It's amazing isn't it? Everywhere I go, people are talking about politics, public officials, public issues, and hope. I spent time with quite a few friends over the last few days and people are taking time to hope, be optimistic, and set aside their stress while our new President is inaugurated and people celebrate.
I have never known political optimism in this way. I grew up during the VN War, followed by Watergate, WIN, our National Malaise, Just Say No, etc. I grew up with the assumption that at any moment some idiot would press a button and we would all be vaporized. Good thing I was taught to get under a desk or build a bomb shelter in the backyard! I remember seeing JFK's funeral on TV, but didn't understand it. I understood too well what it meant when MLK's funeral was on TV. And I still get teary eyed when I think about Teddy Kennedy eulogizing his brother, RFK, at his funeral.
So, I am awed, inspired, and a little bit overwhelmed at the prospect of being in Washington, DC to see Obama sworn in as President. I want to be part of the euphoria, the optimism, the expectation for the future. Should be fun!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Monday, January 12, 2009
Missionaries in the hood
A really sad story in the Philly area. read it here
This guy - an ex cop, a former Peace Corps volunteer, and all around good guy, white, brings supplies, delli, and produce to a poor neighborhood that does not have a grocery store. He has a rolling store in a school bus and is welcomed by many of the residents in the neighborhood. He has done this for many years. He is called a good Samaritan. I was touched. The widow's words were wonderful. She and the kids distributed all the remaining inventory in the neighborhood and were greeted by the residents and embraced, promising that they would see to justice. The police have no suspects.
The widow said he was out to save the world. She fought with this missionary to stop spending his time with so little monetary return. The deceased said he felt the need to serve. How could this man be killed? Must be ungrateful thugs. Right?
Well intentioned people make a fatal mistake - I'm doing good and people will be grateful. Wrong. Why? Because that view is only from the missionary perspective. This guy was out to help and serve - and make a small profit. No one would begrudge him that. But he lives outside this neighborhood and has the privilege of entering as frequently or infrequently as he likes. He does not live there and his relationship to the community is as a merchant. He saw himself as a savior - not unlike the Peace Corps work he did. But in the PC, you live 24/7 in your community. You don't commute in. You empower the people of your community - you don't provide them with stuff. You share your knowledge and you teach. So for 18 years this guy brought goods in, sold them, and had a nice relationship with his customers. He was not serving them. If he were, he would have worked with the community to open their own shop. Teach them how to build their inventory, how to make a business plan, how to have a cash flow, and how to sell. Then they would have taken on their own business and flourished on their own. Instead, he kept them dependent on him for 18 years in the name of "service." He never saw it coming. He should have. God bless him for his attitude, but let's learn something from his demise.
Success for urban revitalization #2: Work with the community, not for it. Residents should be subjects of interaction, not objects of care.
This guy - an ex cop, a former Peace Corps volunteer, and all around good guy, white, brings supplies, delli, and produce to a poor neighborhood that does not have a grocery store. He has a rolling store in a school bus and is welcomed by many of the residents in the neighborhood. He has done this for many years. He is called a good Samaritan. I was touched. The widow's words were wonderful. She and the kids distributed all the remaining inventory in the neighborhood and were greeted by the residents and embraced, promising that they would see to justice. The police have no suspects.
The widow said he was out to save the world. She fought with this missionary to stop spending his time with so little monetary return. The deceased said he felt the need to serve. How could this man be killed? Must be ungrateful thugs. Right?
Well intentioned people make a fatal mistake - I'm doing good and people will be grateful. Wrong. Why? Because that view is only from the missionary perspective. This guy was out to help and serve - and make a small profit. No one would begrudge him that. But he lives outside this neighborhood and has the privilege of entering as frequently or infrequently as he likes. He does not live there and his relationship to the community is as a merchant. He saw himself as a savior - not unlike the Peace Corps work he did. But in the PC, you live 24/7 in your community. You don't commute in. You empower the people of your community - you don't provide them with stuff. You share your knowledge and you teach. So for 18 years this guy brought goods in, sold them, and had a nice relationship with his customers. He was not serving them. If he were, he would have worked with the community to open their own shop. Teach them how to build their inventory, how to make a business plan, how to have a cash flow, and how to sell. Then they would have taken on their own business and flourished on their own. Instead, he kept them dependent on him for 18 years in the name of "service." He never saw it coming. He should have. God bless him for his attitude, but let's learn something from his demise.
Success for urban revitalization #2: Work with the community, not for it. Residents should be subjects of interaction, not objects of care.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Crime
A lot of people are getting real apoplectic about a new set of crime reports that suggest rising rates in homicides can be linked to the increasing number of young men of color. The statisticians are hard at work trying to blow holes in each others p values, but that's not the subject of my thoughts today.
The NYT had an interesting piece about the black community's reaction to the New Year's Day killing by police of an unarmed young black man in Oakland. The policeman apparently went for his tazer and instead pulled his gun. Oops. The community took to the streets of Oakland and looted shops and burned cars (not unlike what the fans in Philly did when the baseball team won the world series - no kidding). Here is the NYT article.
What really struck me about all this is the following snippet from the article:
"I wonder about the impact of vicarious trauma. Police officers (and social workers) are secondary witnesses to really hard circumstances everyday. None more so than Oakland Police. I wonder how absorbing trauma everyday impacts professional roles (not to mention personal lives) on the job. I work with social workers who abuse their power and no longer see the individual person. Social workers who refer to real people as useless crack heads. I wonder if they have absorbed too much trauma and do not even realize it. This is the analogy of the frog in the pot… you have heard it. If you dump a frog in boiling water it will jump out. But if you put a frog in cold water and slowly turn up the heat, it will cook to death. I have seen social workers and police officers who are boiled frogs and they don’t even know it."
Only an outsider could make such a statement. Police and Social Workers??? What about the people that live there? They absorb trauma every day too and it is worse for them because many of the people know the victim or know someone who knows the victim or went to the same school, etc. It's personal and traumatic. And then you wonder why people who live in the inner city get jaded? Duh. It's one of the things I realized happened to me when I lived in KC. I got used to it. I got jaded. I adjusted. And when a police officer comes in and shoots an unarmed man - yeah, the people are going to get upset. They say enough is enough. Those perceived as outsiders come in and shoot us, like we don't have enough trouble living here as it is. You come in, punch in a shift, and then leave. Call us crack-heads. What do you know about it, really?
Now I know that some people who read this will throw up their hands at the liberal sympathizer, blah, blah, blah. Well here is my solution to this problem and it is one that I have already suggested in Camden. Anyone who works for a government unit should live in that jurisdiction. Cops should live in the city, teachers should live in the city, social workers should live in the city, etc. In Camden (and elsewhere) cities gave up on residency requirements because they felt they couldn't get good people to take jobs if they had to live in the city or that good people would quit if forced to make a choice. Well, I say let them. If you can't live where you work for the taxpayers and residents of the city - you have absolutely no business enforcing laws, rules, or regulations. If a city cannot believe in itself enough to demand its employees live in the jurisdiction, then why should anyone who lives outside the city take the city seriously? I mean really. Why do I want scared suburban people creeping into my city to collect a paycheck and being "traumatized." Live here 24/7 and we can talk. If the police, teachers, and social workers live in the city, 2 things will happen: one they get rid of the us v. them and become a we. two is that they will demand improvement in the city and will work to get it. If they refuse to live there and quit, then those that take their jobs will be subject to those 2 things as well. If existing residents take the jobs, they will find themselves surrounded on the job by their neighbors. A change in residency requirements will produce a cultural transformation in these important public sectors.
So solution #1 to urban revitalization is have all government employees of the city (including police, fire, and teachers), live in the city.
The NYT had an interesting piece about the black community's reaction to the New Year's Day killing by police of an unarmed young black man in Oakland. The policeman apparently went for his tazer and instead pulled his gun. Oops. The community took to the streets of Oakland and looted shops and burned cars (not unlike what the fans in Philly did when the baseball team won the world series - no kidding). Here is the NYT article.
What really struck me about all this is the following snippet from the article:
"I wonder about the impact of vicarious trauma. Police officers (and social workers) are secondary witnesses to really hard circumstances everyday. None more so than Oakland Police. I wonder how absorbing trauma everyday impacts professional roles (not to mention personal lives) on the job. I work with social workers who abuse their power and no longer see the individual person. Social workers who refer to real people as useless crack heads. I wonder if they have absorbed too much trauma and do not even realize it. This is the analogy of the frog in the pot… you have heard it. If you dump a frog in boiling water it will jump out. But if you put a frog in cold water and slowly turn up the heat, it will cook to death. I have seen social workers and police officers who are boiled frogs and they don’t even know it."
Only an outsider could make such a statement. Police and Social Workers??? What about the people that live there? They absorb trauma every day too and it is worse for them because many of the people know the victim or know someone who knows the victim or went to the same school, etc. It's personal and traumatic. And then you wonder why people who live in the inner city get jaded? Duh. It's one of the things I realized happened to me when I lived in KC. I got used to it. I got jaded. I adjusted. And when a police officer comes in and shoots an unarmed man - yeah, the people are going to get upset. They say enough is enough. Those perceived as outsiders come in and shoot us, like we don't have enough trouble living here as it is. You come in, punch in a shift, and then leave. Call us crack-heads. What do you know about it, really?
Now I know that some people who read this will throw up their hands at the liberal sympathizer, blah, blah, blah. Well here is my solution to this problem and it is one that I have already suggested in Camden. Anyone who works for a government unit should live in that jurisdiction. Cops should live in the city, teachers should live in the city, social workers should live in the city, etc. In Camden (and elsewhere) cities gave up on residency requirements because they felt they couldn't get good people to take jobs if they had to live in the city or that good people would quit if forced to make a choice. Well, I say let them. If you can't live where you work for the taxpayers and residents of the city - you have absolutely no business enforcing laws, rules, or regulations. If a city cannot believe in itself enough to demand its employees live in the jurisdiction, then why should anyone who lives outside the city take the city seriously? I mean really. Why do I want scared suburban people creeping into my city to collect a paycheck and being "traumatized." Live here 24/7 and we can talk. If the police, teachers, and social workers live in the city, 2 things will happen: one they get rid of the us v. them and become a we. two is that they will demand improvement in the city and will work to get it. If they refuse to live there and quit, then those that take their jobs will be subject to those 2 things as well. If existing residents take the jobs, they will find themselves surrounded on the job by their neighbors. A change in residency requirements will produce a cultural transformation in these important public sectors.
So solution #1 to urban revitalization is have all government employees of the city (including police, fire, and teachers), live in the city.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
New Year - re-direction for this blog
Bret said...
Tony,
There are probably three things that are the biggest problems with the murders on the East side. They're complex problems, with a lot of other moving parts, but if you fixed these three things, a lot of the problems would go away:
1) More police (which takes money from taxpayers)
2) Better Schools
3) More job opportunities or better public transit to the available job opportunities.
Scaring the hell out of people that KCMO is not safe -- causing people and businesses to not want to relocate here - is going to make at least 2, maybe 3, of these problems worse, not better.
It doesn't mean we should try to stop the problem -- but we should just run around waiving our hands that the sky is falling when it is all statistically very predictable.
1/06/2009 09:17:00 AM
Do You See Me? said...
This city was built on fear and continues to feed the suburban growth with the same fear mongering. We reap what we sow and now we don't know how to turn it around because it is out of control. The Eastside will turn around when we get the 3 things Brent identified. But those won't come until fear no longer works to the advantage of the white "haves." The city is exactly as we want it. Want something different? Do something different.
1/06/2009 11:04:00 AM
mainstream said...
Better schools, more police amd more jobs aren't anything near new concepts.
They're meaningless statements, and bullshit platutudes that require no skill or critical thinking.
Now, ideas that will make these three, and other things, happen is another story.
1/06/2009 02:58:00 PM
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This a running commentary on a story posted at Tony’s Kansas City about a blog post at Toellner Tells It concerning the record high murder rate on the Eastside of Kansas City – the poorest, mostly African-American and Latino part of the city. I used to live there. The original post on Toellner is of little interest to me, but the blog’s author, Bret made an amendment to his blog and posted it at TKC (above). I then commented on why things don’t change (Do You See Me?), followed by an acerbic retort from Mainstream (a frequent commenter on KC blogs). This is the kind of political conversation I am used to on a daily basis in Kansas City. I have searched in vain for such dialogue in the blogging community in South Jersey and Philadelphia.
Maybe people in the Philly part of the world are cynical or have given up. In contrast, the Midwest is often optimistic, often opinionated, and sometimes derogatory on its own condition. Kansas City is lamentably referred to as a “cow town” by its own people. Maybe the Philly area is so often the butt of jokes from outside the area that they don’t take themselves seriously? Consider how many “joisey” jokes you’ve ever heard. These two streams of thought – the political commentary about the urban condition and the activism of bloggers in KC and the lack of the same in Camden -- leads me to a couple of thoughts that will redirect my blog for awhile.
1. I learned a heck of a lot while I lived in KC and I continue to keep up with what’s going on there because it is an interesting political place for someone like me who really follows local issues and is dedicated to urban revitalization. So how I can I use what I learned there to affect improvement in Camden?
2. “Mainstream” has a point – we can make platitudes all day about revitalization, but what is the blueprint? I feel like I have worked on that my whole life and yet – what difference have I really made? What are the answers to “mainstream’s” questions and how can I make that a reality in Camden?
My best friend often says, play big or don’t play. I agree. I like to remind myself that if you aren’t in the game, you’re just taking up space on the planet. This is my game and I plan to play big.
In my next post I will have some preliminary thoughts on answering “mainstream’s” questions. I hope that the community of civic minded and thoughtful people in the Camden area will find this blog and begin a dialogue with me as well as bring me into whatever existing dialogues take place that I have yet to find.
Tony,
There are probably three things that are the biggest problems with the murders on the East side. They're complex problems, with a lot of other moving parts, but if you fixed these three things, a lot of the problems would go away:
1) More police (which takes money from taxpayers)
2) Better Schools
3) More job opportunities or better public transit to the available job opportunities.
Scaring the hell out of people that KCMO is not safe -- causing people and businesses to not want to relocate here - is going to make at least 2, maybe 3, of these problems worse, not better.
It doesn't mean we should try to stop the problem -- but we should just run around waiving our hands that the sky is falling when it is all statistically very predictable.
1/06/2009 09:17:00 AM
Do You See Me? said...
This city was built on fear and continues to feed the suburban growth with the same fear mongering. We reap what we sow and now we don't know how to turn it around because it is out of control. The Eastside will turn around when we get the 3 things Brent identified. But those won't come until fear no longer works to the advantage of the white "haves." The city is exactly as we want it. Want something different? Do something different.
1/06/2009 11:04:00 AM
mainstream said...
Better schools, more police amd more jobs aren't anything near new concepts.
They're meaningless statements, and bullshit platutudes that require no skill or critical thinking.
Now, ideas that will make these three, and other things, happen is another story.
1/06/2009 02:58:00 PM
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This a running commentary on a story posted at Tony’s Kansas City about a blog post at Toellner Tells It concerning the record high murder rate on the Eastside of Kansas City – the poorest, mostly African-American and Latino part of the city. I used to live there. The original post on Toellner is of little interest to me, but the blog’s author, Bret made an amendment to his blog and posted it at TKC (above). I then commented on why things don’t change (Do You See Me?), followed by an acerbic retort from Mainstream (a frequent commenter on KC blogs). This is the kind of political conversation I am used to on a daily basis in Kansas City. I have searched in vain for such dialogue in the blogging community in South Jersey and Philadelphia.
Maybe people in the Philly part of the world are cynical or have given up. In contrast, the Midwest is often optimistic, often opinionated, and sometimes derogatory on its own condition. Kansas City is lamentably referred to as a “cow town” by its own people. Maybe the Philly area is so often the butt of jokes from outside the area that they don’t take themselves seriously? Consider how many “joisey” jokes you’ve ever heard. These two streams of thought – the political commentary about the urban condition and the activism of bloggers in KC and the lack of the same in Camden -- leads me to a couple of thoughts that will redirect my blog for awhile.
1. I learned a heck of a lot while I lived in KC and I continue to keep up with what’s going on there because it is an interesting political place for someone like me who really follows local issues and is dedicated to urban revitalization. So how I can I use what I learned there to affect improvement in Camden?
2. “Mainstream” has a point – we can make platitudes all day about revitalization, but what is the blueprint? I feel like I have worked on that my whole life and yet – what difference have I really made? What are the answers to “mainstream’s” questions and how can I make that a reality in Camden?
My best friend often says, play big or don’t play. I agree. I like to remind myself that if you aren’t in the game, you’re just taking up space on the planet. This is my game and I plan to play big.
In my next post I will have some preliminary thoughts on answering “mainstream’s” questions. I hope that the community of civic minded and thoughtful people in the Camden area will find this blog and begin a dialogue with me as well as bring me into whatever existing dialogues take place that I have yet to find.
Friday, January 2, 2009
the end of the southern strategy
Paul Krugman rocks! Woe to the Republicans that just didn't see the transition of this country through its diversity. Their wedge politics of race is over. Read Krugman's column. He states it better than I can.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
new era
Well, 2009 is just about here. In the linear world, this mark of time matters. In the grand scheme of things, it is just the infinite universe. But since we are unwilling to figure out how to use our 10 dimensions and the full power of our brains, we are comforted by the man-made phenomenon that we call time. So in honor of our superstitious rites, I thought I would consider what I am looking forward to in 2009.
The inaugural of the new President can't come soon enough. I'm looking forward to the country working together to address our financial, ecological, and personal issues. kum-bay-ah and all that.
Wouldn't it be great if the election of Obama and the presence of our new first family gave hope to millions of African-Americans in our country? A friend and I were discussing how things will ever change in the glacially slow evolution of our race relations. We settled on the notion that hope is an underrated salve for our interpersonal warfare. If we continue to give meaning to difference, then race will forever be an issue that divides us v. them and enabling the question who is better than the other. By demystifying racial differences and putting meaning on success instead of competition based on race - well, we might make some progress.
Related to demystifying racial differences is the acceleration of educational achievement for kids in the worst performing schools. How can we continue to let generation after generation of young minds go to waste because we refuse to change our educational process to actually ensure that children learn. I'm so tired of teachers complaining that they can't be social workers and teachers too. I'm sick of hearing that there is no money for schools. It is a national nightmare that we place more emphasis on standardized test results than we do on actually producing well educated people. These issues have been plaguing our education system for many years. Get over it and get on with the important work we must do. Teach, educate, and ensure that learning goes on. You know what the characteristics of the students are, what conditions you will have, and what needs to be taught - so get on with it and figure out how to get it done. Enough with the excuses. I don't care if it takes one teacher for every student - do it.
Having a community organizer as our head of state, hopefully will produce attention to our urban ills. We have learned much since our last serious national effort at urban revitalization - see the Jimmy Carter administration... Let's hope our new prez puts his sklz to good use and sends some new options to cities. If we have to keep tweaking the margins, we will never see any significant improvement. I'll be sitting by the phone in case the administration needs some advise.
On a more personal front, I am looking forward to another Gator championship in football, rooting for the Cubs to actually succeed in post season, and enjoying all the benefits of powerfully living a life I love. Check out landmark education to experience what I enjoy every day. I look forward to continuing to put my virtual pen to virtual paper on this blog and contributing to a better world. See you in 2009.
The inaugural of the new President can't come soon enough. I'm looking forward to the country working together to address our financial, ecological, and personal issues. kum-bay-ah and all that.
Wouldn't it be great if the election of Obama and the presence of our new first family gave hope to millions of African-Americans in our country? A friend and I were discussing how things will ever change in the glacially slow evolution of our race relations. We settled on the notion that hope is an underrated salve for our interpersonal warfare. If we continue to give meaning to difference, then race will forever be an issue that divides us v. them and enabling the question who is better than the other. By demystifying racial differences and putting meaning on success instead of competition based on race - well, we might make some progress.
Related to demystifying racial differences is the acceleration of educational achievement for kids in the worst performing schools. How can we continue to let generation after generation of young minds go to waste because we refuse to change our educational process to actually ensure that children learn. I'm so tired of teachers complaining that they can't be social workers and teachers too. I'm sick of hearing that there is no money for schools. It is a national nightmare that we place more emphasis on standardized test results than we do on actually producing well educated people. These issues have been plaguing our education system for many years. Get over it and get on with the important work we must do. Teach, educate, and ensure that learning goes on. You know what the characteristics of the students are, what conditions you will have, and what needs to be taught - so get on with it and figure out how to get it done. Enough with the excuses. I don't care if it takes one teacher for every student - do it.
Having a community organizer as our head of state, hopefully will produce attention to our urban ills. We have learned much since our last serious national effort at urban revitalization - see the Jimmy Carter administration... Let's hope our new prez puts his sklz to good use and sends some new options to cities. If we have to keep tweaking the margins, we will never see any significant improvement. I'll be sitting by the phone in case the administration needs some advise.
On a more personal front, I am looking forward to another Gator championship in football, rooting for the Cubs to actually succeed in post season, and enjoying all the benefits of powerfully living a life I love. Check out landmark education to experience what I enjoy every day. I look forward to continuing to put my virtual pen to virtual paper on this blog and contributing to a better world. See you in 2009.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Katrina aftermath says it all - depression may be next round
The Nation has done an interesting story and expose of the aftermath of Katrina in Algiers Point - a white area of New Orleans. Vigilantes took to the streets and shot "looters." Problem is that some of those people were simply trying to find dry ground and Algiers was dry. Other people were trying to get to the National Guard processing point to catch a bus to Houston. The video shows a couple of shooting victims watching Algiers residents boast about their vigilante heroics. This is a sad and viscous commentary on the state of race relations. Here is the full story.
There are stories coming out about a significant uptick in shoplifting as the economic woes of our country grow worse. It is only a matter of time before the vigilante fever erupts in other places of the country that will experience dire straits. Donations to charities and toy drives are down and the need is increasing daily. We need to think about how we as a nation of people will address the crisis that is building. How will we help our neighbors? How will we help the destitute? Will we be willing to give up our material goods, share food and space, and help people or will we resort to "protecting what's mine" and be a vigilante? The economic downturn right now is like a plague - people are hoping that their home is not taken and that their job is not cut. But even if you are not individually a victim or hit by the depression, you will be affected. Everyone will feel the sting as others feel the pain. Everyone will lose a little as others lose everything. This is not a rising river that we can outrun. This is a tsunami and we will all be touched. I worry that race will be the first line of demarcation and that people will stoop to the easy route of racism in order to "protect" themselves.
I read a story today about a wealthy black businessman with a family foundation who has dropped a million dollars on inaugural festivities that will be made available to poor people, wounded veterans, nonprofit volunteers. A nice gesture for sure. They will witness the history in DC on Jan. 20. But I can't help but think that in these economic times if we don't need to be thinking about more strategic uses of $1million. It's his money and he can throw a party or burn it. Whateva.
But what do we do on Jan. 21? Let's not let Algiers set the standard for how we deal with the fear that comes with crisis.
There are stories coming out about a significant uptick in shoplifting as the economic woes of our country grow worse. It is only a matter of time before the vigilante fever erupts in other places of the country that will experience dire straits. Donations to charities and toy drives are down and the need is increasing daily. We need to think about how we as a nation of people will address the crisis that is building. How will we help our neighbors? How will we help the destitute? Will we be willing to give up our material goods, share food and space, and help people or will we resort to "protecting what's mine" and be a vigilante? The economic downturn right now is like a plague - people are hoping that their home is not taken and that their job is not cut. But even if you are not individually a victim or hit by the depression, you will be affected. Everyone will feel the sting as others feel the pain. Everyone will lose a little as others lose everything. This is not a rising river that we can outrun. This is a tsunami and we will all be touched. I worry that race will be the first line of demarcation and that people will stoop to the easy route of racism in order to "protect" themselves.
I read a story today about a wealthy black businessman with a family foundation who has dropped a million dollars on inaugural festivities that will be made available to poor people, wounded veterans, nonprofit volunteers. A nice gesture for sure. They will witness the history in DC on Jan. 20. But I can't help but think that in these economic times if we don't need to be thinking about more strategic uses of $1million. It's his money and he can throw a party or burn it. Whateva.
But what do we do on Jan. 21? Let's not let Algiers set the standard for how we deal with the fear that comes with crisis.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and Buck O'Neil
I am a really avid baseball fan - Chicago Cubs. My favorite player from my day was Billy Williams. Most people think of the Cubs and think Ernie "Mr. Cubs" Banks or Ron Santo - current radio voice of the Cubs and shamefully kept out of the Hall.
I had the good fortune of living in KC, home of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum - a must visit if you are anywhere in the vicinity or visiting in the area. The Negro Leagues existed when the Major Leagues were segregated - BJR (before Jackie Robinson). The Negro teams were amazing and had a number of great players (some who went on to the MLB when it integrated) and some who retired long before the opportunity became available. The Museum chronicles the teams and all the great history of the players and the times. One of the greats was John "Buck" O'Neil. He was my hero and died a couple of years ago.
Buck O'Neil grew up in Florida and wanted to attend the University of Florida - my alma mater. He was turned down because UF at the time was segregated. Buck played baseball for the KC Monarchs and was a standout, though not the best player. He went on to become the first African-American coach in the MLB - for the Chicago Cubs. He was a talent scout and signed Ernie Banks to the Cubs. So, you can see that for me, I had to love Buck.
In his retirement, Buck took on the Negro Leagues with great passion, becoming the ambassador for their story and champion of the museum. Of course, in KC he was a legend and celebrity. He was a tireless and incredibly optimistic supporter of the mission of the Museum across the country. Annually, there is a dinner and weekend in KC for African-American ball players that draws a number of luminaries from the MLB to support the museum. Very cool. All these fans of the Leagues and friends of Buck fought to get him into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Sadly, shamefully, an error of historic proportions, worst judgment in history - Buck was denied entry into the Hall in his last opportunity when a vote was taken for Negro League players. With great aplomb, Buck said it was ok and in one of the classiest moments in baseball history - Buck spoke at their induction at the Hall. That's who he was and the character he infused into the Museum. (Note: a statue of Buck was erected outside the Hall - once again indicating the closed door policy of the MLB...).
Buck had a dream for KC - to build an education center for kids in the building where the Negro Leagues were formed. It is a beautiful old red brick structure that has been closed for years and is a silent sentinel to what will be Buck's legacy. I started a group on the UF Alumni social network site - the Gator Nation - called Gators Love Baseball - as a tribute to Buck and his connection to the University. I had hoped to have Buck recognized by the Alumni association, but sadly, he died before I was successful. I hoped that Gator Alumni would donate to Buck's dream.
This weekend the Museum hired a new Executive Director, Greg Baker. There are concerns that the Museum will drop their plans for the Education Center. One, the Museum has always been in financial peril and two, the fundraising for the Center has been lackluster to say the least. Seems that when Buck died, the enthusiasm for these efforts died with him.
I contacted Greg as soon as I heard he had been selected. I've known him and his family since arriving in KC. I am pledging to redouble my efforts to this cause. Maybe the Museum will spin off the Center to another group. Maybe it won't. Doesn't matter - as both causes will go on. The African-American community is quite stirred up about the 8-7 board vote that settled on Greg. I don't envy him having to go into a divided situation like that. Jason Whitlock, sports commentator, wrote a scathing column about Greg's selection. Way to support the cause, Jason! Comments about Greg center on questioning his commitment to the Museum, his commitment to the black community, and his professional skills. Glad the community could come together to honor Buck's memory. Well. I loved Buck. I love baseball. I love UF. I love the Cubs. I have no choice but to support the Museum and the Center. Expect to read more about it here!
I had the good fortune of living in KC, home of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum - a must visit if you are anywhere in the vicinity or visiting in the area. The Negro Leagues existed when the Major Leagues were segregated - BJR (before Jackie Robinson). The Negro teams were amazing and had a number of great players (some who went on to the MLB when it integrated) and some who retired long before the opportunity became available. The Museum chronicles the teams and all the great history of the players and the times. One of the greats was John "Buck" O'Neil. He was my hero and died a couple of years ago.
Buck O'Neil grew up in Florida and wanted to attend the University of Florida - my alma mater. He was turned down because UF at the time was segregated. Buck played baseball for the KC Monarchs and was a standout, though not the best player. He went on to become the first African-American coach in the MLB - for the Chicago Cubs. He was a talent scout and signed Ernie Banks to the Cubs. So, you can see that for me, I had to love Buck.
In his retirement, Buck took on the Negro Leagues with great passion, becoming the ambassador for their story and champion of the museum. Of course, in KC he was a legend and celebrity. He was a tireless and incredibly optimistic supporter of the mission of the Museum across the country. Annually, there is a dinner and weekend in KC for African-American ball players that draws a number of luminaries from the MLB to support the museum. Very cool. All these fans of the Leagues and friends of Buck fought to get him into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Sadly, shamefully, an error of historic proportions, worst judgment in history - Buck was denied entry into the Hall in his last opportunity when a vote was taken for Negro League players. With great aplomb, Buck said it was ok and in one of the classiest moments in baseball history - Buck spoke at their induction at the Hall. That's who he was and the character he infused into the Museum. (Note: a statue of Buck was erected outside the Hall - once again indicating the closed door policy of the MLB...).
Buck had a dream for KC - to build an education center for kids in the building where the Negro Leagues were formed. It is a beautiful old red brick structure that has been closed for years and is a silent sentinel to what will be Buck's legacy. I started a group on the UF Alumni social network site - the Gator Nation - called Gators Love Baseball - as a tribute to Buck and his connection to the University. I had hoped to have Buck recognized by the Alumni association, but sadly, he died before I was successful. I hoped that Gator Alumni would donate to Buck's dream.
This weekend the Museum hired a new Executive Director, Greg Baker. There are concerns that the Museum will drop their plans for the Education Center. One, the Museum has always been in financial peril and two, the fundraising for the Center has been lackluster to say the least. Seems that when Buck died, the enthusiasm for these efforts died with him.
I contacted Greg as soon as I heard he had been selected. I've known him and his family since arriving in KC. I am pledging to redouble my efforts to this cause. Maybe the Museum will spin off the Center to another group. Maybe it won't. Doesn't matter - as both causes will go on. The African-American community is quite stirred up about the 8-7 board vote that settled on Greg. I don't envy him having to go into a divided situation like that. Jason Whitlock, sports commentator, wrote a scathing column about Greg's selection. Way to support the cause, Jason! Comments about Greg center on questioning his commitment to the Museum, his commitment to the black community, and his professional skills. Glad the community could come together to honor Buck's memory. Well. I loved Buck. I love baseball. I love UF. I love the Cubs. I have no choice but to support the Museum and the Center. Expect to read more about it here!
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Urban Policy Agenda
The election was like no other and now this new administration is engaging in a transition like no other. Bold and innovative don't begin to describe the way the Obama group is shaping up how government will be approached. From YouTube vids, to podcasts, to blogs, to a completely open and transparent process - you can watch it all unfold AND engage in the process. Talk about a 180 change from the secretive administration of Bush. This is great stuff! Here is the link the to the Urban Policy agenda. It covers a lot of territory and I suspect it will be implemented using many interrelated strategies, new tools, and participation from every corner of our country. I particularly like the attention to "green" approaches to economic development and urban revitalization. These are approaches that make sense and can have a meaningful impact on our cities.It also has a focus on the next generation - urban education, youth violence, technology and new industry - things we can build on, not just the typical panoply of programs.
As an urbanist and someone who is dedicated to the preservation, resurrection, and advancement of cities as a significant piece of our national fabric, I am elated that we have a new administration that a: knows what a city is, b: understands that "urban" is not a dirty word and c: is willing to be bold and creative in actually making a difference with federal policies towards our cities. Honestly, not since Nixon have we seen such attention given to Urban America and this broad of a scale. Clinton paid attention to cities but the attention was narrowly focused and conceived. He was more about "reform" than "innovative." But that was his place in history and I get that. Obama has the luxury of a paradigm shift and is taking full advantage of it. Very Kennedy-esque. You might want to bookmark www.change.gov and visit it often. It is where our country is going and it will be a great ride!
As an urbanist and someone who is dedicated to the preservation, resurrection, and advancement of cities as a significant piece of our national fabric, I am elated that we have a new administration that a: knows what a city is, b: understands that "urban" is not a dirty word and c: is willing to be bold and creative in actually making a difference with federal policies towards our cities. Honestly, not since Nixon have we seen such attention given to Urban America and this broad of a scale. Clinton paid attention to cities but the attention was narrowly focused and conceived. He was more about "reform" than "innovative." But that was his place in history and I get that. Obama has the luxury of a paradigm shift and is taking full advantage of it. Very Kennedy-esque. You might want to bookmark www.change.gov and visit it often. It is where our country is going and it will be a great ride!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
It's Thanksgiving
As a vegetarian, I am not participating in the traditional bird binge. However, I do have my veggies at the ready and plan to have a nice meal. Watching and listening to the events unfold in India tonight, I thought it was time to pause, reflect, and realize all that I am thankful for.
that I live in a country where I probably won't ever face a situation of chaos like they had in Mumbai tonight.
that I am not reeling from the economic collapse, mainly because I downsized years ago thanks to the urging of a good friend.
that I will see friends over the long weekend and enjoy their company rather than get into the shopping frenzy of the 5am crowd on Friday.
that our new president-elect has acted more presidential since Nov. 4th this year than our current president has in the last 8 years. This bodes well for our country.
that there is very little open hostility from extreme quarters about Obama's race.
that I feel like I am making a difference by having taken this new job even though I have moved so far from everyone I love.
that I have the serenity to keep me from going ballistic on my frat house neighbors.
that I have people to care for my cat while I am out of town.
that I am aware, alive, and purposeful on this planet and enjoy all the people, places and goings on around me and in my life. Not too shabby.
Hope everyone has a great holiday weekend!
that I live in a country where I probably won't ever face a situation of chaos like they had in Mumbai tonight.
that I am not reeling from the economic collapse, mainly because I downsized years ago thanks to the urging of a good friend.
that I will see friends over the long weekend and enjoy their company rather than get into the shopping frenzy of the 5am crowd on Friday.
that our new president-elect has acted more presidential since Nov. 4th this year than our current president has in the last 8 years. This bodes well for our country.
that there is very little open hostility from extreme quarters about Obama's race.
that I feel like I am making a difference by having taken this new job even though I have moved so far from everyone I love.
that I have the serenity to keep me from going ballistic on my frat house neighbors.
that I have people to care for my cat while I am out of town.
that I am aware, alive, and purposeful on this planet and enjoy all the people, places and goings on around me and in my life. Not too shabby.
Hope everyone has a great holiday weekend!
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