Isn't it wonderful how the liberal social programs, starting with LBJ's Great Society, have turned inner cities all across the USA into havens of safety? Why, I think we should all vote for liberals in every election.

I just can't wrap my brain around what sort of animal it takes to kill an old man who couldn't have been a physical threat to anyone. And I can't understand why the innocent of Baltimore are made to suffer so that the vermin can have their rights protected by law.

It's a darn good thing we're being told how much "safer" Baltimore is becoming these days.

Robert you wingnuts amaze me with the depth of your ignorance , what a maroon

RobertJ: Your comments are not helpful. All you want to do is politicize a horrible crime. It has nothing to do with social programs, liberals or conservatives. It's not even a problem that you could blame on cities. It's a question: Why don't some people value life? And if they don't value life, what is to be done with them?

The innocent bystander aspects of the murders this week are disturbing. I'm very open minded about the struggles of Baltimore city, and I've spent my entire life live in tough urban areas, and was born here, but something has to give, and I realize now more than ever it has to come from the communities most affected and most responsible for the issues. I grew up in a relatively working-class/poor working class neighborhood here in Charm City that had its share of problems, and still does to this day. But, there was always a sense of community and ability to work together to solve issues. But there's a lack of investment in too many communities, and those who do invest are shunned and or outright attacked by the forces of violence. Too many children growing up without any sense of family, too many parents destroyed on drugs and not invested in their children's future, too many innocent bystanders looking to enjoy urban living harmed in the middle.

This city was not (purposefully not?) prepared for the end of the industrial age. The blue-collar jobs left, but the blue-collar labor mentality stayed put for the most part. The ’68 riots pushed whatever investment there was in this city out to the suburbs, and in the vacuum of unemployment came the drug market, destroying entire neighborhoods while, disturbingly, providing some of the best paying employment in this city. How do low-paying retail/service jobs, arguably some of the most stressful and unsatisfying work in the current job market, compete with making $1,000 a week slinging dope?

I don't know how to solve this other than the affected communities in mass working to take back their neighborhoods block by block. Gentrification seemed to be the plan, but that's dead in this economy. It has to come from within, from the people affected daily by standing up and saying we've had enough. Maybe the scars are too deep right now, but I hope it happens soon.

Sad and outrageous. Please make sure that this article about this senseless murder appears in a more prominent place in the Sun than this blog (no offense: it's a well-written piece that more people should read).

Here was a 70-year-old who did not shy away from doing men's work (shoveling snow, carrying heavy boxes to the food pantry, walking women to their cars, trimming hedges) who was likely gunned down by a much younger "man" who probably never did a useful thing in his life.

Yes, the post that appears here will be in the newspaper. It's been posted to the blog because we're trying to direct more traffic this way, as the page has a lot of different crime resources, links, and related stories. -JF

Tracy, Larry, and Oh Please:

Robert's comments are exactly on target and to the point. This has everything to do with social programs and liberalism. Before the advent of the modern cradle-to-grave welfare state, this sort of crime would have been unthinkable. When families were intact, when little boys were raised properly in homes with fathers, when people took pride in themselves and their communities, this would not have happened, even in the poorest of neighborhoods. Your failure to understand the broader implications of a crime like this makes that much harder to effect needed changes.

And the State of Maryland has all but abolished the death penalty? Make it easier to administer the death penalty and these perpatrators of these heinous crimes MAY think twice about the consequences of their actions.

I just dont even know what to say anymore. yesterday i read that a guy sitting in a lawn chair was shot, just sitting there. now today this , not to mentioned what happened earlier in the week. There are certain sections of the city that need to be de-bugged. I mean get rid of the insects living there. I dont give a crap what the NAACP might have to say about it, or al sharpton running here to stop it , it has to happen, but just get rid of them. Pack them up ship them out. Throw them in the fricking sea. I am sure many many blacks agree with me.

By the end of the year all the good African Americans that live in Baltimore will be killed by their Bros.

Way to go Jessamy

fools! your god is dead!

As much as I hate to admit I'm in fear of my life and the lives of others who call “Charm City” home. The Hopkins research student's killing really hit home. I work in a local Cancer Center and appreciate the contributions made to find cures/treatments for this life interrupting disease. The rally in Charles Village was very touching. But will it deter another psycho from attacking or killing another productive member of this city? Today, I read a defenseless elderly man has been left on the side of the street like abandoned trash! This is disgusting; another haphazard of the city! When I hear the Police Commissioner emphasize this city is safe makes me wonder is he confusing Baltimore City with Fantasy Island? Heaven please help "Harm City."

This should get as much attention at the Pitcairn murder. As to politics - don't blame liberals, blame Reagan. Before he outsourced all of our jobs to Mexico and began dismantling the social safety net, these crimes were less common. Crime in America exploded in the 80's. That was the Reagan decade. It started to decline under Clinton. Those are the facts.

We need a concealed carry law so the animals that attack people will have to wonder if their purported victim is really defenseless, or whether he/she will instead turn the tables on the attacker.

Gun control laws don't work because by definition, criminals don't obey laws.

And you expect me to believe the city is somehow safer? Okay, show me numbers from the FBI, but you know what, I don't care. I don't want to hear it. It is time for the people to step up and make a change in this city.
My prayers go out to this community, this parish, and all those affected by this city and the culture of death that has tormented our streets.
While I understand that so much needs to be done on so many levels, one of the things that we can do collectively, if nothing, is elect new leaders. Baltimore has developed in recent history a pattern of predictable behavior. Can we please say "Enough!' and change what has been expected of us? We need new leaders and we need them now. Let Jessamy's lose (I pray) be a warning to those that believe their seat is guaranteed.

The problem with the hearts of men are the hearts of men..Only an encounter with God can fix that!

I'm telling you, castration is the answer for oh so many things.

First my condolences to the friends, church members, and the family of Mr. Hill.

For the must part, I ignore the ignorant comments that are so common to this section. But I must break my self imposed rules.

janks123, If you think we (black people)would support you in an effort to "ship them out", you are out of your mind. You think we don't know that you and your lynch mob, would be coming for me next.

By the way, why don't you and all others who think like you have the nerve to put your real name on the garbage you write.

You must think that the African American community is stupid.

I was told you have nothing to fear in the city as long as you stay away from gangs and drugs.
Well, each of the last two murders were people like me....Hard working, minding your own business type of folks.
So I guess that theory is dead.

And Rick, your nuts. This has nothing to do with jobs or social safety nets. This has to do with the thugs that choose to kill. Place the blame where it belongs.

I think:

1. Skankisha Sex with no burden, no onus, no responsibility put on the fleet-footed, bolting sperm-donor is what fuels the "Baltimore Homicidal Maniac Factory Inc." which produces these "District 9" criminals, these Gremlins.

The only product the Chinese do not export, it seems.

2. There will come a time when the ghost of Chas. Bronson will begin inspire like-minded men -- black men. And white, too. Once our backs are against the wall.

3. Relative to Robert & Joe, Politicizing heinousness is moronic. So knock it off.

Rick, what you are saying is not really fact, it is one of many contributing factors. Another component to the violence produced in the 80s in Baltimore was a direct effect of the aftermath of the two recessions that we had in that 70s which left this particular blue collar city in shambles economically. It was then compounded by the two we had in the 80s (one of which was prior to Reagan's term, the other lasted for aprox a year and half and started within his first year- much like Obama). As you may or may not know economic impact is often delayed by several years proceeding any administration...4 or 8 year termed. Not saying that there aren't some truths to what you are saying but to blame a dead prez for this is just a little bit of an over simplification of the situation (as is what I am saying). Beyond that, it won't solve the problem. Local politics, at least today, have more of an impact on what we can have changed or not.

Bro Milton helped me whenever I called on him. He gave me his telephone number so that I could get in touch with him. I saw him on Tuesday, July 27, after he had come from helping bring food from the MD Food Bank. He is a true Missionary. It hurts really bad because of the way he left us. May God bring peace and comfort to those that knew and love Bro Milton

This was a sad crime to have have to a wonderful soul. May he RIP. I think Maryland should get rid of these old Judges who sit on these benches giving the "slap on the wrist" sentencing. Then Maryland should reform there sentence and guidelines. People who commit crimes should be held accountable for there actions not just PBJ Crime is just not in the City it's even in my neighborhood "White Marsh".

Joe: Listen to yourself, dreaming out loud about a time and place that never did exist in this country. "Before the advent of the modern cradle-to-grave welfare state, this sort of crime would have been unthinkable." What?! I call you out for having no sense of history -- ours was a despicably violent society from its earliest days -- and I condemn your cheap and easy blaming of social programs for someone's death during a street robbery.

Can't you see that you're not helping? You're just kicking back, making vague pronouncemnets about "broader implications."

Let me put it to you in a way I hope you can understand: Grab a shovel. Dig the man's grave. And help us figure out how to make sure this never happens again.

Untill we stand up and say no more and stand together against the scum that robs steals and murder. They will keep doing it . Hate to say it but mobs rule why don,t we give back to those scum what they have givin us. Fear and death!!!!

To people blaming this on "modern socialist liberal blah blah programs" who say this would have "never been acceptable before them," the inner city issues of today were created by programs developed by both liberals and conservatives, blaming this 100% on "welfare programs" shows your lack of knowledge of policy history, specifically pertaining to housing, poverty and race.

I wish [people would give up the simplistic "increase death penalty" nonsense. Nobody is deterred by the death penalty, because no criminal expects to be caught, and during a crime of passion, the situation is some murders, the perpetrator isn't thinking rationally. Decent people think penalties deter criminals, because they would be deterred, but criminals are not decent people.

What's wrong with Baltimore? I think that the Reverend James David Manning says it better than I ever could: http://atlah.org/atlahworldwide/?p=9128

This city is a f'ing sick piece of crap. Unless and until the city dwellers get fed up and realize this crap needs to stop and appear and testify against this garbage that walks among them and are members of their Black Guerilla Family, it won't ever end. They conspire to protect members of this violent Black Gang of murders and thugs and just act like cowards, like sheep going to slaughter. I wouldn't ever ever, ever, ever put foot in this violent BLACK CITY!

That's right, black's are killing the people so let's get it straight and put blame where blame belongs. It's the Black community that needs to straighten this out, not the white community.

And the beat goes on. Day in, day out, all year, year in, year out. Wonder if Wonder Boy O'Malley will show up over that church and tell this man's friends about the 'historic reduction in violent crime' since he's been mayor/governor. This sob should not only not be re-elected, he should be run out of the state!

So I wonder if the interfaith communities with the loss of such a beloved member are as upset as others were over the loss of the Hopkins man. Are they still going to throw their support behind Jessamy? I wonder when or if the police find the murderer and uncover his/her seedy past of possible nolle pros or suspended sentences will they be as enraged? We have no control over the employment of prosecutors, police, judges, or commissioners but we have power over the elected officials that have the say in who stays or goes in their jobs. For a long time the black community has thrown their support solidly behind Jessamy. For what? To still be ranked among one of the most dangerous cities in America? To still have an unbelievable/unacceptable amount of deaths/crime on a weekly basis (primarily in black communities- may I remind you)? I have seen the statistics on the FBI site. Our improvement is not as vast a they claim. Go and see for yourself. Beyond that, compare us to other major cities (forget counties)and do not forget to factor in population please. Particularly compare our "success" to that of DC. They are cleaning the floor with us and they are demographically about the same- therefore, do not say that the vote of elected leadership does not matter or cannot change things. I wonder as I wander through my own city neighborhood, if those in my city who have been so loyal to the status quo will finally wake up and realize change doesn't just have to apply to Washington where we elected a black president in a "white" country, it should apply here too, in a "black" city where we can elect a white state's attorney.

When are our people going to realize that every time one of us kill one of us its making other races happy.We kill for the dumbest reasons. We dont kill people who have done something to us.We kill innocent people. If you want to kill somebody KILL YOUR OWN DUMB ASS!!!!!

RobertJ,

Why don't you take a long walk on a short pier? We don't need your pastor Manning birther spam.

By the way, you know that Pastor Manning is a convicted felon, right?

I believe the judges are not doing there job. This is not the CHANGE Obama spoke of. Another productive citizen killed. The Johns Hopkins researcher now this! When is the city going to wake up? THE TOURISTS ARE SCARED AWAY, BUSINESS IS SCARED AWAY. Stop acting like children and grow up and take responsibility for your neighborhood.

I blame the current events on the politicians and the Judical system. Even though they don't commit the crimes they set up the stage for the crimes to happen. First they take away Recreation center from the youth, so now they are out on the corners with the drug dealers. The cut the budget for the emergency services (Police and Fire Department) now the response time is longer then usual or longer. Then if people are arrested for crimes they slap them on the wrist and send them out there to do it again.
The past Mayor steals gift cards from the needy and they give her a pension, big joke!
Charm City has lost it's Charm!

This is one of the most disgusting crimes I have heard of. Sounds like thi sman would have given you the shirt off his back. I hope the Balt police dept can locate his scooter and by doing that locate the killer

This is very sad and senseless. It seems almost everyday a murder is reported in the city. The police are arresting the suspects over and over. The courts and judges must now take a tough stance on crime and step up to the plate and put those responsible in jail and keep them there. No early parole. Citizens must feel safe in thier communities.

I have known Mr Hill for the past 10 years. I saw him all the time and he was the sweetest man I know...I will miss him terribly. He was always so kind to me and my 7 year old daughter. He loved my little girl like she was one of his own grandkids. Heaven got another angel this weekend. I can't say goodbye so I will just say...Till we meet again Mr. Hill...Rest in Peace XoXoXo