As the Cleveland Plain Dealer assigns blame for the plight of Cleveland as the most impoverished city in America, they target the black poor. I find this highly disturbing, especially as they completely white-wash the greatest flaw in our economy, which is a century of cow-towing to industry causing and perpetuating toxic contamination of our people and neighborhoods in our urban core.
In their 09/03/06 lead editorial [1], the powers that be at the PD declare: "Religious and civic leaders need to speak out against the street culture that cripples poor neighborhoods - and to get the resources necessary to show that a different path will bring better results." In an 08/30/06 column [2], Regina Brett wrote "Poverty fight needs to get real" and: "Combat street culture: The NAACP should take this on full time. Do more to enforce traditional values and glorify education, hard work, marriage, parenting and delayed gratification." She adds, "The poor have to make better choices when they can. Stop spending money on hair extensions and decorated nails if you can't afford a backpack and pencils for your kids. Don't wear bling when your kids aren't wearing socks."
Obviously, the PD editors feel blacks are the problem, and God is the answer. How simplistic and convenient. My recent experience with crime and poverty in NEO has been a friend who was core to NEO's culture being murdered by a white-trash punk from blessed burbilly Medina, and a good peace keeper killed by an apparently non-black New Yorker. Both killers were from outside Cleveland "street culture" but clearly impoverished, armed, and mentally ill. In my neighborhood of Ohio City, the street culture is white, African-American, African, Caribbean, Hispanic, Arab, Vietnameese... no one "street culture" is apparent, as most of us are immigrants to here, which was abandoned by the white suburbanites like the writers of the PD, and resettled by a dynamic new population.
The PD seems on a witch hunt that goes against the very potential for greatness this community must explore and optimize - our urban, living, street culture. In urban areas, where we don't have fenced six acre yards, shopping-malls and luxurious parks and school campuses to homogonize culture, we sit on porches, play together in the pocket parks, and live in our neighborhoods... culture is of the streets. It seems the PD only believes urban culture should exist in churches. As Regina Brett concludes, " Get churches involved: Hundreds are listed in the Yellow Pages. Since you don't pay property taxes, you owe the city. Don't just open up on Sundays. Turn yourselves into neighborhood centers." Please, be real.
The recent City Xpressionz festival [3] brought 100s of very talented, cool, well behaved and enthusiastic street-cultured people of all ages and races together for a joyous and inspiring afternoon in Ohio City and I don't believe anyone was shot, raped, or kidnapped. Nobody had to spend any money or be any particular race to be there... there were no riots in the streets, and great art and spirit was created by all. The only downer of the day was that it occurred at the same time as the memorial for the artists killed by that trash from Medina.
I think it is time for the writers and editors of the PD to practice what they preach and leave their McMansions and move back to Cleveland - proper... not in Bratenahl or some $500K high-rise tax-abated condo by the PD fortress, but right into Mt. Pleasant, Tremont, Ohio City, Glenville, and Slavic Village... fix up a turn--of-the-20th-century Victorian or townhouse, and learn about the issues of urban property and the hazards of lead poisoning and their roles in poverty. Then, experience street culture and learn the facts about the good life in NEO before condemning it and our people. Regina... there are two apartments for rent in my building, and a dozen for sale on my street... take your pick. Be a new economy immigrant and join the urban pioneers.
If they are too white-knuckled to do that, they should at least get real about the root of our educational ills, being lead poisoning. And they should admit they would not live 1 mile from Mittal because they do not want their children to suffer from asthma. They should be real, and then we can all work together to really solve the problems of Cleveland, which are that industry here has historically made Cleveland stink, brain damaged, unhealthy and so physically unacceptable to anyone who may escape.
Links:
[1] http://www.cleveland.com/editorials/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/opinion/115718653242370.xml&coll=2
[2] http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/regina_brett/index.ssf?/base/opinion/115692673699050.xml&coll=2&thispage=1
[3] http://li326-157.members.linode.com/arts-of-our-core
[4] http://li326-157.members.linode.com/world-carfree-day-2006
[5] http://li326-157.members.linode.com/creating-sustainable-neo-0
[6] http://li326-157.members.linode.com/Rest-in-Peace-Detective-Schroeder