April 26, 2008
Community Forum - Is There Any Good In Petersburg?
Please help us address this question at the Peabody Middle School Auditorium on Tues. April 29th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at 725 Wesley St.
They say that Petersburg is the worst area to live in; they say we have the worst schools; they say Petersburg is known for drug dealing and the formation of gangs; they say our police department is corrupt and it may be better to take matters into our own hands; they say our students can’t learn and that administrators have no solutions to the problems; they say that our churches are failing our communities and our hospital has a bad reputation……
BUT WHAT DO YOU SAY?
This question comes up everywhere in the Tri-Cities area. As concerned parents of Petersburg our question is to the Petersburg leaders, officials and community - Is There Anything Good In Petersburg?
This is a desperate cry to come out and address these circumstances that have plagued our city! For more information, please call Henry Brown at 804 339-3773.
Hold up on the date folks — there might be an updated date on this event?
In fact, I calld the contact listed on the flyer and he said that Supt. Victory thought that this might be a negative and did not want it to go down as planned by the parents involved. I asked the contact to let me know as soon as it is a go and will post the corrected date at that time.
Hold on, now, folks. As mentioned in a prior post (or 2), all cities have issues of this sort. We moved to Old Towne a couple of years ago from Poquoson, VA because we fell in love with the community here. We LEFT a small city with virtually no crime, responsive City government, the perfect little town to come TO PETERSBURG. What’s great about it here is that though there are many problems to be tackled, the community is really beginning to move together to achieve solutions. Sorting out the schools, attracting and retaining better teachers, lowering the cost of education per student is going to take a while. Regarding the Police Dept., I have been extremely impressed with our Police officers and Chief Dixon. The senior officers we have are still here because they also LOVE THE CITY, for the most part. Let’s give Council and the School Board a chance with this next budget process to begin re-appropriating your existing tax monies to achieve what the taxpayers need! I’m not advocating higher taxes to do this, either. A scrutiny of the proposed budget seems to indicate that there are some areas which are not as critical which might be cut this year to move a little bit more money to fully fund the Police Dept budget, for instance. Ya’ll chose to live here or remain here, so stand by your city and help achieve some productive changes! Educate yourselves on the issues and maybe offer some solutions along with listing all the problems.
“We moved to Old Towne a couple of years ago from Poquoson, VA because we fell in love with the community here. We LEFT a small city with virtually no crime, responsive City government, the perfect little town to come TO PETERSBURG.”
Really? Which Petersburg? And why did you leave an area that was so nice? Were you not in love with the community there?
“Regarding the Police Dept., I have been extremely impressed with our Police officers and Chief Dixon. The senior officers we have are still here because they also LOVE THE CITY, for the most part. Let’s give Council and the School Board a chance with this next budget process to begin re-appropriating your existing tax monies to achieve what the taxpayers need!”
I have been impressed with the officers I have met too, and have heard positive things about Dixon from some of the officers. It is a quantity vs. quality issue in the PD, the exact OPPISITE problem as the schools.
“Ya’ll chose to live here or remain here, so stand by your city and help achieve some productive changes!”
Hooold on here! If you were to tell me that petersburg was going to remain exactly as it was when you fell in love with it, I would sell all assets and move out in a second.
I also lived in a beautiful town with responsive, tightfisted management, zero crime (I left my bike unlocked on my front porch on main street for YEARS and it was never stolen, and everyone who wrote a bad check had their name published in the “town crier.”
I left because there was a glut in practitioners of my profession, few jobs, high state taxes, and dismal winters.
I came to petersburg because of the potential of the area, the built environment, and the business-friendliness of the richmond area. The people I saw walking the streets on my first visit scared (more disgusted) me away at first. (My first visit, I came here with my father to check the place out. We started talking to an asian business owner, and my father let slip that I was considering moving here. He looked at me and said “I think you crazy if you move here!” Then, a little worried that I might misunderstand him, said, “I mean, I’d love it if you moved here, but these people in petersburg are CRAZY! Told me something about Busch Gardens wanting to come here, and council telling them they weren’t wanted badly enough, etc.”
I have since learned exactly want he was talking about. People think they are “jobs” friendly, but are very BUSINESS unfriendly. What they really are is welfare-friendly. More government jobs, please! Who big can we make the schools’ administration? How much can we pay them?
We need someone like this in peterburg, to free petersburg’s children from a culture of dependency - which will keep them poor and good candidates for prison:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/28/AR2007082801615.html
I believe the question was: “Is There Any Good in Petersburg?” After talking to Henry Brown, the name I saw on the flyer, I conclude that his format is one that attempts to use sarcasm as a tool.
Notice how the post states…. “They Say…” this, or “They say…” that. He then goes on to ask, in all caps… “BUT WHAT DO YOU SAY?” He is begging that folk declare the positives. He states: “This is a desperate cry to come out and address these circumstances that have plagued our city!”
The community is crying out for help. Dr. Victory would like to avoid potential for a disaster, therefore he ask organizers to reconsider how this forum is presented.
This is a win win situation. If you don’t want to list any more problems, then list the solutions as you see them. People are angry, confused and suffering from years of welfarism that was once thought to be a solution, however it is proving to cripple the community.
Folks are coming to Petersburg and being scared and disgusted by what they see. This triggers more anger and fear. However, we are what we are and the perspective of those who describe what they see, what they believe we are, and how it makes them feel, will vary from person to person and group to group.
When I become faint of heart, I’ll take a break. If I get too hot in the kitchen, I’ll go sit on the deck until I cool down. When there is a cry to address issues that folk perceive to plague them, I will seek to be a part of the solution to that cry.
Mayor Mickens stated recently that if you are going to be in leadership, then you should expect resistance. She admonished that we stay calm and remain willing to listen to others and be a part of a team. However, there may be times when the team doesn’t show up. It is at that time that one must remember what ones responsibiltiy is and do the best you can to fulfill your tasks.
I seek to do the best that I can today, and let the chips fall where they may, because after all, tomorrow is another day.
I am a little confused by the post, Mr. Smith.
Your question, I believe, is “what is positive about petersburg?”
The typical, politically motivated answer would be something like “our people are great!”
When one asks then, oh, petersburg’s people are “great,” that’s nifty…. so, that means they are “better” than some other places people, unless ALL people, everywhere are “great,” which means it is self-understood and you shouldn’t even say it. If they are “better” than we must compare their achievements (such as student test scores, crime rates, amounts of trash on the street, or other measurable quanitifers) to other localities. If you measure positiveness this way, you learn if whether people’s perceptions are in any way influenced by realities, instead of just dismissing those perceptions as being twisted by irrational hatreds, which is the usual explaination — and I am a little tired of it.
You could measure “greatness” by something really fuzzy (unquantifiable) like “friendliness.” That would be pretty safe, but it sould ring hollow to a lot of people. I have noted a lot of sullen stares since I’ve been here — and this is before I have even opened my mouth.
Petersburg has a great river, but the people who live here leave trash and rusting fishhooks all about.
The area has a great potential in trapped, unrealized intellect and labor, but liberal ideology and professional race baiters have a stranglehood on many of these people’s imaginations, so it will be hard for these people to “free [themselves] from mental slavery.”
We have immediate access to excellent road and rail infrastructure, and one of the best job markets in the entire world, if one gets the skills to be considered valuable to employeers.
We have excellent buildings that could make attractive residences and business locations — but we have a populace that supports high property taxes and oppressively high business taxes, esp on professionals (the more “value added” your skills, the more we will tax you (so don’t bother getting skills..)
But these answers beg the question: what IS petersburg? Is it a place? Or is it a community that has a bunch of confederistas and NAACP supporters who see the biggest threats to the region as investment from outsiders and higher education standards, because their wonderful “past” will dilluted in the minds of their young people.
God forbid teenage virginians forget that one of their first duties is to resent northerners - or - to blame every failure on slavery and Jim crow depending on your politics. God forbid we ever free any part of our minds up for other things, like the present, for example.
I wish you had waited until your confusion passed before you responded.
However, in your post I see positives listed to be: “excellent buildings that could make attractive residences and business locations,” I see: “unrealized intellect and labor,” I see you list: “a great river,” you include: “friendliness,” you list: immediate access to excellent road and rail infrastructure, and one of the best job markets in the entire world.”
Once I got beyond all of your ifs, ands and buts, and the derogatory asides, I began to see the positives to which you allude.
Thank you. I am no longer confused. You help me to see what I no longer want to be, a part of the problem. I seek to be a part of the solution, but in order to do so, I must know what the problems are and be willing to enter the foray of righteous indignation and propaganda expressed by those who want to effect change.
You have your right to your opinions and I, mine. The post came from a flyer by people that are crying out. I don’t know them, but am willing to hear them out and listen for solutions.
You help me to not want to be so angry any longer. It does not look good, nor does it help. Left unchecked it goes mad, and today I seek the death of the mad man in me.
The question from these citizens was, “Is there anything good in Petersburg?” Thank you for helping to answer their question.
Will post here if a date for the forum is established.
“God forbid teenage virginians forget that one of their first duties is to resent northerners - or - to blame every failure on slavery and Jim crow depending on your politics. God forbid we ever free any part of our minds up for other things, like the present, for example.”
Post #6: Is this more of that satirical sourcasm that you spew, or do you really wish that God will forbid teenage Virginians to forget some nonsensical, all too stubborn and ridiculous self centered egotistical epithet that you assert?
I doubt that you can show any evidence that teenaged Virginians are taught to resent northerners. That is just a tad out of touch with reality. Also, the days are gone where teenagers are blaming anything on slavery or Jim Crow.
Teenagers are blaming failures on parents and government and church of today, not yesterday. Please! Our teenagers see us as failures today. They are not relating to history, they are relating to today. They see their parents, government leaders and church leaders mired in drugs, prostitution, child pornography, rape, incest, bribes, lies, cheating, violence, war, bickering, divided and conquered by our own self wills, TODAY!
Ahem! Ranting aside. The teens of today are emulating what they see TODAY.
If we change, they will change.
“Thank you. I am no longer confused. You help me to see what I no longer want to be, a part of the problem. I seek to be a part of the solution, but in order to do so, I must know what the problems are and be willing to enter the foray of righteous indignation and propaganda expressed by those who want to effect change.”
Dude, how am I part of the problem? Is pointing out the problem being part of the problem? Is trying directly to correct the problem being part of the problem?
Maybe we should just both be positive about negatives and see if we can get some of those “PETERSBURG: A City of Readers” bumber-stickers and put them on our cars. People will think we are deceptive, but at least we won’t be “part of the problem.”
But hey, if you see a little of the ugliness in yourself in me, by all means use it in a positive way. Just don’t expect me to be flattered by an ad hominem attack. Shawn complains about people littering = shawn is a jerk. Shawn says he has a perception that people in his new town do not seem to actually value education = Shawn has negative preconceptions that prevent him from being part of solutions.
I can see we both have a long way to go.
You are obviously trying hard to bridge some communication gaps. Even though i am too, you seem to be trying harder, and for that I commend you.
Everyone is a “truth” talker. It is important to listen to all sides.
Please note that “friendliness” is not something that I listed. Petersburg is no friendlier than anywhere else, and if you are in the minority here, it is quite unfriendly, just like most places.
“unrealized intellect and labor,” is only a positive if 1. you are an investor 2. that intellect and labor can be actualized.
Otherwise, you should invest and/or live in a community that is getting things right. You will pay more up front, but your ROI will be greater in the long run.
So, in a sense, to use some popular cliches, we are fellow travelers. Strange bedfellows, if you like. We both have the same goals, the same interests.
You are motivated perhaps by a love of your home, and a sense of identity.
I am motivated by a desire to be a potent force in the world, and to build wealth (two related goals.)
You should not expect that I should care more about petersurgers, per se., any more than I care about people in Tehran, since I am not from either of those places, and I should not expect you to apprieciate my frankness and frustration with seeing people litter right in front of my eyes in an area that I just spent some of my valuable energy cleaning up.
And, if I ever see you picking up trash on the streets of petersburg (I know you must sometimes, but if I SAW YOU) I would definately feel some affection for you, no matter our differences. Dig?
“Post #6: Is this more of that satirical sourcasm that you spew, or do you really wish that God will forbid teenage Virginians to forget some nonsensical, all too stubborn and ridiculous self centered egotistical epithet that you assert?
I doubt that you can show any evidence that teenaged Virginians are taught to resent northerners. That is just a tad out of touch with reality. Also, the days are gone where teenagers are blaming anything on slavery or Jim Crow.”
My lack of sweetness, or my apparently obvious egotism and stuborness has nothing to do with the facts, which may have been exagerated by me somewhat.
I have no idea what you mean by “epithet.”
I cannot show you any. You’ll just have to believe me that I have met a few young virginians who have told me that they “don’t like yankees.” Apparently, I can pass for a southerner for a while. When asked if they knew any yankees that they disliked because of any obnoxious yankee qualities (punctuality?), they looked a little confused. I assume it is a passed-on concern. I could be wrong.
I will certainly understand if you haven’t had any such experiences.
“Also, the days are gone where teenagers are blaming anything on slavery or Jim Crow.”
I have taught students who have compared my expectations to slavery. I have also had students tell me that they “didn’t need to know” basic math. When I told them that they might just have to take minimum wage jobs if the NBA or music career didn’t pan out, they called minimum wage jobs “modern day slavery.” I not only found the term offensive (like my cajoling = slavery), but I’m sure actual slaves would find it offensive as well.
Maybe you don’t have as much experience being mistaken for “the man” as I have, but I am sure you have had well-intentioned statements and actions misunderstood, and your personality called into question.
“sourcasm” I kinda like it. You have a creative side to your personality.
You, I’ll take it on faith, are never sarcastic.
“Ahem! Ranting aside. The teens of today are emulating what they see TODAY.
If we change, they will change.”
Well, I’ll forgive you for not realizing that I actually AM trying as hard as I feel is reasonable to make young petersburgers realize their potential, given my extremely limited power over the matter, limited courage, tact, time, and energy.
Let’s keep the lines of communication open. We can count Petersburg Peoples News as something good in Petersburg. A place where we should invite others to come and share on the topics of the day.
I thank you for your energy, time, tact, courage and power over the matter.
Your students comparing your expectations to that of slavery, or comparing minimum wages to modern day slavery does not fit the bill of “blaming every failure on slavery and Jim Crow” as originally stated in post #6.
We present the students with tons of programming about getting rich quick. Hollywood, BET, Millions upon Millions spent to buy elections, prices on everything going up like there is no tommorow, and then we tell them to work for a nickel and hour. Of course they are going to say that it is modern day slavery.
However, they are not blaming everything on slavery. Our teens have enough sense to know that the system is broken and they don’t see it getting fixed. They knee jerk respond to you with the slavery line because they have not been taught about what is really going on as capitalism reaches it’s highest point of contradictory manifestation, and that is the downfall of a nation that has voted in leaders who perpetually make their number one task to be raising their own salaries while passing laws to support the special interest who paid to get them elected in the first place.
The kids see this, might not be able to articulate it, but they know something is wrong and they are mad enough to fight, shoot and kill about it.
Somehow, someway, we have got to let them know that we understand their frustrations because the American Dream has become a nightmare for them. We have got to wake up and start a new day. Our children know it, and we know it too.
Minimum wage will get you a gallon of gas or a loaf of bread at best, while the rich get richer and the rest of us pretend to be alright about it, when really we are not happy one iota.
Good debate, but perhaps the bottom line to jump-start Petersburg is to:
1)Force the judicial system to vigorously prosecute the criminals apprehended by the overworked police force rather than continue to treat victims like criminals and criminals like victims.
2) Close down the illegal group houses and the drug houses. They are known to city officials and the police. Sweep the vagrants and panhandlers off the streets.
3) Change city leadership from a welfare-oriented perspective to a workforce-oriented perspective.
These three alterations in the way Peetrsburg operates would have profound positive effects on its quality of life, schools and work opportunities.
PRACH JAMES PREACH
This flyer was to grab the attention of the readers not to scare those in charge. The problem of those that took a glance is that they followed the path of both…
You shut down what you refuse to fix or talk about.
But by not talking about it does not make it go away. As a panelist for this event I was shocked that it scared so many important people. But if they would ever come to a Q&A session with the citizens then most of these issues within the city can get resolved.
“However, they are not blaming everything on slavery. Our teens have enough sense to know that the system is broken and they don’t see it getting fixed. They knee jerk respond to you with the slavery line because they have not been taught about what is really going on as capitalism reaches it’s highest point of contradictory manifestation, and that is the downfall of a nation that has voted in leaders who perpetually make their number one task to be raising their own salaries while passing laws to support the special interest who paid to get them elected in the first place.
The kids see this, might not be able to articulate it, but they know something is wrong and they are mad enough to fight, shoot and kill about it.
Somehow, someway, we have got to let them know that we understand their frustrations because the American Dream has become a nightmare for them. We have got to wake up and start a new day. Our children know it, and we know it too.
Minimum wage will get you a gallon of gas or a loaf of bread at best, while the rich get richer and the rest of us pretend to be alright about it, when really we are not happy one iota.”
I have worked for minimun wage. It is not like living in Zimbabwe.
My frustration is with the children is that NO ONE is MAKING them work for minimum wage. People like me, and my wife, in past lives, were trying to get these kids to grab on the opportunities this society is literally BEGGING them to take hold of. Literally begging.
We both have either too much self-esteem, or too little, to do it anymore. If they want what we have to offer, they can come ask for it. But they sure as heck had better not blame us for their culture of shunning opportunity, or try to steal any more of my vehicles. I’m sick of it.
Maybe what these kids need is a trip to places where there is no clean water.
When I was working at a job at just over minimum wage, I had a friend from Uganda working at minimum wage. He had two jobs. We LOVED working with each other. One time when he was pushing a broom, I asked him “hey, Ed, why do you look so happy all the time?” (because, to be honest, I often felt frustrated and taken-for-granted at that workplace, and he was older and under my pay-grade) He put his broom aside for a second, and said, “….. it’s because, in my country (his father was killed by Idi Amin), there’s a guy who is riding a 1940’s bicycle down a road, on his way home from looking for a job he can’t find. There is no night-lighting on the road, so he can’t see the ruts and holes that are everywhere, but he is smiling because he has that bicycle.” He loved working with me because I loved talking to him about africa, and no one else had a clue, or a real interest, including those who PROFESSED to have an interest in Africa. (there was an african-american who worked there who attended the same university I attended. He was always asking me things like “why do you call it asia MINOR??? Hey, and who was it who put africa BELOW europe on the map?!!” I would try to explain that the original mapmakers started off mapping their home country and expanded from there. The decision to put north on top was arbitrary, since they didn’t even know the earth was round, or even if it had limits. He wouldn’t have that explaination, prefering his own, and would imply that I was racist because I hated contemporary soul, or any other excuse he could find. (I finally lost it and drew a crude map of africa on a napkin, “show me where Camaroon is!” I demanded. He had no clue.) He also seemed to feel he had to act all tough all the time because he was from bed-sty, even though he was actually a skinny, diabetic, nerd. I have no idea how he got into Columbia Medical School, since he wasn’t THAT smart, and he was hardly the hardest worker.
At the same facility, I worked with a woman who was pre-law who would insist to me that white people should not be allowed to adopt black kids. I was shocked!! She told me that white people wouldn’t teach black kids that they were descendants from “kings and queens,” I was agog. I was like “do you think we teach white children that they are descendants of kings and queens?” I eventually told her that that would be fine, if black people actually adopted black orphans, and that I thought it was a little more important that children be taught things like math, civics, literacy, and the Dignity of Work, none of which Royalty ever needed to know.)
Ed, the ugandan, lived in a small apt., in an okay neighborhood, had his own newish looking van, and a 10 year old car. He was very disciplined. And he had a lot to say about some of these topics (……) What can I relate that will not provoke a stream of insults from you? When he invited me to a party celebrating Uganda’s independance, I was not only the only white invited, I was the only american.
We will have to accept that our experiences in this country are different.
“while the rich get richer and the rest of us pretend to be alright about it”
What is it about human nature if our neighbor builds a beautiful house, we feel poorer? We are just as rich or poor as we were before. If we want what he has, we have to figure out how what he is doing right.
Did you see “The Persuit of Happiness” I usually feel like I am talking to Will Smith’s wife, and rarely to Will Smith in this town.
http://www.gardenandhearth.com/Movie-Reviews/The-Pursuit-of-Happyness.htm
“I have also had students tell me that they “didn’t need to know” basic math.”
! Don’t need to know basic math? Insane that these folks don’t want more for themselves and their families.
Frankly, I have no use for my tax dollars going to carry someone who isn’t willing to put forward a bit of effort to improve their lot. Nor do I support welfare being an indefinite option (i.e., a lifestyle). I can see offering financial assistance on a temporary basis while someone is in some sort of transition. But at some point the umbilical cord (be it with the parent or the govt) needs to be cut. Else, where is the incentive for one to stretch themselves, educate themselves, and be a self-sufficient/contributing member of society?
(I subscribe to the ‘teach a person to fish rather than give them a fish’ philosophy.)
(I subscribe to the ‘teach a person to fish rather than give them a fish’ philosophy.)
I hear you loud and clear.
“Frankly, I have no use for my tax dollars going to carry someone who isn’t willing to put forward a bit of effort to improve their lot.”
The sad thing is that these kids are certainly not entirely to blame for their attitudes and worldview. I mean, with the US GOVT coming up with viruses to kill them, inventing gangster rap (I quote Alicia Keys) Tricking West-coasters into killing Tupac (or was it east-coasters?) (again, Ms. Keys) — what chance do they have?
They’ve got Michelle Obama telling them they can’t make it in the corporate world, and should be a nurse instead. Nothing wrong with being a nurse (there are several in my family), and many americans should set their career goals even lower than that — but the hypocracy and irresponsiblity displayed by that woman! She is no better than the guidance councilor who told malcolm x he couldn’t be a laywer when he grew up.
But it is HARD not to blame the child(ren) when you are in the moment, alone with them, telling them the numbers of jobs available every year in the NFL, the number of hopefuls, the fact that this country has a severe shortage in several engineering fields, the fact that firms have policies that force them to overlook weaknesses in resumes of people who look like them. To grab the brass ring. “Nah, I ain’t doing any of that nerd sh-!”
“Then I guess I’m just wasting my time…”
BTW, in very small, and one-to-one sessions, I HAVE been able to make some significant progress with some of these kids, but that involves a LOT more tax dollars. We can be spending that money more wisely on disadvantaged groups that are more keen on being nerdy.
Teach a person to fish, they eat for life, give a person a fish, they become a democrat.
Also, at university, I tudored many students that were there because of the EOP (equal opportunity program.) because there were no remedial science classes they could take, they had a lot of catching up to do, and most of them worked REALLY hard, esp. the ones in the sorta militant black fraternities that wouldn’t let them drink, have g-friends, and forced them to be in the library till 11pm.
These fraternities were not created by the university, or the democratic party, but by blacks themselves that realized these students were being cut a break by being allowed to attend the school (due to their mediocre test scores.) In fact, liberals like the boy I was at the time were a little hostile to what we saw as “fascistic” tendencies displayed by these groups — we did not immediately apprieciate that these guys NEEDED a little “fascism” in their lives, just to keep their heads above water, acedemically.
Right on!
Hi. It’s 6:47 p.m. now on Tuesday, April 29th. I just came back from Peabody Middle School. The auditorium was dark. There was no one there. I waited in the hall outside the auditorium and an administrator told me that no event was scheduled for tonight. Reality check please………..
Sorry Linas — I guess the postponement post in comment #1 wasn’t as eye-catching as it could have been. Will try to remember to add UPDATE in the post title when such changes go up in the future.
B: Well, I’m sorry it didn’t take place. The concerned and engaged citizens of a city with the problems of our need to engage in as much open and honest reflection and introspection as possible. Thanks for keeping us all informed and hopefully it will be rescheduled. Cheers, L
Petersburg also has near access to the east coast’s westernmost Port, which is growing.
Another +
I thought I missed something, but …I asked Mayor Mickens if she was coming and she shook her head. I think that concerned citizens should come to the city council meeting or at meet informally with their elected officials.
I have listed many of the positives in petersburg. Here is one more: a WEALTH of parks, athletic, ornimental and natural.
The theme of my posts with a neagtive tone is: ALL of petersburg’s negtives are cultural. When leaders start standing up against cultural expectations in petersburg, instead of catering to them, we will get better leadership. However, since this is a democracy, I wouldn’t hold my breath. The people want more hand-outs, a voicing of their sense of being perpetually aggrieved, and official excuses when they don’t make the cut. What is a would-be leader to do? You try to impose higher standards, you get accused of cultural genocide, and worse…. racism.
Another positive:
Near access to a fantastic and growing regional airport: RIC, and two small private airports: chesterfield and dhinwhittah (called petersburg.)
Akin s.,
Are you familiar with the work of Havard Prof. Roland Fryer?
I don’t wish to have a one to one conversation with anyone here. My e-mail address is akintwo@aol.com
Gotcha!
I’ll e-mail you.