i thought i saw the garb on some people in lorain once and they were already there, guess not.

 

what do you all think of the guardian angels movement?

 

their website:

http://www.guardianangels.org/

 

 

Guardian Angels preparing to take flight in Lorain

 

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

By KRISTEN VASAS

 

LORAIN — The Lorain Guardian Angels chapter will begin training for street patrols a little more than a month after Guardian Angels from Toledo and Cleveland brought their message to the city. The Lorain chapter, which has 10 members so far, has a headquarters building and plans on having a recruitment meeting sometime next week.

 

http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2009/09/02/news/mj1550962.txt

To the degree that they beat up punks, I like them.  To the degree that they remind me of the Red Hat Ladies, I don't.

They really need to update their uniforms. For some reason the whole red beret / jacket thing reminds me of a bad 80's remake of West Side Story.

When people take the time to learn all about what the Guardians are......we discover there are so many mis-conceptions of them. I actually talked with a few of their leaders and am considering becoming one. I had them speak at a block club meeting and these days...when you hear about all the advantages of having their presence, it becomes a no-brainer to have them help to create connections in neighborhoods and re-establish 'community' The first thing they like to wipe clear is the misguided conception that they're all about busting heads and being vigilantes. They have a very complex and thorough training course...do not take on board just anyone....and use a lot of psychology to deal with issues.... If necessary, they will make citizens arrests as a last resort---and being that they are citizens, they are not held liable or cannot be, for violating someone's rights. They're all good. I am talking with Luis this week... Glad they're here in Cleveland. And most of their presence is because again...what I have said all along....many do not comprehend what it means to respect law and rules and to behave respectfully in a communal setting...and to be social..and not anti-social. As for the red berets.... Weeeeeelll.... It could be worse! Ha!

well i suppose no matter what they wear its going to stand out, thats the point of that, so they can be easily recognized.  :roll:

 

but what of the service itself?

 

i think the good outweighs the bad, although on the newspaper comments someone said something like now they'll never buy in the city because the presence of the ga's immediately indicates its a terrible place. i doubt their sincerity, but maybe they have a point re appearances? i dk about that. if the locals embrace it...and they will, and it's a good thing it'll stay. that's more important.

 

 

Will Curtis Sliwa himself make an appearance? That might be too much to hope for...but at least that'll get him out of New York for a day or two! (as long as he's back for the Pulaski Day Parade)

 

well i suppose no matter what they wear its going to stand out, thats the point of that, so they can be easily recognized. :roll:

 

but what of the service itself?

 

i think the good outweighs the bad, although on the newspaper comments someone said something like now they'll never buy in the city because the presence of the ga's immediately indicates its a terrible place. i doubt their sincerity, but maybe they have a point re appearances? i dk about that. if the locals embrace it...and they will, and it's a good thing it'll stay. that's more important.

 

 

 

I wouldn't pay attention to anything on newspaper comment sections.  They almost invariably are cesspools of idiocy and negativity.

Wow, cant believe they are still around.  Curtis Silwa or Siwla or whatever his name was gave a speech at UofK while I was there.  He sounded ...intense. 

 

The red berets.  I figured they got some sort of discount from the boy scouts, becuase back in the early/mid 70s the boy scouts had red berets as part of their uniform....

 

I wouldn't pay attention to anything on newspaper comment sections.  They almost invariably are cesspools of idiocy and negativity.

  This is certainly the case for Dayton....Cleveland too, huh?

^ There was actually a comment or two in the PD that seemed to suggest that GANGS were a benefactor to the neighborhood! Obviously it was someone who resented the fact that the Guardians would now be on the watch...and that perhaps he could not continue to resort to his usual lawless ways. The comment was on an article about the G's a few weeks ago.

The Guardian Angles seem to be sort of a way of doing community policing...

 

So, yeah, the GA's are OK in my book.  I see them as a positive force.

i was thinking about it and i dont think the presence of the ga's is going to affect appearances of prospective outsiders one way or the other in a place like lorain. anyone renting or buying into the poor or at best lower middle class housing neighborhoods would probably be glad they are there.

 

fwiw i talked to my bro and he is all for them. he wants them around downtown at night too.

 

^ I see their presence as a neighborhood being pro-active about improving issues that may affect their quality of life---instead of cowering in the home and pretending problems don't exist.