Happy 2008

OK, so it's been a while since I've posted, mainly because I have been wondering if continuing this blog is necessary in light of lively activity on the yahoo group.

Since the messages are limited to "members only," one possible function an external blog might have is to digest and comment on some of the conversations that have been going on. I'll pitch that to the group and see what they say.

Another issue is time, or lack thereof. I ended up being extremely busy with work and dance performances and rehearsals from early October through mid-December. Plus, I was attacked by some kids at Ingersoll houses in mid-November, which impaired my ability to function normally.

The injury itself wasn't so bad (see reposting of my initial note to the Yahoo group below), but perhaps because it brought back a lot of painful memories of my being abused -- physically and psychologically -- during my middle school years, which is exactly the age of the kids who attacked me.

I thought I'd dealt with a lot of that stuff, but apparently not, as I had frequent repetitive anxiety, which left me barely able to concentrate on my necessary obligations.

Anyway. I'm better now, mostly.

Below is the posting from mid-November.

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Not to alarm anyone too much, but I wanted to let all of you know --just in case....Last Saturday (11/17), at about 7:15pm, while I was walking along the Navy Street bike path towards the B61 bus stop, a group of kids on the pedestrian overpass threw what may have been a bottle at me.

I felt the object shatter against my head and heard them yell, "Whiteb**tch!!" and laugh when I looked back at them.

I stumbled away too quickly to get a look at the fragments on the ground and called 911 immediately and told them that I had been attacked by young people who were throwing objects down at passersby.

I felt blood in my hair and realized that my scalp had a large gash in it and asked for an ambulance.

Police cars and an ambulance showed up at the bus stop at Park and Navy within 5 minutes. I explained the incident to an officer, who did not give me his name, though I gave him my information.

He asked what had hit me, and I didn't know because I wanted to getaway. But I said he could probably still find pieces of it on the street. He did not give any indication that he was going to investigate the matter further.

Anyway, the EMT took me to the Brooklyn Hospital ER where the laceration was stapled together.

Healthwise, I'm OK at this point -- though I'm still pretty shaken up about this incident, and am hoping that this group of kids hasn't taken up the hobby of using cars, bikers, pedestrians, etc. as target practice.

I had hoped that I'd learn more about whether or not the police found these kids and at least talked to them, but when I called the 88th Precinct today, I learned that no crime report had even been created for this assault!!

There was only an "Aided Card" (#1187), which simply showed that I had been injured and aided by EMT. In other words, I might have just tripped and fallen, as far as the City is concerned.

Are any of you aware of any similar attacks of this nature? Has any of you reported an attack or other criminal incident only to find that it was not reported as such by the 88th Precinct?

I'm going to continue to investigate with the Precinct detectives; I think it's very important that the crime rate not be kept artificially low, because lower numbers will inevitably mean fewer officers.

I've also sent a note to Tish James... perhaps at the very least,they can secure the bridge a bit more.

Anyway... please let me know your thoughts.
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My neighbors posted many kind responses, and while I did follow up with the 88th Precinct, their stonewalling tactics left me too demoralized to continue. But the issue is hardly dead, and I will get that report number!