BRAVO!!!

If you are referring to my spear chucker comment, that was not meant to be racist but to describe a person with no brains. I also describe stupid people as knuckle draggers and monkeys at times but it doesn't have a thing to do with race. Liberals used to call George Bush the same names years ago and he is a white man. I have plenty of black folks that I know that are great people. I also see and read about some that are not so great and i also read about lots of crazy knuckle dragging white folks who aren't so great. No racist motivation was behind that comment at all.

Todd. Oh yeah...that was the remark I was referring to, all right. Maybe a straight up apology from you would have sounded better...because frankly, Todd....I personally am not buying that you did not know ''exactly'' what that phrase means. Come on, Todd...''everyone'' knows what that means. Be real. Also, your graphic, gruesomeness was a bit over the top...but I guess I did not say such nice things, either. My ShadySide comments are ones I wish I could take back. Maybe we are both guilty of questionable humor..lol? We are obviously on the same page here about this...but I was mainly trying to cool you down a little...after all...us that are against crime can use all the support we can get. Believe me...I have had my share of comments deleted here in the local Patch blogs...and it stinks when you get censored. I don't like to see others get censored, either. I don't even think what you said should be censored...but it ''could have''...and I prefer to read everything people ''really'' say or feel...to get an untainted picture of local sentiments. The local HP editors are much more fair than a nationwide HP blog (non-Patch) that also uses ''moderators''.

Go to buy smokes with a gun much? Good riddance.
You need to pick your friends better.

I was going to apologize and tell you sorry for your loss but you are probably the same type of person as those who robbed the store. Don't try to tell me this person was such a great person. If that was the case she would have been home with her kid/s instead of out with some thug and a gun robbing a dollar store. Think. You need to chose your company better kid.

I am sorry about your friend, but are you really trying to make her out to be so innocent while she was a passenger in a car running from the police in a car leaving an armed robbery? Are you really doing that? An "innocent victim", you call her? This my neighborhood they crashed in...and any of my neighbors they could have killed in the crash would be the innocent victims....even if they had been some of the local people up to no good. Whatever your friend was...she was NOT an innocent victim. You are making light out of what the robbery was over. Did you miss the part of the story where it said a shot was fired? About that..you are sort of right...over just stealing cigs, they had to use a gun and fire a shot? Your thinking is backwards. Your head is messed up the way you analyze issues. How can you defend these people? I want the police to catch everybody...high speed chase or not. I think it is ''outstanding'' they are showing the criminals in our area that they can't get away with crime so easily that all they have to do is make a run for it with their cars. I just wish the police cars were equipped with rocket missiles they could take cars out with. I'm tired of seeing cars race down 15th Ave S. at the incredible speeds they do. If there ''is'' going to be cars going that fast, then it is police cars I want to see doing it trying to control crime. A traffic light at 44th Street by the trail crossing plus a speed bump there would solve a lot of this problem.

Allison. I will say that it is a shame she is the one who got killed instead of the driver. I have exaggerated a little in my anger over this, and do agree she is somewhat of a victim. You are also exaggerating how innocent she is. I apologize for offending those who are close to these people, but compassion has to go both ways. They could have killed someone I know and care about...and they could have done that easily. I do care about people more than I may have sounded..the good and the bad...but I am also stressed about the crime in our neighborhood. The issue of crime around here is a hot topic. It is hard to tell for sure what side you are on about crime. Yeah...this person was your friend, but...what...you don't have any views on the criminal activity involved here? Your are making the people speaking out against crime the bad guys. Perhaps it is your grief clouding your thoughts. I understand, and good luck with your sadness. Your focus on this should be more about what a shame it was that two people could not rid themselves of criminal behavior before it ended up in a bad way.

Resident: Thank you for saying that. I stand by most of my position, but you did a great job of showing compassion along with the anger.

For people in all of the Southwest part of Pinellas County, this problem is especailly sensitive because our area can still be saved and kept a very wonderful diverse place to live. The recent increaese in police work have given many residents hope at a time when it seemed conditions were heading nowhere but in a bad direction. I hope the police don't let up, and keeping pouring it on more. The work they do is incredibly dangerous. I am grateful to them for the peril they willfully endure to help us all. This area is worth the fight the police do....there are so many nice people here.

I am not going to change my opinion although if you are a decent one from her family, I am sorry for your loss. I am grateful at the same time that these two didn't take out any innocent law abiding citizens during their little crime spree. Don't like what i have to say? Don't read it. Your choice and decision. I agree, nobody deserves to die the way she did but again, just glad that it was not a productive member of society instead.

You are disappointing, Todd. You have been given a symbolic olive branch to ''give'' a little...but all you have chosen to do is ''dig in''. Nobody insinuated you need to fully reverse yourself, but common sense should tell you to ''adjust'' your temperament from your opening stance. Why would that hurt so much to do? This lady is in pain. Despite how we both feel, it is uncool to pour salt into people's wounds who are mourning. This person has not even been laid to rest yet. It is true there are some people who make their own beds and if they meet despair or an ugly end...then...even though it can be sad for others...the truth is that they may have asked for what they got. But still...those who speak against crime should use judgement on when to soften or they risk becoming objectionable. Not as bad as the criminals, but distasteful nonetheless. You risk making the opposition stronger. With your lame explanation on your use of well known racist phrases, you have just added your name to list of neighborhood people we can all do without. You are not as big of a problem as the thugs, but you are a problem when you feel you can say anything you want and then try to pass it off as nothing. At least learn to humble yourself a "tiny bit" and be more open when you have been called out. There is no shame in easing an attitude to support your view. I think you are on the right side of the issue, but you also seem unrestrained. Justice without flexibility is in line with fascism.

"B". OK. Time to take the gloves off. You're not her Aunt or whatever, so I don't have to be "sensitive" with you. How dare you make yourself out to be a better Christian than anyone else here. I got news for you. Since you ''are just starting'' a relationship with Jesus and God. I've "already" had a relationship with them for about 60 years. You have some nerve to make anyone speaking against criminals and crime, into bad guys. This is not church. It's a blog. I'll tell you something else. The Bible is not a child's fairly tale with cute animals and pretty colors.It is a very violent story. God has killed "plenty" of people. I happen to beleive that God likes it when we mortals don't save all the dirty work for him. You don't have to agree, but many people feel we have an obligation to deal with very bad people. There are different opinions of how severe that treatment is. I believe many need to be dealt the ulitimate punishment. Death. I think it is rediculous to beleive the God wants us to save all of the worst crimanals for "him" to deal with after they die a natural death. I think God would like to strike them all dead with a lightening bolt, but he prefers to see if we are learning anything and to see if we will save him some work. Yeah...my view is not what you are used to hearing...but stop with the crud of getting down on people disgusted with crime. Pray for someone else. I don't want "your" prayers. Little girl? Please. Go jump in a lake.