Saturday
Nov172007
Gina Goes to Barack Obama's Austin Fundraiser - A truly "Enlightening" Experience- What Do We Really Want in Dunbar Village?
Saturday, November 17, 2007 at 8:14PM The Blogmother 
I am writing this as I run out the door- but I wanted this up now. It may be a rambling mess. Will fix later.This week, once again, the Universe mocked me. Dared me to do something. First, I find out that Essence has plunked my picture next to Barack Obama in the December issue of Essence ( yeah Attorneymom I have to claim it now, some other bloggers apparently have posted about it). Then BlkSeaGoat is brave enough to go and counter protest Al Sharpton's protest and lived to tell about it and then Thursday, I pick up my favorite local Austin paper, The Chronicle and whose mug is smiling back at me? Barack Obama. He's having a fund raiser in Austin at a venue called "The Backyard."
I ain't gone lie. I didn't want to mention it because I didn't want to go. This week, this blog has worn me the heck out. I've been sick. I've had to deal with some foolishness out of Sharpton's staffers. I worried that BlkSeaGoat was going to come up missing, and apparently folks started getting this month's Essence magazine. I thought the list was going to be regular people who are working in their communities. If I had known Oprah, Obama, Tyler Perry, and Beyonce were going to be on the list too or that my picture would be there as soon as folks turned the page, I would have probably have said "NO." So my nerves have been frayed all week and I really didn't want to try to organize yet ANOTHER protest of anything. EVER! EVER!
But I kind of felt guilty because here it is I am asking folks to travel to South Carolina to demonstrate to raise awareness of Dunbar Village and I won't drive 5 miles? SO I went to Kinkos printed up some flyers and went to Michael's and got a poster board and a supersized Sharpie (still recovering from the fumes) and wrote out a sign that said "Ask Obama About Dunbar Village". Then I drove to The Back Yard. Ruined my shocks ant struts driving on their raggedy parking lot and walked up to the entrance of the Obama fund raiser. I got there right at the time the fund raiser was over and held up my sign and soon enough, people started coming up to me asking questions. A few Black folks came up to me, but most of the folks I talked to were Caucasian and the strangest thing happened. Instead of asking Obama questions, they started asking me questions that quite frankly I didn't have the answer to. I mean they asked the same question multiple times. One of the most common was - Who is their congressman? I've read the name, but I couldn't tell you to save my life.
It was like being in law school all over again and they had some very good points. Everyone was really nice to me. A few people gave me the stank eye, but everyone else was really engaged, this is Austin, everybody has a cause... unless they came from California.
Anyway, There is a reason why doctors shouldn't operate on their family members and there is a reason why lawyers shouldn't become to close to their client's. You lose perspective.
So what in the heck do I want and how in the heck is having Barack Obama mention Dunbar Village going to do to get it? I left that fund raiser after being asked a barrage of questions feeling quite frankly rejuvenated. Like I was in law school again and it was my day to be up.
What I really want is for people to be as outraged about Dunbar Village as I am. They aren't. The truth is that what keeps me up at night doesn't keep them up at night. The people I am concerned about on the planet aren't necessarily the same folks they are concerned about on the planet. The truth is that I can't independent contract out my outrage.
This was the first time I had ever had to try to convey what I think is the horror of Dunbar Village in person to complete and total strangers. I blog alone. I may be sitting in Whole Foods scarfing down some raw cheesecake ( the best), but I blog alone. Most of my interaction with people about Dunbar Village has been with other people who are equally outraged and it isn't in person. I blog alone. So in my little prism, it seems logical to me that folks would be just as up in arms about the living conditions in West Palm Beach as I am, but the truth it. They ain't and they don't have to be. That tidbit didn't dawn on me prior to standing outside holding up a sign talking about Dunbar Village to a bunch of White folks who put be through Socratic contortions for about an hour.
So I am giving up on trying to get people to be indignant about Dunbar Village. My responsibility is to make them aware. If they aren't moved to speak out about it or march about it or knock the heads of West Palm Beach officials and the Governor of Florida together then so be it, that is between them and their maker.
What I really want is to go to bed knowing that I did something to make the lives of those impoverished Black women and children safer. I want them to be able to live in a place that if fit for human habitation. I want them to live in a place where they can stick their heads out the door at sundown, or crack a window. Most of all I want them to live in a place where the criminals aren't given free reign.
So if Barack Obama, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, the SCLC, NAACP, NOW, NCBW, CHIPS, DIPS and SALSA don't care about the folks poor Black women and children left to rot and die in Dunbar Village, so be it. WE CARE and that may very well be enough.
In some ways I think the Universe is mocking me yet again. Maybe the reason these people have BIZARRELY refused to make so much as a two sentence statement is because the Universe doesn't want them to. After hitting my head against a brick wall for four months, I considered the possibility that the reason they haven't been moved to speak out about Dunbar Village is because WE were meant to. I was meant to. I mean what can Obama, Sharpton, Jackson, SCLC, NOW, NAACP, CHIP, DIPS, and SALSA do that we haven't done or couldn't do?
We're just as talented, in the case of the National Action Network ( more talented). We're more efficient, it takes Sharpton 20, 000 marchers, we had 5 and got a USA Today article and one in the Chicago Tribune out of it and counting. We're just as educated and I suspect more based on the credentials that float around on the sly on this blog and I KNOW there are bunch of y'all who read and NEVER post of e-mail. I see y'all looking.
We have to become the leaders we hoped that they would be and you know what? We might just be able to pull this off. I mean who the heck thought 6 months ago when I started this blog and was getting 62 hits a day, that 6 months later I'd have had over 100,000 unique visitors, be ranked in the top 15,000 out of millions of sites on Technarati, win two Black Weblog Awards(including the Judges' Choice for "Blog of the Year"), be on NPR a few times, have my own international radio show, produce two videos that have been viewed tens of thousands of times, and have my picture smack dab next to a man who may very well be the next leader of the free world.
Barack Obama's book is called "The Audacity of Hope." Ain't it though! We're about to become audacious 'round here.
Don't forget to like our Facebook Page. We shut down our NING network. My book More Than Words is now available for download for $3.99 | 70 Comments | Share Article
70 Comments | Share Article tagged obama in Dunbar Village
obama in Dunbar Village
Reader Comments (70)
seems like you had a bit of an "aha" moment.
So what would be a "win" for you to as far as Dunbar Village is concerned?
Dunbar Village is symbolic of everything that is wrong. Poverty, crime, lack of community, morals, parental responsibility, lack of upward mobility, state/security of public housing.
This isn't the only public housing nightmare. This is all over the country.
I want awareness to enlighten everyday folks that they can make a difference.
Shane, Gina and I are getting together to talk about helping the Dunbar residents empower themselves to fight. Did you know that Gina LOL
Shane wants to come down in January to see Dunbar Village and when he does I'll meet up with him. Others feel free to make the trip as well.
Most people want change, they want to improve but we can't underestimate that many dont know how to make that change happen.
It would be nice if those with the camera attention would help but the civil rights leaders of the past didn't have half the resources we have when we come together.
I will have my sign out when they come to my neck of the woods.
You are right symphony, Dunbar Village is symbolic of everything that is wrong.
symphony:
Count me in. Just give me dates and I will meet you guys there. I am scheduled to talk to a women's mentoring group about Dunbar Village, and am using the resources that I found on your blog.
jj. That was the point of the point.
We made our point. These folks ain't gone do jack.
This aint a basketball game jj.I don't care about what is a win. I just want to be able to sleep at night. THat's it
Shecodes: I would love for it to be BEFORE my spring (AND LAST) semester starts (Jan 22).
I'm waiting for Shane to let me know when he can make it. But we can make a date and just roll with it.
Shane and I can have a solo date if need be. As long as its okay with Attorneymom.
I think a win for Dunbar Village begins with the government doing it's duty to keep the peace.
If America can uproot tens of thousands of military reserves and send them to Al Anbar (Iraq) and Jalalabad (Afghanistad) to "keep the peace", and literally spend billions upon billions to "free" the Middle East of tyranny and abuse, then it SHOULD be able to send 100 reservists to Dunbar Village to 'keep the peace' until structural order can be created.
To me, a win would be a manhunt that leads to the arrest and successful prosection of the DV rapists.
To me, a win would mean administrative responsibility and proper oversight to ensure that only those who should live in the HUD housing are actually living there.
I would be pleased if they could just go to bed at night without having sufficient reason to seriously fear for their own safety.
Okay Symphony, sounds good to me.
I start my doctoral studies on Jan 28. So I'm good anytime before that, and can fly down over the weekend if it's after that.
Well Gina, you have definitely shown that Black bloggers can affect change. You have motivated and inspired me.
I hate to be a party pooper but the one thing I just can't understand is:
If even the DUNBAR VILLAGE RESIDENTS aren't so moved to take steps and help things get better (whether its forming a coalition with other housing project residents or protesting or not paying rent or whatever)
Why are we (you) twisting and turning so much for it?
I want to help, and I do care, I just got burned time again trying to help people that didn't even want help. it just doesn't seem logical.
Wait a sec, i'm re-reading your comments here.
It seems 1- its more about revamping the project system. yes?
and 2-its about finding the other rapists and bringing some kind of justice.
miriam, you don't have to understand why I am twisting and turning about it. You aren't me. If you are troubled to the extent that I am. That i fine.
That is the point of the post. I am done trying to explain why people ought to be outraged and moved to action on Dunbar Village or why I did this or that. I ain't got time to do that. All that matters Is that if I want something to change, I have to be the one to do it.
do the dunbar village people want change? badly enough?
Shecodes... I agree that order should be restored in the short term... but there are Dunbar Villages all over the Country.
The real underlying issues here are #1. The problem of Poverty and the lack of vision and effort on the part of political leaders to deal with it. And #2. The lack of affordable housing, especially for families led by single mothers.
A more impactful solution would be to get these politicians to deal with poverty in this Country so that people don't have to live in places like Dunbar Village. One way to do that is to create a better minimum wage and make sure wages keep up with the cost of living.
And the Housing Project formula has been a failure for a long time. This is one of the reasons why Housing Projects are being taken down in cities across the Country. Another reason of course has been gentrification.
But placing families in mixed, single home communities tends to produce better results. Establishing affordable housing for the poor has taken a back seat to middle class issues and the concerns of the wealthy over the past several years, especially during the housing boom.
Programs like Habitat for Humanity should be expanded on a grand scale to deal with the Housing problem. But it has to be part of a bigger effort... When residents have a sense of ownership, they will have more of a vested interest in taking care of what they have.
There should definitely be more police and security in places like Dunbar Village... and there are plenty of security solutions that could be used, long before we get to the point of deploying troops, lol. But the local officials simply neglected to take certain steps to make the complex more secure. Would it have required money? Yes... Manpower? Yes... But it's about priorities and it's about choices. The officials there chose not to err on the side of caution and on the side of protecting the public because these were poor folks. Local officials are often hesitant when it comes to allocating funds towards poor areas, especially if money is tight.
But this is where the State and the Federal government should step in to fill the gap, in the interest of public safety. This is especially the case when you are talking about small and mid-sized cities such as West Palm Beach...cities that have fewer resources to work with.
Although the concept of Projects is not that great... there have been a few that have turned things around with proper security measures...(as well as other efforts). The security component is just a part of the solution. The people who live there must have the desire and willingness to improve their community...They must be willing to help themselves.
For example...the no snitching problem tends to be an especially tough issue in Housing complexes, because everyone lives in such a tight area... everyone knows everyone...or at least knows of everyone... etc. So it's much easier for residence to be intimidated. Under these conditions people tend not to get involved. It's hard to build any kind of effective neighborhood watch effort in these kinds of communities.
But it is possible to do what is called "Weed and Seed" in these areas...(it's just much harder). That is removing (through effective policies and legislation) the trouble makers and the threats, and bringing in positive, and effective people and programs. If you flood these areas with police (as part of a Community Policing strategy...this is key) you could turn things around. If the same officers stay in the area...and are seen often and have a permanent presence...they can bond with residents. Then residents will become comfortable and you could then set up neighborhood watch, and other programs to empower the residents.
These things are possible, and are proven solutions... There is just no political leadership.
Although the troops might not be a bad idea for a week or two for shock value... until officers could be brought in.
But this is the short term solution... the underlying problems have to be dealt with also...In the long run.. a place like Dunbar should be razed... and it probably should have been razed a long time ago...and the people there should have been relocated to safer more decent homes.
Angry Independent,
I am well aware that there are other Dunbar Villages out there. That does not mean that it's unreasonable to immediately act with interim solutions -- which was my point in the first place.
I lived in New York City during 911 and thereafter, and it was positively crawling with M16-wielding troops to 'keep the peace' during the Republican convention. Even in Jersey City, I was greeted with serious-looking troops with the scariest looking weapons I've ever seen.
I am not as optimistic about mixed housing as you are. I am part owner of a development company that has developed both mixed and and senior housing -- and there are plenty of drawbacks as well as benefits.
You can not eliminate poverty without first eliminating poverty of spirit, and that is where the difficulty really lies. I'll write more on this later, but I have to head out to church.
Blessings, everyone.
@Gina -
I wasn't being snarky when I asked what would be a "win" for you as far Dunbar Village is concerned. I'm well aware that it is not a "basketball game" but outside of being outrages I'm sure you'd like to see some progress made. That's what I was asking.
Thanks SHecodes and Symphony for answering the question minus the snark.
@Miriam -
Do you know what it means to live in abject poverty? I mean to really have no idea how the bills are getting paid, if there will be enough food on the table and knowing that if you can't come up with the cash the lights will be off?
Add to that constant fear and that shit beats the life out of you. You spend all your time trying to figure out how you're going to get to the next day and that's about it.
It's hard to see past that. When you're that kind of poor it's not a question whether you want to help yourself you just damnit don't know how. The aforementioned problems tend to take property over anything else.
@Angry Independent
Yes there are big problems. But it started with a Bus Boycott and worked its way from there. It can start with Dunbar Village and work its way there.
@SHecodes
Mixed income housing (and schools) work well. Very well. The problem isn't the idea the problem has been how its been implemented in the states. (It really started in the UK and has done wonders). Too many times well meaning organizations have taken poor people (often of color) and stuck them in neighborhoods with middle class/working class folks (sometimes white) and thought everyone would live happily ever after....yeah okay. It's not that simple but when done well it works well.
JJ what are the successful examples. do you have names?
You can not eliminate poverty without first eliminating poverty of spirit, and that is where the difficulty really lies.
When I read hear things like that it annoys me.
Poverty of the spirit because you ain't got shit and can't figure out to get yourself out of the mess that you were BORN into.
Better education, better (paying) jobs, less racism (and classicism), healthcare, affordable childcare, and decent housing and poverty of the spirit disappears...FAST.
@Gina
I'll have to look it up. There were 2 sixty minutes or 20/20 episodes some years ago that i remember...
1. Dealt with Prince Charles and his efforts to deal with poverty in the UK. Mixed income housing was one of the things that was talked about and that had been a success.
2. Anther was a program that went on here in the states that, using a lottery system, gave poor folks vouchers to move out of the "hood" so to speak.
There were problems with the programs but when they had success it was because they were able to integrate people into neighborhoods and then given them the support they needed to stay.
Because of the regime change (Dem to Republican) most of the funds for these type of programs have been cut here in the states...so I'd have to poke around and see if I can find some of the older examples.
I can find the article on the mixed income schools if you're interested.
I spoke on this 2 podcasts ago. I said that I didn't understand why folks were banging their heads up against walls trying to get Al Sharpton, NAACP, NOW, to care. I think it's a complete waste of time. I specifically said you didn't need them. All of the efforts you spend on trying to get Al Sharpton, NAACP, & Now, to wake up would be much better spent of finding more like minded people.
Honestly, the only reason why the mainstream media gives a damn about the counter protest was NOT about Dunbar Village. I saw the USA Today article. I don't think it helped Dunbar Village. Most of it was NOT devoted to Dunbar Village. It was devoted to bashing Sharpton, & others. How does this help the residents of Dunbar Village? Please go online and look at the comments from the public about the article. 95% of the comments were bashing Sharpton. Most of the comments were racist. And a lot of the commenters kept posting statistics about black on black crime. Most of the comments were NOT about Dunbar Village. So, does this help Dumbar Vilage?
I believe strongly that Shane was being used by the main stream media to bash Sharpton. I'm sure he's happy to do so but does this help the residents in Dunbar?
Did the USA Today article give you any information on how to help the residents of Dunbar? Contact information? Did it list Shane's website?
Here's an article on a successful mixed income development in Atlanta
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/columnists/leonard_pitts/story/157825.html
The important part to note is that it was done by a private developer and not the government.
And how well it rid people of "poverty of the spirit."
Sorry,
Try this
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/columnists/leonard_pitts/story/157825.html
Damnit! It's not pasting..ARRGH
Google: Mixed Income Housing Defeats Poverty: TheNewsTribune.com
And
The Promise and Reality of Mixed-Income Housing
And
Mixed Income Houssing Addresses America's Affordable Housing Needs
And
Mixed Income Housing Factors for Success
Good Point Miss Thang
And if you gather enough folk of like minded interests AND are successful then the League of the Morally Indifferent will jump on ship and THEN you can use them for your own publicity needs.
Change starts from the bottom. Not the top.
I FEEL THE HOLY GHOST UP IN HERE!!!
READ MATTHEW 5: 13-16.
"YE ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. A CITY THAT IS SET ON AN HILL CANNOT BE HID."
ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS THAT "IT IS A NEW SEASON, ITS A NEW DAY. A FRESH ANOINTING I CAN FEEL IT. IT IS COMING OUR WAY. YOU SEE DESPITE ALL THAT HAS BEEN DONE, THE BEST IS YET TO COME. IT IS ON ITS WAY!"
Sidebar: Gina did not tell you that she sent me a cease and desist email. My blog sista was going to sue me for copyright infringement. LOL. Just playing. Luv ya, Gina, like a little sista I never had.
Miss thing.You see lemons, I see lemonade. Yes they used him to bash sharpton in the same way other folks use other folks to bash any number of things. Again if it was a waste of time, it was not a waste of YOUR time.
YOu say it was a waste of time, but as a result of the article, the USA Today reporter put shane in contact with an actual Dunbar Village resident. You say it was for naught. I say we've made a vital contact as a result of his article.
Again, nothing is stopping people from doing their own thing. In fact, I encourage it.
Attorneymom, sit down! Stop being needy. the more the merrier.
LOL @ Attorneymon.
LOL @ Gina's rely to Attorneymom
LOL.
Thank JJ. thanks all for your patience.
"The security component is just a part of the solution. The people who live there must have the desire and willingness to improve their community...They must be willing to help themselves."
"Do you know what it means to live in abject poverty? I mean to really have no idea how the bills are getting paid, if there will be enough food on the table and knowing that if you can't come up with the cash the lights will be off? Add to that constant fear and that shit beats the life out of you. You spend all your time trying to figure out how you're going to get to the next day and that's about it."
So what we're saying here is that there is no ONE solution to all of this, but many? Because both of these quotes show the problem from just 2 sides of the issue.
We can only do what we can. In fear of sounding preachy like Attorneymom, when you stand before your God, he/she will only ask YOU how you used your life, not how much time you spent lying awake being pissed about how others don't care about your cause. Gina, you should be able to rest in the fact that you are doing a very good thing, even if Dunbar Village never gets better [we can only hope that it will].
If you're comfortable with USA Today's obessession over bashing Al Sharpton v. focusing on Dunbar Vilage, that's you. But I refuse to believe that helps Dunbar Village. Isn't that the point of the campaign? Or maybe it isn't...
Do you realize that article didn't even list Shane's website? It didn't even give any information about helping the residents of Dunbar Village? Nor did it direct it's readers to finding out more about Dunbar Village. The article didn't even mention the ineptitude of the political officials or law enforcement.
Let me give you two names: **Paticiea Matlock
**Citoya Greenwood
Who are they?
They are Dunbar Residents who have OPENLY spoke about this issue to variuous media outlets. Bingo! Why not reach out to them?
So, telling me that USA Today reporter put Shane in contact with 1 resident means little to me. He could have done that on his own.
USA Today really could have gone off about Dunbar Village, but they didn't. Instead they focused on Al Shaprton, black on black crime, and other negative stereo types to appease there 'mostly' white reading audience. So, does this help the residents Dunbar Village?
This reporter could care less about Dunbar Village and it showed in the article.
I respect your assessment but I just completely disagree.
In Gina's defense (who knew I'd so those words:-) )Miss Thang,
I think she's saying take what good came out of the situation (a contact) and move on.
No one's arguing that u right in ur original assessment that we'd be better off doing it ourselves.
Now that we've established that you were right and Gina was wrong...Now what.
And let me point out that if Gina hadn't decided to get pissed a tthe League of the Morally Indifferent then Dunbar Village wouldn't be on too may people's lips.
SO...NOW WHAT?
Are you going to continue to point out the error of Gina's ways or are u up for the "Let's do something about Dunbar Village and then take on the world (or the US at least)" campaign that seems to be gearing up here at WAOD?
Just asking. You definitely seem passionate enough.
As a side note:
All the "Let's help Dunbar Village" talk is cool. But too often outside folk come in and like to tell poor folk what's good for them...when what needs to be done is asking the poor folk what they think needs to be done and then going for there.
This should be approached as a dialogue not a "Here come us educated negroes telling you poor folk what's good for you."
Too many people have probably done that already.
You know what Miss Thang YOU WERE RIGHT YOU WERE RIGHT YOU WERE RIGHT YOU WERE RIGHT YOU WERE RIGHT! Happy now?
As far as the two residents names you mentioned, ONE OF THOSE IS THE ONE SHANE IS NOW IN CONTACT WITH.
You might want to hold your powder until Shane gives a report.
As far as what I am comfortable with, when you deal with the media, you take the god with the bad. They aren't my slave, they have an agenda too and if I can advance my agenda while they advace theirs then NO, I don't have a problem with it. As far as not listing his site, if you had checked the site meter referral stats and I can send you the google analytics traffic data. "Shane Johnson" was one of the most frequent google searches sending people to this site so even though she didnt list his site, people came looking for him.
So again. YOU WERE RIGHT YOU WERE RIGHT YOU WERE RIGHT!
I'm not perfect. I am so sorry that the USA Today article did not meet your satisfaction, but folks went looking for Dunbar Village in google last Friday and they are continuing to do it.
And as far as the reporter, you don't know anything about this reporter and what she might be working on.
In case you didn't notice from the post. I am moving on from whining and complaining about what OTHER people ain't doing and focusing on what I can do. If you choose to continue with the old pattern, that is your choice, but I suggest you take some of your indignation and direct it toward working with Symphony, Shane, and whoever else once folks online start to organize for change in Dunbar Village. You need their emails?
The What About Our Daughters? Disgruntled Readers Support Group meets every Sunday evening at Bedside Baptist Church.
I now know how Rev. Al must feel.
I don't see this as an issue of right or wrong. Obviously you do.
PARDON ME, for questioning the effectiveness of the article. PARDON ME, for questionting the intent of the reporter. AND A DOUBLE PARDON ME, for having the audacity to mention this. Geesh people, get over yourselves!
PS Let me paraphrase YOUR words. It's ok for black people to disagree and have different opinions about things. We will survive.
You are absolutely right. We can disagree. That doesn't mean that you can't get on my nerves either.
Maybe I am especially irritable with things going on behind the scenes, but I was like Okay what the hell does she want from us?
The whole point of my post was to cut out the middle man so your post just sounded like and I told you so and when I tried to point out some small sliver lining, you turned that into a cloud as well.
We can disagree. But that doesn't mean that on certain days when I am taking a full measure of BS that one more comment saying something negative doesn't feel like a pebble in my shoe.
I'm through. continue on without me. I seriously need to get a life and stay the hell off of this blog for like two weeks.
That's it. I am on vacation! have a happy Thanksgiving. My last nerve was officially tap danced on. Symphony, Attorneymom, Content and Shecodes. Run it until I get back. Don't touch my sidebar. stay on topic and delete offensive posts. Don't call or text. figure it out on you own
"You can not eliminate poverty without first eliminating poverty of spirit, and that is where the difficulty really lies."
I had to create an account to reply to this. I am a 42 year old black man, born and raised in the ghetto. I was in the hard streets of Philly, one brother dead, one in jail, and one running the streets god knows where.
SHECODES IS 100% RIGHT. I had to fight and scratch my way out from the streets. Most of my family is still there. Offering an education is a f*king waste of time if the person you are talking about doesn't want it. The educational system is horrible. It's horrible because of POVERTY OF SPIRIT. Kids cutting up the classroom, destroying the experience from people trying to learn.
Don't tell me that teaching drug dealers the 3R's is going to make him wanna change. Bull SHIT. If you gave everybody I know in the hood 10,000 they would be broke in six months.
There are great people who are down on their luck in the ghetto. But there are people who have no respect for themselves or anyebody else who are ruining everything. THEY HAVE POVERTY OF SPIRIT.
I now live in New Jersey, which is a mix of working class and middle class people. They are shipping in kids from Camden and guess what. They brought the ghetto with them, and now my only son is running with them to keep from having to running from them. Their mamas come screaming to the school if you try to discipline them. POVERTY OF SPIRIT. You have to fix that first.
PEACE.
And rashawn u proved my point.
Poverty of Spirit my ass. Most people are BORN into poverty. If that's all u know then guess what.
I'm so tired of people acting like it just so damn easy to wnat something more for yourself when everything around tells you you are a damn fool for wanting more...tells u that u ain't shit...were never shit...and ain't never gonna be shit.
MOST people aren't exceptional enough to get themselves out of that mess. There are those who are and they are the EXCEPTION not the rule. And just because there are exceptions DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE RULE DOESN"T APPLY.
Spare me that boostrap shit. I'm tired of it. It just a good for well off to tell poor folk that it's all there fault why they're poor as they pull that silver spoon out their mouths.
I'm so tired of people acting like it just so damn easy to wnat something more for yourself when everything around tells you you are a damn fool for wanting more...tells u that u ain't shit...were never shit...and ain't never gonna be shit.
MOST people aren't exceptional enough to get themselves out of that mess. There are those who are and they are the EXCEPTION not the rule. And just because there are exceptions DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE RULE DOESN"T APPLY.
Spare me that boostrap shit. I'm tired of it. It just a good for well off to tell poor folk that it's all there fault why they're poor as they pull that silver spoon out their mouths.
I swear I wrote that somewhere almost word for word (I cannot remember where now). The thing is people who have made it forget how hard it is to make it. I used to curse my memory, but now I see it as a gift. I remember 30 years ago when I was poor as hell as well as I remember what I had for breakfast this morning. It keeps me grounded and most of all it keeps me knowing that everyone is not doing alright.
As far as Dunbar, I think some of the commenters here are taking it too literally, as in, if a magically ball dropped out of the sky and made Dunbar perfect it would not mean everything is fine. That is why Dunbar Village is symbolic and worthy of being shouted from the rooftops. Dunbar Village is a view into our (collective) future. Dunbar village is an example of what is to come if people do not stop being so damn apathetic!
Poverty of Spirit that is what I was trying to get at! I just couldn't say it right.
There is very much such a thing as psychologically poor and its not an attempt to write off the poor folks.
I think people really genuinely do want to help, but know that somehow that spark of self esteem or whatever has to be tapped into before anything can move forward for them.
I think people really genuinely do want to help, but know that somehow that spark of self esteem or whatever has to be tapped into before anything can move forward for them.
Self esteem ain't the problem. Shitty neighborhood, poor schools, lack of healthcare, decent jobs and decent wages...are.
You wanna tap into some self esteem...fix some of those problems. Self esteem will follow...not the other way around.
Time and time again when there has been success in schools, neighborhoods etc. It hasn't been because folk were worried about "poverty f the spirit." They came in with sme basic fundamentals and applied them.
Re-watch Lean on me or Stand and Deliver. These guys didn't worry about "poverty of the spirit." They went in with idea that ANYONE can succeed and went from there.
In Lean On Me's case he kicked out the rotten apples, threw in some discipline and called the teachers on their bullshit..and voila we have a complete 180.
People rise to the expectations you set for them. Period. Not the other way around.
Gina:
I created a Google account just to respond to what I knew would come. Once Black Seagoat's counter demonstration succeeded, I knew Negros would immediately set their minds to tearing down your & Black Seagoat's efforts.
We have a nasty habit of using up & destroying our own advocates.
Gina, please do whatever you need to do to take care of yourself first! If that means stopping all participation in any of this, stop. You've already done more than literally millions of our people. May God's peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you.
To those who are disgruntled with what Gina, Black Seagoat & others are doing: Do something else! Do something that you feel is more effective. Do something better. Do something other than sitting around launching sniper attacks on their efforts.
I'm not saying that you don't have the right to vent your disagreement. Just think before you post. IF you support Gina's & other's efforts, it won't burden you to consider how what you're doing might affect them.
Unlike "professional" activists, Gina & others are doing their work ON OUR BEHALF after working a full day on jobs. I know how mentally exhausted I am after work; I can't imagine the bone-deep exhaustion they are probably experiencing right now. At least let them catch their breath before you snipe at their efforts.
Shecodes & Rashawn: Co-signing your comments.
Peace.
(just for the record, i'm not disgruntled. I hope I didn't sound like it. I just try to think of what can I do and seem to get into a catch of thoughts that winds me back to my questions)
I think they (Gina, BlkSeaGoat, SheCodes, Symphony, AttorneyMom)are making a difference.
I ask question only because I need to lay to rest some bothered thoughts. I am not disgruntled -if you were referring to me.
Well I guess Rashawn said pretty much what I would have said. I always find it humorous when people try to tell me how I 'forgot' what being poor was like (especially when the person leveling the charge has never had a hungry day in their lives). Base poverty is something you never forget, period...
"Poverty of spirit" is not an accusation or an indictment of the poor. It's a diagnosis that must be treated along with the external forces that perpetuate poverty.
When overweening people try to prevent you from helping people overcome the behaviors that keep you locked in a cycle of poverty (dropping out of school, drugs, OOW babies) they are doing more harm than good. It's people like Rashawn, who should be listened to.
I always find it humorous when people try to tell me how I 'forgot' what being poor was like (especially when the person leveling the charge has never had a hungry day in their lives). Base poverty is something you never forget, period...
Who on here said you forgot waht being poor is like?
When overweening people try to prevent you from helping people overcome the behaviors that keep you locked in a cycle of poverty (dropping out of school, drugs, OOW babies) they are doing more harm than good
And if the issues I've addressed numerous times on this blog are addressed then you don't have to worry about all of the aforementioned problems.
Fix the issues of institutional poverty and you solve the above problems.
GO in trying to tell people not to take drugs or have sex and leave you them in the same environment you won't get to far.
Change the environment..the rest generally takes care of itself.
And don't assume because people who disagree with u and Rashawn don't know what poverty is like...
"Cause you'd be the one who is wrong. Very wrong.
I am not sure if this was mentioned or not, but nobody here is trying to 'force' solutions on the people of Dunbar Village. We have our opinions, but we are willing to meet with the residents to see what, if anything, they would like to have done.
I also agree with Khadija. I am asking Gina and Shane's detractors to ask of themselves, "what, if anything, am I willing to do to alleviate the suffering in Dunbar Village?".
If they answer is 'nothing', or 'be an armchair quarterback', then please move it along.
As you have read from Gina's post, she has already asked herself that question, and has shown tremendous transparency and maturity about it.
Again, talk is cheap. If you aren't going to be a part of the solution, then please shut up and move it along.
Again, talk is cheap. If you aren't going to be a part of the solution, then please shut up and move it along.
SMH