Addressing crime at the Country Club Plaza

By Stephen Cook

When one hears of ‘Kansas City’, usually things such as barbeque, the Chiefs, the Kauffman Center and the Country Club Plaza come to mind. Generally, this does not include thoughts of crime and danger.

Now, after seemingly random strings of events over the course of this winter, the ongoing issue of crime in KC has resurfaced. Likewise, the future of the Plaza becomes even more gray as visitors and shop owners are left wondering what is in their best interest.

Although crime on the plaza has been an issue in varying capacities for years, it is reaching a breaking point where Kansas City’s Plaza could end up with a similar story as Bannister Mall or Indian Springs Shopping Center.

The higher-ups of KCMO say they are listening, preparing ways to handle the issue.

One announced plan of action by Kansas City law enforcement proposed detaining unruly youths in a detention room at a nearby community center. The troublemakers would stay here until their parents or guardians picked them up.

The problem with this, though, is that more serious action needs to be taken. Both by the police and the community.

In an article published by the Kansas City Star, Kansas City Police Chief Darryl Forté expressed concern about the magnitude of this issue.

“This issue is way bigger than the police,” he said. “We have to do more to involve more people to find ways to minimize disruptions and not displace the kids to other areas.”

Though law enforcement can play a major part in sending a message to troublesome youths, the thought process behind the disruptions and acts of violence is essentially the root of the problem. The social influences on young individuals greatly shapes the way that they think, grow, and eventually act.

This is a role where the community becomes involved — schools, parents, siblings, relatives, mentors should think about those they come in contact with and seek to make a positive difference. This goes far beyond crime on the Plaza; if we started to care more for others the whole state and country could change.

However, law enforcement can also send a strong message by taking action. By arresting those who become dangerously violent and placing them in a juvenile detention program, others will see what really happens. They won’t just get sent to a community center; they could wind up in jail.

Law enforcement faces a sticky situation in which there is a delicate balance; members of the KCMOPD have to ensure their actions are just and proper as well. If they overreact, Kansas City will be nationally criticized. If they underreact and the crime continues, then, likewise, the city will be criticized.

This isn’t an issue of racism, it is an issue of doing what is right for the city. Individuals — regardless of what color their skin is or the number of years they’ve lived — should be aware of their actions.

Should this be realized, crime will not only go down, but the the community as a whole will improve and Kansas City will continue its tradition as a city of greatness; a place we are proud to call home.

Contact Stephen Cook, editor-in-chief, at scook35@jccc.edu.

By Valerie Velikaya

I was overjoyed at the thought of visiting my family in Odessa, Ukraine over the summer, my memories of them fading with each waking day.

I had a vision of me lounging in the quaint, little living space where I had taken my first steps, the lingering aroma of my grandmother’s cooking encompassing the air as my grandfather’s hearty laughter echoed throughout the flat.

That crumbled to dust as turmoil began to flood my homeland in the form of violent protests and a sea of armed Russian troops, determined to take over the Crimean Peninsula and beyond.

Despite Vladimir Putin stating that he was not urging Russia “to fight the Ukrainian people,” he has since expressed a possibility that more troops might flood the Crimean Peninsula and the eastern half of Ukraine.

The country had surrendered its nuclear arsenal after the dismantling of the Soviet Union in 1991. In return, the United States, Russia, and Great Britain convened to form a pact, protecting Ukraine against future invasions by said countries. This 1994 agreement was called the “Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances.”

However, due to mayhem and anarchy initially induced by the fleeing president, Ukraine is regretting the decision of surrendering their nuclear weapons.

Normally, this would be a bad thing, but with limited military and a nonexistent nuclear arsenal, Ukraine has no way of intimidating Russia to stay out of the Crimea.

All Ukraine wants is peace between them and neighboring countries, whereas Vladimir Putin desires control. He’s more than willing to sacrifice lives in order to obtain absolute hegemonic domination.

Putin wants to rebuild the Soviet Union, morphing Ukraine into a shadow of its former self.

Citizens remain divided about the impending threat. Some of them are willing to embrace Russia’s totalitarian grip while others wish to remain free and independent.

Putin has the potential of becoming this century’s Stalin or even worse. He is Machiavellian in nature; to him, the ends always justify the means.

It’s difficult to address probable solutions when dealing with an individual that commands one of the largest armies in the world. Many might say that the U.S. should intervene while others would argue otherwise, proclaiming that violence begets more violence.

Nonetheless, the past has showed us that appeasing power hungry tyrants won’t satisfy their desire for control, regardless of lives lost.

Contact Valerie Velikaya, news editor, at vvelikay@jccc.edu.

The blanket “Reading Readiness” initiative touted by some as the best and most viable course change in the history of the college, will soon be stripped thanks to the recommendation put forth by the faculty governing body, Educational Affairs.

The course change, which sparked a firestorm in several email listservs, drew out meetings riddled with drama, and could have potentially caused a scene at the October Board of Trustees meeting, will soon be no longer.

At the beginning of the semester, vice president of Educational Affairs Andy Anderson requested additional research and discussion of the initiative to take place under the guidance of a new committee with his oversight.

It’s a real wonder there wasn’t a parade of faculty celebrating throughout the college.

And yet, the faculty members involved, and even those who aren’t, seem disappointed and annoyed with the administration’s decision, based on both conversations via in person and electronically.

There is no question the merits of the initiative are valid. Reading skills and comprehension above an elementary level are necessary to be not only a successful student, but also a productive member of society.

A significant population of this college falls in the cracks of the education system, and the college that has allowed them to slip in the past, has a responsibility to offer them a hand up now and for the future.

The decision made by Educational Affairs at the prompting of Anderson was a move in the right direction, and one that should be recognized as such.

The college’s previous administrations have made some awful decisions. Some of which have been detrimental to the voices of faculty, the community and students. However, it is time this administration is given a chance.

That’s not to suggest they shouldn’t be held accountable. The best administrators and leaders are those held responsible for their actions — both the good and the bad. Not every decision made will be understood or appreciated by all.

However it is evident the leaders of this school truly are dedicated to acting in the best interests of the college as a whole — including faculty. They should be applauded.

With the reconstruction of the initiative, it is time faculty members of governing bodies get off their high horses, and accept the open handed offer of the administration. In addition, clear definitions of governing bodies’ responsibilities are necessary to their role in future curriculum and college changes.

It is only once the college is unified behind the scenes, that the college will be successful in its goals to best empower those students most underserved and overlooked.