Hello, everyone. I'll try this again, after my failed attempt a few days back. Anyway, as many know, a anti-violence march was held at Pratt and Ashland this past Saturday. This was regarding a shooting that happened last week. So far, from the case, police have James Brown, 19, of the 1700 block of West Wallen in custody. If I'm not mistaken, the family goes to court on the 23rd of July for this case. But that is not the point of my post.
Instead, this post is about fellow bloggers who attended. I'd like to share some of the comments that they had to say regarding this march. Starting with I Heart The RP, who said (quote/unquote), "All of the City Brass were there...Along with the Mayor, Jody Weis, our current commissioner, [Alderman] Moore, and others were present. [Alderman] O'Connor ran the show...I met and spoke with Barton Moy, Area 3 coordinator for CAPS Implementation Office and told him I stopped going to the CAPS meeting because the police are condescending, throw all of the responsiblity back on the citizens and that the meetings are a waste of time. He seemed receptive to my point of view. It was positive to see all of the big shots marching with so many people from the community. Another highlight was the Steel Drum entertainment from the kids at Sullivan. There are some good kids that attend Sullivan. Ceasefire passes out T-shirts, caps, and Neighborhood Watch signs, all also good in my opinion," (see Mayor Hosts "Dog & Pony Show" This Morning post for the complete comment, and more).
Since I was not in attendance of this march, I have questions:
* Besides all of the city officials and community members, did anybody else show up?
* What were the all of the streets you guys walked, and how far/long did you walk?
* What was Joe Moore (I had an idea to call him something else, but due to a certain person, I'll keep it to myself) doing during all of this?
* If any of you had the chance to talk to people like Mayor Daley, Aldermen O'Connor, Moore, etc., what did you say to him/her?
* I'm aware that Mayor Daley said that how come citizens aren't outraged by the violence, but what else did he say? And could anybody clarify exactly what the Mayor said?
I am not trying to get too "nosey" here as I do not reside in Rogers Park (but I do attend Sullivan, so I do have my concerns), but I am just wondering and curious as into what went down at this march. This seems interesting, to say the least.
Warning (specifically to the haters): Constructive criticism is fine as it will most likely make my writing better, but I'm not tolerating people calling me names and what have you this time around. Thank you.
To everyone: Have a nice day, and I'll be eagerly awaiting your responses. Thanks.
UPDATE, at 2:40pm - Two people ranked my post as bad. Ok, whatever. Thanks for your input :-).
16 comments:
Pay no attention to those who criticize, Timmy. You're doing a great job, and of course you are not boring!
Keep up the good work!
RP
Hi Timmy, not a lot of response to the march, huh? Or at least not enough people care about it to talk about it.
To answer your specific questions:
1. Community members, city officials, and a few news teams showed up. And a bunch of police, of course. A few people from Evanston I know also showed up because of their interest in this neighborhood.
2. We walked south on Bosworth, east at Albion, and ended at Glenwood. So... only 6 blocks?
3. Joe Moore actually stayed in the background, mostly. O'Connor and the mayor were the people front and center. Joe never even took the mic. He just walked.
4. Didn't talk to any of them, only with one of the officials from the mayor's office about their desire to work with faith institutions.
5. I don't remember too much about what the mayor said, actually. A lot of emphasis on the community needing to take responsibility and being part of the solution. He gave a lot of generalities, not too many specific ways to fix things.
The biggest problem with this march was who WASN'T there. Rogers Park, especially the Pratt/Ashland/Bosworth area can be broken down into a few general categories of people. The two significant groups are 1) middle class families and property owners, the majority of which are white, and 2) lower-income families, especially African-Americans. These are very general categories, and no, the lines aren't very clear-cut...and don't forget the many refugee and Latino families, but my experience has been that they're on the fringes of most of these issues, at least around Pratt/Ashland. So please forgive my broad categories.
The problem with this march, and most CAPS meetings and events that I know of, is that it was was attended mostly by the white middle-class families. There were a few Latino families, and very few African-Americans (most of who would still fall in that "middle-class homeowner" category).
If CAPS and the police really want this to be a community effort, then why aren't they making more of an effort to reach out to the lower-income African American community here in Rogers Park? I know of a number of families and kids in the neighborhood (including some who live in the CHA buildings) who hate the violence around them (even as some of them get sucked into it, unfortunately). But if I were in their shoes, and I looked out my window and a bunch of white folks that I didn't know and didn't trust walked by my building chanting things at me, I certainly wouldn't join them. Even as a middle-class property owner myself, I wasn't comfortable being seen with the big crowd.
My point is, the crime issue in Rogers Park often ends up just being a cover for the class issue, even when that's not how people mean it to be. I am ALL for equipping and empowering the police to do their job better, but that will never solve the problem by itself. It's great that the middle-class homeowners are concerned about their community, but that is only half the population in the area. If the lower-income families are all treated as the enemy, instead of possible allies, long-term change isn't going to happen. The police, CAPS, the mayor, and anyone else concerned, need to find better ways to partner with them so they can 1) be part of the fixing the crime problem, and 2) raise their kids as a community (instead of only a single mom with 2 jobs) so that hopefully their kids never even have to deal with the police.
Chanting slogans at closed doors is never going to help, and wishing the police would just lock everyone up doesn't solve the problem, at least not long-term. Almost all of these criminals and gangbangers, and more importantly the younger kids who look up to them and are turning into them, still have parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins, neighbors, etc., who want them to stay out of jail and stay alive.
Why doesn't Rogers Park have more people reaching out to these people, instead of treating them all like potential threats or apathetic parents?
Hello, Peter. Thanks for answering my questions. I would've shown up too, had I gotten a ride or the money to get on CTA.
Since you guys walked from Bosworth, Albion and Glenwood, I think that might be 5, or as you said, 6 blocks.
To be honest, Peter, I am surprised that Joe didn't speak. Usually, he'll be speaking all of the time, especially to the media. Maybe he had some gulit about this?
I wish that more people that are African American, Hispanic or other races attended this march. They live in RP, too, and should've made their voices about the violence heard.
I also agree that CAPS (Im surprised they reach out to anybody. The officers in that program seem like they don't care about the issues since they just sit in their offices all day)should reach out to lower-income African American familes as well. I also know someone who lives in the CHA scatter site @ Pratt and Bosworth. He's in my Autism room. I'm pretty sure he doesn't like the violence either, but due to his speech impairment and his disablity, he doesn't understand really. He's a really nice kid. So, to everyone who thinks everyone in that building is bad, well, I've got news for you. They're not.
If I were in their shoes, I probably wouldn't join either, as you said, Peter.
I also agree with you that it does turn out being a cover for the class issue and that lower class people shouldn't be treated as the emeny. I am myself lower class (even though I do not live in CHA/Section 8), so I fully understand their point of view on this.
Yes, everyone you listed does need to find better ways to partner with the lower class families. I also agree with your second to last paragraph. They do have family who wants them to stay out of jail and alive, so that is why I get angered when some people say to lock everyone who's in the lower class up. Is that going to help? Nope.
I also wish that Rogers Park needs more people who reach out to the lower income families (well, for those who want help).
Once again, Peter, thanks for your response to my post. I liked it alot.
I know the kid in your class who lives in the CHA building - he really likes playing my wife's keyboard when he comes over for dinner sometimes. In my mind, his family is a great example of the potential this neighborhood has - but definitely not the only example.
There were most definitely blacks marching as well as a few hispanics. To say it was all white is all wrong.
The event was scheduled to start at 9:30, started at 10:10. The speakers went on for about 35 minutes, the mayor spending the most time at the mic. I think it concluded at 11:45.
Really? That's wonderful :-). If he happens to come by your place tonight, tell him "Tim" from class said hi. He'll know you're talking about. He plays our keyboard in the classroom alot and I think he's becoming a good player. His sisters are really nice, too.
But yeah, him and his family are not the only examples. Other people I know from Sullivan that live in Section 8/CHA are good people, too.
I Heart The RP, that is good to know :-).
@ Timmy: I won't see him tonight, but I might tomorrow night. I'll be sure to say hi for you!
@ I Heart the RP: You're absolutely right, there were definitely some African Americans and Hispanics there. As I think about it, there were actually a few more black people there than I first remembered. But, with some exceptions, the predominant group was still white and middle class, with a weak showing from the parts of the community where the problems really need to be addressed.
Thank you, Peter :-).
I'd like to add these gloomy observations:
1. families often have activities that make it difficult to get out for these events
2. W49 leadership and community in aggregate lack real incentive to implement policies that would reduce crime because a safer neighborhood would drive up local rents and attract a more demanding constituency. so what is the point of walking around the block with the pols?
3. one can wish that more of the hard working renting families in neighborhood would get involved but they're not going to. after years of talking ad hoc with my renting neighbors, this is my observation: W49 is not a destination neighborhood - if families prosper they move to on neighborhoods with better schools. if they don't, they move to neighborhoods with cheaper rents/more crime. a neighbor who works for CTA moved out of his rental here last year told me that he was moving north into Evanston because it would be both cheaper/safer for him and his wife.
It's not about race, or color, or ownership/rental status;
IT'S ABOUT BEHAVIORS!
If you act like a low life scumbag, you will be perceived as a low life scum bag. If you are perceived as a low life scumbag, you will be treated as a low life scumbag.
But, with some exceptions, the predominant group was still white and middle class, with a weak showing from the parts of the community where the problems really need to be addressed.
What community is that, the thug community? Cause I'm pretty sure they weren't going to march.
It's not a quota thing, and as Craig stated (and I kinda believe), it's a dog and pony show. So "showing up", regardless of what "community" you belong to is for the most part pointless. How about instead of a bunch of average civilians marching in the morning we get a bunch of cops marching in the evening? Maybe that is the "communuity" you were talking about.
(And that was not an attempt to disparage the cops.)
@ Eeyore: Right on with those observations. #3 saddens me particularly - I do wish that more would get involved, just as I wish that the perception and culture of Rogers Park changed so that it was a destination neighborhood. But that's long-term wishing, and a much bigger thing to tackle. But you're right.
I live here too: I wish it was that simple. It would make changing things a whole lot easier.
There are people here who, even though they aren't "low life scumbags", are still perceived as such because of the people they live next to, or a family member, or a friend who made a lot of bad choices. There are also younger kids who are trying to decide which route to go, to follow the street or to be useful members of society - if the gangbangers are the ones who are friendly to them and make them feel important, and most of the "useful members of society" they've seen group them in with scumbags... who do you think they're more likely to follow?
It's not that simple.
@ Man on the Street: The community I'm talking about is the"parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins, neighbors, etc." who are tired of seeing their friends and families destroyed by gangs, drugs, and violence, but feel powerless to stop it. This community has influence over people who are close to the problem, but more people need to approach them as part of the solution, instead of treating them like they're worthless.
They have the influence and connections; we have the resources to do something. Why aren't there more efforts to bring these two things together?
No, it's not a quota thing. And I agree with you about the march mostly being a dog and pony show. The march really isn't the issue. The real point is that CAPS and the police should be reaching more people if they are really concerned about fixing the problem.
People at CAPS, these marches, and other events are always crying out about how the police needs more power to clean the streets of the thugs. But there will always be more where they come from. When we spend as much energy addressing the roots of the problem as we do complaining about the police needing to get rid of the symptoms, then we'll be on the right track for creating a healthier and safer Rogers Park.
I'm all for having more police in the evenings, provided they are doing an effective job of getting the real thugs off the street. But that by itself will never actually solve the problems, it will only control it.
Eeyore, thanks for your observations.
In short (because I have to get ready for school right now), I agree with the last three posts here. And, everyone, thanks for adding your comments :-).
I feel so much safer since the mayor came to our neighborhood and walked around.
JAMES BROWN FOUND GUILTY OF SHOOTING OF 9 YEAR OLD FROM JUL 09, SENTENCED TO 8 YEARS
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