impending...

so, the economy is doin its thing...leavin pretty much no one untouched.  not too sure about politics/economics and whatever, i'm not sure how much the stimulus package will help...but anyway, we are faced with an interesting situation up here.  The Portland Police Dept. is contemplating closing the North Precinct...that's in my neighborhood.  This is after they cut the size of the precinct in the last year or so.  as i began contemplating what could be the consequences of this action (one which seems rather silly to me), I began to wonder what would happen to the fragile neighborhood I live in and near.  An area that is full of about every economic, social, and racial group.  An area that has sections going through gentrification, and some that probably never will...within a 2 minute drive of each other.  Portland's got quite the drug culture...i'm not talking about weed...that's just like cigarettes up here, I'm not even sure if the police care much about that...i'm talkin Meth and Crack...then I thought about the gang culture up here, its become far more organized and revolves more around drugs than anything else...i think...the power that drugs and the threat of violence can have is amazing on a community seeking to improve and survive...  

All these thoughts come shortly after reading an article about MLK's journey to learn from Ghandi's non-violent resistance.  As I began thinking about what a community can do to survive in the midst of a struggling economy, in the midst of a decreasing 'police presence', i began to wonder what it would be like if there existed a strength of community, where people could begin to police themselves in such a way, where non-violence was the standard, where hope was shared between neighbors, and we all sought to lift each other up.  would that type of community be what was effectively needed to squash violence being used as coercion? how can we begin to see that type of community be formed when we are still so much outsiders to our new home?  i haven't even come close to being in a situation yet where non-violence was a choice I was going to have to make...how can i get to the point to encourage others?

anyway, bunch of questions...not really seeking answers...just thinking out loud. strength of community...strength of community in Christ is what is going to get us through this...