to sell you.
Anything can happen anywhere so we must recognize that and take appropriate preventive measures. As much as I may wish it so, there is no "silver bullet" to solve these issues; however, I do believe that we have talked and studied these issues to the point of exhaustion. We know the root causes are jobs, poverty, too much free time, etc. We know there is fear of retaliation to share information. Sadly, some people have just accepted these conditions as a way of life.
Consider this a call to action, not a call to talk.
If you do not have a Neighborhood Watch in your area, consider contacting your local police department to set one up. If you do not have an active citizen patrol, do the same. As good as these two programs are, they are not of value if each of us does not actively participate. We need to rally together like we did as a community when we faced the potential of great flood damage. We need to answer the call for information when we see criminal activity. We need to provide information to officials that can get these offenders and guns off the street. We need to support law enforcement and active prosecutions, but let's also support education and prevention efforts.
Most of all, we need to support those who step up and do the right thing. We each need to send a clear message that no matter where you live, violence and graffiti will not be tolerated. Each and every one of us needs to get engaged in our community, and the easiest way to do so is to support your neighborhood association. Your neighborhood association is part of a much larger network that, when necessary, can engage others where we live. You may be thinking there is little you can do and that what you do will have very little impact, but anything we can do to support each other has great value.
It is time to stop talking and come together as one community.
Ron Abdouch is executive director of the Neighborhood Center.
Copyright ©2012 Omaha World-Herald®. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, displayed or redistributed for any purpose without permission from the Omaha World-Herald.
