Plea to Christie: Visit Camden
Helene Pierson, executive director of the housing agency Heart of Camden and a 2010 Inquirer Citizen of the Year, has written to Gov. Christie three times in the last six weeks. She wants him to visit Camden and address the fact that Camden this year broke its annual homicide record -- 67 so far, compared to the previous record of 58 in 1995. Specifically, Pierson wants Christie to visit the area outside City Hall where volunteers have planted crosses for every 2012 murder victim.
Plea to Christie: Visit Camden
Matt Katz, Inquirer Staff Writer
Helene Pierson, executive director of the housing agency Heart of Camden and a 2010 Inquirer Citizen of the Year, has written to Gov. Christie three times in the last six weeks. She wants him to visit Camden and address the fact that Camden this year broke its annual homicide record -- 67 so far, compared to the previous record of 58 in 1995. Specifically, Pierson wants Christie to visit the area outside City Hall where volunteers have planted crosses for every 2012 murder victim.
Pierson said she has yet to get anything beyond an automated response from the folks who handle constituent relations in Christie's office. I know that Christie does respond -- sometimes personally -- to constituent letters that he reads. I also know that he receives tens of thousands of messages to his office.
Here's Pierson's first letter, sent Nov. 15:
Dear Governor Christie:
Will you come visit the faces of Camden City? It has been the most violent year on record. Safety is substantially compromised. Our residents have all been traumatized with the height of the breakdown coming after two young innocent children were killed back-to-back in horrific circumstances. In our City, there has been a long history of suppression of the pain. We are taught to tuck it away, immediately. We are not taught this verbally, but by the treatment of this crisis as normal, lack of public acknowledgment and the silence. It hurts our people.
All I am asking is that you come visit some of the murder victims’ families and friends. Offer some comfort, and a hug. Show that them that you care:
--The mother and sisters of Dominick Andujor: Dominick was a bright 6 year old who played tee ball. While Dominick's mother was in the hospital, a man on laced marijuana tried to rape his 12-year old sister. He died trying to save her.
--The mothers of Quanyrah Houston and Kenny Holmes who were stars in a difficult public school system who died tragically in a fire that seems to have been set intentionally.
--The mother of a young woman who was shot in the face after her 4 year old's birthday party along with 4 other innocent victims; including Khalil Gibson, a 19 year old college student who also was murdered in the attack.
Those are the innocents. There are so many good families in pain, because of young men that were involved in subversive activity for various reasons, who deserve a hug as well. There are families of victims that were killed in domestic violence circumstances.
We all need you to cry and mourn with us in an effort to heal in this year that should never happen again. This is not normal.
A volunteer group with which I am associated--S.T.O.P--Stop Trauma on People has erected crosses for all the murder victims at City Hall. Will you come visit them with us?
...If you cannot make this event but are willing to come, please let us know. If you are up for something more, we could follow a cross visit with a small discussion at our South Camden Theatre to share the diversity of opinions on how we can move forward.
This request is not one that should be heavily escorted through political channels, but you can trust that you would be in good hands. Official government capacity escorts are just fine and Senator Donald Norcross, Assemblyman Fuentes, and Police Chief J. Scott Thomson have all been to the crosses to grieve with the families.
I hope you will come. Our City needs to know that people care. Thank you for taking the time to read this letter, and I look forward to meeting you soon.
Sincerely,
Helene Pierson
Executive Director
Heart of Camden
Comment removed.- This is simply a ploy to make it look like he doesn't care.
As if a visit from him is going to be Camdens miracle. What would help Camden is when Judges stop catering to criminals and keep offenders locked up instead of allowing them to go free. If you murder someone, there is no get out of jail free card, you stay there.— BarbGOP - Sadly, Barb... the perception already exists that no one outside of Camden really cares about what goes on there. Not in Trenton, and not anywhere, except in the city of Camden itself. Many of the comments already posted here reflect that sentiment as well as anything I could say.
While a visit from the governor won't put an end to violent crime, it would call some attention to the problem, and perhaps some symbolic gesture might give people hope that steps will be taken. If the gesture were following up by meaningful action, who knows...— Hutch - Hutch, when all the citizens in Camden appear to care as much as Ms. Pierson apparently does, then maybe things will change. There is a lot of apathy in Camden. I could list reasons, but I'd be labeled as a racist, right-winger, etc. When people care about themselves and agree to be responsible for their, and their children's, actions, then change will begin to happen. Until then, nothing. Every time the Governor proposes something to help Camden, he's vilified. So I don't blame him for not responding. Trying to help Camden in its current state is truly a case of flogging a dead horse.
— Kranzley - Shouldn't the Mayor of Camden be the one to do this?— Falls Ed
- Maybe Obama can surf on over to Camden to help out.— TyroneShoes
- the elections are over..... you honestly believe they care now??.... yea right.— pr0f3ss0r
- I smell a trap— Northeaster
- Rotundro thinks NJ below Trenton doesn't exist! Camden gets millions of taxpayer dollars,what about Cumberland County? Cumberland County is the south end of Rt.55. The state need to spend money where it will some good,not Sewerville!— quigly46
- Gov. Christie should accept the invitation.— EIK
- fascinating— Zero
- He needs to check with King George Norcross III first.— Wilhelm Von Humboldt
- If I were him and read this letter, I'd be on the next southbound River Line from Trenton.— neon doctor
- Maybe the Democrats can think up an appropriate law to stop all the murders in Camden...— SuziSaul
- If Christie were to take Pierson up on her invitation, critics would say he did it for political reasons. If he doesn't accept it, he doesn't care. The same thing happened to former Governor Whitman. Folks in Camden said that she was afraid to visit the city. But when she came and toured the city unannounced, they criticized her and said that she didn't get out of her car. Its a no-win situation for Christie. And he's not exactly going to lose too many votes in Camden if he doesn't come.— Boru
- Christie doesn't personally respond to Pierson's invitation. Why? Executive directors of housing rehab groups in Camden aren't high-powered individuals to whom governors need respond. Executive directors are employees who report to a board. They don't call the shots for their organizations. They may be the face and the mouthpiece, but nothing more. Perhaps the person who really controls The Heart of Camden should write his own letter to Christie. At least Michael Doyle is a white person who lives in Camden.— Boru
- I hope that Governor Christie does visit. Camden provides a serious challenge to the state of New Jersey. Showing concern and working on solutions helps all. Chris, get this done.— Peter of Manassas
- Why should he? No votes for Tubby in Camden— MilesLong1
- Make the call to Christie's caterer and it's done.— DoctorLoads
- She didn't ask for money, she asked for a brief visit as a show of support for the city, that's all.— Jabey
- Invite him for dinner, that will get that him to visit— Ratdog
- You got the guns off the street, the crime should go down now *That is a lefty thought, get more guns off the street, less crime....we shall see how that works lefties — BarbGOP
- And Camden being such a slum for decades will improve with a visit from Christie? Must be joking or simply a ploy from the Democrats to portray Christie as uncaring to the poor blacks in Camden. Bull. Last week Camden had some cash/food for guns thing going on so problem solved.— BarbGOP
- Good points by Barb. He should have been there already. The picture to be painted is that he spent so much time at the far richer Jersey Shore yet ignored the good people living in a just as equally devastated Camden. He should be the Governor of all New Jersyans, not just the well-to-do, which is the picture he is painting by himself.— DelawareRiverRat
- Camden - the armpit of NJ and why ? Why not jail all the gang members who a majority of the shootings ? Clean up the city and get rid of the drug pushers and killers !— ronifer
- Agreed w/barb, all judges should be fired, now!— bucky95
- Christie doesn't need to go to Camden. Norcross is calling the shots in Camden so why bother. Its a hell hole that can't be fixed.— naplesfan
- Another special interest advocate using others' tragic deaths to further her own selfish agenda. Hunny chile, Guv Krispy is too busy helping wealthy hurricane victims rebuild where they shouldn't. Get in line Miss Pierson.— albrock
- Let's stop beating around the bush - the problem with Camden IS the residents of Camden and their dependence on government, and hence, lack of self-reliance and personal responsibility. The answer is to stop having kids out of wedlock, attend classes so you can gain an education that leads to gainful employment. Of course, the Democrat Party loves people tethered to the nanny state - so they an bus them to the polls every few years to maintain political power! The poor don't understand how they are being led down as pawns in the Democrat voting scheme!— TruthTeller01
- @TruthTeller01: That's an old tired story you echo from the 1% class in this country. This middle of the road person believes that in a large degree, black and latino dependence on one party has contributed smartly to their station in this world; so be it. But the real death knell was the loss of the manufacturing base beginning after the late sixties riots. This state and this country has turned it's backs from cities like Camden. Are we to leave Camden to it's own self destruction or lend a firm but sympathetic had to those who need and deserve everyones help?— DelawareRiverRat
- The 50 year Democrat experiment, so what do you think the people of The City of Camden and The County of Camden do?, you guessed it, they reelected the Democrats.— Faadoogled
- IfPresident Obama can go visit the victims of Connecticut why can't Christie visit the victim of Camden I know why he sent a couple of State Troopers in and he thinks that enough, the fact that Camden is democratic city is another reason.68 murders in Camden if this was Cherry Hill we would have everybody and their mother working to correct the problem.— Joe Bennett
- Hahaha let the comments flow on this non-story while the story on "US holiday retail sales growth weakest since 2008" will remain commentless and off the philly.com homepage in 20 minutes. typical brainwashing tactics yet no suprise here!
— 420Phillie - I have to admit that reading some of these comment boards makes me feel sad and a great deal of pity for some of those who are commenting here. A few a made in supposed jest but the intellect with those isn't much and an abundance of the truly callous comments are apparently quite serious.
By way of background my family is from Camden including the 4 members of my nuclear family who all hold Master's degrees or higher. My father went to Wilson and my parents and sister lived in Camden before I was born.
So understand when I say that as much as Obama is the President of the United States that Christie is the Governor of New Jersey. The welfare of every single soul in that city is their problem and our problem.
We don't get to write off segments of our society because of the region or voting affiliation or ethnicity. It's not a topic for "witty" jokes or politically/cultural indifference. This isn't an "us versus them" problem or a "sucks to be them" problem. It's OUR problem. Just as much as any other problem in our society.
To that end the Governor should be more involved in whatever is needed to lift a historic problem that has become the city of Camden. If that means more political capital or just a visit that might say to a handful that he cares. It's a one afternoon trip that may well do some good.
Because doing what we've done in the past hasn't worked.— doctorhim - doctorhim - I never intimated that we should turn our backs or write off the people of Camden. What I am saying is government simply isn't the answer. I, too, grew up poor. Fortunately for me, I grew up in a 2-parent home, in a solid middle-to-upper-class town (though I lived on the other side of the tracks) and saw how folks achieved success in a free country. It wasn't through a government program - it was by embracing the free public education we all receive in America (even Camden residents) and setting goals - then sacrificing immediate gratification - and working hard to achieve those goals (e.g. - HS diploma, college degree). I worked my way through college, while many of my friends of color got 100% government funding. But guess what - the hard work, stress and sacrifice made me stronger and made me appreciate my success. And since I'm a Christian who believes in morality and living a value-based life, I'll opine this: as long as the people of Camden continue having babies out of wedlock - in single-parent homes - the future's of their children are not bright. and as long as they look to government - instead of looking within themselves and to God - their plight will remain as it is today. Government isn't the answer, it can help, but living in accordance with God's morality and following the Judeo-Christian work ethic, all things are possible. And I know because I attended university with Camden kids who made it out by following those tenets. Look within and ask for the Lords help, not government.— TruthTeller01
- Truth Teller, it's nice to lecture individuals, but what about the city? Cities like Camden were built on an industrial revolution that has long passed it by. It wasn't sin and sloth by some local residents that sent RCA, Campbells, New York Shipbuilding, etc., to greener pastures, but the dynamics of capitalism and free markets. No amount of "judeo-christian work ethic" in the hearts of those left behind will change that.— montani semper liberi
- 100% agreed. It's great to "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps", but what if you don't have bootstraps? Or boots?
I agree that there are a great many people who could use to invest in themselves and make their own lives better. That works fine for these individuals, but that breaks down on the macro scale.
THAT is where government comes in. To support the individual. Whether it's improved schools or roads or next generation infrastructure. Or whatever.
Ultimately, I'd love to get to where government strategically focuses on the big picture stuff like that and stops doing special favors for individual people or corporations or industries. Corporate and individual welfare is a short term solution to a long term problem, to which I'd love to find a better solution. As soon as on presents itself that doesn't have tens of millions of people starve then I'm on board.— doctorhim 
I'd just be happy if someone could explain why Republican ideas only work to help wealthy white people in the suburbs, but they're so unable to help urban minorities. Please come explain that.— thegreengrass
Reach him at mkatz@phillynews.com or 609-217-8355.
Follow Matt on Twitter: @mattkatz00. Reach Matt at mkatz@phillynews.com or 609-217-8355.
