Calling all Palo Alto residents! We need to meet at city hall and march over to EPA city hall and demand that they stop this violence!!

I agree with you Tim. Let's get banners and make it out for Mayor Foster and Klein's resignations for being ineffective mayors.

YES! WE MARCH ON EAST PALO ALTO TO DEMAND A STOP TO VIOLENT CRIME!!! You know what's hilarious... "The police are leaving. I'm getting out of here before those fools come back." Looks like EPA residents hate the police until it's their butts on the line and they need the evil, profiling police to come save their butts. ANyway, I digress....LET'S MARCH ON EAST PALO ALTO AND DEMAND EPA MAYOR AND COUNCIL INVESTIGATE THE VIOLENT CRIME IN THEIR TOWN!!! RESIGN EPA POLICE CHIEF, YOU HAVE FAILED!!!

The EPA chief is lobbying hard to be Palo Alto's new chief. That's a scary thought!!!

I guess marcus,tim and the two anon missed the point about residents of east palo alto and other communities marching to protest racial profiling by their police cheif and now want to joke about marching to city they can give two cents about. These are educated people right?

How arrogant you are. There but for the grace of God go all of us upper middle class Palo Alto residents. Thank your lucky stars you got a good education and go tutor some kids so they have a chance like you've had.

No not arrogant just a concerned resident of this city. having lived in EPA and now Palo Alto i've been racially profiled,had residents walk by my house and look at me funny like i dont belong here.so in the words of the great

I didnt say i dislike palo alto, lovely city just dont like being treated unfairly

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I just wanted to express my profound hope that everyone will not only march on East Palo Alto to protest all the violence there, but will boycott anything East Palo Alto. I think all available local, state, and federal police agencies should go into EPA with an iron fist and put the hammer down on the violent, completely out of control crime there.

Too chicken to pull off a march into EPA? The only people in fear are the gutless criminals who infest EPA and make it a miserable dump for all the hardworking families that live there. The same criminals who scream racial profiling and police brutality at every opportunity to distract from reality - the reality that they are too pathetic to try to get a job and make an honest living like everyone else.

I try to be open-minded about things, but enough is enough. I keep hearing "stories" of "racial profiling" in the news, but most of the stories go something like this..."I was stopped by the police for no reason other than because I'm _____ (enter your special class here)". Get over yourself. Everyone gets stopped by the police, because they enforce the law. You are not special.

>>> Bowing and scraping to Calculus Prime...brilliantly stated. Best comment written without a doubt by ANYONE yet.

maybe we allow our police to profile because of incidents like these...

Most of these horrendous acts of violence go unpunished primarily because of the "no snitchin" mentality that permeates EPA. They only want to "snitch" on the Palo Alto police department for doing their job. That attitude is far worse than anything said by Palo Alto's police chief.

That will be a hoot. The "good" (German?) citizens of Palo Alto indignantly marching on East Palo Alto in order to chastise them for not getting their house in order! This in conjunction with Local, State, Federal, National Guard, SWAT Teams, all descending on that town.

You think the international press was bad before? Actually rev up your cojones and pull this PA onto EPA march.

I am cracking up just thinking about it.

The original posts about a march into EPA to protest this violence were sarcastic. 99% of the people from PA posting on these threads wouldn't venture into EPA if they're not at the shopping center or behind the locked doors of their vehicle.

The original posts are simply pointing out that EPA has bigger problems on their plates than what a PA Police Chief did or didn't say.

The only thing these shootings have shown me as a PA resident is that Chief Johnson was right...

Thoughts,

Thank you for making it clear to everyone. If your post doesnt make sense to them, then I don't know what else to say. Good post.

You know, I've had people walk by MY house and look at me like I don't belong here too because of the car I drive. I've even heard them comment about it. Been pulled over in it too. Something about expired reg, no tailights. Hm.

Wait, oh no - I've been vehicularly profiled! Judged in Palo Alto by the car I drive and found to be lacking! But wait! I'm special! March! March!

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So we're all in agreement that the calls for the good citizens of Palo Alto to march on EPA are sarcastic idle posturing? Good only for those perceived to be the aggrieved ones--having to put up with a march through their town by their perceived lessers and having to have their police force questioned (the nerve)---to let off a bit of Patrician Steam.

Well thank god for online therapy!

Let's put all this in some historical and situational perspective.

Palo Alto is "renowned" worldwide for being an economically and academically elite area. It also has a reputation for being politically liberal. There is probably a conservative mirror image area in Orange County---but instead of the wealth tied to University Academic and tech spin-off it's tied to the military/industrial complex (an aside---ironic how conservatism holds sway in an area wealthy due over-generous and even corrupt government spending while the liberal area is wealthy secondary to good ole Yankee inventions)...

Even in the worst of times Palo Alto has it's suffering cushioned quite comfortably.

Then across the freeway is East Palo Alto. Renowned once as the murder capital of the country. Without a good tax base. The police force doesn't provide adequate coverage and doesn't exactly hire off the top of the deck. Even in the best of times it was very deficient on every measuring scale imaginable. Their kids ride the bus for a long time to go to school, not in Palo Alto, but in "their" school district.

But it is still East "Palo Alto". And the people there work in our restaurants, clean our homes, do our yards, etc.

I'd love to see PBS NOW POV do a show contrasting EPA to PA and showing the social and economic relationships. (Hey do that march on EPA and one might happen!)

And the racial divide is most striking. I used to live on the East Bay----cities like Oakland, Richmond, Vallejo, etc. Places with real crime and constant active crime as opposed to Palo Alto. There were wealthy areas there, but the divide was not like here. When I first moved here I went on a bike ride across the freeway, Baylands and around EPA. A young black kid, MUCH smaller than myself, felt somehow obligated to blurt out "Hey white" from across University way down by the old Nairobi corners. This would have never happened in Oakland---even when walking around 7th St I never heard such yelling. Then come across the freeway, take the first left and it's as if you are in a different planet.

And over the years our "Centurions" have apparently felt it was their charge to hold the line by stopping black people on sight. Since this issue broke I've been quizzing people and it's been amazing. One kid about 20 years old---"yeah I have this black friend from high school and he was stopped all the time". It only stopped after EVERY PA police knew who he was. Then there were tales from the daughter of Rapp's Jeweler's (whose husband was black). So, even if the chief's statements were just a guffaw (which I personally tend to believe) and even if outright racial profiling has severely abated (which I tend to also believe) from past practices, the former police chief's comments hit a raw nerve and tapped into deep resentments brewing over the years.

So when a couple hundred sincere and concerned citizens march on our City Hall what should people do? How about listen to them? How about consider that maybe there is/was a problem?...Maybe....??

NAHHHHHH

Assume they are muggers themselves, complain about our tax dollars having to be spent for their first amendment rights to be exercised, every time a crime is committed in Palo Alto pretend that the police have their hands tied, act like we are the aggrieved party. And every time there is a crime in East Palo Alto use that as an opportunity to shout "See!" and "So there".

Chickens coming home to roost......

Years ago when I lived in Oakland in a second floor apartment near Lake Merritt I heard screaming and yelling outside. Myself and downstairs tenant ran out and found an elderly white couple who just had gotten mugged. Woman with face bloody and sitting on the ground, purse gone. There was a dumpster nearby and a big board sticking out. We chased the muggers a bit---as their car was driving off I chucked the board such that it hit the car and bounced off. But they were gone. I went back and asked the woman some questions to ascertain neuro status---she seemed OK. But her husband got upset, apparently that he wasn't able to defend her, got belligerent with me "I used to teach First Aid". The paramedics arrived and took him away also.

Two weeks later I'm watching TV as the movie Coma ended about 11PM. Out my left is a window looking onto Scottish Rite Temple parking lot. I hear gunshots and look out. Two guys are standing up and shooting at each other over a car. I call 911, then go outside to see what's up.

It was that elderly white guy. He got himself a 25 gun. A mugger on a bicycle with a 38 had demanded his wallet. He gave it to him, then opened up. They both exchanged shots, all missed the mugger rode away on the bike. Mugger was black.

The police come. A black police officer. He says "we got a suspect. he has your wallet on him. He has a gun which was discharged. I assume we'll find some matching bullets around here. Do you think you could identify him?"

"Hell no, you people all look the same to me"...and .."the courts will just let him off anyway".

You guys all remind me of him.

Hey FORSHAME
I answered your "we have named our schools after racists" on dying news...But thought you should see....

Posted by FORSHAMEPALOALTO, a resident of the South of Midtown neighborhood, on Dec 5, 2008 at 1:14 pm

what a colossal joke. we name two of our middle schools after racists, then do a study on racial profiling by our police department when the job description actually, in fact, CALLS for the profiling of suspects. how exactly DOES one justify that in their mind?

Posted by A Noun Ea Mus, a resident of the Professorville neighborhood, on Dec 6, 2008 at 12:42 am

You keep mentioning this, but I fail to get any conceivable point or relevance?

Do you suggest we change the name of the Middle Schools to, oh say, Malcolm X and Frederick Douglas? I really doubt it but just had to ask.

I wonder if you are calling for acceptance of racism, or just that no one should oppose racism until each and every ironic or inconsistent facet has been rectified. ?? Are you saying that Palo Alto is inherently questing to be a racist gated community and needs to own up to it, face it as a youngster looks in the mirror one day and sees stubble on his chin for the first time?

I have this image of it being 1864 and I'm rejoicing over the fact that General Sherman has burned down Atlanta, that the slaveholder's insurrection is being forthrightly suppressed. And your historical reciprocal is saying it's all a colossal joke to want to free slaves--citing the fact that George Washington and Thomas Jefferson owned slaves.

As I stated before this whole issue has given Palo Alto a bit of a black eye in the media---I've even heard it's gotten international pressure.

If everyone is so quick to assert that it's a silly non-issue, make fun of the marchers from EPA, whine on about how democracy and free speech means that YOUR money had to pay for the (probably over aggressive) police presence at the march.......then spending $20,000 is a cheap fix.

Of course, if there is fire where there is smoke there is fire......

So moose,

What exactly are you trying to say?

****If everyone is so quick to assert that it's a silly non-issue, make fun of the marchers from EPA, whine on about how democracy and free speech means that YOUR money had to pay for the (probably over aggressive) police presence at the march.......then spending $20,000 is a cheap fix.****

Wait....(probably over aggresive) police presence at the march??? WTF?? Where did this information come from???

I'm not white and I hate David Duke. Im part of a minority group that was oppressed and tortured by another race. I'm not out there screaming and thinking I'm OWED something because my people were oppressed before. I grew up, got an education, and made something of myself. I didn't sit and blame the government and the white people. I took responsiblity and worked hard.

I didn't cry about injustices here or there and how racism is everywhere. On that note, racism is everywhere and each race has their own biases and prejudice. Nobody is perfect and everyone is prejudiced in their own way. People need to stop crying about how oppressed they are or were, and that people owe them something because of their history.

Nah Mooseater, no one else has anything else to say. Hell, Forshame said it all but predictably they removed the post. Sometimes sarcastic humor is on the mark.

You have said it all. It's all our fault Palo Alto is a wealthy community while East Palo Alto is not. Shame on us. I will think about that while I also remind myself that all those big yellow school busses trundling about town are not transporting Palo Alto kids to and from school. They are transporting East Palo Alto kids to PALO ALTO schools (and yes sports teams blah blah blah).

Your own post shows racism is rampant in all races. Again, your actual point?

"I'm not white and I hate David Duke. Im part of a minority group that was oppressed and tortured by another race. I'm not out there screaming and thinking I'm OWED something because my people were oppressed before. I grew up, got an education, and made something of myself. I didn't sit and blame the government and the white people. I took responsiblity and worked hard."

Come on Anon, SAY IT, SAY IT! Reach down deep into your political cojones and finish the sentence, "unlike all the black people".

FORSHAME said it all? Indeed. He cites the fact that we have middle schools named after racists. Then uses that fact (not sure about the veracity of such, but assume so for sake of discussion) to apparently mean that we might as all embrace the inner racist within. You can only go one side of the fence or the other from that tie-in. Again by that logic, trying to free the slaves during Civil War era was an exercise in hypocrisy as long as we in any way honored George Washington, Jefferson, etc.

Or was it the conjured up personal image he developed of me? Yes, I sit here amidst my other 5th International Friends, Bill Ayers, etc., horns on my head and plucking the wings off baby birds, as I write this stuff.

It is perhaps comforting to conjur up personal images of those with whom we vociferously disagree. Nice to imagine that all we disagree with are inherently evil, while all on our side exemplify every noble aspect of humanity. But it's one thing to keep that to yourself--it's another to publicly use it as a tool of the argument. Reveals more about FORSHAME than me actually.

Noun Eats Moose, Moose Sues:

I'm a female Sasquatch. Don't you remember, 'babe'? Chuggin' along in my V-8? It appears my tongue in cheek summation of your postings as well as the person behind them has brought out the sesquipedalian rants of protestation and distress of the closet socialist. Hit a nerve, 'babe'?

Almost every posting of yours has been abusive of conservative values. You have told people where they should live, while denigrating the place you have told them to go. What they should think, while being patronizing of the ideas of others. You have drawn comparisons between conservatives and Nazi's. You have not once posited one idea that could be of help, only pointed out where the rest of the posters have erred in their incredibly flawed thinking. You have invoked David Duke, Stausser. You have jeered at the posting of a person who is proud of raising himself with integrity to an educated self supporting person. Yep, I do see you hanging with Bill Ayers and others of his ilk. As to the 'veracity' of the racism of Terman? All it takes is a bit of Googling. Terman, Eugenics.

You have publicly flayed conservatives and those who like a bit of law and order in their lives. Some of us actually value the lifestyle we have worked so hard to achieve, we follow the rules, try to raise our children right and would like to maintain this lifestyle while helping others as much as we possibly can.

You?

The bottom line is that EPA needs to do something about the behavior of their citizens. They continue to fail to do anything about it.

I don't blame PA citizens for pointing out the obvious. EPA has some serious problems, namely failing to help the police, continual poor behavior, and a general lack of values.

I had forgotten who the chugger was. I thought it was YOUSHOULDKNOW.

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I don't doubt that Terman and/or Jordan were racists in some fashion. I just didn't independently verify it myself (nor do I really care at this point--they are long gone and it's the live racists in the midst that concern me now). But you didn't really address what the core point of yours was.

Just because our schools are named after racists does that mean we shouldn't look into racial profiling by our police? Why would it be hypocritical to do so?

Imagine that some lawyer found a legal flaw in the 18th Amendment---suddenly the amendment banning slavery is found to not be legal anymore. Now I couldn't imagine in this day and age that any state would really try to reinstate formal legal slavery....(although maybe some contracted out prison system?)....but assume they did. Would you bring up the fact that Washington owned slaves to shout "hypocrite" to any who opposed that state's right to choose to reinstate slavery?

Or is it just a random pot shot at liberal Palo Alto?

There is nothing closet about my socialism. Indeed recently the international leaders have pretty much instituted international socialism of sorts. Bush had to go along or the money would have flowed out. Now all that remains is for the public to see the obvious and demand it work for them as well and not just the well heeled classes. What Lenin sought to accomplish economically has come to pass in a most bizarre and ironic of ways. Now it's just a matter of picking up the political pieces.

If I have become anathema to the "ilk" who "elected" Bush twice, sabotaged our nation's economy, sent over 4,000 to their deaths for a despicable lie, are the Christian version of Al Queda in the USA (you and they feed off each other),..and so on and on..... then more power to me.

Hey and Bill Ayers launched Obama's political career. How about them apples?

Get used to it.

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I hope the victims of these shootings survive. i can't imagine what there medical bills will be. Innocent victims. A 6 year-old? Nothing's sacred in East Palo Alto any more. Vert unfair and sad.

How Ironic is it that I was pulled over in the same intersection thursday morning where the drive by happened. I was driving alone was pulled over by one cop in one car and before I recieved my traffic ticket 4 other cops arrived in 4 other cars. Did they really need 5 cars/cops for little ole me? No. And I asked the cop "must be a slow day and Im the only bad guy out here huh?" he didnt like that. Lets see how long it takes for EPA's finest to solve this one. But hey at least they gave me a traffic ticket one less bad guy huh? Traffic ticket or find real dangerous drive by shooters? HMMMM hard choice but they always take the easy way out. Unless one of their own gets shot or some guys in a mini van get away in a high speed chase involving 90+ cars then they wanna lock down the city and do manhunts. Protect and Serve? WHo? not protecting me so who are they protecting?

With all due respect, you don't know that any of the victims - besides the 6 yr. old - were innocent. My long time experience in EPA has taught me there are few innocents shot on the street. It's horrifying that criminals handle their disagreements with violence and in public, where innocents can get hurt. Luckily, it's not that often that the victims of shootings have no criminal ties, that the shooting isn't retaliatory, that it isn't some type of violent reprisal that could've been avoided if all parties weren't criminals. I dole out my sympathy carefully now, because many of these victims will also suck you dry emotionally if you let them.

[Post removed due to same poster using multiple names]

Sounds like you're angry at the police cause you got a ticket. I say either fix the equipment issue on your vehicle and/or obey the California vehicle code traffic laws so you won't get a ticket next time rather than blame and be upset at the police for your own actions.

^ No I was pulled before the shooting even happened. You missed the whole point if they responded to real criminals as fast as they do non-violent residents ( I was on my way to work after dropping my son off at school. YES alot of black men have jobs may surprise you but we do and we aren't all criminals WOW). then alot more crimes would be solved I have lived in epa for 25+yrs served on city councils, done outreach work with non-profits, I'm very active in the community. And the cops have never helped me only profiled me and I even recieved a beat down by 2 cops due to mistaken identity. Yet I still have a clean record and still get harassed. Why? Ive seen cops sell drugs they just got from busting somebody. They are untouchable. SAD BUT TRUE. Even my son has formed his own opinion of cops he saw his grandfather get beat up by the cops after he (the grand father) called the cops for assistance. All because of mistaken identity. I saw my dad get beat up by EPAPD. I dont think I can ever trust the police and I know alot of people who feel the same. They dont protect me they harass me. Maybe its because Im a young black man. SORRY I CANT HELP IT ILL BE A BLACK MAN FOREVER. Please stop harassing me.

Oh my ticket was for doin 28 in a 25 zone.
Opps sorry I was going 3 miles over the limit I will try to do better. But I've been pulled over for nothing and let go so much I know some by first and last name.

I'm a black man and always gets harassed...poor me and my oppressed people...I can't trust cops...

My dad was a cop who was gunned down by a grape street crip. Do I think all black people are all gang bangers and all of them are crooks? NO!!! My best friend is black. So why do you stereotype cops as being dirty and can't be trusted. That's reverse discrimination. And again, I'm not Caucasian.

Not stereotyping I just call it how I see it.
Sorry that your pops got gunned down.
But Im supposed to get harassed more than 3 times a week and love the cops? I get beat up for mistaken identity and I'm supposed to say oh thats ok maybe next time you'll will get the bad guy? No.
That stuff gets old. Every time I get pulled over I realize they could kill me and get away with it.
Have you ever been pulled over an feared for your life?

Sorry all my experiences with the police are bad maybe if they treated me like a respectable human being I would have a more favorable opinion.

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There is not one patrol team in EPA that has 5 officers on it. The department is sorely understaffed and under such conditions it is almost impossible for the police department to do any type of proactive crime fighting. As it stands, they just run around trying to put out fires.

I have actually lately seen *numerous* cop cars at the same time. Not sure if officers are working a lot of OT, but I've been surprised to see so many on one shift. I saw 3 cars, 4 officers the other night in front of Starbucks, on break, so many they're staffed up for the holidays. Frankly, it's nice to see them on break once in a while :-) & maybe the caffeine is a good thing!

What the hell is wrong with you racist posters on this site??? You are a disgrace to the city of Palo Alto and I don't recall growing up with people like you in my neighborhood. To simply voice that you are against profiling or in favor of helping out a community that in all respects should have had our help decades ago, well that's just appeasing "them" isn't it? Let them solve their own problems, and if they can't then we'll just have to march over there and show them all the answers!

Honestly, I'm disgusted by the racist tones in this thread. Boycott EPA!?! Yeah, let's really stick it to the less fortunate, that'll show them! They're all guilty after all right!?! That's why it's no bother to pull one of them over, or all of them over. One is just as guilty from the other and the cops are only doing their jobs right?

When you have been pulled over so many times that you've lost count in a few short years, it becomes harder to be understanding. It begins to feel like you are the threat and that you will forever be suspect. You can immediately be reduced from whatever it is that you are and whatever it is you do, to a simple dark face.

But hey, at least the local soccer moms will feel safer. That's all that really matters here right?

Nice rant Nick. Too bad so much of it is simply hot air. As someone who has contributed a lot to help out the less fortunate of EPA, I am PROUD to say I have met many others from Palo Alto who do the same. Most of us are just quiet about it. Yet all too often I hear from people like you who claim we don't do enough. Almost sounds like an entitlement issue to me. Big old rich Palo Alto being selfish not sharing the wealth with EPA. May I remind you that offering 'help' in any way is voluntary? We haven't gone over to socialism quite yet.

Do you know that we have plenty of needy people in PA too? I know our household is tight. We can't afford to turn on our heat this winter. We haven't had it on once! We are freezing our butts off at nite, and the mornings are almost unbearable! Do you think we are sitting around damning our more well to do neighbors for this? No. We are living our lives, making clothing adjustments and working on ideas to legally bring in more money so maybe we will be able to have the heat on when if it gets even colder. At that, we will only put it up to 58. You warm Nick? I sure hope so.

As I have said before I have friends of many colored faces whom have come and gone from my home and plenty of other places in Palo Alto without being harassed. This is over 34 years. I am sure people of ALL races get stopped unfairly at times. It happens.

These comments haven't been so much racist as sarcastic. There is a fine difference that can actually be called 'ironic'. A certain element in EPA spends a lot of time telling Palo Alto how awful and entitled it is and what we should be doing for EPA and screaming for 'respect' which is amazing since I don't see a lot of those same people in EPA having a whole lot of respect for anyone!

Hmm, I don't get it. I have been following this thread all along and while some of us have been bickering I haven't seen any real TOS' able offense. Ie: foul language, racist name calling, incitement . Yet in the last twenty minutes many posts have been removed.

I find it odd that the most 'objectionable' comment of all (if you are going to censor for anything other than blatant vulgarity) you allow to remain:

A Noun Ea Mous (aka Noun Eats Moose, or just Moose):

up the political pieces. If I have become anathema to the "ilk" who "elected" Bush twice, sabotaged our nation's economy, sent over 4,000 to their deaths for a despicable lie, are the Christian version of Al Queda in the USA (you and they feed off each other),..and so on and on..... then more power to me. Hey and Bill Ayers launched Obama's political career. How about them apples?

I am actually an atheist but I find it abhorrent that this smug holier than thou pseudo intellectual can get away with comparing Christians to Al Queda and you take down the responses! Either judge content fairly or not at all. Freedom of speech on this blog only applies to unabashed shallow thinking leftists?

I HAVE LIVED IN EAST PALO ALTO SINCE 1955 AND STARTED KINDERGARTEN HERE AS ONE OF 3 BLACKS IN MY CLASS, WHATS THAT GOT TO DO WITH ANYTHING? THEY WERE MY FRIENDS WE ATE AT THEIR TABLES AND THEY AT OURS UNTIL RED-LINEING CAME INTO PLAY... MOST OF YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT IS.... WE HAVE A ILL, AND I DO MEAN SICK POLICE FORCE AND A EVEN SICKER POLICE CHIEF WHO COULD REALLY CARE LESS WHAT HAPPENS HERE HE GOES HOME EVERY NIGHT AND TRAINS HIS OFFICERS TO DISRESPECT ALL CITIZENS HE DOESN'T RACIAL PROFILE HE JUST PROFILES PERIOD. ON THE OTHER HAND I AM DEEPLY SADDENED THAT MYSELF, MY GRANDCHILDREN, AND (1) GREAT-GRANDCHILD NO LONGER CAN WALK FROM OUR HOME IN MIDTOWN EPA TO THE VILLAGE BECAUSE WE ARE CONSIDRED OUT OF BOUNDS, ITS LIKE A WAR IN A 3RD WORLD COUNTRY UNTIL YOU HAVE ACTUALLY SEEN PEOPLE DIE AND GET SHOT YOU REALLY CAN NOT IMAGINE WHAT PEOPLE IN EPA GO THROUGH. WE ALL SHOULD BE TREATED FOR PTSD, YOU NEVER KNOW IF YOU WILL BE AWAKEN BY THAT DREADED PHONE CALL DAY OR NIGHT. ITS VERY UGLY OVER HERE AND THEY COULD BRING THE NATIONAL GUARD IN HERE AND IT STILL WOULDN'T BE SAFE BECAUSE THEY WOULD STOP UNTIL THEY LEAVE AND THEN BACK AGAIN. WE HAVE OVER 100 CHURCHES HERE AND ALL WE CAN DO IS PRAY... ITS SO FRUSTRATING AND SCAREY THAT WHEN I SEE ALL THIS BACK AND FORTH FOOLISHNESS I JUST WISH I COULD TALK TO ALL OF YOU ABOUT THE LAST 54 YEARS I HAVE SPENT IN THIS CITY AND TELL YOU OF A ROMANCE THAT TURNED INTO A NIGHTMARE OVER TIME, BUT I AM NOT LEAVING I WILL BE HERE UNTIL THE DAY I DIE, MY ENTIRE FAMILY IS HERE AND I STILL CAN REMEMBER THE GOOD OLD DAYS WHEN I USED TO WALK UNDER THE TUNNEL ON EAST BAYSHORE TO GET TO PALO ALTO AND GET STARED AT BUT NEVER HARMED. LIFE IS ROUGH OVER HERE BUT I STILL HAVE HOPE FOR THIS CITY BUT I DON'T HAVE ANSWERS AND I DON'T THINK ANY OF US DO. HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GOOD HOLIDAY WITH POSITIVE THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DO PRAY FOR THE CITIZEN OF EAST PALO ALTO. I LIVE HERE, I WORK HERE AND I AM WILLING TO DIE HERE. PEACE

When I moved here I heard stories about EPA. Lots of the friends I made said their grandparents retired there. That there were nice small homes with lovely gardens. Local business's that were family owned and operated for years. I heard it was a nice, safe, affordable, peaceful and pretty little City.

By the time I moved here from the East Coast in the 70's things had already changed and the real estate agent warned my parents to make certain that we (kids) didn't wander past either bridge. That is was 'dangerous'. That was 34 years ago. Isn't it time to bring EPA back to what it once was?

It can be done, its happened in other places. It takes the entire community to turn against the pieces of garbage committing the crimes. As one person said, if enough people make it clear the 'no snitch' mantra is no longer going to be a viable piece of EPA culture, maybe the human detritus causing the problems will move on.

Palo Altans can help by having more people wake up and see the reality that some of the best customers for the EPA drug trade are the kids right here in our own City. Unite the two Cities and surrounding areas over that one common cause and we may just have a beginning!

it's a crying shame every time you pickup the palo alto daily never is there good news always about violence people are raining down on fellow neighbors and children. can we all just come together as a unit,and get along