Fear and New Friends September 13. 2005
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I was just in Hyde Park a week ago last night. I was attending a group run sponsored by Nike and hosted by a local pub, used to be called Lucky Strike but I think it was just recently renamed. I prefer not to try to describe the group of attendees by their races, I feel that using that as any sort of justification only continues the cycle of profiling. Suffice to say that I found no sign of this gripping fear, it was a really fun group, and we ran through the neighborhood to the lake and down it a couple miles and back.
On the flipside, I do hope that you will allow some people to fear for their own safety based on crime levels. I understand that some people have fears based on color, but truly think they are in the minority. But I am more than willing to be set straight if you can provide as many details as you provide analysis. You have a much deeper connection into Hyde Park than I or most of us do, so we'd all benefit from details you can provide. I'm also curious about the so many community programs aimed at furthering the solidifying the segregation.
On the flipside, I do hope that you will allow some people to fear for their own safety based on crime levels. I understand that some people have fears based on color, but truly think they are in the minority. But I am more than willing to be set straight if you can provide as many details as you provide analysis. You have a much deeper connection into Hyde Park than I or most of us do, so we'd all benefit from details you can provide. I'm also curious about the so many community programs aimed at furthering the solidifying the segregation.
Lucky Strike is seated in the middle of the affuence of Hyde Park. Take the #55 bus west to the green line and report back on your experience.
I completely agree (and so would Foucault you silly boy) that adding to the discussion only supports the structures. That being said, if voice is not given, silence is a death. Working through the dynamics of a structure are necessary if the goal is its dismantaling. I'm merely working through the structure itself.
I do grant you that people can "fear" based on crime rates... but the general mentality in Hyde Park is that it is people outside the community that cause the crime and violence in the area. In other words, the ebony people that don't go to school here. Obviously, this is not everyone... but it is a major proportion of the population.
I completely agree (and so would Foucault you silly boy) that adding to the discussion only supports the structures. That being said, if voice is not given, silence is a death. Working through the dynamics of a structure are necessary if the goal is its dismantaling. I'm merely working through the structure itself.
I do grant you that people can "fear" based on crime rates... but the general mentality in Hyde Park is that it is people outside the community that cause the crime and violence in the area. In other words, the ebony people that don't go to school here. Obviously, this is not everyone... but it is a major proportion of the population.
I thought we were talking about Hyde Park... so doesn't it further my point if Lucky Strike is right in the middle of it, considering the points I made? I found little of the fear there.
Ok, so working through the dynamics of the structure, I guess I will provide what I was reluctant to provide: the group was racially very diverse. But I maintain that it is counterproductive to consider that a justification.
"the general mentality in Hyde Park is that it is people outside the community that cause the crime and violence in the area. In other words, the ebony people that don't go to school here.
- this line of reasoning illustrates that you are only suggesting the presence of racism, not observing it. "people outside the community" may happen to coincide with "the ebony people" but that relationship is not inherent.
Ok, so working through the dynamics of the structure, I guess I will provide what I was reluctant to provide: the group was racially very diverse. But I maintain that it is counterproductive to consider that a justification.
"the general mentality in Hyde Park is that it is people outside the community that cause the crime and violence in the area. In other words, the ebony people that don't go to school here.
- this line of reasoning illustrates that you are only suggesting the presence of racism, not observing it. "people outside the community" may happen to coincide with "the ebony people" but that relationship is not inherent.
Some people actually say, "the poor black people." I didn't want to seem inflamitory. So, I didn't use that as evidence. More than that, just because people can float around with words and "intentions" doesn't mean that racism doesn't exist.
A nickname of Madison (my new home) is "76 Square Miles Surrounded By Reality."
Somewhat apropos notion for Hyde Park?
Somewhat apropos notion for Hyde Park?
That would be quite appropriate and accurate for Hyde Park.
Michel Foucault. Discipline & Punish: The Birth of the Prison.
Wayne A. Meeks. The First Urban Christians: The Social World of the Apostle Paul.
Michel Foucault. The History of Sexuality Vol. 3: The Care of the Self.
Presbyterian Church (USA). Book of Common Worship.
