[kdb]

Two nights ago my son dragged me to the playground on Park Place bet. Grand/Classon. The park was filled with 20-25 kids and about 30 adults.
A row of young men (some fathers of the children playing) sat on the benches right next to monkey bars, slides, etc. all smoking weed and blowing the smoke litteraly into the kids faces.

What disturbed me the most was that this did not seem to bother anyone.
The moms were oblivious, they didn't care. Everything just seemed status quo.

In the future I will simply avoid this playground. But I just had to get this off my chest.

[King without a crown]

In the future you should call the Police and provide a detailed description of the perpetrators.

[arock75]

I'm not saying this is right but it could be worse
_________________
If you stole my black Honda Civic 2000 EX coupe from 6th Avenue between Berkley and Union in June 2007 I will find you and bring you to justice

[kenieva]

i have been in that playground a number of times and aside from some loud music and kids playing basketball on the monkey bars, i haven't had any trouble, but i usually go there in the afternoons. It's not the fanciest playground, but it works for us. On the other hand, i know that smoking pot is illegal but honestly it doesn't bother me if people do it. You have to face the fact that smoking pot is part of the "culture" in this part of town. You don't have to like it, but that's where you live...sometimes we either have to make peace with things we don't like, do something to change them, or leave. Forgive me if my comments come across as offensive, it's not my intention, it's just my opinion. And no, i don't want you to leave!

[King without a crown]

Wow! Doing illegal drugs is the "Culture". Thats pretty messed up! I think we have just identified part of the problem. The fact that people accept this illegal behavior as the norm. Thats why the Neighborhood will continue to be the way it is. What else should we make peace with? Gang activity? Getting Robbed? How bout being randomly attacked by teens?

[MeredithB]

Well, at least they weren't drinking Nighttrain or Funky Monkey. You get a row of young men drunk on alcohol and you never know what will happen. At least with weed they usually don't start any trouble.
_________________
Walking on the beaches looking at the peaches.

[arock75]

I think it is rather ridiculous to compare smoking marijuana in public with gang activity, robbery and teen violence. If anything if we gave the gangs robbers and teens more weed to smoke they would stop doing the things that are undesirable. I don't want to start a whole debate on the legality of marijuana but the truth is that marijuana is ilegal in this country for all the wrong reasons and if you had to choose between people smoking weed in a park or drinking alcohol that most sane people would say smoke the weed.
_________________
If you stole my black Honda Civic 2000 EX coupe from 6th Avenue between Berkley and Union in June 2007 I will find you and bring you to justice

[caseopele]

Well, thank heavens they weren't smoking cigarettes. Filthy nicotine addicts!
_________________
A man needs a little madness, or else he never dares cut the rope and be free. -Nikos Kazantzakis

[Guest]

[Jack Krohn]

I think that you all have missed kdb's original point, which was not that smoking marijuana per se is wrong, but that blowing the smoke into the faces of small children whose bodies are still developing is inexcusable. Regardless of our beliefs on the legal or moral issues of marijuana, I think we can all agree that blowing the smoke into the face (or even in the presence) of a child should be frowned upon. IMO, this is no different than children being exposed to second-hand cigarette smoke and should not be casually dismissed as "culture".

So, kdb, I'm on your side and I commend you for your post.

[arock75]

I can only speak for myself but I definitely agree that smoking anything in the presence of children is wrong and should not happen, especially in public places like parks, etc.
_________________
If you stole my black Honda Civic 2000 EX coupe from 6th Avenue between Berkley and Union in June 2007 I will find you and bring you to justice

[Guest]

This post was not about smoking weed, but 1) about doing so in presence of children and 2) about the "non chalant this is so normal" vibe encountered.

It made me think of all the behaviours that are not right and the community's tolarance/embrace of them. However I too, rather than speak up or do something, simply avoid places and situation that make me uncomfortable. I do this because i just don't know what to do to make the community better.

Overall, I feel there is a take it or leave it kind of attitude. For the most part we really like living here, and don't want to leave.

[Bricktop]

I occasionally bring my kids to this park and hadn't seen this behavior, but will avoid the place from now on. What adults do in the privacy of their homes is their business, but I do NOT want my young children being exposed to weed. I don't even want them knowing about it, and if they see a bunch of men smoking "funny cigarettes," they might ask.

[MeredithB]

[wirenut]

it's more than a crime, it's poor parenting as well. I have seen (not at this park in particular) parents bring their young children with them to the corner to buy drugs. I would expect those kids to grow up thinking drugs are OK. I think that's a bigger problem.

BTW what is "funky monkey"?

[BassPlaya]

To the OP:

When you say "literally blowing it in their faces" do you mean that they were stooping down to give the kids a "shotgun"?

[MeredithB]

[Guest]

I agree with KWAC. Illegal behavior is too often condoned. I think we have identified the problem.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/12/nyregion/12.....;sq=testilying&st=nyt

[King without a crown]

I thought it was called Brass Monkey.

[Carnivore]

[bitsy]

Well I grew up in a rural area where as a kid it was normal to see adults in my town, whether it be a party or town celebration, with drinks in their hand. After moving to New York and spending time with other families I have witnessed and heard about the same type of behavior at parties, in Prospect Park, at bars (Union Hall?) and the like. I am sorry, but I don't think that smoking pot and relaxing in a local park is that different from all that. Why not explain to your child what those guys are doing? Are you going to let your kids be blind to the act of smoking weed until they are in junior high and trying it for themselves?

[Carnivore]

[sterling2000]

Good opportunity to introduce kids to another part of the "culture" aka "the police"
_________________
"The jawbone of an ass is just as dangerous a weapon today as in Sampson's time."
--- Richard Nixon

[bitsy]

yeah, it is true. police are part of our "culture". i've never had trouble smoking the entire time i have lived in this city. you know what i have been busted for? riding my bike on the sidewalk and putting my legs up on a subway seat. the guys in uniform in this town are a whole different lesson.

[BoogieKnight]

[Jack Krohn]

I'd like to add that most members of the local "culture" (i.e. African-American and Caribbean) would be appalled by what the OP described.

[Whatchuwant]

Reminds me of when I taught an after-school program in Bed-Stuy. We had an end of year performance and the whole auditorium stank like weed from the audience. Sad.
_________________
"...you can choose the rain....but I choose the sun..." - N. Costa

[WrightLeft]

The whole illegal argument is crap. There are DEFINITELY things that are illegal that are part of our culture. Speeding. J-Walking. If anybody tells me not to J-walk because it's illegal, I'll laugh at them. The real problem is that smoking weed is not part of YOUR culture so you have a problem with it, and the fact that it's illegal is the justification for your complaint.

If the problem is simply a matter of the children's health, then you would have a legitimate argument: except that cigarette smoke is as bad, or worse.

With respect to the children thinking that smoking weed is scary or weird, I can't imagine that they will recognize the difference between guys smoking joints and guys smoking cigarettes. If a child were to ask what the guys were doing. You can say smoking. If they notice that it's different than cigarettes, just explain there is more than one thing that people smoke (cloves being another legal option) and that smoking IN GENERAL is bad for you. If you are putting yourself between a rock and a hard place because you, yourself, smoke cigarettes in front of your children. Well, then, you have a bigger problem than worrying about what OTHER people do in front of your kids.

[daver]

[BoogieKnight]

[WrightLeft]

[daver]

[alafairnadia]

[Guest]

Why is boogie knight lumping being gay with other "attempts to set yourself apart from societal norms" like getting a tattoo and liking hip hop? - did that irk anyone else

[alafairnadia]

[Guest]

I may not be the most knowledgeable person regarding some other cultures but I do think that we could be (just a guess) talking about a group of men from the West Indies, possibly from a country where smoking weed is actually part of their culture and as such they see nothing wrong with doing something that has been such an ingrained and harmless (disregard the health issues for a second) activity in front of children much in the same way that they have done in their country of origin - still assuming they are from one of these countries....

There is a woman in my building - she is pushing 70 years old - and she smokes up. So, do all of my neighbors. So do I occasionally. There are three drug dealers alone in my building of sixteen apartments. Yes, weed is a part of the "culture" here.

I agree though - they should be respectful of the fact that other people using the space shouldn't have to be subjected to the smoke and possible second hand high.

All that being said - aren't kids even more adorable when you're stoned though?

[BoogieKnight]

[Alex]

Check this bong out

[queenalijean]

maybe there needs to be signs like the "no ball playing" posted on the side of buildings. my dad put a picture of a joint with an x trough it on our canoe growing up. although i guess it wasn't overly effective.

[chinaspicebrown]

I live in a very small town in Delaware and can relate to the stories posted here. My 2-year old grandson and I were visiting the playground in his middle-class neighborhood late Holloween afternoon. He was playing with another little boy whose teenage sister and her friends were smoking pot on the nearby benches. I tucked my grandson under my arm and left the playground. I suspect this is a common occurrence everywhere nowadays.

[xlizellx]

that playground always seems full of more grown men than children. it's almost always full when i walk past late-nights. loud music, pot smoke, and beers in bags. it's quite the hang-out after dark.

[blazinh]

That park has been the hang out for all the kids in the neighborhood those guys never bother anyone and they are more respectful than you know. All of them work and there is a precient across the street and if those cops feel they have better things to do like catch murders and rapist than bother someone sitting with there friends having a drink. also just so everyone knows if it were for those guys there would be no swing, slide or jungle gym there if it were for them. they are the ones that did fundraisers(block parties) to raise the money to buy them.