Someone tried to comment on my post from last Wednesday by offering an article from the Onion. I try to keep the rough language down here, so I'll skip the headline, but if you'd like to see what the Onion makes of efforts to fight developers, look here.
I won't spend too much time on this, either--it's probably bad for my blood pressure, but the Tribune editorial about fighting gangs made me more angry at the arrogance of the Trib than inspired to fight gang violence. The part that made me the most angry was after setting up the scene of the mayor talking to residents, the Trib had the nerve to say the mayor was "standing alone" in his comments. On a second read, I think they were trying to take a swipe at police brutality activists, but on my first read it came off as if the mayor was on the street by himself, which he was not, and the neighborhood was not taking a stand against violence, which was the whole point of the day.
And I'd like to see how the Trib editorialists would feel if they spent even a week living on a block. Then they, and the mayor, might be a little more thoughtful before making comments like, "Look in the mirror and say, 'I can do better.'" If you can do so much better, come on out here for more than a photo-op or a one-shot editorial.
On a happier note, I'm glad someone else, commenter Laura, found it inspiring enough to take the next step and start a block club. Laura, what neighborhood are you in, if you don't mind telling us?
Meanwhile, I heard at church yesterday that a guy on 49th Street is trying to get neighbors together to strategize about what to do there. That's where the shooting was a few weeks ago, and my neighbor tells me those guys don't even live on the block. I'm not surprised.
2 comments:
I am in Portage Park. Not that the Tribune editorial was perfect, but the editorial and the mayor's comments said to me was "don't get complacent, get involved even when the violence doesn't seem to personally touch you, don't hide in what appears to be the safety of your home." I feel pretty safe within the boundaries of my property, but I want to feel safe throughout my block and my neighborhood. I think I have neighbors who just close their doors and don't feel a responsibility beyond that or are afraid to get involved beyond that. I used the editorial and the mayor's comments to inspire courage and renew a sense of community responsibility. My block meeting had 16 people in attendance and we identified 5 issues to take action on.
Wow, Laura, congratulations! You are inspiring me to try to set up another coffee with some of my neighbors in hopes of building toward a block club.
Post a Comment