Most people, who are in their right mind, have concerns about safety if they live in Philadelphia and many other cities across America.
In actuality, there is no place that’s 100% safe anymore. We have to be vigilant. We have to pay attention. We have to be safety conscious. You just can’t open your front door to anybody anymore without confirmed identification or things of that nature.
In terms of going out after dark, that’s something that, if I had it my way, I would never do anymore. However, my job requires me to attend certain community meetings, and there are some events that I’m committed to that are in the evening. However, by and large, whenever possible, I avoid going out in the evenings. Why? Because I absolutely do not feel safe in my beloved city anymore. When I was younger, the concern I have for safety was absent back then. You know how most young folk are– they’re fearless.
Having shared that, I also know that it’s not healthy to just stay locked up in your house or apartment all the time. You have to get out and get some fresh air. You have to go to doctor’s appointments, grocery shopping, and perhaps to the gym. Plus, social interaction is a great exercise to keep one’s mind working and sharp.
Sherri Darden, publisher of the SCOOP Newspapers, recently got an email from a well-respected and longtime admired community leader and businesswoman, Vernoca Michaels, who, for a number of years, was a co-owner of the Blue Horizon Ballroom and Boxing Gym on North Broad Street. Now retired, after being a very active citizen in Philadelphia for more than 60 years. It’s weird and crazy for Vernoca Michaels in 2023 to feel like she does, and she says she’s not used to it. Her reality is, however, that she is not feeling safe in her neighborhood or her community anymore because of the violence.
**********
Thank you for reading Thera Martin’s article on scoopnewsusa.com. For more on “Concerned for Our Safety”, please subscribe to SCOOP USA Media. Print subscriptions are $75 and online subscriptions (Print, Digital, and VIZION) are $90. (52 weeks / 1 year).