Small towns getting big city problems

Early in this decade, I lived in Atlanta, GA for a few years. For the most part, I loved the big city atmosphere, but the job I had at the time required me to spend quite a bit of time in some of the worst parts of the city. There were always a lot of run down buildings with lots of rather "interesting" characters hanging out on street corners, and there were gang tags everywhere. I never could understand why people would deface buildings in their own neighborhood.

Anyway, to make a long story short, the atmosphere that I worked in was one of the things that led me to make changes to my career path. I ultimately moved back to a small town in northwest NC, pretty close to where I was born and raised. Things I witnessed in those areas of Atlanta led me to appreciate my small town more than I ever did while I was growing up. My small town isn't perfect, but gangs and drugs weren't something that I felt like I had to worry about. Unfortunately, that is changing.

A few weeks ago, I was returning to the house when I noticed this:

It was plastered on one wall of a small business complex that is just down the street. As someone who is used to leaving my car unlocked at night and not worrying about whether the front door is locked while I'm laying on the couch, this came as quite a shock. It is amazing how quickly a person's sense of security can be shattered.

Hopefully, this is just a couple of gang wanna-be's from the local high school, but it worries me that this could be the real deal moving into my town.

What is civilization coming to????

Until next time,

-Voice of Reason-