City Hall decreed that the establishment of a crew requires a speech.  We, the OC community, should have ensured such traditions were kept.

Recently, thankfully, a post-war discussion happened on the Streets.  That was good, old-style, welcome.  Engaging.

LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION:

Do you enjoy a lively environment?  Then get out onto the Streets.  YOUR streets.

I HAVE MANY QUESTIONS:

Murder is worth talking about, no?  We recently saw a spate of murders, and attempted murders.  Why is nobody talking about it?

JamesBaxter is no longer Leader of the Streets.  Why is nobody talking about it?

Lordian has returned to these shores, not a word has been uttered about his lineage's business practises.  Why is nobody talking about it?

Flash-Fire is still Flash-Fire.  I'll give you a pass on this.  Who'd want to talk about that pathetic half-witted gollum.  

The late Chris_Vaughn's lineage has retired.  A big, big hitter.  Gone.  Why aren't we talking about it?

Would need some Old school GOATs to bring such things up, im new back so I dont know as much as many about certain people or events but gossip and drama will make a lively environment but it usually ends up with someone getting a touch of "Emotional Damage" would love to see suggestions to vibe the streets up though as a returnee!

There are some such GOATs, JimmyTheCrimmy.  I hope they step up.

Would you like to tell us a bit about yourself, Jimmy?

A man named Roger tried to do something, to make something of himself.  He had a list of enemies, and he was working his way through them.  He killed three people, including @ChubbiNiNja before he himself was killed.  Sad really.

Nobody seems to care.

Where are the chatty types? 

Stringer, it's been a long time since these streets hustled and bustled with the day to day business of this thing of ours. Part of that is down to the diametric shift in how things run, people became complacent, people had stopped announcing their crews as a matter of course, opting instead for the easier mass mail "Stringer will be setting up under me in such and such district, this is authed, no pew pew." Part of it is down to the younger members of our community perhaps not feeling confident to come out into the streets and say their piece, perhaps because of in experience, perhaps out of fear of being ridiculed, perhaps due to not knowing how things used to be.

The old timers come to the streets less and less out of a sense that everything that could be said has been said before, perhaps by members of their lineage. There are, after all, only so many times you can ask 'What does being Made mean to you', or 'what does Omerta mean to you'. There is a pervasive sense of abject boredom everywhere you look. Sure you still get the old faithfuls posting their nonsense from time to time, incendiary newspaper articles and inflammatory arguments call out the great and the good, and often the not so good.

But most of all its down to simple mathematics. We have seen membership fall year on year for over a decade. Old stalwarts who plied their trade on the soap boxes of yester year are dead and gone, or retired and have gone into a different, more legitimate line of work. All this means that there are less people willing to stand in the streets and espouse their beliefs or hawk their wares. It is a sad state of affairs, but not everyone came to the streets, there was always the silent majority, but 10% street speakers from a membership of 2000, vs 10% of 300 is a zero-sum situation.

It hurts my heart to see the streets like this, but this is the world in which we live, it is  the world we have created, and now we reap what we have sown for these past 20 years.

Jhon_Jairo_Velasquez - there may be some truth to what you say, but I can't recall a time when people didn't hark back to a bygone era.  Newfangled methods of communication have made the Streets, even the coffee shops, quieter.

But luckily, the Streets are a place where anyone can come and say their piece and, within certain accepted parameters, be heard, and be safe.

Jhon, you seem like a man who has some experience of this world.

Why not look for tangible steps with what we have to get the Streets moving?

Why don't CL's meet and then give us, the masses, their directives?  Why don't we road-test new concepts?  Mugging laws.  Recruitment laws.  Are people bored?  Then make your own fun.  Pursue your own vendettas.

Looking only forward, Jhon: give me three solid ideas to get the Streets busier.  Come on man, I know you can think of some, and I have a feeling your words will carry more weight than mine.

PITA the pain in the ass has been around long enough to know the current question at hand is like beating a dead horse. However, she is going to speak up as this has always been in her family blood. Grant it through the years her lineage got wiser on how and when they spoke and to whom they spoke too.

Over the years the subject of regime played an important role. And wars were wars. And a new regime would be in place. This is not the case today. The population has diminished to the point where it is impossible for a new regime to move in. And the last few takedowns over nearly the last two years alone make my point valid. 

So often the terminology of "Rogue" falls upon everyone. Yet when those controlling wake up and decide to wipeout established CL's and their active crews for no reason whatsoever, no communication, no attempt to conduct business, is that not going rogue?  

The inability to allow an internal issue be just that is not in favor of good business practice. The late Isabella proved this much. She was also presented with the rationale that all made must die when a so-called war hits the shores. It's old school she was told. Yet that was not the case when it came to Night Hawk who by the way was a Made man when he jumped ship on the last poor decision made by those controlling you. Then again the late Cirilla did attempt to recruit him and others because he knew the demise of Paradise LV was in the makings. 

The solution is do as they do. Figure out the rest. This girl is retired, and it has nothing to do with the boredom that is being forced upon you.  

Why did you have to throw Lordain into this? He may have made mistakes but his debt to this thing of ours has been paid in full. 

The real question should be why are you littering these streets?

Miles_of_Style - Lordian murdered LouisT.  Destroyed the Chicago Tribune. 

Stringer, shit happens here. I am sure he didn't do anything that he felt didn't need to be done. 

As for the Chicago Tribune, if one death kills a paper then that paper wasn't worth very much to begin with. 

Miles_of_Style - The Chicago Tribune was a pioneering newspaper/crew amalgamation.

Has there been one since? 

I have no idea Stringer. I don't follow these "papers" as they are often meant to cause friction between families to benefit the writer. That bores me and I have no interest.

I'm guessing you are/were behind papers and have an avid interest in this stuff. I can live without it.

My lineage has has an interest in some newspapers, but not the best 

BillyWawa overheard the lively discussion. He considers for a moment.

What Do We Want From the Streets?

Less Miles_Of_Style being an insufferable edge lord. 

More Mafia Sports! This place is crying out for some sort of ball related shenanigans. 

I guess you are okay with your friends being called out BillyWawa. I am not nor will I ever be. If that makes me an insufferable edge lord then so be it.

I'm perfectly fine with people calling out my friends for past indiscretions, I do it all the time to them as well and they seem to be okay with it as well. 

But nobody I nor nobody else really cares about any of that. I'd like to see more people getting involved in the random street discussions that are normally going on. These are usually pretty low-impact discussions (sans the murders) that are easy to step into and out of at your own leisure. 

I'm a fan of what Stringer has said about making your own fun as well, I think this is something that more people should really try and get involved in. Several generations of my family have fighting a shadowy war of words and misdeeds against the dubious Paul_Finch and his 'associates' just because my family finds it entertaining. 

At the end of the day, the Streets have been dying for quite some time and if we don't try and do something I worry that soon all we will see are the speeches that are required to be there by City Hall. If you aren't interested in the streets the least you can do is get out of the way of the people who are trying. 

Well said Wellerman.

What we need now is some engagement from some upper structures.

Could one person from each city lend themselves to this project? 

Could one person from each city lend themselves to this project? 

 What project?  Honestly I don't really see anything constructive in here except for the same musings my family has heard for generations.  No one is stopping you from producing quality content for the streets to enjoy.  I'm not sure what you're looking for from upper-structures. If you're looking for carte blanche to be able to say and do whatever you want without repercussions that you'll never be able to get I'm afraid, no matter what people have suits.

Thanks for coming out FutureStealer. I always appreciate your opinions.  

If you're looking for carte blanche to be able to say and do whatever you want without repercussions that you'll never be able to get I'm afraid, no matter what people have suits.

This is not at all what I am looking for. I can't speak for anyone else, but I am generally aware of what can and can't be said to certain individuals and I think everyone is generally aware that blatant disrespect should be reprimanded. 

The question really should be as a leader in our world what are you (Leaders) doing to promote our ways of life and making sure there is something to come back to each day. Events such as the Golden Gloves boxing event, other competitions and contests are good for everyone.