Schools, Drugs and Gangs in Pennsylvania - Things Are Getting Better, But it's Still a Challenge

As I travel the United States I see the good, the bad and the ugly. Sometimes you think you are looking at a nice area, yet when you stop to talk to the people there, they tell you otherwise. Then other times and other places you see what you believe to be a run down and out town, but the city is alive and vibrant with the community spirit.

Not long ago, I had traveled to Pennsylvania and reported on what I had seen, indeed, I did see some problems there, but you could only sense it and could not know for sure if it was good or bad. Later when I wrote about the area someone contacted me and told me what a couple of other people in the area had mentioned briefly. Here is what he has to say:

live in an area that could be described as the tale of 3 cities. I work out of Bethlehem a city founded by the Moravians in 1740 and of course the one time home of Bethlehem Steel. I graduated from Moravian College in 1966, taught in Bethlehem School District 1967-1999 and have been at real estate agent since 2001. It is a wonderful town soon to be invaded by the Sands Casino. No one is quiet sure what is going to happen. Then I have Allentown in West Downtown and some liken it to a hell hole of drugs and death. The school district is a mess and is the principle reason new folks do not move in. The administration panders to every single group in the city. To the East we have Easton, a border city with NJ. It use to be a nice town when I growing up and in college - Lafayette College is there. It is one of three places where the Declaration of Independence was first read. It appeared that it was on its way back but not so much now, as thugs, drugs, Crips, Bloods, Money Cash Boys, prostitution are all very prominent. No one wants to do anything. Even the surrounding countryside, once very rural, is now inundated with crime primarily break-ins to homes and cars. We even have two gals who are holding up banks. Yet located between Philly and NY, we are a hot area. Only the good Lord knows for how long.

It behooves all of us to work hard to make sure our cities are safe and wonderful, it is all of our responsibilities to put into the community if we want them to be safe and secure. If we fail to act then we are part of the problem and not helping with the solution. In this coming year I want you to consider this and do your part. Make this something to contemplate in 2008.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/.