Dear Craig,
OK, I think it’s time to declare an end to the experiment. It is time to call a halt to the unfettered, abusive, and even threatening online dialogue on this blog. If we have something to say, we need to do it with maturity.
Isiah Stroud’s violent murder in Rogers Park was just a week ago today. It was Bloody Friday in Rogers Park because that same night three other youths were stabbed on our streets in similar instances of gang-related violence. The violence, and it should not have been necessary to get this result, has opened a glimpse into a window of the lives of some youth in our community. Maybe many youth.
As neighbors, young and old, we’ve shared our thoughts on this blog. Profound expressions have emerged of anger, compassion, frustration, fear, and even hate for those involved and the ongoing climate of violence on our streets, gang-related or otherwise. Much of our dialogue is acceptable inasmuch as most blog posters are trying to communicate exactly how they feel, and are working really hard at it.
Yet, the widespread lack of common decency and respect, as seen in how we address each other, has reached an all time low. It’s become more than ugly. Enough is enough.
For days I’ve been tolerant of all the f-you, n-word, and b-word flavored monologues from various community residents, and especially from those who identify themselves as gangbangers, wannabe gangbangers, and clique, block, club, and crew members. Regarding the later group, I’ve thought, if that’s the only way these folks know how to communicate, so be it. However, that style long ago crossed the line of acceptability here. More than the all-caps, non-punctuated text messaging which many find unintelligible, it is the saber-rattling verbal violence which has come to dominate these discussions. It’s become pointless to allow it to continue. As has already been noted by other blog posters, this anti-social style of communication interferes with any attempt to understand (1) their views about the problems they and our community face, and (2) the people affected by these problems.
It’s not just some youthful posters who are guilty of launching school-yard bully tactics. We should not excuse those adults who either initiate or insist on continuing to spew useless and pointless verbal abuse. Insults and invectives hurled by neighbors, who are supposedly adults who should know better, stand out as remarkably crude, vicious, and destructive. Please folks, consider the phrase, “To get respect, you have you give it.” I can cite many comments from users of fictitious names. Remaining anonymous, they purport to be Rogers Park neighbors, although we have no proof that they actually live here. Nor do we know that they are actually adults.
Many comments are marked by an indiscriminate fury - an “I’m just mad at everyone” attitude. They target blame and abuse with a shotgun full of pellets, even attacking neighbors with disrespect for simply expressing a different opinion or asking a question. Many here also have devoted too many pointless and salaciously off-color remarks (recently and over the years) in reference to a host of local entities that are, rightly or wrongly, the cause of or target for our frustrations - the alderman, his staff and political supporters, the police, the developers, an array of community organizations, and others. And it gets worse. As a Black man raising Black children here, I am particularly appalled to observe the prominent veins of bigotry and racism inherent in so many hurtful posts that generalize certain groups. Regularly many of these comments assign blame to and suspect criminality in every Black teenager and every subsidized housing resident in our neighborhood. I’m sick of it.
Can’t we disagree, without being disagreeable? Don’t we expect that of our children? I ask you neighbors, why not us as well?
I’ve been called a “dupe” here for daring to express compassion and sadness that yet another youth has died by violence in my neighborhood. I and others (someone invoked Barack Obama as a potential role model for youth) are labeled as Pollyanna bleeding hearts for suggesting that other solutions exist beyond what some “good, law abiding neighbors” are demanding. The unworkable, expensive, and inhumane final solutions offered here have ranged from simply prison (thrown them in jail and toss away the key) or push up the death statistics by arming every citizen or giving shoot-to-kill orders to the police. Folks, get real. That’s not going to happen. We’ve also heard from some who accept street violence as a rule of life for youth involved in gangs, a “Live by the sword, die by the sword” attitude. Nope, we are not barbarians, and besides, innocent bystanders get hurt too. We expect something much better in Rogers Park.
My head is not in the sand on local crime. I do not turn a blind eye to the problems we face. I have consistently advocated for a much higher degree of accountability and performance from our government officials. I also expect it from our community, which must get involved and help create and support solutions. As for me, I pay attention and remain active in our community if for no other reason than the fact that I have two children of my own. I am compelled to worry about what can happen when they venture out onto our streets.
Here’s what I see in and understand from the comments purportedly from youth who directly or indirectly knew Isiah Stroud or share a lifestyle similar to his. Many problems that concern them stem from real societal issues beyond their control – lack of a decent education, poverty, and lack of employment are central concerns. More important, at the very top of the issues list, we all can cite what is or is not happening in their home in terms of Meaningful Parental Attention and Guidance. That is a fundamental issue which can forecast the fate of all children.
Some of the problems expressed by these youth are also imagined. Their comments reveal their inexperience and a high degree of naiveté. That is to be expected from those who are not as world-wise as they’d like to believe. I don’t fault them for that, but we do expect parents to help guide their understanding of what is real and possible versus what is unreal, unsafe, and deadly. Other problems these youth cite are self-made and may be fueled by a nasty concoction of testosterone and our daily “get mine and me first” bling-bling at all costs media messages. Certainly other lessons are taught to our impressionable youth in the example set by the excesses of our avaricious political leaders, which are daily big news around the world.
Finally, in trying to understand and maybe explain “Why kids today are the way they are” I’ll refer to my oft-stated, far left of center, progressive Democrat leanings. I’d cite some aspects of our American identity, even as I note the red-white-and-blue flying in my own back yard. Our own society is a co-conspirator in the problem of community violence. More often than not we turn to violence – interpersonal, spousal, familial, and global – as a response to any problem instead of stepping back and relying on humane, respectful, and rational discussion and deliberation. Remember, what nation has the highest murder rate and incarceration rate in the world?
So, that’s a lot for “meaningful parental attention and guidance” to wrestle with and overcome. And yet, most parents, families, and neighbors win the battle. The questions many of us should be asking and trying to answer are these. What are we doing right now to help fight in the struggle for the minds of our children who are at risk of losing the fight? What else should we be doing? What more can we do? What can we do better, next, and WHEN will we do it? There are things a united community can do. I’m still waiting for us to talk, reach consensus, and move on that. We need to do it on this blog and in other community circles today, not later, and certainly not wait for another Bloody Friday in Rogers Park to spur our inquiry.
I’m sorry it took so long to say all this. I’m even sorrier because that is time I haven’t spent with my own kids. As I type, they are in the living room. They are busy enjoying a wealth of games, books, and toys (some educational, some just pure fun) that appeared underneath our Christmas tree. And even though they don’t realize it, they are also enjoying the benefits of a secure and safe home.
In sum, what I’m asking for is some hard reflection from all of us. I’m asking that we all, as we think and share, adopt some discipline about how we speak to each other. Yes, how we speak to each other. It’s as simple as that. It begins with respect. That’s how we’ll begin to resolve the issues we face.
Peace, Michael J. Harrington
29 comments:
Dear Readers; Let's carefully write thoughtful comments we all can read and understand. This thread will not tolerate abuse, CAPS or texting.
If your comment didn't make it, you didn't follow the above rules or comprehend the message Michael posted.
I agree 100 percent Mr. Harrington.s and yes, I probably responded in some of my (one million) posts with anger, and yes, some of contained frustrated profanity, but it was not directed at any youth here who identified himself or herself as such. It was directed at people who, for all intents and purposes, seemed to be adults. The bad spelling, etc., may have seemed like a child was writing it but the things they said led me to believe they were adults, adults who should be explaining how they are going to help to fix the problem rather than make excuses for it or flat-out defend and uphold it.
Yes, calm face-to-face dialog would be great but if some of these posts are any indication, I fear that we aren't going to get it, at least for a long time.
Again, sorry if I got carried away, but the constant defending and dismissal of activities that should be shunned (and done in all caps) just drove me up the wall.
Thank you for your comments, Man On The Street. Very few of us can attest to a 100% degree of innocence in the use of unwarranted accusations, demeaning characterizations, or purposefully unkind and scatological language.
I admit avoiding all that can be a struggle. The world teaches us, and even our biology pushes us, to "eat or be eaten" or attack first and maybe ask questions later.
Here's an appropriate page from Wikipedia on the issue.
"Civil discourse is a term used frequently (some would argue not frequently enough), but defined rarely. As a start, here is a working definition: Civil discourse is engagement in conversation intended to enhance understanding. Done well, it can drive to insight that is actionable in the context of furthering individual dignity and improving society." Lofty stuff, huh?
I hope to hear from others on this subject, and I'm starting with myself. I pledge to keep working to raise the standard of performance, in my own words and in our community dialogue.
Tom Mannis, I won't attempt a retort to each and every point you raised, but thanks for pointing out the obvious, on which I didn't think it necessary to elaborate.
Yes, ours is a very diverse society and full of many stark contrasts, cultures, values, and mores. With all the paradoxes, ironies, hypocrisies and nuttiness this is still OUR society. Yes, I dare to question it, and I dare to expect better of it. This is my home too. It is the society in which we all live, isn't it? OK?
On one point, you challenge me and try to argue semantics over which nation has the greatest murder and incarceration rates. That's amusing. It is a stretch to compare what happens in our United States of America, the greatest power on earth, to life in Columbia, Lesotho, South Africa, and Venezuela. Using your logic would mean employing the most narrow of vision. Such would be akin to comparing apples and oranges, or in this case analogizing life on a vast elephant range to life in an ant colony on a small mound of soil. Please!
It seems that what you find most objectionable in my commentary was the reference to my "far left of center, progressive Democrat leanings." Does this trouble you? Sorry, but you can't put words in my mouth. I never said and do not contend that our nation and/or society are "evil." Also, automatically finding me guilty of any crime-coddling sentiments due to my values, political beliefs and affiliations, and yes, my morals is preposterous. My effort to understand and explain the life challenging conditions faced by youth in our community IN NO WAY excuses the aberrant behavior which I, you, and so many of us have condemned.
I urge you to consider a better use for your keen mind and conservative analysis. Instead of critiquing me, try taking a walk for a minute in another man's shoes, and try to help figure out how to resolve the problems we all face. Tossing me off just because I'm a Democrat gets us no where.
M.J.H. I would like to say that after reading you post I was quite moved. Yes, anger has gotten to most of us on both spectrums.
I do disagree on some points though.
I can see, through your logic, that you are some what new to this community; you were not apart of the once famous Morse Ave. community that thrived through idividualistic accomplishments. The only surviving buisness that is left is the Heartland cafe.
The Morse theater is trying desperately to begin a new era.
It will NOT survive if we continue talks about social reform with government.
It will survive if WE ALL take a small step towards intolerance against gangs, drugs, and violence.
It is NOT within better government, Its within a community that stands up for itself against an oppressive gang and drug culture.
The Police, politicians, and out reach organizatrions are only accoutable for so much. The rest is upon us.
Harrrington, I respect you very much, but placing the blame on government for personal social skills; Your way out of line. The Rogers Park Community has been doing that for years.
Its time for self accountabilty, and intolerance to those who stand for disrespect.
Its time to call a dog, a dog.
Gangster Disciples please leave.
Craig-
On an unrelated note, but one one I thought you'd relate to---
Yesterday, my husband, daughter & I were heading out when we got to the Chase/Ashland intersection. On a good note, 5 cars had stopped to help a young woman get her car out of the plowed in parking space. She was the last space on the street, so everyone intentionally blocked the intersection in case the car slipped. While pushing, rocking and all the things you do to get a car out, a team of Dev Corp people walked by (in the middle of the street, not the sidewalk) with 3 cans full of shovels. They literally just sat there and stared. Never once did they offer to help or at least offer a shovel so she didn't have to go over the snow bank. You have to love it when a crew of 8 able bodies 20 somethings can't take the time to help 6 over forty men & women (not that we're not able bodied!)
To add to the anger that we all expressed over this once we got her out, we followed the crew for almost 2 blocks, (how could we not, they walked in the middle of the road?) and they never once did any work. I would love to have a job where all I have to do is walk around pushing a can of shovels.
Thanks for listening! Have a happy holiday season!
Amy
M.J.H. is way out of line. I grew up here and have decided to raise a family in Rogers Park. We have to send our kids to private schools. We have to spend most of our dollars in another city, because Rogers Park can only support dollar stores.
I was born in the 1960's and remember the great days of Rogers Park. This all changed when David Orr became our alderman. He taught every apartment owner that wanted to know how to get Federal dollars for their rental units. Section 8 is a swear word in my house. All that was required was a little "pay to play". Joe Moore is one of his dimmest disciples. Rahm Emanuel being the bright one. 30 years later we have what we have. A slum full of bangers. No matter how many good people move in the neighborhood, it seems that there are just to many slum lords to overcome. I am not leaving. Eventually this will work it's way out. Lets hope that it doesn't take 30 more years.
I choose to remain anonymous and not attend C.A.P.S. meetings because I do not want to be singled out for my conservative views. After a C.A.P.S. meeting years ago, I complained about a group of youths that were up to no good. A couple of days after this meeting I was confronted by these same youths and they let me know their displeasure at my complaining. Personal integrity cannot be taught it has to be learned. Maybe hugs will work.
I agree with Mr. Harrington. It's easy to dismiss these kids as worthless, to call them no better than animals. But that ignores a very obvious fact; while people are ultimately responsible for what they become, not all of us have the same start in life. Those kids that suffer from neglect, abuse, poor nutrition, lack of educational and employment opportunities - how do you expect them to turn out?
It seems to me that prevention is more likely to yield better results than attempting to deal with the adults, either by incarceration or rehabilitation. My question is, how do we achieve that?
Amy,
Our 'tax funds' at work...for the DevCorp scam.
You cannot get an education if school is not attended. This is all about work. To get an education, work is required. To make an honest living, work is required. I have been working my whole life. No SSI, no WIC, no Section 8, no subsidised phone, heat, electric, etc.......
On another note, David Bell is still running around up on Howard Street. It is time for any decent people left up there to drop a dime on him.......How about somebody up on Bosworth at his girlfriend's apartment? He is very short, but stocky and cocky.
“…The Police, politicians, and out reach organizatrions are only accoutable for so much. The rest is upon us.
I respect you very much, but placing the blame on government for personal social skills; Your way out of line. The Rogers Park Community has been doing that for years.
Its time for self accountabilty, and intolerance to those who stand for disrespect.
Its time to call a dog, a dog. Gangster Disciples please leave.”
So, if the police, politicians and outreach organizations are only accountable for so much, let’s define just what their levels of accountability are.
The police and politicians salaries are paid by taxpayers. The outreach organizations receive government tax dollars (grants) for their work. Then we have the outreach programs that are part of the government. Since this commenter feels that we, the taxpayers and residents of Rogers Park, should fill in the rest of the accountability gap, just what are the proposed options?
A. Haven’t said politicians who define and vote to create but not enforce laws continued to ignore serious issues? What voice do we have at that point?
B. Both sides of the political fence have continued to enable certain parties to play the system – and the taxpayers foot the bill.
C. It’s OK to drop out of school at 16, it’s OK for babies to have babies and its definitely alright for taxpayers to foot the bill for all the babies and outreach grants to help too many circumvent the system.
Let’s just read between the lines, because there’s definitely enough blame to go around with these poor performing tax paid entities. Did the RP community create pockets of poverty? Did we say it’s OK to ignore HUD rules by bad building owners/managers as they cash their monthly government checks? Did we agree on any ballot that in certain areas of Rogers Park we would accept anti-social behaviors from trash to gangbanging and prostitution?
Granted, more people should attend CAPS meetings and insist that CAPS return to the model it was supposed to be. But who changed the model? Government entities. More people could donate time to policing and calling 911 – but they don’t until the problem is next door or directly in their line of vision from their window. Many people want to remain behind the scenes and with all the threats and bullets, can we blame them? When the politicians and police want to take the lead on positive loitering then it might work. But for paid governmental entities to tell us to work all day and come home and work for free is more BS.
We seldom see our politicians until election year but in between, we sure have our free time scheduled by them so we can run in circles like little yapping dogs.
There are a few government dogs that need to leave too.
This is a great letter, and a great example to readers of how to conduct a mature and productive discussion. I don't think I've ever read something so thoughtful on a Rogers Park blog.
Thanks, Michael, for your sanity. And, thank you, too, to Craig for posting the letter and for setting a mature tone in the comment section.
Let's make 2009 the year we all behave like adults.
Onward.
Craig...
May I suggest you also rid this board of the smug, angry comments that seem to always come from Tom Mannis. He misses the point entirely (or fails to consider it) and seeks only to start another argument with no particular purpose.
Dear Neighbor realitydose, we are in solid agreement on many points, especially your declaration that, “It’s time for self accountability, and intolerance to those who stand for disrespect.”
Can you give us an example or idea from your perspective about what it would look like, the “small steps” that you suggest we take “towards intolerance against gangs, drugs, and violence?” What could be different from what is happening now?
I support any resident’s individual effort to create change. Maybe that’s when a neighbor decides to start attending CAPS meetings to work with the police; or instead of ignoring, actually pays attention to suspicious street activity and calls 911; or volunteers to tutor in a school or a local youth program. A small step could be as simple as more neighbors making it a habit to pick up litter on the way home rather than walk past it!
I’m also in favor of effective, community-wide solutions. To me, that would entail a set of comprehensive and coordinated actions which engage residents in active participation, acting together as a community toward a common goal. It would be ongoing, with the sustaining support of community volunteerism and a small financial investment. It would have actual goals and objectives requiring evaluation of progress and failures.
Maybe elements of an AGENDA FOR CHANGE IN ROGERS PARK could include:
• Recruiting residents to participate in our 10 local school councils and school programs. Being a parent is not required.
• Recruiting residents to join our 8 park district advisory councils
• Recruiting the many wonderful artists in our community to share their creative talents to teach and guide youth at our park facilities or the Greenleaf Art Center.
• A Block Club Support Program is something I strongly favor. Imagine a modest goal to nurture development of 50 new neighborhood clubs! In addition to encouraging new friendships and neighborliness, each could also to tackle a local concern. For instance, noting that one “problem apartment building” easily drags down and entire street, each club might be encouraged to initiate project to monitor one and report it to the authorities (see my comment below on the role of government). Some indicators of problem buildings include broken locks/doorbells/windows, gang activity, noise and garbage, and irregular or no heat. Tenants are more than happy to share info about these when asked.
All of the above would be supported by:
(1) Proactive communications to inform residents and recruit participation via snail mail to every household, email, flyers, and advertising
(2) Annual all-community events to honor and celebrate every individual and program achievement
These are just a few of my ideas. I bet everyone reading this can make 10 good suggestions for action and change.
As residents here we should and can have a decisive impact in building consensus, taking leadership, and initiating action to improve our community. However, there is a clear role for government as well. I’d ask us to imagine the chain analogy and our community. The strength of the entire chain is totally dependent on the strength of each link. Like it or not, our local government is a link in the chain. The strength of the Rogers Park community is dependent on this link. In our case, I define local government as the 49th Ward Aldermanic Office and staff with its linkages to city various departments. It’s our local 24th District police department and its officers, the 49th Ward Streets and Sanitation Office and its staff, and a host of county, state, and federal elected officials, all of them with staff. It’s also our dozen public schools and the fire stations too.
In salaries alone we residents pay these officials several millions of dollars each year to serve our needs. Right now our long ignored (or just poorly addressed?) need is for direct and aggressive intervention on the issue of crime and public safety. I am not willing, not for a hot second, to let our government remain unaccountable, to let these officials off the hook for responsibility to take leadership and action on this important community development issue. They all work at least 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year – and on crime its 24/7 for the police – to serve of our community. In reality, no resident is able to devote that amount of time volunteering to address the needs. Yes, resident power is a vital link in the chain, but so is our government.
Finally, realitydose, compared to you I guess it could be said that I'm somewhat new to the community. I grew up in Hyde Park and have only lived in these parts for 20 years, first just south of Devon/Broadway and now at Sherwin/Ashland.
Mike: You're forgetting a part of Rogers Park is in the 40th Ward.
Supposedly that was engineered by Berny Stone in retaliation against a couple of block clubs that opposed him.
Now, every ten years, the wards have to be adjusted due to census changes, but the rumor is that Stone went out of his way to make a mess of things back in 1991 & those changes, with some minor tweaks in 2001 have been adding to the screwing up of RP since then.
There wasn't any logical reason or racial equalization reason to give Moore & the 49th a farther western boundary, instead of picking up the rest of RP south to Devon.
My guess is that Moore went along with this in 2001 because he knew that those of us now in the 40th, but still part of RP wouldn't vote for him & he'd be voted out.
The ward boundaries will be changed again in 2011 & we need to make sure that the ward & community lines are more contiguous than the current ones.
Joe Moore email blast, Christmas Eve, Dec. 24...> "We live in one of the most dynamic and exciting neighborhoods in the country, a community that continues to undergo positive change. "
If you consider daily youth gang street fights that kill now and then as dynamic, exciting and positive, then yeah, we live in one of those communities.
Why do you want it so young people 15-19 year olds cannot comment on this website if we do not use the right grammar. Doesnt anyone exercise the 1st ammendment anymore? It is us who knows all about the stuff that is happening around the neighborhood
Dear latinking, in your most recent comment the grammar AND punctuation were just fine. What you wrote is intelligible and quite acceptable in tone and manner. You should give yourself and your friends much more credit for your abilities than you do. Celebrate that power because it will help you go far in life.
However, the major concern expressed in the main post of this thread was not about grammar and punctuation. My essay was about the use, by people young and old, of verbal violence - dirty words, angry curses, and threats. All of that prevents constructive dialogue. That behavior must stop, and we need to try to show more respect as we discuss issues with each other here.
I bet you do know a great deal about what is happening in our neighborhood. I'm your neighbor and I hope you will keep sharing what you know. Can you share your response to the items I posted earlier - the proposed Rogers Park Agenda For Change?
Michael - I agree with some of your suggestions for getting involved - I love the block (or street) groups idea - there has been one started for my street. Less or no more Section 8 housing would definitely help the problem.
Why do you want it so young people 15-19 year olds cannot comment on this website if we do not use the right grammar.
The reason, I belive, they are being asked to use "right grammar" is so that we can understand them. What's the point of posting about "all the stuff that is happening" if no one can understand what you're saying. YOU may understand some of the slang and shorthand, but the rest of us don't. If they want to explain their position, they have to meet us halfway and that means chilling out on the all-caps and using "dese" instead of these. Heck, Dese is a city in Ethopia. They could be talking about that for all I know.
Also, I don't think everyone we're talking about was 15-19. I have a feeling that some of them were older.
Where would Rogers Park be if not on the map of a bunch of bored, do nothing, ignorant, wanna be political, uneducated (oh forgot so self educated), computer couch potatoes with opinions, stories and cameras?
Go for the GOLD PEOPLE!!! How many pages, pics, goggle hits, and stories!? So many, so unoriginal because every blogger wants to be the first- 2nd media mediocre- nobody gives a shit what you have to say!
Respect? You should look for that elsewhere. A kid getting stabbed to a hyena is like an elephant dead on the Savannah...
XOXOXOXO
Hello Neighbors,
Can our social policy liberals and conservatives in Rogers Park note and discuss today’s New York Times Editorial?
A Job or a Gang?
Published: December 29, 2008
If the country has learned anything about street gangs, it is that police dragnets — hauling large numbers of nonviolent young people off to jail, along with the troublemakers — tend to make the problem worse, not better. Public policy should discourage young people from joining gangs in the first place by keeping them in school, getting them jobs and giving them community-based counseling and social service programs.
Federal and state programs that are supposed to provide jobs, services and counseling have been poorly financed for years. They are likely to suffer further as cash-strapped states look for ways to save money. The timing couldn’t be worse.
A new study by James Alan Fox and Marc Swatt of Northeastern University suggests that violent crime among young people may be rising, that the much-talked-about reduction in the crime rate in the 1990s may be over, and that much more must be done to prevent young people from succumbing to the gang culture.
The study also shows that the murder rate for black teenagers has climbed noticeably since 2000 while the rate for young whites has scarcely changed on the whole and, in some places, has actually declined. While more financing for local police would be useful, programs aimed at providing jobs and social services are far more important.
It is too early to say whether the numbers represent a long-term trend. But the economic crisis has clearly created the conditions for more crime and more gangs — among hopeless, jobless young men in the inner cities. Once these young men become entangled in the criminal justice system, they are typically marginalized and shut out of the job market for life.
President-elect Barack Obama’s administration and Congress will need to address the youth crisis as part of the country’s deep economic crisis. That means reviving the federal summer jobs programs that ran successfully for more than 30 years. It also means directing more federal money at proven programs that keep young people in school and out of the clutches of the gangs.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/30/opinion/30tue3.html?_r=1&ref=opinion
This parenting item posted on Alternet.org about hopes for President Obama's First 100 days, while not perfect, looks pretty good! (OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE WARNING: The word "mandatory" is used in connection with a federal social program.)
Start a National Program for Parenting Education
Posted by grove on December 27, 2008 at 12:01 AM.
It is often said, when people become parents "There is no manual for this!" The Obamas have been impressive in their revelations of how they raise their own children. When Michelle told Barbara Walters that she informed the WH Staff there would have to "be some boundaries" and that her girls would be required to make their own beds and clean up their rooms, BabaWawa was flabbergasted, and probably so were many other people. In their first 100 days, the Obamas should shock the nation by declaring with great seriousness the importance of our most valuable resource for the future -- children -- and immediately start a National Program for Parenting Education (under HHS, with huge public input), in connection with hospitals and birth centers, and make parenting classes MANDATORY for both men and women who are in the process of creating a child, therefore producing healthier people and better citizens, and saving enormous amounts of money (crime, health, mental health -- all connected with parenting). In addition, The Obamas should put through Congress the establishment of National Parents Day with all the TV channels devoted all day to various aspects of good parenting, with no commercials, and for the rest of the year, TV channels would be required, as part of their licensing, to provide approved (secular) good-parenting programming on a regular basis in prime time.
M.J.Harrington said...
Can you give us an example or idea from your perspective about what it would look like, the “small steps” that you suggest we take “towards intolerance against gangs, drugs, and violence?” What could be different from what is happening now?
Absolutely!!!!!
I would love to see the police round up every piece of shit that plagues this neighborhood.
This would include my fellow white artists that like to buy their drugs on Morse.
I also have several points of contention.
Everything you listed in your litany of social response has been done in this community since section eight and their gang/drug families came to Rogers Park !(Ten years before you did)
You want bigger government. How modern of you! CAPS has been here since 1993. IT DOES NOT WORK.
Not one thing that you have listed has worked. We (Myself, neighbors, business owners, artist ((I'm one of 'em)) polliceman/women, and polititians) have done EVERYTHING you listed, and none of it has worked. None of it.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHY THIS BLOG IS HERE!!!!
I don't give a rats ass that you came from Hyde Park. Thats an elitest statement.
I came from Rogers Park, where idividuals created independent store fronts, where individualism was celebrated, a place where everone was welcomed.
Not where rich folks threw their ego's around cloaked in liberal attitudes and social riteousness.
I'm a liberal through and through, but I'm tired of gang bagers blocking my way as I walk down Lunt or Morse, only to have rich folks block my fourty years of experiances just because they moved into the neighborhood.
Lastly, our tax dollars do pay Moore, the Police, and other city services. Our tax dollars also pay for section eight housing, the welfare income they recieve, the education they recieve, and any other social program they recieve.
They even pay for these assholes when they get locked up.
I'm tired of it. Its time they pay us back.
I want accountability on the DOGS!
My social Justice aswers:
1. All career Morse Ave. loiterer's must apply for jobs at Dominick's, Wallmart, McDonalds or any other small retail store that accepts the unwilling to work and convicted felons.
2. Pissing in public; offenders should pay a ten dollar fine and then scrub the sidewalks of Morse or Lunt Ave.
3.Drinking in public; clean the beach sand. Plus $10 dollar fine.
4. Gang loitering; $500.00 fine, wash Sullivan High School floors, and take out trash at Morse and Ashland community center.
5. Drug dealing; 3 years mandatory state penn.
6. Drug dealing at section eight building; 5 years mandatory.
Stepping up here...
Violent Criminal Acts;
Assault (innocent citizen); 5 years mandatory. Plus court costs, and arrest costs.
Battery to private citizen; 10 years mandatory, $1,500.00 fine, plus court cost, and arrests costs.
Aggrevated Battery; (Hurting someone with a weapon or severe injury) 10 years mandatory $5,000.00 fine, court costs, arrest costs, repaymet of all past wellfare.
This places the blame where it belongs and gives back to the community!!! Its called social responsibility and accoutability.
Things would change real fast.
Dear realitydose, thanks for responding, and with very detailed ideas! Your comments are unique in that you state something that needs to be said, but most have avoided it. You wrote, “I would love to see the police round up every piece of sh** that plagues this neighborhood. This would include my fellow white artists that like to buy their drugs on Morse.”
I’ve written it before, and I’m glad that you also recognize that it takes two sides to maintain the vibrant illegal drug and prostitution markets that are open for business everyday on Rogers Park streets.
Your suggestions on how to deal with criminals led me to envision the news reports that might follow:
“ABC News interrupts this program with a late breaking story! The U. S. Supreme Court today ruled in favor of a crime fighting initiative recently implemented by federal, state, and local criminal justice authorities. Their adoption of recommendations from Mr. Reality Dose, a Chicago resident who said he’s had enough, has led to a strong response to crime by the police and courts. The “social responsibility and accountability” measures urged by Mr. Dose translate into strong sanctions for local criminals. Every convicted criminal, from misdemeanors to felonies, is now sentenced to a no-parole prison term, given a stiff fine, and is assigned to a community public works project as punishment for the violence and destruction they’ve caused.
“Tomorrow, teams of shotgun armed sheriff’s deputies will resume monitoring convict chain gangs working on Morse Avenue, Clark Street, Howard and other local streets on weekdays. The chain gang teams will do beach and park clean up every weekend. Neighbors in Rogers Park have been telling us that they’ve witnessed former drug dealers and drug using customers react with shock. At last report, violence and criminal behavior has come to a standstill in Rogers Park. More news at 10. We now return you to your local programming.”
OK, realitydose, let’s talk about reality.
You and I share concerns about crime and violence in Rogers Park. We don’t need to fight about which side of the solution coin is most important. I have talked about preventing crime by creating conditions for youth and applying strategies that do not lead down that path. I have discussed goals to address the needs of young boys and girls in Rogers Park who still have a life of great potential ahead of them. It’s them and their future that I urge us to think most creatively about. We have the ability to have a positive impact on them. When I have thought about the gangbangers and other criminals, I have also urged more vigilance by us (for instance, see my block club proposal above) and more accountability and performance from the police and elected officials on this issue.
Your ideas focus on preventing crime by enhancing punishment. I’m very ambivalent about that as an effective, long term solution. That crime prevention strategy relies heavily on deterrence. You suggest that deterrence might work - and we know that so far it hasn’t - if the penalties for crime were more certain and more severe. I agree with your call for strong penalties for those who chose to walk on the path of anti-social behavior and criminality. Our only option would seem to be to make more arrests, throw the book at them, and demand punishment and prison.
But, guess what? The reality is that few go to prison, and those that do eventually GET OUT. They come back to their home community, to our community. Some may try a new path. If there are jobs and support they may succeed (locally, the Howard Area Community Center has an active program here addressing this). However, many convicts learn only the worst lessons in prison and begin the cycle all over again upon release. They return more aggressive, more skilled at criminality, and less inclined to follow society’s rules.
So what should we do? I will remain focused on saving our youth and helping them succeed in life. I remain concerned that we, as a community, have yet to adopt coordinated and comprehensive measures to tackle this problem. I will continue to insist that the police and our elected officials do more to provide leadership and identify effective solutions.
I don’t claim to have all the solutions, or the right ones. We must continue to talk, involve more neighbors in the discussion, and work for something better than the status quo.
Post a Comment