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Being Neighborly
Posted: Jan 20 2007, 05:12 PM
As many of you will have heard in the news, 15 year-old Shawn Hornbeck was abducted at the age of 11, and lived with his alleged kidnapper in Kirkwood, Missouri for 4 years before being recently uncovered by the police as a result of another investigation into a second kidnapping. This article in The New York Times raises some interesting questions about the role of the community in all of this:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/21/us/21kidnap.html
Hornbeck and his kidnapper (and the second newly-kidnapped child) lived in an apartment building in the suburbs. Apparently, people didn't ask questions when Hornbeck never went to school - it seems like the neighbors didn't really know each other very well - and they never took action when there were loud fights in the apartment. The article brings into question the idea that neighbors often don't know each other these days, and they feel uncomfortable asking each other personal questions. (Which was pretty common stuff years ago in the U.S.)
Do you know and interact with your neighbors? Why or why not? Do you feel like you have some level of responsibility towards the children in your neighborhood? (Since we're busy building community here, these seem like relevant questions it would be interesting to discuss.)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/21/us/21kidnap.html
Hornbeck and his kidnapper (and the second newly-kidnapped child) lived in an apartment building in the suburbs. Apparently, people didn't ask questions when Hornbeck never went to school - it seems like the neighbors didn't really know each other very well - and they never took action when there were loud fights in the apartment. The article brings into question the idea that neighbors often don't know each other these days, and they feel uncomfortable asking each other personal questions. (Which was pretty common stuff years ago in the U.S.)
Do you know and interact with your neighbors? Why or why not? Do you feel like you have some level of responsibility towards the children in your neighborhood? (Since we're busy building community here, these seem like relevant questions it would be interesting to discuss.)
Posted: Jan 22 2007, 11:31 AM
I know most of the adults on the street. I only know the kids by name half (4-5 houses) way down. I would notice if someone had a new kid and if the kid/adult were fighting. I just heard arguments two houses away yesterday. We have a lot of single parents, so you sort of have to pay attention.
I can't believe people that live in vacuums. I try to let the neighbors know when I am gone and when I change roommates. I always introduce myself and give my phone numbers and pets names to new neighbors. It has helped more than once. When my animals get out, or are found, they have returned them, closed the gate and called me.
You always have the complainers, the nosy, and just incompatible neighbors but you all share some common space that can be better if you look out for each other.
I can't believe people that live in vacuums. I try to let the neighbors know when I am gone and when I change roommates. I always introduce myself and give my phone numbers and pets names to new neighbors. It has helped more than once. When my animals get out, or are found, they have returned them, closed the gate and called me.
You always have the complainers, the nosy, and just incompatible neighbors but you all share some common space that can be better if you look out for each other.
