California Attorney General Kamala Harris stressed the need to treat the gang problem with a community approach using prevention, intervention and enforcement. Harris was the guest speaker at Mayor Kevin Johnson’s gang forum Tuesday night in Meadowview. “We have to be smart on crime,” Harris said, eschewing the old notion of the only two choices being to be hard or soft on crime. She likened the gang violence problem to a public health problem like an epidemic: The best way to prevent it is ... Brandon Rich E. comment-49463 2011-04-21T12:45:12Z 2011-04-21T12:45:12Z rhonda, keep your spirits up!!!! may god bless you and your family. Rich E. 2011-04-21T12:45:12Z Rhonda Erwin comment-49412 2011-04-20T16:46:56Z 2011-04-20T16:46:56Z Rich, It was KJ's forum. At least every flyer, poster... I saw read “Mayor Kevin Johnson presents..... ‘ thus the reason it may appear personal towards Johnson. I was trying to make light of a painful situation of a forum where politics overshadows violence/deaths.... So I simply focused on his car parked illegally. It was painful, nearly every meeting I have ever gone to was/ is painful, it compounds our pain, adds insult to injury, pours salt on wounds, show a band aid for a fracture, for the love of money, money, money, money people looking to enhance their departments looking at money and not at the people...... I wrote it was painful for the mother and I and why I wrote Ignorance is bliss. Sometimes I don't have enough energy to go into all the disappointments and I save it for a rainy day...... It feels good to read what you wrote and not have to write it myself. It feels good seeing it come from someone else. Rich, I'm tired of fighting; I don't know if it is a sign of the times but my comment was a sign of exhaustion and pain. I'd rather take a moment and laugh than continue to cry..... Your comment is great! Rhonda Erwin 2011-04-20T16:46:56Z Rich E. comment-49409 2011-04-20T12:51:20Z 2011-04-20T12:51:20Z rhonda, i guess this is a perfect example of the times i say i believe sometimes you tend to make this personal towards KJ. for example, what did ms. harris say that was unique or plan-oriented towards preventing gang violence? she said nothing, yet you have singled-out KJ. why? i am a 34 yr old man and it wasn't too long ago when i was in jr. high and high school (late 80s to early 90s) and gang violence was a problem then. it has been 20 yrs since i first entered jr. high school and yet we have the same problems. intead of thes politicians (KJ included) getting up and making speeches that are empty and hollow, when will they give us a definitive plan? when will ms. harris, KJ, obama, governor brown, ANYONE standup and say "this is THE PLAN" that will stop gang violence"? stump speeches don't stop gang violence. politicians don't stop gang violence. news/press conferences stop gang violence. ACTION will stop gang violence and until all of the suits in society (male and female; politicians and business people; mom AND dad) standup and say "we aren't going to allow these thugs to run our communities" then the gangs will continue to win. and in my opinion, since they are still in existence, then they are winning. Rich E. 2011-04-20T12:51:20Z Rhonda Erwin comment-49408 2011-04-20T07:41:05Z 2011-04-20T07:41:05Z I'm sorry I forgot to say I like your article. It is well written Rhonda Erwin 2011-04-20T07:41:05Z Rhonda Erwin comment-49407 2011-04-20T07:58:34Z 2011-04-20T07:58:34Z I like Greg King, he's a good guy, he's been around for a while now addressing youth violence. He has an event coming up soon too. Johnson states, "students in second and third grade are being peer-pressured into joining gangs." WHERE? I spoke to a mother whose son was murdered and as we walked out she stated, 'Why is it every time I leave these events I am disappointed" well Ignorance is bliss and our pain allows us to see threw much of it… I only find comfort because I know a few of the folks putting on the event and a few attending are sincere in their efforts. (Johnson is not one of them) I like what the AG said. However, she needs to clean up her office before coming into the community to address an issue. I couldn't believe what I read from the assistant attorney general on my son's appeal. That’s not the most honest office. Also Sacramento youth get double heck probably triple the time youth in other cities get for the same or less offensive crime. So, we should note those 2 year sentences aren't coming from Sac convictions. And what was with Johnson's SUV and his entourage SUV illegally parked in front of the community center facing opposite directions?? THEY couldn't park the car in a stall like the rest of us folks? They aren't the secret service no one was going to harm him or the guest speaker. WE can walk to the event, in the neighborhood and they CAN'T park in the parking lot? He needs a parking ticket! Or towed. This is the second time I seen this mess, when his entourage picked up the mayor from another city he did the same thing in front of city hall, parking right in front illegally like they own the CITY building and don't have to use a parking stall or garage. He is the city mayor now NOT a celebrity for goodness sake. He shouldn’t break the law, what kind of example is he for kids volunteering in city hall? He has more than a 3rd grade reading level. He can't read NO PARKING Rhonda Erwin 2011-04-20T07:58:34Z