Saturday, December 15, 2012

"I Hate Hartford"

Viewers who see my photographs of stately Hartford buildings often comment about how pretty Hartford seems to be.  But remember, on this blog you see Hartford through the eyes of an older white, privileged guy living a comfortable life in the suburbs.

There is, of course, another Hartford, the Hartford of poor, nonwhite, young people, who live in fear in dangerous urban neighborhoods.


On the lawn of the Church of the Good Shepherd, there is a pile of engraved brownstone slabs, a memorial to some of the young people who didn't make it out of that poor neighborhood.


"I hate Hartford.  
I just want to get out of this town . . . 
I want to get out of this place."  
Melvin Anthony 'Koo Koo Nutee' Kardulis, 
died in the 17th year of his age.

I googled Melvin Kardulis and learned that he was a talented student artist.  In late 1991 Melvin's uncle and he had angry words with some teenagers in a convenience store.  A 16-year old had a gun.  Kardulis was the 25th person murdered in Hartford that year.

Does anyone believe that the framers of the Constitution 
really intended that every idiot in this country could have 
any lethal weapon he wants?
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23 comments:

  1. Dave-CostaRicaDailyPhoto.comDecember 15, 2012 at 6:56 AM

    Your post today reminds us that yesterday's tragedy in Connecticut is replicated on a smaller scale, one at a time, butt in greater cumulative numbers, every day, in gun violence incidents throughout the country.

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  2. UnknownDecember 15, 2012 at 7:23 AM

    Hats off to you for this great post, Jack!

    I am so very sad regarding what happened in your state. How many shootings in US schools since Columbine? I feel very revolted when I think the reasons are way too obvious. This is not an Al-Qaeda attack in your country, who needs them when you already have the NRA?! I think my feelings are shared with many of you, but I know this is how the rest of the world sees it.

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  3. Stefan JanssonDecember 15, 2012 at 7:25 AM

    Very sad news yesterday. Horrible. Sad story about Melvin as well.

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  4. LowellDecember 15, 2012 at 8:06 AM

    In answer to your question: Hell, no!
    The 2nd Amendment was to ensure that the states had the means to put together a militia if necessary...we've got those now, The National Guard and the U.S. military!

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  5. KateDecember 15, 2012 at 8:13 AM

    As a nation we should hang our heads in shame at the waste of young lives due to violence.

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  6. GardenbugDecember 15, 2012 at 9:01 AM

    Arlo Guthrie said, "And friends they may thinks it's a movement.

    And that's what it is , the Alice's Restaurant Anti-Massacre Movement, and
    all you got to do to join is sing it the next time it come's around on the
    guitar."

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  7. CindyDecember 15, 2012 at 9:33 AM

    No matter what side of the issue of gun control you're on- we are all thinking of how this could have been prevented. And the story you told was so tragic.

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  8. cieldequimperDecember 15, 2012 at 9:36 AM

    Beautiful post for the aftermath. Beatiful post period.

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  9. Sylvia KDecember 15, 2012 at 10:26 AM

    Yes, I agree with Ciel.

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  10. SharonDecember 15, 2012 at 10:42 AM

    I thought about you so many times yesterday listening to such painful and tragic news. I had tears in my eyes many times yesterday.
    Your final statement on this post has run through my mind so many, many times. Too many times in fact.

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  11. KarlDecember 15, 2012 at 12:08 PM

    Very sad news indeed, and sad story you tell us today.

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  12. DianneDecember 15, 2012 at 2:38 PM

    I didn't realise Hartford was that close to Newtown .... what can I say Jack .... I live far from your community but I'm still rendered speechless.

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  13. RedPatDecember 15, 2012 at 3:05 PM

    I thought of you yesterday, Jack! I don't know how a family recovers from something like yesterday or even how a community recovers. I don't understand the whole gun mentality at all!
    From outside it looks as if the NRA et all are too powerful to allow change to your gun laws.

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  14. jennyfrecklesDecember 15, 2012 at 5:02 PM

    You remind us that gun incidents don't all have to be big to be tragic, though Friday's was incredibly shocking and very, very sad. You also remind me that it's very easy to 'sanitise' our blogs and only show the bits we're comfortable with.

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  15. EdDecember 15, 2012 at 5:36 PM

    This violence needs to stop.

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  16. KayDecember 15, 2012 at 8:35 PM

    Sad and fitting post. I can't imagine the intent of the 2nd Amendment was to create the carnage we see today. Is it too political to suggest that we also didn't have the NRA back in the day?

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  17. RandyDecember 15, 2012 at 10:41 PM

    I echo JM's comment. I have cried most of the day today just thinking of the children. This all just needs to stop and now.

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  18. Leslie D.December 16, 2012 at 11:53 AM

    Thank you for your very real reminder. I live in a place too that is presumed to be pristine but misfortune and the darker side of human nature exists no matter where one lives..

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  19. UnknownDecember 16, 2012 at 6:28 PM

    We need to acknowledge that something has gone very, very wrong with our culture in this country that we squander lives like this.

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  20. HalcyonDecember 17, 2012 at 8:27 AM

    I definitely don't think our forefathers meant that every citizen of our country should be allowed to bear arms. But unfortunately, that's how it reads in our constitution and I don't think we will be able to change much. This is a timely post in light of recent events. :(

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  21. PerthDailyPhotoDecember 17, 2012 at 10:41 AM

    Gosh Jack, I just finished swabbing up the tears from your last post, now I'm at it again. You've really expressed your feelings so eloquently. My heart is breaking for the parents of the young lost and also for your country as a whole, recovering from the continual misuse of weapons must be getting harder and harder for you as a nation..maybe now!

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  22. SRQDecember 19, 2012 at 12:02 PM

    Nice post. Sadly, the worst school tragedy in American history did not involve guns but a crazed man using dynamite in Michigan. Evil people will find a way to commit evil deeds.

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  23. CaTDecember 24, 2012 at 7:11 PM

    yes, i wonder about that too. so very often you hear, "its in the constitution". but that was so long ago. everything was different then!

    btw, i did not forget that you are visiting the netherlands in spring, right?! are you only going to amsterdam or around as well?

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