Real Hartford

Sick of the Weak Rhetoric?

I certainly am. Every time the term “Sanctuary City” is used, it seems to be with contempt in the speaker’s voice. The Columbia Journalism Review published an article in November 2007 which explains how: “[t]he term exists in a linguistic no-man’s land, a frame that suggests urban officials abet soft-headed lawlessness. At best, the press has done a poor job of explaining the motivation and legal framework behind policies slapped with the label; at worst, it has recycled and showcased the term, which is little more than an anti-immigration talking point, without much analysis or skepticism.” This should be mandatory reading for anyone who continues to throw around the phrase.

Thought(s) for the Day

While re-reading Urban Nightmares: The Media, the Right, and the Moral Panic over the City by Steve Macek, I came across two quotes that could not be more relevant:

To put it crudely, the “moral panic” appears to us to be one of the principal forms of ideological consciousness by means of which a “silent majority” is won over to the support of increasingly coercive measures on the part of the state, and lends its legitimacy to a “more than usual” exercise of control.
–Stuart Hall

The cancer of fear has taken over. We have government by fear. We have a fear economy. We have a landscape of fear. We have a mass media that sells it.
–William Upski Wimsatt

Perez Signs Immigration Ordinance

It’s official.

State of the Parks

This photo appears to be an old bottle sitting on the ground. It’s not. The bottle is one of several objects that I saw supported by a layer of algae in a pond at Goodwin Park, located in Hartford’s South End.

An article all about pollution and pond scum describes the causes and effects of algae growth:

Eutrophication has many negative effects on aquatic ecosystems. Perhaps the most visible consequence is the proliferation of algae, which can turn water a turbid green and coat shallower surfaces with “pond scum.” This increased growth of algae and also aquatic weeds can degrade water quality and interfere with use of the water for fisheries, recreation, industry, agriculture, and drinking. As overabundant nuisance plants die, bacterial decomposers proliferate; as they work to break down this plant matter, the bacteria consume more dissolved oxygen from the water. The result can be oxygen shortages that cause fish kills. Eutrophication can lead to loss of habitats such as aquatic plant beds in fresh and marine waters and coral reefs along tropical coasts. Thus, eutrophication plays a role in the loss of aquatic biodiversity.

Continue reading State of the Parks…

“Uncle Eddie Wants You Home by Nine” “But Mom, You Said…”

commentary

There’s been a lot to digest lately. My emotions about the violence in Hartford are similar to those I felt following 9/11. The violence saddens me. I don’t feel a lot of surprise or anger about the actual acts of violence. I reserve my anger for how people respond to the violence.

When the terrorist attacks of 9/11 occurred (and if your theory is that the government had something to do with it, I think the word “terrorist” still applies), I tried to comprehend what the deaths and injuries of hundreds of people meant. I had to figure out if I even knew the same number of people as were killed. With the local violence, the victimization is more sporadic, easier to understand in terms of its possibility. I worry when I read the headlines that one of my students from Capital Community College, many of whom live in Hartford, will be among those either killed or doing the killing.

As with the terrorist attacks, I feel a range of disappointment-to-anger regarding how we are responding to the violence in Hartford. My political perspective is such that I must question whenever a new law or ordinance of some kind is introduced. Before asking if it’s a good or effective law, I have to think about whether it’s necessary to even have a law. Of course, this gets complicated because we live in a culture which, on the surface, pretends to be one of laws. Continue reading “Uncle Eddie Wants You Home by Nine” “But Mom, You Said…”…

“It feels so good. I have been up and down all day today […]My heart is pounding.”

Marie Kirkley-Bey is quoted in the Courant as speaking the above words to describe her victory in yesterday’s primary. She defeated opponent Abe Giles, best known for being that guy involved in a trash-hauling scandal.

Don’t assume that the slightly-more rational choices for candidates all won in the primary. Despite the Hartford Police Department’s release of documents showing a complaint had been filed against Hector Robles–a cop being accused of misusing his authority–voters of the Democrat persuasion selected him over Carmen Sierra for a General Assembly seat by a difference of 102* votes. Here’s to hoping that he is successfully challenged by a Republican or Third-Party candidate in November who is actually on the up-and-up.

The full list of primary results is here, and eventually will be here.

*A final tally was released after I posted this, changing the numbers slightly. To see those results, go here.

Here’s What Went Down

I could not stay for the entire meeting of the City Council last night, but during the 2.5 hours that I was there, (plus the protest before), this is what I observed. A more complete account is on Mira Hartford.

Oh yeah, the Immigration Ordinance passed!

HPD Acknowledges Citizen Complaint About Misuse of Authority

The Hartford Police Department has released a copy of the complaint filed against Hector Robles. I know I saw an extensive write-up on this the other day, but it appears to have been pulled off whatever news site it was on. If it reappears, I’ll link to it.

EDITED: I was wrong. The write-up wasn’t something I had read online; it was from an actual, physical newspaper– La Voz Hispana.  I should have remembered right away because I even commented while reading it that it’s a little bogus that to get detailed reporting on local politics, I have to read a Spanish-language newspaper. I guess that’s my incentive to learn more Spanish, because I’m not getting much from the English-language papers.

Meet the Neighbors: Hartford First Church of the Nazarene

Since moving into my new place, I’ve come to really enjoy living next to this church, even though I am not Christian (was not raised Christian either) and have no inkling to enter the building. At the place I moved from a few months ago, I lived next to an Ukrainian church. Except for Sunday mornings, I never saw anyone around there. That’s quite different from the Church of the Nazarene.

Almost every day, they have something going on in the church parking lot, which is basically right outside my window. I have seen picnics, waterslide/jumping houses, lots of basketball games, a soul concert, and most recently, an all-night event that involved a campfire, drumming, singing, and someone trying to organize a three-legged race (not sure the race ever happened).

About a dozen youth come together several days of the week, have fun, and behave themselves. The absolute worst thing I have heard (and I can hear everything clearly in my place) out of these kids’ mouths were a few fart jokes. I don’t hear swearing or putdowns.

One morning, I heard the Pastor reproaching a neighbor for not picking up litter. It was done in the nicest way possible, and I could totally tell that if it were anyone but a religious figure, this neighbor would have been telling him what he could do with the litter. I have no doubt that the presence of this church has a positive influence on the block. Their website says that they are having a street fest on Friday August 15th. I might stop down to thank them for giving youth a safe place to go. That’s what I’ve been thinking about since hearing of the violence that occurred over the weekend–the kids that drop by this church are spending a significant amount of time in a good environment, one that might give them the ability to resist being participants in the culture of violence that defines the United States.

Wanna Blog?

The Hartford Public Library (downtown) is offering a free class to help people create blogs. They ask that patrons attend all three sessions, which run on August 13th, 20th, and 27th. It is an adult class and meets at 7:15pm. To register or get more information, go to their website.