(no subject)

[cemeterygates.livejournal.com]

Somerville Mayor Joe Curatone Ward 1 Alderman William Roche recently rejected a bid to have a carnival in Assembly Square, citing the potential for gang violence as a major reason for his decision. He then commented*, "The location is on the Orange Line, so you're not just getting people from Somerville. You're getting different people of different backgrounds." Am I alone in finding that comment not only offensively classist and disrespectful, but downright cringe-worthy coming from a leader in one of our area's most gentrified and well-to-do communities in what is already known as one of the most racially homogenous areas in the country?

*Link to source article

Comments

[georgy.livejournal.com]

Hmmmmm... I see what you mean, although I'm willing to give Joe the benefit of the doubt and say that he didn't mean what his comment implies. I'm guessing he just meant people from other cities from come in, and it might be a crowd control issue. I see your concern, though.

[cemeterygates.livejournal.com]

Perhaps it was just a rather major foot-in-mouth moment.

[cnoocy]

I agree that he may have meant "It's on the subway line, so we'll get out-of-towners" rather than commenting on the demographics of the Orange line.

[liamstliam.livejournal.com]

Racist, yes.

Accurate? Remains to be determined

[aslant.livejournal.com]

In reading that article, I think it was Ward 1 alderman William Roche who made that statement. It is offensive, yes, but the public safety concerns they raise in the article are very justified. I would wonder what hidden costs the city would be forced to absorb in providing enough security for the venue, beyond whatever profit the $100,000 deal might have provided. I like what they say about the Medford carnival...it's very true that public events can be safer when it's a local-only crowd. I guess I'd rather see an excess of safety than an egregious lack of concern for public safety in an area of the city that has a lot of problems already. That would be more offensive, the whole "it will never happen here, we're immune" attitude.

Hmmm. Very interesting, glad you posted this.

[cemeterygates.livejournal.com]

Oh my, you are right, it was Mr. Roche, I will correct that!

I agree that some of the concerns may well be justified, I think I'm mostly just put off by the attitude portrayed by his comment here than by the determination that the event may not be a wise move on a number of levels.

[forgotten-aria.livejournal.com]

He may have poorly worded some concerns about the crime already existant in that area. He may have ment more that there would be people coming in who care little about Somerville. The KMart there is one of the highest loss from theft KMarts in the country (or so I've been told by the manager) and there have been voilent crimes in the area between Assembly square and the Sullivain square T stop.

Personally I believe this has more to do with the state of that space than of it's location near the Orange Line, but it's always hard to blame oneself.

[talonvaki.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's racist so much as it is T-ist. I say the same thing about the Orange line all the time; to me, it's the scariest line, and it's always rather interesting to see who transfers off the Red line at Downtown Crossing late at night. Racist? Maybe, but not intentionally. It's more an observation of the neighbourhoods the Orange line goes through, and that's a factor of economics without regard to race.

[denonymous.livejournal.com]

I've always likened the orange line to "that subway you're in when you have a nightmare about being on the subway."

If you watch Buffy, it's a lot like the subway car in which Spike kills his second Slayer.

[seamraog.livejournal.com]

I totally agree

[talonvaki.livejournal.com]

Hm...I never thought of that before, but you're right!

[hissilliness.livejournal.com]

By "one of the most racially homogeneous areas in the country" do you mean greater Boston? That surprises me. It doesn't appear to be in the top ten (http://www.census.gov/prod/2001pubs/c2kbr01-4.pdf)(PDF link--scroll to page 7), but that's just from a quick web search.

[cemeterygates.livejournal.com]

I am more referring to segregation issues from a neighborhood standpoint in Boston, as it's something that is widely commented upon nationally since the days of bussing.

[frederic.livejournal.com]

I think that they're acting very cautious after the recent gang trouble that we've had here in Somerville, such as at the fireworks at Trum Field. The current Somerville News has an article about the concerns and past issues.

On a related note...

[agnosticoracle.livejournal.com]

Rebekah Gewirtz (founder of Progressive Democrats of Somerville) is running for Alderman in Ward 6 (that is where Delilah and I live). I suspect she would have a very different take on the carnival. And if you want to be sure you might even be able to ask her next Tuesday as she is having a fundraiser at ORLEANS RESTAURANT from 7-9pm.

Re: On a related note...

[mud-puppy.livejournal.com]

I think the fundraiser Rebekah is having is on April 5th at Orleans. Next Tuesday is March 29th, but I'm being a stickler :)

Re: On a related note...

[agnosticoracle.livejournal.com]

You are correct:

Tuesday, April 5, 7:00pm to 9:00pm

I'm getting my weeks mixed up. Two more weeks in March not just one.

[easy-wind.livejournal.com]

come on now.

carnivals = medfordians = trouble

gotta keep the riff raff out. :)

[spatch]

I can understand the gang concerns, but the "different backgrounds" comment is pretty darn tacky. (I'm sure the Somerville elite are gonna be flocking to the Christmas Tree Shops when they open in the space, f'rinstance.)

[being-homeless.livejournal.com]

hey, when is that opening?

[terse-scribe.livejournal.com]

hm. I live a few blocks from Assembly and Sullivan Sq's. On my block we're fairly ethnically heterogeneous. While there is a substantial Brazillian contingent, there are also East Asian families and several Euromutts like myself.

Assembly Sq. itself does have a bit of a crime rep. though I've never experienced anything untoward there directly. The theatre could use an overhaul though. I could walk to it, but I mostly either T into Boston Common or drive out to Revere for the wide release films.

'fraid I might just agree

[ehy2k.livejournal.com]

I hate the type of remark the mayor made, but after having worked (a very short stint) at Good Times and seeing the trouble with the kids there, having 2!! friends whose cars were stolen in the parking lot by the theatre, and an acquaintance who was attacked, I'd give pause over a large crowd party atmosphere. You'd get a lot of kids from the surrounding areas and when that happens, fights will break out. It's a shame, really. But that's the reality. The people I work with all say the same thing (they also solidly back the mayor on this). Only they cluck their tongues and blame the "yuppies" and "those people" for the woes of Ea. Somerville.

Re: 'fraid I might just agree

[bombardiette.livejournal.com]

I'm with you. A friend of mine (was) a detective in that area and the stress he went through every night made him decide to go back to patrol, in spite of the pay / prestige cut. The recent shooting at Good Times by two rival Asian gangs probably had something to do with this decision...as well as the recent appearances of gang graffiti in Sligo Pub, The Joshua Tree and a few other spots in the square itself.

I tend to blame the yuppies too. After all, yuppies moving in means prices go up means working class and poor get pushed out into more derelict and cramped areas which just fosters anger and hate. It's quite a phenomena, really...

[dreamlightning.livejournal.com]

...in one of our area's most gentrified and well-to-do communities...

have you been to that side of somerville? it's not gentrified, it's ghettofied.
but a carnival would be nice, regardless. bring on the gang violence, i need me some fried dough.

:-)

[tekunokurato.livejournal.com]

Haha, so funny it's terrifyingly elitist!