Man shot after confrontation with Vick at Michael Vick's 30th birthday party

[JoeRedskin]

Originally Posted by over the mountain

I think some of you all have driven through the hood in a long time, if ever. the streets are full of people with bad intentions. The times i do have to drive thru west baltimore, its white nuckles on the wheel, head on a 360 degree swivel, ready to run red lights and take off if anyone starts to approach my car.

its not the case of a few bad apples spoiling the bunch, its a bunch of bad apples with a few good ones looking for a way to move out of the hood.

sorry, but people with rosy and disney-esque visions of the hood live in the burbs.

My son goes to a charter school right by Carroll Park near Hollins Market in SW Baltimore. Let's just say that calling the neighborhood "rough" is an understatement (Terrific school though). Anyone who thinks the ratio of 50:1/good:thug is anything approaching reality is sadly mistaken. Not saying the reverse is true either - just that the 'hood exists and there are a looooot of bad people in it.

One of Aidan's school counselors is a 20 something, 6'4", African American dad whose kids go to the school and who is from the 'hood. About the 'hood and thug life he said to me "some get out, some don't but want to, some get out but don't actually leave, but most never want to leave 'cause they just can't function outside 'the life'".

Apparently, Vick is one of those who you take out of the Hood but you can't take the Hood outta him.