I recently experienced something that all writers go through; that of pouring one’s blood, sweat and tears into a written piece, only to have one’s editor (hugs!) toss it aside and demand something with a different “tone”. Alright, to say he “tossed it aside” and “demanded” something else might be a bit dramatic, but it sells the story, so just go with it.
My initial reaction to this professional encounter was “grrrrrrrrrr” ; how could he? How could he not see the brilliance? How dare he ask for something else?
What am I, a machine? Hell no, I am a writer, I am an artist! My words spring forth from the well of inspiration and nothing less! Write…something else? Pah! The outrage…the torturous outrage.
To quote E. Badu, “I’m an artist, and I’m sensitive about my shit.”
So I stewed a bit. I tossed around ideas with fellow writers on options for changing the tone of the piece, and in the end decided no…no changes would be made to what I had written.
The Three Stooges, the Witch and Her Wardrobe can only be described as wicked funny. But the reason it is so funny is because it’s all true. If we can’t laugh at the outlandish behavior of our elected officials and decision makers, we haven’t got much left, ‘cept anarchy, and well, coordinating those efforts is not small accomplishment, thus I chose to stick with my mantra “the [virtual] pen is mightier than the sword.”
I looked for something else to write about, even asking complete strangers for ideas, which they offered plenty of. Alas, nothing inspired. Nothing came close to lighting that fire needed to produce a piece worthy of publication.
Sure, it’s the holiday season. But…what does that matter? Because it’s the holiday season, the electeds and leaders are suddenly less stupid, their decisions less outrageous? Mmmm, no.
But I kept looking. I write about local and national news, but I wanted to keep the focus local this go-around. The south end of Seattle will likely always hold a place in my heart, and so again I kept the ever watchful eye peeled for inspiration. I did everything that I could to keep myself open to the holiday spirit and its transforming powers.
What did I find? Nothing. Nothing but more of the same.
South and south east Seattle are in crisis. Violence and crime are up; murder and untimely death have become part of the accepted and tolerated culture for that part of our special, shiny, “green” city.
Children.
Adults.
Gardeners.
Mothers.
Cousins.
Sisters.
Brothers.
All murdered. Each life only more insignificant to the one before it in the eyes of our leaders downtown.
How could I accuse such a thing? Because murder washes over the south and south east Seattle neighborhoods in Tsunami waves, and no one is doing a thing about it.
There has been talk of task forces. Mayor Greg “the Jolly Green Idiot” Nickles insists week after week that “overall”, crime is down in Seattle.
Translation: You good White and middle class people who do NOT live in south or south east Seattle are fine, don’t worry, this won’t impact your lives one bit.
That’s more than a slap in the face, it’s spitting on the memory of those delicate lives lost.
Gang violence in these areas of our city is well beyond out of control, and we only need to look to our police department and city officials to confirm this; the majority of shootings in the past year have been ruled “gang related” in one form or another. Apparently kids in Rainier Beach hate kids from the Central District, and both have beef with kids living on Beacon Hill. Gang violence is so bad that “safety concerns” recently thwarted the merger of Rainier Beach High school with Cleveland; even the police department admitted that a merger would lead to such a high number of deaths in such a short amount of time that we would all be left shaking our heads and asking “how did this happen?”
So then should I write about the pumpkin festival? How can I do that when all I can think about is the funerals and wakes I’ve attended for people I never even knew, all of whom died senselessly? I don’t give a fuck about the pumpkin festival, and I’m thinking you shouldn’t either.
I’m thinking we should all care about and focus on what’s really going on in our city; needless suffering and death. Incompetent, shoddy leadership. So the lack of action on the part of Hizzoner where the snow is concerned has got you upset, yes? Shouted a few choice words at your tv when you saw his ass assert that the city deserved a “B’ for its snow removal efforts, didn’t you?
So why can’t we do the same when life and death is involved? When kids are getting shot walking down the street, do not tell me that “overall” crime is down. Do not tell me that the police department has “impressive” increases in patrol officers in south Seattle when the department is still down by 33%. Crime is not down in the south end you jerk, it’s up. SPD has not made impressive gains in hiring for the south end, it’s still well below what it should be. Hizzoner even took money from a successful city program and gave it to an unproven one known as Youth 180. While striving to do good work and reach our youth where no one else can, Y180, like most things the Mayor irrationally latches on to, must now be known as “Token”. Yes, “Token”.
Lest we forget, Nickles wasn’t planning to do shit where south end violence and crime is concerned. Yours truly specifically asked those questions of his office and were specifically told that Mayor Dumdum felt that he “does enough” for “that area in the city”. It wasn’t until he was shamed, on this blog and in many other forums that he did what he loves best; he called a press conference and announced “immediate steps”. Right. How many people have been murdered since? Too many to keep count.
I’d like nothing more to write happy go lucky articles about the south end. The potential for redemption, for that classic “comeback story” is something that could be obtainable for south and south Seattle. But that is potential; we have to live in reality.
The only thing left to write is the truth.
So, what can the city, the police…do?? How can they stop gang violence? They can patrol more. They can make task forces. They can bust gang members. But can they really stop the gangs? Can they stop the violence? Has it been done successfully anywhere else? Personally, I think stopping gang violence starts at home. It starts with parents that know who their kids are hanging out with, what their kids are doing when they’re out, and where there kids go. Parents who start teaching their kids at a very young about the dangers and risks involved. Parents who will do what it takes. Without the parents on board, I don’t really know if the police, task forces or anybody else have a fighting chance??? My son might get away with sneaking and doing some things he’s not supposed to once in a while, but could he be in a gang without me knowing it?? Without me doing anything about it. Hell no. And if he did get mixed up with a gang, he wouldn’t need the police, he would have to answer to me and his father. He might find himself living in small town North Dakota if that’s what it takes. We’d do anything to keep him out of danger and alive.
I started working for SPS at J. Marshall High on their 3rd floor behavior unit, that was a good four years ago when Dr. Drake was still in charge. I have worked in Spec Ed classes in a wide variety of schools here in Seattle and in other high density cities across the US. As a child of the segregated south I try to remind myself that things are not as they were in 1967. No. Seattle is not Louisiana, no. But the covert and hard wired racist attitudes which exist here are in fact very real and in some ways impossible to affect. I have seen first hand how this district, acting on a sense of conventional support sweeps its problems under a rug. Now, that I’m in a Masters Ed. program at UW, I also see how attitudes and rhetoric, combine to insulate the white majority from dealing with the problems the south end and its black community face. Its similar to the recent snow response; the city does little, and covertly waits for the rain to come along and solve the problem. That is a serious problem here. The real estate troubles; WAMU the first and worst bank in the current crisis, yet development goes on here as though there was no problem at all. Unfortunately the mentality that overlooks the problems of others stops only when everyone is in the same boat. And given the amount of over extension taking place in our economic landscape, it might not be long before people who didn’t or couldn’t understand the problems of the south end start seeing the light. I know this blog will get brushed off, and someone who feels they have the superior position will restate the problem as a matter of superior will; “it’s the parent’s, it’s up to people themselves to give a damn, etc. No. No, it is not up to individuals to solve these problems, because like it or not some problems will not go away until those who caused these problems take real responsibility for their solution. Black Americans did not strip away their own language and replace it with nothing. Black Americans did not enslave themselves. Black Americans do not stick themselves in jail; what’s the number incarcerated now, over a million? What I’ve just written will not convince anyone who believes they are better off due to their basic superiority and not because some were slaves so others could prosper. No, this unfortunate truth only gains ground when the majority feel their own group privilege threatened or facing real diminishment, then the narrative begins to change not before but after. How unfortunate for us all.
How in this day and age can people fall back on the above excuses??? How can anyone continue to shun responsibility, and blame others?
In this day and age……
When the president of the United States of America is black.
When the Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools is black.
When two of the seven Seattle school board directors are black.
When my husband, a black man, can get a degree and make triple figures at Microsoft.
When my father in law, a black man, born in the 1940′s got a doctorate degree and went on to became the president of a major west coast community college. And my mother in law, a black woman, became a successful business owner.
No more excuses.
Parents get control of your kids. Instill good values, and insist on them getting a good education. Don’t rely on the police, task forces, or the Mayor to make sure your kids are safe from gangs. Stop blaming others and take responsibility for your kids. And teach your kids to take responisiblity for themselves.
Every community tries to blame others for their fears and downfalls. The white community blames it on figures like Marilyn Manson. Eminem says it best in his song wtvr u say i am…..”blame it on Marilyn, but where were the parents at”
Change won’t come until the black community takes responsibility for itself. You can wait from here to eternity for “those who caused these problems take real responsibility for their solution.” Meanwhile, while you’re waiting your kids are getting shot.
Denice, you bring up great points. Evidently your family understands the rationale that knowlege is power. Yes, some excuses are difficult to grasp give the progress of a select few; very few. Keep in mind, however, that although slavery ended many many years ago, the mindset instilled by the slavemaster still lives on. THis is why we have so many single family households, this is why so many of us live day to day. It was the generations of being subjected to being subservient and considered mentally inferior. It takes people who can step out of the box and CONSTANTLY have that determination to plow forward. Many of us, (regardless of race)don’t have that type of determination and 2nd chances are not exactly plentiful for someone of color. I can speak on that personally.
As for accountability, yes, a lot of it starts in the home, but again, if you live in a community that systemically discriminates again the have-nots, what then? People are relying on the social system to give their children at least a fair shot but what they get from Greater Seattle is mere access. Some places offer laptops, AP programs, better facilities. In most of the southside, they get…access. Tokenism. There are music and arts programs, but are they nurtured, to my understanding they aren’t. THere were a few schools that were supposed to give Black children a good education amongst their peers. What happened to that concept? Minimalism. The bare necessities so that SPS can say at some point “Oh well. We tried. Shut ‘em down.”
There has to be a balance of accountability for everyone involved.
Yup Dredded One, you’re right, there does need to be accountability for everyone involved. I am in no way excusing SPS or “the system” in any way. All I’m saying is you are your child’s best and only advocate. If your local school sucks, then fight for change, but while you’re fighting and waiting for that change get your kid into a better school. Into a school where gang violence is not the norm. A school that has strong academics. And, if you can’t find satisfaction in a public school, then apply for a scholarship at a private school. They are plentiful for kids of color. In fact private schools are so desperate to show how diverse and inclusive they are they will generally take a kid of color whose family can not pay over a white kid whose family can pay. Sure, your kid will be a minority, but he won’t be getting shot. So, I guess all I’m saying is don’t wait around for the system. Don’t rely on the system to get your kid through. Fight for change, equity and all the rest, but in the meantime do what you have to do for you and your family.
“In fact private schools are so desperate to show how diverse and inclusive they are they will generally take a kid of color whose family can not pay over a white kid whose family can pay. Sure, your kid will be a minority, but he won’t be getting shot.”
Really?
Seriously, Sable. We applied for 3 private schools for our son when he went to kindergarten. Bush, Spruce Street and Happy Medium (it’s a different name now??). Bush gave us a 50% scholarship, and they matched us with an anonymous sponsor families who would pay the other 50%. The school was way to formal and stuffy for us, and even though we know the academics were top notch, we turned down the offer. Happy Medium gave a 100% full scholarship but we felt the school was a bit to loose and hippy like for us. We decided on Spruce Street who gave us an 80% scholarship. My son went there for a couple of years and when we found the right public school for him, we transferred him.
We had to take the initiative to seek out and apply for the private schools, which took time and effort. We had to fill out tons of paperwork, track application and scholarship deadlines, bring our son to interviews, etc. But we found that once we initiated the process, schools went out of there way to woo us, and all accepted us, and all offered either full or partial scholarships.
And your White neighbors kids were refused entry so yours could get in? You know they went out of their way because your kids are brown…how?
> And your White neighbors kids were refused entry so yours could get in? You know they went out of their way because your kids are brown…how?
Three applications and three admissions is highly unlikely for your average applicant.
I can’t say what the rate of admission for students was for the schools listed in the year they applied, but having been through the private school application procedure a couple of times, I’d say taking a 1/5 chance of admission would be a fair estimate, so to hit all three of your schools in one year would be something like a 1/125 occurance.
That coupled with the fact that these schools make a great show about wanting to improve diversity makes me think Denise’s analysis of her situation is valid.
At the Bush school only one in four kids that apply get in. My son got in.
At Spruce street only one in three that apply get in. My son got in.
At Happy Medium only 1/2 of kids who apply get in. My son
got in.
Since the overwhelming majority of kids at the private schools that I mentioned are white, that leads me to believe that most kids applying to the schools are white. And, since the majority of kids that applied did not get in I have to believe that white kids were turned away, while my black son got in.
Now my son is a fairly average student. Not a super achiever or anything like that. And, not all that motivated I might add. My guess is the private schools didn’t accept him for his academic ability, and since it was kindergarten they certainly didn’t recruit him for a sports talent, or anything else.
All of the applications asked for a picture of the student. Hmmmm….why would a school need a picture???
As soon as our applications were received we started receiving calls, invitations to tour the schools, invitations to meet with directors and head of school (principal), etc. We received follow up calls, and offered additional assistance like free lunch at Bush school. And, at the time we were a solid middle class family, not at all low income.
I might be wrong. Maybe I am, and I’m always willing to go there.
Have you had a different experience? Have you been turned away from a private school?
And, of course I’m not saying private school is the answer. Clearly, good public schools are what we need. I’m just sayin, if your choices are a gang ridden low performing school, or a private school…..I’m going with the private school. My kid only gets one chance.
I should also disclose that my son went to kindergarten in 2000. He’s going to high school next year!!! So, things may have changes since then.
Do really think so? Thank you for your participation!
Do really think so? Thank you for your participation!
Well, it is true that the private schools do seem to really love “black” students. But they love the black students best, if they have white parents. (At least one white parent, and maybe two… and white lesbian parents are the best of all according to private schools. My guess is that it makes them feel all generous and open minded.) Pretty odd. Go to any private school event. You’ll see tons and tons of black kids… strangely, all with white parents. To see black kids, with 2 black parents…. pretty rare at private schools. They don’t seem to like black families. Or maybe it’s the other way around. Hard to tell.