Sometimes, as I travel through the "blogosphere", I come across topics that get my passionate nature flowing. I often go through the local blog sites and find topics that make me happy, sad, angry, and excited, (sometimes simultaneously). Either way, I tend to write responses that I feel should be shared with you, my readers. So here are MY random thoughts. ENJOY....
I just want to let everyone know that I have met many who feel as she does and even I had the "college educated and metropolitan-experienced superiority complex" when I first moved to Behthlehem, PA. But 7 years later, I am still in the LV and consider myself fortunate to be here. I also realized that whether you have a doctorate, degree, diploma, certification, or are just a graduate from "the school of hard knocks", we all have to put our pants on one leg at a time.
Honestly, I am just trying to be a peacemaker because with the debt of the city, community organizations losing funding, a mayoral race, and GM tanking, I believe we all should be trying to come together rather than tearing each other apart. That's just my humble opinion though..
I experience intolerance EVERY DAY in the Valley when I read these blogs in the Mcall that do NOT just come Nazareth. I experience it as I walk the streets of Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton and I go into their court houses and see every one from the judge to the bailiff to the recorder is White and the only people of color in the whole building are those in shackles and heading up state. I experience it as I walk into the City Halls and go to talk about events and issues and find the leaders of the City, as well as department heads, seem surprised that this young Black man has actually rallied and organized people to do positive projects. Intolerance is not just about racial slurs, white sheets, and swastikas, it's about deliberate non-action. It's about the "ignoring" of a people when you see an OBVIOUS problem. It's about being callous to those who you know need something MORE than welfare and housing, but you just continue to hope the problem disappears and goes away.
And you are right, I am intolerant. I am intolerant of clueless leadership, an assuming public, and people who love to complain and moan but won't step out of their homes and away from the blog world to "make something happen.."
When will Allentown leadership and residents realize that no one is going to be driven away, cleaned out, or transplanted ? We "undesirables" need to be utilized because many of us would rather work than do illegal acivities. Unfortunately, with felony convictions and a lack of education and training, our opportunities are limited and far between; and I'm sorry to say, we refuse to go hungry, let our families go hungry, or even deny ourselves creature comforts, if we know of other ways, whether it is legal or illegal, to make it happen. We aren't telling you to feel sorry for us or even give us welfare, but all of the money being used for Anti-gang Initiatives should be used to create entrepeneurial opportunities and businesses which would be a TRUE Anti-Gang Initiative.
Gangs do inhabit Allentown, as well as persons of color, ex-felons and convicts, young mothers and fathers, those limited in education, and the list goes on and on. THESE are some of the residents of Downtown A-town and many are willing to do constructive and legal work/projects if given the chance. Many have families that they want to support and wish to do tasks that make a decent wage without having to constantly duck, dodge, and look over their shoulders, but if there is nothing out here but hatred, discrimination, naysayers, and government officials overlooking us as if we don't exist, well, then people will do what needs to be done to survive...
FOR THE CITY TO MOVE FORWARD, ALLENTOWN LEADERS NEED TO MEET WITH ALL ALLENTOWN INHABITANTS AND RESIDENTS.
Peace and 1,
- J. BLACK
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
the "harmony" events you held on hamilton street in the last several years should have been embraced by the administration as a model to integrate the community. perhaps acknowledging a divide exists is politically incorrect.
MM,
"There's none so blind as the blind who WILL not see,"
-J. BLACK
Hello JB -
I asked you this on a topix thread, but maybe you didn't see. I am trying to understand your point of view better. Do you advocate a sort of Robin Hood approach for some of our town's residents? You aren't saying that the ends justify the means in terms of financial security - are you?
Otherwise, I am totally on the same page as you in terms of moving Allentown forward and doing something positive to affect change. I appreciate your dedication to Allentown.
M. Mom's, I do NOT advocate the Robin Hood approach in ANY community. I preach self -sufficiency and advocate the "give a man to fish/teach a man to fish" philosophy. I believe we all have the ability to improve ourselves, no matter where we are from, but many are in need of opportunity (not welfare and housing).
That's right - we need opportunity, ie, jobs. Unfortunatley, this is a national, not just a local, problem. Personally, I think part of the solution lies in changing our trade laws. I would rather pay slightly more for things and know that I bought something that gave Americans jobs. But...I'm in the minority on that one.
Iwould take it one step farther...Since it seems EVERYONE needs a job, in this day and age, whether rich, poor, educated, uneducated, and with and without a criminal pasts, I feel we should go into each neighborhood and engage the residents by actually knocking on doors and seeing what is on THEIR minds, find out what skills that are available, and what they can be used for to enhance the City. We should be teaching ENTREPRENEURSHIP to ALL in order to create businesses that this City desperately needs. We need to use the resources, which are the actual residents, to improve the City. There will be successes, failures, and those who are indifferent, but nothing fails but a TRY.
- J. BLACK
o I live in historic a-town and i see many non-white haters. Not just black, you know. It seems all events trying to unite the residents splits them more
Post a Comment