Racine has a public health problem. In the summer months, large groups of people tend to gather during and or after bar time. Sometimes these gatherings get out of control, shifting from peaceful assemblies to dangerous mobs. And sometimes people get shot and killed. And it will happen again and again unless something is done.
Thus far, the city leaders, such that they are, have responded to this phenomenon by closing down bars that are in the proximity to these gatherings. Experience ought to tell us that this does not solve the problem, it merely foists the problem on another part of town.
Compounding this problem is universal cowardice on the part of our elected leadership and, it seems, our police. None of them are willing to actually identify, much less confront the actual problem. The reason is that these gatherings are, to the best of my knowledge, almost always entirely comprised of black people. My guess is that our leaders and police have succumbed to political correctness and are afraid to arrest people who are clearly disturbing the peace lest they be labelled "racist."
Thus, as I have personally witnessed, rather egregious behaviors are tolerated so long as the miscreants are black and part of a large crowd. Naturally, it is only a matter of time before that bad behavior, unchecked, escalates into behavior that can't be ignored. Of course, by that time, someone might be dead.
Our collective cowardice in confronting unruly crowds will end up with a few dead black people. I guess they can be sacrificed so we won't be considered racist.
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17 comments:
That jails are disproportionally filled with African Americans is certainly a result of police being politically correct.(Sarcasm intended)
As I indicated in my post, some crimes just can't be ignored. So the jails are filled with such people, a disproportionate being black as you noted. However, behaviors tolerated in these gatherings/mobs suggests a lower standard of behavior is expected of black people. I am not sure this double standard benefits any members of society.
"a lower standard of behavior is expected of black people"
Dumb and racist.
Dennis I believe I understand what you are attempting to say but i think the message was missed and unclear. It is true that the Police Department and the City have elected to punish business owners for the behavior of individuals. The business owners have asked the Police Department for protection from these indiviual behaviors, to no avail. So once agian in our city business has to suffer in this Anti Business of Racine. What ever happened to Serve and Protect.Double standards are the rule of thumb in City Government and the Downtown Racine, but I am havig a hard time with the verbage mobs, and is this word synomous with BLack people? Absolutely not!!!! Normally you are very refreshing, but in this case you are off base!!!
Public Health Problems,Mobs? Dennis Iread your article again and it is down right offensive!!! You ask about political correctness, I do not think you have a clue as to deep you cut sometimes and you need to stop before you hurt people that you are not intending to hurt!!
Keith Fair doesn't ask for help, he calls the Metro officer a racist and doesn't want him near his bar. And Mr. Fair, should our police babysit your patrons at bar closing time because they congregate in the streets, block traffic, fight etc.?
I think the spirit of the post is spot on.
There are definitely different standards applied to different classes of people. And I think the lowest standards are applied to blacks. Is it rascism by those that apply the different standards?
Rascism is getting to be an overused word.
Keith, I am not trying to hurt anyone - I appreciate you saying as much - but if someone is hurt by my attempts to state the truth, well, so be it. You seem to be upset by my use of the word "mob." Recently I drove through such a scene wherein I witnessed people running in all directions, drivers squealing their tires, people milling about the street, indifferent to the cars they were preventing from passing, as well as people in the face of the police cussing up a storm. I am comfortable calling that an out of control mob. Now I will concede that not all such gatherings are this extreme, but it sure seems like these situations could spiral out of control rather quickly. Might I be wrong about that? Sure, but we ought to know from experience that these gatherings have often led to serious problems, including gunshots and murders. So may I suggest that you not focus on a word that you might be sensitive towards, but rather to recognize that these gatherings quite often prove to be dangerous. And I might add, the danger is greatest for black people as they are the people in the gatherings. As I indicated in my original post, I will risk offending people as I believe ensuring the public safety ought to be higher priority than avoiding offense. What do you think should be done about these gatherings? Do they ever pose a risk to public safety in your view? And feel free to give me a call if you want to discuss this further. It is worth discussing.
Mr. Fair; Your business is one of the very business's Denis is referring to. If the proper amount of Police protection/ enforcement were used in this neighborhood that part of the city would have less trouble-makers. It is true that many people frequenting the area now are coming from all over SE Wisc and N. Illinois, and they are overwhelmingly "Black".
You can not deny that at Bar closing time the groups get loud and disruptive in the area. The vast majority of "non-black" patrons from the other pubs and clubs leave the area without incidence. So it is not "Racist" to point out a behavioral problem shared by one particular group. (Is it Cultural?), I don't think so. I am not in favor of closing your "Place" or Park 6, But something has to happen here. Either the product offered (Techno and Hip-hop music), Drink prices increase... or we make it a point at closing time to ask the patrons to please respect the neighbors and leave quietly.
It seems that the clientele that goes to Park 6...respects the rules of dress codes, etc. in order to get IN the door. It would be easy enough to make similar suggestions to those leaving the area at closing. Solutions exist..but most importantly common decency and manners, of behavior would fix this.
If not enforce noise rules and start corralling the problem with enhanced enforcement..until the message gets out!
Racine has so much to offer all races.. just be courteous!
Thomas and Keith think Blues, Jazz, Salsa. and you will get the multicultural more upscale crowd you will need to make your businesses successful without all the City council grief!
I realize this doesn't fix the problem addresses by Denis..but if each place takes the same stance eventually the thug-ocrisy will run out of places to raise their ruckus!
Denis and Urban Cowboy, oh excuse me Pioneer whatever that is suppose to entail. Just a couple of points to clear up a perception that is often created by people who are short sighted about the idea of a MOB in your Downtown area. First and foremost several meeting we proactively attended by my self and Thomas Holmes to address closing time and some of the activity that is illegal such as blocking traffic, squealing tires and blatant disrespect for authority. The Police Department said they were going to enforce and the indiviual bar owners would not be penalized. Has that happened, yes we have been penailized but there has been very little enforcement. Now let us go back to the mob!!! I have stated to the Downtown Racine Corp. on many ocassion, If BLACK people are not wanted in the Downtown someone should be brave enough to say so, until then all the inuendos and throwing Rocks and hiding your hands is cowardice. Would closing time at VCR be classified as a MOB? Would closing time at the Ivanhoe be classified as a MOB? Would closing time at Michigan Pub be classified as a Mob? Those are some examples but although some privilege may be involved by definition. Denis I would love to talk at your earliest convenience as we have come to agreement on several other issues. IMHO to throw inuendo and stereotypic phrases only insights those who really are not attempting to find resolve, but to inflame discrimination and oh yes, RACISM!!!!
Keith, I have publicly spoken in favor of any of the controversial applicants for liquor licenses, all of whom were black or targeting black customers. I could care less what color the people are, I am concerned about behaviors. And it seems that we agree about the problematic behaviors such as squealing tires, blocking traffic etc... I think we should take on these people, again, regardless of their color, for their behaviors. Get tough on them, toss a few in jail for the night, let everyone know that we won't tolerate blatant disturbances of the peace. Perhaps people will get the message, behave more appropriately, serious offenses may be minimized etc.... It seems we agree so far but my observation that the offenders are almost entirely black seems to offend you. Again, I don't care what color they are and if a group of white people are behaving badly, they also should be dealt with firmly. I'll try to get a hold of you soon, but will probably have to be next week unless you want to give me a call tonight. look forward to talking with you.
Funny, I recall writing not that long ago that closing down bars doesn't fix this problem since so many have been closed in the past with no results.....
I guess the difference between you and me is that I didn't specify that all the after bar problems were related directly to the Black population.
And, let me point out that a lower standard of behavior is a priviledge of whites since it takes much less of an action to get arrested if you are black compared to if you are white.
And, before you go spouting off I want to add that I was raised in the restuarant business and then my parents owned a bar for many years. We got away with a hell of a lot more than the Hispanic bars on the south side and I would venture to guess a hell of a lot more than the Black bars on the North side of Milwaukee.
Kay, I agree with your first sentence. Second sentence - I never said that all the after bar problems were directly related to the black population. However, the phenomenon of huge groups milling about after bars is a black thing. Unlike liberals, I don't have to pretend that what I see isn't happening. In any case, it doesn't matter what color they are, these huge gatherings are disturbances of the peace and they should be broken up. Now it may be true that, generally, it takes less to get arrested if your black. However, not in these groups. I have seen lots of behaviors that would have gotten me arrested had I done them. And your last sentence is irrelevant as I am talking about the behaviors of bar patrons after they have left the bar, not bar owners. I have pointed out numerous times that the owners of black bars are getting screwed.
The problems plaguing Racine are those of joblessness and hopelessness and a city government corrupted by dishonesty and its own dumbness. The "small people" don't vote and don't respect the process. Is this racial and cultural? Yes. Nowhere more visible than on downtown Sixth Street. Is it that simple then? No. Is there more pain ahead? Yes.
Both Fair and Holmes are advertising to and attracting patrons that continue to cause problems but its not their fault. In the meantime the taxpayers, you and me, have to pay overtime to our local poliice department who is expected to clean up the problems Holmes and Fair made. And ask how business is for Henry and Wandas and the Raytown Honky Tonk bar. This ain't about black people not being welcome downtown-they'll be welcome if they don't pull out guns and shoot into crowds, when they dont congregate in the streets and block traffic and when they show respect for those around them. Why does it take a white guy to bring this issue up? Fair, Holmes, Lumpkin, Oliver, Shields, Guarii are all very quiet. There $$ is good Fair until something happens and then you dont see nothin'.
and you blame Metro, DRC and the Police for picking on you. Always the victim...
..yawn...Denis, you've lost it. Is this the best you can do?
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