Solve Your Own Problems, Don’t Make Them Mine
Editors Note: This is one of several exchanges between myself and black activists in a local news forum. The 2001 Cincinnati riots were my awakening to black separatism and the never ending laments of those who call themselves African-American. It’s when I learned that the hyphen between African and American was tantamount to giving America the finger.
This exchange references the Black Family Reunion that turned into a small riot in 2002. As usual, the general consensus from the black community was that if it were not for “the usual reasons” these “youths” would have behaved like good citizens.
Cincinnati Boycott: Spit & Venom from Channel 5 news forum
Riddy wrote To Colerain:
Like I said in my previous post-the people involved in the weekend’s problems should be punished and their parents should be held accountable. But since you are aware of the situation at OU, then please enlighten me-why is race never an issue when there is unrest at an all white event, but it is the first thing that you and your friends mention when it is at black event?
What happened this weekend had nothing to do with the racial tension in the city but it had everything to do with a lack of supervision. There was no protest going on, it was a group unruly young people that had nothing better to do then to distroy other people’s property - just like the bar situation at Ohio U.And since you are aware of the problems at OU, are you aware of the way the city of Athens is trashed every Halloween and High/Palmer Fest weekend by a predominately white crowd? Are you aware of the number of women that are raped during these events? One of my best friends, who happens to be white, was one of the rape victims. But of course race is never mention then either. And I am sure the number of people involved in these events number well beyond 2000. And this is by a supposedly educated, morally grounded crowd of young people.
As far as blacks working to find solutions, there are people out there trying to make a difference. I, along with everyone in my family and my friend base (including white people), mentor inner-city, poor young people on a weekly, if not daily basis, regardless of the race of the child. We also work with the police and other groups to help try to find solutions, instead of just putting out blame. We need to come out of our comfort zones and reach out to all the people in this city. Although I am a black woman, I come of my comfortable surburban lifestyle to go to the inner-city and work with these young people.
Since you seem like such a civil minded person, why don’t you and any other person interested in making a real change in the city, become part of the solution. There are numerous groups that have mentoring and community involvement in the schools throughout the city. We need to get proactive instead of reactive and defensive if we want to see real change in this city.
Cincinnati has a bad reputation throughout the county now. And all Cincinnatians regardless of race, class, gender, etc. need to step up to the plate and change that reputation.
I think this is really sad that after all that this city and this county has been through in the past 18 months that we can get beyond all of the blame and start taking action. It is no longer a black or white neighborhood problem - it is a city problem- and it is up to everyone to make a positive contribution.
Zee responds with…
Sphere: Related ContentWhy are people playing these damn word games??? Wake up Riddy!
It becomes a race thing when the consistently criminal activities are perpetrated by one group. It is a racial thing when I have to wake up and have my morning coffee with my daily “black-on-black” murder count in Westwood, or Fairmount, or Over-the Rhine, or Madisonville. Not too many white folk there.
It was a sea of black faces roaming downtown screaming obscenities this week-end, not white. I am downtown every single day and those are black faces staring -sullen and menacing - not white. Not white trash, not white anything.
And these were not kids or children. Who are you kidding? These are not youth with homework time and bed time and play time. Quit acting like they are suburban kids with inattentive busy parents.
Their parents did not know, nor care, where they were because they never know or care where they are. These are street savvy, angry black men and women ( and a few deluded whites) plus , a whole host of out of town activists, (their infiltration here courtesy of your frigging boycott), exploiting ignorance and innocence alike.
And don’t even begin to compare this week-end with sporting event outbreaks, which are a breed of its own and, gee, includes black participants, and guess what? They all go back to the productive lives they took a recess from. It is uncharacteristic behavior. Get it?
The white melees you contend are comparable to the BF Reunion mess loose all appearance of similarity when you can safely conjecture that the majority of the participants were acting OUT of character, while the reunion revelers , it can be safely assumed, were acting very much IN character.
And don’t even go there with college mayhem. Those students, I guarantee you, felt remorse and/or had to accept consequences. They did not moan about their history of oppression to justify their misbehavior. And - they went back to solid productive lives as students, not to some murky street corner to brood about the white oppressors and how “white boy gonna get his ’cause they owe us”, as often recited by your reparations contingent.
I am convinced that you people are going to attempt to justify your every rude, ignorant, and criminal deed with a recitation of what big ole mean whitey has done to ya in the past. You sound like spoiled, hysterical children running from the big bad boogie man. The only picture that is emerging of the black race, as far as I can see or hear, is that of venal, avaricious, vindictive, churlish, juvenile losers.
You don’t like that Riddy? Well, neither do I. Until this boycott, the only image and experience of black people I knew were what you described yourself to be but, if you do not speak out, do not make your presence known, do nothing to be a voice of reason to counter the skewed picture Lynch portrays to the world, DO NOT complain that you are being grouped with those whose raw ideology is malignant and destructive. You can be damn sure white folk are quick to disassociate themselves from the KKK.
See, for those of you who claim to know the white man so damn well, I would counter, you better look again. You think you know the white race but, by virtue of your incessant self-obsession and constant caterwauling, you have failed to see you are dealing with a generation of white people who have, for the most part, from childhood on, stepped all over themselves trying not to offend a black person.
Should we say black, or is it negro, or now is it colored, oh, now it’s african-american - and god forbid you inadvertently say the frigging ‘N’ word lest everyone shatter like so many fragile humpty dumpties and we have another damn mess to clean up.
You’ve been insulting and alienating a generation of people who have taught their children to respect all people and immediately challenged REAL racist, behavior. A generation who has enjoyed and appreciated the appearance of more and more visible black performers, newscasters, journalists, analysts and personalities. Not as material for the purpose of caricaturing black people, as so often accused, but for the brilliant HUMAN talent there to be enjoyed.
And guess what? It wasn’t hard. Counter to what you appear to believe, there is no a cauldron of repressed black hatred lingering in the white heart. We don’t connive in small circles to make a black man’s day bad. There is no boogie man.
As far as “stepping up to the plate”, as riddy suggests, because it is a “city problem”, well, I’m sorry, it is a problem bestowed by the black community, created by the black community, and needs to be solved by those in that community and by anyone else who feel they are so called.
I don’t particular subscribe to the “it takes a village to raise a child” philosophy. It takes me to responsibly raise mine and you to responsibly raise yours, and we all produce , as best we can, gracious and productive adults and, bingo, you end up with a village that functions to the benefit of all. It is in that sane, civilized environment that one can effectively deal with the real issues.
Where did the money for Huntington Meadows go? Where did the so call empowerment zone funds walk off to? Why is Luken mayor ( can he be impeached)?
Develop a showcase for all black business and make sure minority contractors have a crack at all gigs. Whatever. Do you really think white people do not want to see legitimate inequities addressed? But how many remain who give a damn? It is poor psychology and absolutely asinine ‘marketing’ to present the image of ‘poor oppressed me’ with grasping outstretched hand to the average American. NO one likes whiners.
I stopped listening as soon as I heard I ‘owe’ it to you. But damn, can you imagine the response if Little Leftie Lynch had spent all his exuberance organizing a black business showcase, get funding from the many wealthy among you, and present a weekend event at the Convention center introducing Cincinnati to the many many wonderful and brilliant people and enterprises that minorities are responsible for?
Showcase the mentoring and every other endeavor the community is proud of. You don’t think that that type of networking and enterprise would be met with open minds and a willingness to CAPITALIZE on all the talent.
Instead of turning black entertainers away you could have made a special production of inviting bus loads of white folks from the suburbs in to enjoy your music and drama. But to think in that vein, one must actually care about the needs of the black community instead of exploiting it in order to launch baby Sharptons and Jacksons and build up the membership of the Black Panthers. To think in that vein is to truly act in a spirit of integrity and cooperation. AND , it would produce results.
Until there are responsible black leaders speaking as aggressively as Lynch, until the black community expels the leftist dirt they drug in here, they will get no support from me. Whatever organization exists to thwart Lynch and gang, whatever influence I can ever wield, as small as it may be, will be directed against those who hold this city hostage and all who maintain a condoning silence.
The damage done to all, is at your doorstep. Keep it off of mine.Zee
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This entry was posted on Thursday, August 22nd, 2002 at 8:02 pm and is filed under Race Card Politics, White Woman Wonders if She is Racist and If She Cares. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
"Conjure magic for them and they'll be distracted. Take away their freedom, and still they'll roar. The beating heart of Rome is not the marble of the Senate. It's the sand of the Coliseum. He'll bring them death... and they will love him for it."
