"One of the most violent days in recent memory, if not ever." - Adrian Fenty, DC Mayor
This past weekend was the deadliest in recent history for DC, with 8 fatal shootings and another 8 wounded. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/01/AR2008060102291.html; http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/31/AR2008053102342.html)
I have been following this story in the Washington Post, and am especially interested in the online comments. Here are a few snippets:
"Summer time heat, brings death to the streets! Everybody knows that when the summer months approach you have more bodies dropping in the streets."
"I am ready to consider that Rev. Wright might have a point. He said in his Press Club speech that blacks are not wrong in what they do, they are just 'different" culturally. So, the question is, is all this black on black crime and out of wedlock births, drug use, etc all just black culture?"
"This black on black crime is a black problem to be solved by black leaders, black politicians, black clergy, and black parents. Besides, blacks don't want to be told what to do by white people anyway. "
"The increase in violence is a sad result of the "no snitch" mindset. People in the communities know who the criminals are but either don't want to cooperate or can't cooperate out of fear."
"The elected officials of Washington DC are a failure. Government is not working "
"We must put our hope in God. This means actually following His rules and not just saying that you will. This means actually praying for at least 10 to 20 minutes a day. Actually reading the bible daily instead of spending all your free time staring at the boob tube or listening to music. Actually attending church frequently and forming authentic communites of fellowship and love. You don't just go on Sunday's and leave in a hurry to get seats at IHOP or be there for kickoff. "
"WHERE IS THE REAL SO CALLED BLACK MAN! WHO IS GONNA BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THESE DEATHS? I CHALLENGE EVERY SO CALLED REAL MAN TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS? THE POLICE ARE OVERWHELMED!!! THE BLACK WOMAN IS OVERWHELMED... HOW DO REAL MEN FACE THEIR WOMEN!!!"
"Maybe if the police would get off the drug dealers payroll we can get something done. If I as a mere citizen of ward 8 can see the drug transactions WHILE the police officer is sitting on the corner of Oakwood and 4th STreet SE SLEEPING. Why then can't they? Haven't they been trained? If I can see the young men all dressed in black with prepaid cell phones being the 'lookout" for the police shouldn't the police be able to see this? I call and I call and an officer "IF THEY SHOW UP" do nothing. when you try and flag one down they act like they don't see you."
"The "condition" exists in DC because the people of DC tolerate it.. pure and simple .. Let's face it, DC is a train wreck.. there is virtually no "family unit".. drugs run rampant .. getting an education is "acting white"... Just keep it on your side of the river..."
"How many more reasons do people need to STOP LIVING IN DC if they value their lives and property!"
"We are eager to warehouse people that commit crime, but we easily forget that they will return. Out of sight, out of mind...This ugly truth is in the light now. It manifests itself in the form of acquiescence to gang culture, drug selling, domestic violence and property crimes. It is not hard to understand that former inmates want and need opportunities to make a living. Either we offer them such opportunities, or we accept the prospect that they will create their own illegal opportunities. "
"There is nothing you can do about any of this. The people in these neighborhoods are going to have to work it out themselves or just wait until all the thugs shoot each other, but that won't happen because new ones are being born every day. "
"Why does anyone still live in DC anymore, it's obviously a crappy place to live, filled with death and misery."
"(quoting from TV show The Wire)'If 300 white people were dying yearly in Baltimore, they would call in the National Guard.' Let's change B-More to DC and it's still all the same. Something can be done but nothing will be because the media and even our own people don't care about black lives!!!!!!!!"
I could add many more, but I think you get the picture. There is so much anger and bitterness in this city, it's almost suffocating. But there is more. There is love and good will and neighborliness. There are many working for the good of their brothers and sisters. There is a deep, deep love of the city, and a desire to nurture it and heal it, so that it can become the place of peace and hope that we so want it to be.
I guess the thing that got me the most out of all these comments is the last one I quoted from. I have to agree with him - if the 8 people killed this last weekend were white, this story would be a million times bigger and the response would be quicker and more effective. How do we go about changing this? Are those who said it is hopeless right? I refuse to believe that, but, at the same time, I'm not sure how to prove them wrong.
At least there is a conversation going on. I hope it doesn't stay stashed away in the world of online comments, but somehow finds a way to the surface - to be shared and discussed in a serious, and respectful, way. I think the ongoing Saturday meetings at Potomac Gardens to discuss neighborhood safety is an encouraging start (http://www.tommywells.org/content/view/403/30/). I'll be going this Saturday, and will fill you in on what goes on.
1 comment:
Wow. That is just a stunning collection of quotes.
I totally agree with your point: if the recent eight murders were white people, there would be a lot more attention and press coverage and general reaction.
But sometimes, and I know I am a super duper newbie on the scene here, and to racism in general (I'm just trying to learn the history and how to be respectful of it).... sometimes I feel like there's a huge contradiction.
On the one hand, the black community says "don't tell us what to do, don't control us, don't teach our kids white ways, don't take our culture, leave us to be who we are, let us make our own decisions, let us govern ourselves". You hear a LOT of that, in varying degrees, most of it justified, some of it stated very harshly and even hatefully.
You hear it at the grocery store, in the park, on the street, at the neighborhood meetings, in the schools, in the government, in small business, all over the place. There is rarely a conversation without some of that sentiment expressed.
And then, and this is where I feel a contradiction, after all this constant saying "LEAVE US ALONE to do and be ourselves!!!", then the black culture whips around and says, "you don't care about us!"
I'm not saying I know where to go from here, or how to fix this. I'm saying I'm confused.
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