Holidays in Baltimore--The lead flies like snow...

Ah, Yuletide in Charm City.

I hope St. Nick was wearing Kevlar when he was making his rounds...

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-shootings-20101223,0,42570.story

http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2010/12/24/1-dead-2-recover-after-shooting-in-west-baltimore/

http://www.abc2news.com/dpp/news/cr...uspect-in-shooting-of-coppin-state-track-star


Crime is so rampant in Baltimore that the Baltimore Sun is publishing their "annual crime recap" as poetry...

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/ma...crime-poem-20101223-52,0,7637689.story?page=1

My fiance and I were comparing the Christmas Day local headlines between WBAL and The Rapid City Journal (our local news rag).

There were something like 7 Baltimore headlines that began with 'stabbing,' 'shooting,' or 'robbery.' There were NO crime stories on the RCJ local page. The big headline: Christmas Lights at Storybook Island (a local kiddy park).

The lack of violent news stories makes many here feel that it is unnecessary to be prepared to defend themselves at any time. Thus, many in this otherwise gun-loving part of the country do not carry, OC or otherwise. Unfortunately, Rapid City is not as bucolic a place as the newsmen would like us to believe; many stabbings, assaults, and robberies go unreported or are glossed over by local news in order to preserve the 'small town America' vibe.

At least one knows to expect violence in Baltimore.