Tourists harassed by gangs of locals on main road!

[RonUSVI]

I do not believe it was racist at all however, just the mere headline makes it inappropriate. How many maybe first time browsers may have just looked at that and automatically decide, no, it's not for me. There are people out there that do that. Make jokes if you like, but these days headlines like that are not funny, especially to me as a Virgin Islander.

[mindehankins]

As a newbie to these boards, when I see a headline like that, I want to know MORE! And as I see how farsiscle the report is, I think it would make me laugh and relax.
Just my two cents. The only gangs and bandits I've encountered were fuzzy and adorable!

[lawmom]

Larry, whew! How did you come up with all that? Racist? I don't get it! Seems like quite a stretch to me to come to that extreme conclusion.

Lighten up...maybe a painkiller or a rum punch is in order.

[bnsilly]

Honestly, after I read the title I had flashbacks to the threads about the shooting on STT and thought..."Ok, that does it..I am definitely not going back to STJ"....
I was relieved, however, that it was our furry friends..I can see where it would bother some people. I am just glad it isn't as I initially thought...and hope that the people of STJ and STT continue to work on getting officials to stay on top of crime, etc..
No worries Gromit..

[bayer40601]

Just returned, and while we did see isolated gang members along the Centerline Road and at other locations, they did not seem to be as many in number and did not seem to be handing around together. The rumor is that in view of this thread on the Forum, many of them have taken advantage of the caution 0f the tourists and have decided to take a summer vacation along with certain restaurants and services.

I would suggest keeping a close eye out for them to return during the "High Season" with all new members and all new tactics.

[Maggy]

I thought this was funny. I kind of figured it out already by reading the subject, but I wasn't sure until I've read it.

I appreciate a little humor on this forum

[Gromit]

@Cruzan Chris--

That video was HILARIOUS!! Only on STJ!!

Thanks for sharing!

[Cruzan Chris]

Gromit,
My pleasure...When I had seen your post , i kinda knew where you were going with it and i just could'nt resist.
Island Girl is still crackin up over it .
I think we ALL need a good laugh now and then...With all
that is going on around us , every little bit helps .
And now , I will leave you with this HIGH SPEED chase
of a 4 legged perp we found casing out our villa as we were leaving to go to the beach.
<embed width="600" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullscreen="true" allowNetworking="all" wmode="transparent" src="http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf" flashvars="file=http%3A%2F%2Fvid285.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fll74%2FCruzanChris%2Fhome%2520movies%25202%2Fshowdownwithaniguana.mp4">

[Larry]

Larry-

I am not picking on anyone in particular (despite your suggestion to the contrary) and cannot and will not apologize for other people.

Clearly you have your own issues. My posts are in no way racist or "race baiting", nor are they intended to be. In fact your charges of "race baiting" are not even grounded in the terms true definition.

Since YOU brought it up.... when you look at people the first thing you clearly see is color. Why is it that you can't accept that others do not?

Where is it proven that all of the crimes committed in the VI's are by West Indians?

When I read that a crime was commmitted (rare on STJ) I do not automatically assume the color of the skin of the criminal is dark. Clearly you do.

For the purpose of my narrative what other term would you have suggested that would not give the punchline away? Are donkeys not part of the "local" wildlife?

Take a deep breath. Do not assume the worst about people and their motives. I know you are better than this.

((hugs))

Gromit

You can hide behind your longtime friends on forum, but your responses are not thoughtful and you're preaching to only your friends. You made a racist joke. "gangs of locals" would never come across as anything other than West Indians in any poll of users. Go ahead and try one.

I don't want to keep this thread going, but you can rest assured that you did not "win" by calling me a racist back. Saying that I must "see color first" is calling me a racist and I dislike you asserting that notion. I never cast doubt on your intentions, only your understanding of your behavior which is surely at question if you think that "gangs of locals" won't denote West Indians. You resorted to attacking me, the sure sign of a losing battle for you.

We are certainly not friends, though certainly not enemies. You have an anti-intellectualism streak that should not be rewarded and I'm disappointed that I'm in a forum where you have only your friends to back up your repugnant speech; a forum that I like to be a part of. At the same time, I could care less if I'm the disliked for values and understanding that I (having an African step-father and several college degrees in ethical public management) have earned.

That being said, I guess we'll have to be friendly to co-exist here and I think you should think long and hard next time before you post something "funny" by *your* standards, as I will not stop confronting anything I see as vile towards other human beings.

[Gromit]

Nice.

Can I get a group hug for Larry?? Come on everyone.

It sounds like his hugometer is low.

[Larry]

Nice.

Can I get a group hug for Larry?? Come on everyone.

It sounds like his hugometer is low.

Anti-intellectualism.

[Lex]

I really appreciate seeing Ronnie on this forum more frequently. I always give his perspective a lot of weight. It often provides some insight into how I would see things if I were a native Virgin Islander. Sometimes that viewpoint is quite different than mine. He's also a wealth of info.

I found Gromit's post clever and funny. But after reading Ronnie's comments, I can easily see how differently it could impact a resident than it did me. I expect that the impact of violent crime in the VI is very personal for residents. For me, it's something reflected upon from a distance. For me it's an "issue". There are some things that it's fine to joke about, but other things may be too raw, immediate and painful to be joked about. For people directly touched by them, some things aren't material for humor.

Ronnie was clear that he didn't find it racist, but he found the headline offensive. "Make jokes if you like, but these days headlines like that are not funny, especially to me as a Virgin Islander."

I try to be sensitive and respectful to the residents of places I visit, but often don't really understand how differently they may see things than I do.

[BeAsUR]

Gromit- I was eating breakfast at a diner in Norman Ok today and this sign was on the wall. I asked myself: "Now WHERE have I heard that before?" And then I answered myself:" Oh yeah- Gromit said this is one of her Grandpa's sayings!"
Thought it would make you smile