Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kathleen M. Glennon on August 25, 2016 at 3:47pm

Unfortunately, Mark, whether or not she feels she lives in a ghetto, the perception that the 19th Ward is one is wide spread.  I have had grad students and roommates stay with me and one of the first questions is invariably "Is it safe?  Because I've heard lots of bad things about the 19th Ward."  When looking for a roommate who worked at the U of R, she called after not appearing to meet me and see the house and said that halfway down Genessee St. was all it took - she turned right around and went back to Brighton.  The constant crime stats and the constant trash in the streets, along with gangs on street corners and open air drug markets are there. Speeding traffic on Woodbine with radios blasting that rattle my 1925 glass windows. After almost 8 years of trying to clear up my area, it still migrates to another corner.  I'm not sure anymore what the solutions are.  It's terribly sad to me to hear a young girl say that, so you can imagine what adults outside the 19th think. 

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Permalink Reply by Marian Boutet on August 25, 2016 at 5:13pm

It's hard to know what she means by ghetto and, since the racial makeup of the 19th Ward changes from block to block in some areas, her definition can't be the dictionary's definition.   She's very young and we can't know what her life is like or what views her family and friends hold.

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Permalink Reply by Mark Sweetland on August 28, 2016 at 3:48am

Well, here's the dictionary definition: 

"a part of a city, especially a slum area, occupied by a minority group or groups."

That's certainly not true.  We have a diverse group of people living in the neighborhood. 

Just Saturday night when I went to the front door in the evening, a group from across the street who were renting yelled out "whitey, faggot."  How welcoming.  I have lived here over 30 years, and never heard such idiocy.  Seems younger parents never taught their kids any respect or values.  

Kathleen, my suggestion if possible is you or your neighbors can join PAC-TAC and walk once or twice a month for two hours.  Police and Citizens Together Against Crime trains people to walk their neighborhood and make it safer, in conjunction with RPD and crime prevention officers (CPOs.)  You walk the neighborhood with a vest and police radio so you can report if necessary, but more valuably, add to neighbors sense of safety.  If one or two people from each street in the 19th Ward would participate, imagine the effect.  Can do it any time of day that is convenient. 

I realize this is not possible for everyone, and do sympathize with your situation. 

I do think we can change impressions, one by one.

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Permalink Reply by Kathleen M. Glennon on August 28, 2016 at 7:57pm

Hi Mark.  When I first moved here I brought up PAC-TAC and no one was interested.  I was not walking the streets alone, so that was that.  I am PAC-TAC for my own immediate area.  You understand the negative perception people have when they hear of the type of comment made to you.  To me, it's not idiotic, it's grotesque and reprehensible.  So are the empty liquor bottles, condoms and drug bags thrown on my lawn. You are correct that these young people have no respect or no value set at all. When people maliciously cut across my lawn and feel the need to kick and smash the glass and metal lawn lights at $10 a pop; or when they broke down the fence that has been a rock on my property for the last 40 years.  Discouraging.  Not much can be done but sell, put up cameras, or stop caring. I suppose you could have told the renters that what they said to you was "hate speech" but I doubt it would register. Thanks for the suggestions though.

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Permalink Reply by Mark Sweetland on August 28, 2016 at 10:51pm

I agree with all you have said.  But don't give up.  Contact a CPO at the Neighborhood Service Center to voice your concerns.  Consider cameras, depending on their advice.  Ask about PAC-TAC training, if you want, and you can always walk with me and John Boutet.  I offer the same suggestion to anyone else who is interested.  It is not a problem-solver, but a step in a positive direction towards helping.  Peace.

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