Three days ago, I wrote this.
In the last paragraph, I predicted that the carnival would be “uncomfortable”. Last night, a kid was either physically assaulted or “mugged”. Although I don’t know all of the details, it’s really unfortunate. To add onto this, the hooligans who started Dover High School’s (much talked about) decline traveled around together in packs. It was unsettling.
Although I’m enjoying myself, this year’s carnival feels different so far – different in a bad way.
I hope I’m overreacting.
Regrettably, it seems I wasn’t overreacting at all. In fact, I’m now outraged. Last night, during the final evening of the 2008 Dover Carnival, there was an incident. I won’t go into detail here, but in brief, a resident of Dover Plains was stabbed in public. I’ll let the newspapers handle the details, which I’ll link to at some point. (Edit: One person told me it would be appropriate to say that the perpetrators of the act weren’t Dover residents. This is true, but I don’t think it changes anything.)
Let me emphasize this: Last night, at the Dover Carnival, a person was stabbed in public. The person was then taken to the hospital by ambulance.
A year ago, I’d flat-out deny this as being possible in my town. Now, I’m not all that surprised. I have no reason to reserve myself on this topic anymore. This town is falling apart, piece by piece. Gradually, it’s transforming from a safe and comfortable place to raise a family into a degenerating hellhole. It’s unacceptable, and I feel that it’s the climax of a trend that I’ve written about over the last few months.
From my perspective, I first had a personal crisis with a disrespectful young man. I then ran into problems dealing with my high school’s administration. Finally, I began to butt heads with the ideas and values of the so-called “gangs” that have popped up in the community.
If it isn’t clear by now, I love the Dover Carnival. Most Dover citizens enjoy spending a night or two there, but I have decided to use the word “love”, have chosen to go all four nights, and have dedicated myself to blogging about it. No, I don’t think I’m crazy, and no, I’m not addicted to carnival rides or carnival food.
I love the Dover Carnival because I love people. Every year, the local fire department puts together a wonderful venue for everyone to go out and have a good time. Not only do I get to catch up with people I don’t see all that often, but I can watch others do the same, which naturally makes me happy. The Dover Carnival is a place for friendly people to get out and enjoy their right to a safe and fun time.
Now, like everything else that I have ever valued in this town, the Dover Carnival is seemingly under attack. It breaks my heart to say this, but I don’t think there’s anything we can really do except to watch out backs.
…
My thoughts are, of course, with those affected by the events of yesterday evening.
Ricky,
I’m glad that someone is reporting about how the so-called “gangs” are popping up in this neighborhood. Quite frankly, I feel that this issue is being overlooked in our community, and I believe this is because nobody can take teenagers seriously these days. When people hear the word gang, they think of Bloods, Crips, Latin Kings, and so on. I believe that these “gangs” aren’t taken seriously because there have not been any issues. Until now. I believe the incident was a wake-up call, and it’s proof that something needs to be done now to prevent this from happening again, although it should have been prevented from happening at all.
What a tragedy! The violent acts both immediate and brewing. To see a beautiful thing deteriorate like that…To feel helpless. Awful.
Thinking of you Ricky and wishing you and your community well.
“Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
Surely some revelation is at hand; ”
THE SECOND COMING
W.B. Yeats
wheres the link for the news paper story???
Dover is not alone.
As the economy goes in a capitalist nation, so goes the society.
My condolences still to the community breaking apart.
I agree with what you wrote. The carnival use to be a fun place to go and hang with friends, meet up with family and have a good time but this year it did feel different. Walking around with my 2 younger sisters, 9 and 13, I felt like I needed them by my side at all times. It never use to be like that, I could take them and let them go off with friends and enjoy themselves but this year it just felt very unsafe. From the mexican’s who stood around and starred and checked out a 9 year old as well as myself who is clearly very pregnant to the drunken teenagers fighting with each other, I just felt like I could have spent my money elsewhere. Its really sad but this town is slowly becoming a place I do not want to be associated with But how do we, and the town as a hole turn things around?!?! There really is no way and that is horrible. The event on Saturday was the last straw. I returned to see the fireworks like I always do and then to witness a stabbing only 50 feet from where I stood was incredible. I can not stop thinking of what would have happened had I walked that way a few moments earlier. We shouldn’t have to fear our town or watch our backs at a place that is suppose to bring joy and excitement. This year marks the last year of the carnival for me and sadly I think for quite a few others.
Why doesn’t the Dover community promote AA rather than open another liquor store? It has been to my observation that Dover and the surrounding communities are socially reclusive, impoverished, and in denial. Been here six years, can’t wait to move because there is no productivity or prosperity. I’ve been noticing that the general consensus of the neighborhood is “alcoholism, and compulsive television/video game involvement!” Not a very intelligent community, VERY LAZY.