Thank you, Kelly. Malden is a city of great potential. The more we all actively care by getting involved in community groups and projects, shopping at the local stores, eating at the local restaurants, and walking the streets, the better the city will become. I'm not trying to say that good quality policing doesn't matter, because it does, and I believe we have that. I'm saying that policing is one part of the answer, and what we can all do as citizens of this city is another large part.

This is brilliantly written and inspiring.

Kelly I could not have said it better. I also am very proud of Malden. Thanks for making me reflect!
Mary Beth

I agree with you. We need to get the new out there that there are meetings so that the residents will maybe go. We need to STOP this violence in a city that I grew up in and take back the city to restore it's beauty.
Please contact me if I can help.

take a look around your neighborhood,as you drive, walk around or just live in your area, and you go buy businesses such as restaurants and dollar bodega stores that never seem to have any customers in them , ask yourself, how are they making any money. How can a storefront pay the monthly rent with one or two customers a day. Are they fencing stolen goods, selling drugs, laundering money.?... if they have been in business for years and you see hardly a customer, should we be making the city and law enforcement aware of this.

Dear Kelly,

I say the following in the most respectful way possible.

But these problems that exist in Malden are not about you “alone” it is about society as a whole.

Where have the days gone when we respected each other and helped our neighbors?

When parents return to being parents and not ‘friends” to their children just maybe we can return to a place where right and wrong are clearly defined.

We live in a world where no one can be wrong, everyone is entitled and it’s not my problem so why should I care.

“We” all need to do less talking and more doing!

Wow! That is a wake up call. Well said, Kelly.

Thank you for your post. Amongst those who are making positive changes in Malden, I think you will find inspiration, fun, stimulation. Programs offered by MATV, Malden Reads, Malden Arts, to name just a few - though not directly working against violence as their mission, are building community and gathering new participants all the time. As I get more involved, I find it such a pleasure to be doing something - as I am bonding with my neighbors and walking together on behalf of something bigger then self - in this case a vision of what Malden really is under the rubble slowly being worked away.

Thank you.

Thank you Kelly. Your story rings so true, and something we all, as Maldonians, should practice.

Kelly, thank you for this. I'm newly transplanted to the area (Woburn, to be exact) from Vancouver, Canada a few months ago. We in Canada always hear about the violence in American cities and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't thinking about that when moving to Boston and environs. What I've found is a great, thoughtful, tight community that cares about what's going on as much as any Canadian city has, and it's refreshing to see. Your blog post is great - I am a great proponent of the idea that every person has a part to play in a community, and if you have a problem with something in your community, stand up and do something about it.

We in Vancouver had our own gun-death epidemic a few years ago. The region is a very popular trafficking point for drugs coming up from Mexico, and when the drug crackdown happened in Mexico a few years ago, it strangled the flow of goods all the way up the West Coast, including Vancouver. So, when demand exceeds supply, gangs will turn on each other. And this led to a considerable spike in gun violence and brazen shootings.

I wrote a blog post about it which is somewhat related to gun violence in the United States as well. Thought you might be interested: http://realmackenzie.blogspot.com/2009/04/shooting-for-zero.html.

Well done.

Powerful stuff, Kelly - I hope that your words are heeded and not mocked.

Well said and thank you!! I hope that these words are remembered and acted upon; I for one will be joining you!

Powerfully put. Thank you.

thoughtful and well written--good job

Very Powerful and Thought Provoking Kelly! Thank you for making me take pause.......

How can I contact Kelly?

I thought your comments were right on target. We can all do more

Very well said Kelly. It's the way it used to be long,long ago. There used to be signs when you drove into Malden it said "Malden" The Freindly City". Time to bring it on home. Real nice artical.

"My beloved city of Malden"....love those words, Kelly!!! I, too, want to celebrate "my beloved City of Malden" Thank you for this public forum! We can't "fix" the past; let's work to move forward! Thank you, Kelly!

Very well stated and very true. Malden was always a charming place to live and we can bring it back. You are right as an individual I could stop and do a bit more as well.

The further you look into the past, The more you can fix the future. Her article really moved me. There was one paragraph that really got to me. Hit home. We can do it if we all try.

Gimme a break! What are we Jesus out to save the world? People need to be held accountable regardless if they got a hug or a smile.Now were responsible because some punks decide to go shooting and robbing? If u need a hug buy a teddybear! Tell ur I'm sorry bullsh#t to the wife and kids of the latest victim!

WOW! My gratitude to all of you for understanding the point I was trying to make in this blog and for your kind words and perspectives!!!! I have received numerous emails and submissions through my website about how some of you are going to try and change a little bit at a time. It is in those tiny steps, that will help complete our journey in becoming a great city. Deep gratitude to you all!!!

PS....I will respond to my emails from some of you, I am just a bit overwhelmed at the amount of them so please be patient..... :D:

Kelly I wish I had your Talent in writing. I can see you will go very far with it. Its like you reached up to the heavens and pulled down everything that used to be.All the good about Malden.

Thank you, Kelly. I also have been thinking about what I can do as a Malden resident. I barely even know the names of my own neighbors, but since this tragedy I plan to try to get to know them. Your blog was inspiring. We have so much potential to be a great community, together.

Hi Kelly
. Please read what Mark Mattioli had to say regarding the shooting in Conn.

Mark Mattioli, father of James, who was killed at the Newtown shooting says, “Complicated gun laws are not going to solve the problem, we have laws now that aren’t being followed. What we need is Civility across the nation. We need to address the underlying problem of mental health.”

As parents we have an obligation to install values, and teach civility to our children. We need to address mental health problems that our children are experiencing. What we don’t need, is to react to a situation like the Newtown shooting, by enacting more failed policies and laws, but with a well designed solution to help with the mental health part. More support for parents who ask for health. We must be more visible in our children’s lives. It is not the Governments responsibility to parent our children, it is our responsibility. Monitor your child’s activities, their friends, their passions, their problems and concerns, and ask for help when needed. Give them valuable instruction on how to live with others, how to respect others and themselves, and teach the difference between right and wrong.

“We need to teach Civility, not more complicated gun control” Mark Mattioli repeated.
I think we all need to think more like Mr Mattioli. My deepest sympathy to him and his family.
Jo / Malden

this was in reply to Kelly's story about our responsibility to in our own neighborhood. We all need to teach more CIVILITY.

The people of Malden should consider forming a Citizen's Vigilance Committee with a liason directly to the Mayor and Chief of Police.

If gangs exist in Malden that means that organized crime exists in Malden. The reason that they exist is to control the lucrative drug trade and protect their turf from rival gangs.

If the core crime problems aren't addressed vigorously people will eventually decide to move elsewhere which will ultimately erode the fiber of the community by attrition. There will be fewer owner occupied homes, more arsons and property values will plummet.

Other cities and towns make good use of valuable resources such as state & county joint task forces and manage to take large quantities of narcotics as well as firearms and criminals of their streets.

Where do we start im in.

Really maldenmom148?
Saying that the responsibility of protecting our city should not be done by Kelly alone and agreeing with her article is considered "mimicking" her! How odd! This is a forum for opinions the last time that I checked and its perfectly fine to state an "opinion" in a respectable way, it is just that, my opinion!
I guess everyone who agrees is "copying" what was stated in the article however I am the only one you take issue with, funny!

How unfortunate that I did not get to see "Dave's" comment, I would have loved the opportunity to defend myself!

Hey Alethia, 'society on a whole' isn't committing heinous crimes! So I suggest you take that broad brush of yours, and go paint somewhere else!

Paul dude!
Please read my comment in full before "quoting" me!
At what point did I state that "society" was killing everyone?
As a Society we all need to do better! The world does not have to be the way that it is, it is possible to live in peace and harmony!
Although someone like "you" likes to stir up trouble and find problems where none really exist! Take your bullying else where because quite frankly you are a real bonehead!!!!

How about the "adult" business that is running in residential area at the end of Clifton street. I know when residents of that street tried to get. It shut down, there was someone from the city government blocking that. You can start there with getting rid of crime in Malden.

Jirkyrick, as I said the other day, before Mr. Caesar went 'New York Times' on me again, I lived first on Forest St., then on Clifton St. So I am all too familiar with Mr. Clark's 'skateboard' shop. At no time did I say Mr. Clark was any sort of suspect or criminal, although some here weren't smart enough to decipher that for themselves. What I did say was the 'element' that frequented his place of business, well, they weren't exactly Malden's finest citizens. I back up my claim that the Malden Police were all to familiar with the 'type' who frequented there. many a time, these nice folks were fighting over drugs in front of my place of residence on Clifton St. Many were hauled off over outstanding warrants. I would buy the plain old robbery theory, but when someone gets shot 4 times? That sounds 'personal' to me. And you're right, jirky....folks aren't going to like what they hear about this soon enough. Then good ole' Kelli can write another op-ed piece on how we should all donate our time and help drug addicts! People choose to bury their heads in the sand. I submit, jirky, there is no sand in my ears!

Leonardo, you do realize just writing something in a blog doesn't make you a crusader, right? Just be a good boy, and continue to do nothing but contribute rhetoric on a site where most talk the talk, but never walk the walk. "Hi...yes....can I have a Venti-Pike, and a piece of that high-price, low-carb, low-taste, and low-fun piece of pumpkin bread please!" Get my drift, Leonardo?

The article inspired maldonias to write information I had no idea about.
I am a foreigner resident and I apreciate a lot this city and want to contribute.
I will start cleaning my street as I walk down the street to take the T in oak grove.
I wish there were a channel where malden pleople could exchange information.

I am not sorry, I had nothing to do with the crime in Malden, nuff said on this silly post

Thank you Leonardo for your gracious comments. Negativity does not bother me because it does not define who i am. There are many who know what i have done in this great city. Many are thinking at least
And many positive...

Nothing says trailblazer more than "look what I did for you!" aye Kelly?

I love you so much paul! You make me smile :D

We should not be so self serving. Right Kelly?

An elderly Cherokee Native American was teaching his grandchildren about life...

He said to them, "A fight is going on inside me, it is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One wolf is evil -- he is fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, competition, superiority, and ego.

The other is good---he is joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith. This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too."

They thought about it for a minute and then one child asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"

The old Cherokee simply replied: "The one you feed".

An Indian walks into a hotel and asks for a room, The clerk asks " do you have a reservation". This is still silly and I am not taking responsibility for someonelses crimes

Where I work, there's always a small group of people who can't wait to point out a problem but refuse to do anything about it - in fact, they can't wait to tell everyone "this isn't my problem". I guess that sort of attitude extends beyond professional boundaries.

I think some of you guys are taking this very literally and even very personally. I don't think Kelly is asking you guys to be sorry or to take responsibility for what has happened, just maybe take a little responsibility for what -could- happen and how to make things a little better, rather than saying "nope, not my problem." Just a thought.

In my company, it's the "not-my-problem" blame-gamers that end up costing us, investors and our customers time and money. If you feed them their attitude spreads and all the positive productive people leave. Nothing gets done in a company full of finger-pointers. I figure it's the same in neighborhoods, and the same in cities. You want people like Kelly leading, and the Judge Judy types like Jirkyrick and Paul sent back to the Soviet Union where they'd fit in perfectly.

Diana, sweety.....if I was truly powerless like you say, then I'd be drinking the Kool-Aid that Kelly is pushing. 'Powerless' people like me who take responsibility for themselves. How dare I.

This Kumbaya moment brought to you by Robert B. Carter....and by the makers of Cymbalta...Cymbalta can help!

While you righteous activists have been busy telling me I'm a 'do-nothing' type...well, I've told you what I'm NOT prepared to do.....yet, I hear nothing from any of you what YOU are prepared to do! Shocking, I know.

Yes this article was meant as a blog on social indifference as moxie so eloquently stated. I and many have a part in the piecing the fabric of this city together and the intention was for us to reflect on our part - which many of you did. I did not expect everyone to agree or like what I said, but I will ask that those that understand my point, feeding the negativity and hate, will only breed more negativity and hate. Their words will not define us, but only define who they are.

I AM NOT SORRY for the current crime wave, I am angry and frustrated about it, but I am not a law enforcement officer, and i am not going to be a vigilante, what I do want is for the police chief to provide solutions and enact them, that is why we pay him a very nice salary for. I am sorry for the family impacted by this crime though.

Kelly those questions you posed were actually statements in disguise.. As Dr Phil so cleverly said, "90% of all questions are statements in disguise".
If you think picking up litter after these PIGS is an effective method at curbing these problematic events in this city, then by all means.. I surely ain't picking up after any pig!
This was an agenda driven op-ed that offers nothing more than a Bohemian Wonderland for a pack of angry academic egg-heads and the criminal element to thrive and co-exist in these wonderful farmers markets and food truck paradises.

David Mokal, if Kelly's letter takes you "away", I'm staying put.. This slobbering love affair offers solice to those who seek to create a criminal sanctuary and operate with absolute immunity knowing enablers like this ill-informed electorate exists !
Kelly & this starry eyed, awe-struck Patch community can keep up with the Kardashians, because the criminals & sex offenders are taking notice of Malden and moving in!
Wow, so uplifting, now YOU break bread with them!!

Once again, people are taking this very literally and extrapolating things from it that don't even make sense.

Jay, I'm sorry that you are offended by "academic egg-heads". I'm sure someone can provide a monosyllabic translation of the Patch articles for you.

Sincerely,
A guy who never went to college

There is no simple answer to crime .yes we need more police but Years of neglect to the youth of our community has left kids with nothing to do but hang on the streets. In the last year as a parent I see lots of programs being initiated. This is a start We as a community need to get involved reach out and show the children of our community we care. We may not be able to help those who have already taken the wrong road but we must still try. We can definitely help the young children in making better choices. The last outreach meeting the rotary club had I was the only resident without an official city title that attended. We can debate and complain all day online but the bottom line is We need to get involved

The "Teen Enrichment Center" is a positive step in the right direction. I believe we can still do more, but let's not forget there are many who have been involved in community activities all along. New ideas can bring even more. As a child we went to weekly meetings of the Junior Police held in a local school. We got to see movies and prizes were raffled off at the end of the night. It gave the kids in our community to get to know the police and see that as friends and teachers. There 55,000 people in Malden and I'm sure great ideas are ahead to get more and more people involved at all levels. Drugs of course are a great threat to our peace and tranqulity and the greatest danger to the city's children, and are very likely the most obvious reason for un-controlled crime. Positve ideas are needed, not negative ones.

No, Paul, it is because of people like you that I became the person I am today. I took one beating at a time growing up in foster care learning that I had two choices, I could either become like "them", or help others. I choose kindness, caring and accountability. Tear me down, and beat me up, because I want to give hope to people? That is completely your right, but it is also others rights to change their way of thinking or think differently. Obviously you are not one of those people and I still respect your opinions either way. I will not talk bad about you because I do not know what road you have traveled, just as you do not know what road I have traveled. Peace to you my friend.

I'd like to report a comment here for being offensive to Mac users. We really need to promote unity among operating systems and hurtful comments like that really set us back to the OS/2 days.