(I Liked this post so much, I am reposting it today....)
Last Monday's council hearing gave all of us a peek into the soft underbelly of the local, if not the national culture of victimization, of entitlement, of I deserve something, make that everything--for nothing. I deserve that but you don't deserve what you have. I'm talking about the many presentations--all of which the mayor permitted to go over--waaay over the three-minute limit--as she always does, allowing those forced to spend their lives in public housing, to vent their anger and frustration over mistreatment at the hands of evil housing authority bureaucrats and greedy private partners in evil renovation schemes designed to further disenfranchise them. I'm talking about the proposed public-private plan to redevelop Obery Court, the nation's oldest housing project.
I don't deny nor do I underestimate, excuse, forgive or otherwise rationalize the four-hundred years of oppression that began with forced enslavement, traversed through Jim Crow and Reconstruction, the Civil Rights Movement and so-called Urban Renewal and whose legacy haunts us today--much of it in the culture of public housing. I know there are people who are truly deserving of a better safety net, of better social programs, who have worked hard and worked honestly and tried to better themselves. There are indeed victims. We have to do better. This is what the proposed private-public partnership is attempting to do. Yes, it is expensive to live here and yes it is hard to get a good paying job without education and yes the cards are stacked against people who (if we are honest with ourselves) do not truly have equal opportunity BUT LET'S FACE IT--and this is where the liberal in me has been mugged....NOBODY OWES YOU OR ME ANYTHING. WHERE IS IT WRITTEN? NOBODY IS GETTING OUT OF HERE ALIVE. LIFE IS HARD. LIFE IS SHORT, BUT I HAVE MYSELF TO BLAME WHEN I SCREW UP. But please people--sooner or later, each one of us, as autonomous human beings have to take responsibility for our lives--and lift ourselves up by our bootstraps if necessary and throw off whatever yokes remain and take responsibility. Furthering this nanny culture of victimization hurts everyone--but oppresses victims more than anyone. I think the times demand a drastic change in how we understand this. Those in public housing must recognize that sometimes, simply being in public housing hurts and is wrong--especially when it is multi-generational. Their goals should be to work to improve their lives--not to improve public housing because let's face it--if you believe the system does not care, then forget about the system..or find a way to go around it or live without it.
It went something like this last night (and pardon me if it is not in context for those of you new to this debate--you can watch the recording on Comcast....I have paraphrased it rather than quoted anyone directly or accurately and taken great liberties, but I think the flavor remains):
HACA--We have done everything possible to inform, work with, prepare and assist the residents of Obery Court.
Residents: We don't trust anything you do. You lie and line your pockets. You don't care about us. You hurt us.
City Council (stuck in the middle) Ho much time do you need? What happens if we delay supporting this resolution?......and on and on and on...
Here are my recollections of some of the whiny, victimization comments, again greatly paraphrased:
"Man, I've been dealing with this since 1969 and it still doesn't improve."
CP says--perhaps you should have been focusing on improving yourself and bettering your life since then.
"I am on disability in my three bedroom apartment. My son has graduated from college. If you move me into a smaller apartment, I don't know where my son will stay if he comes back to live with me. I am stressing over this."
CP says--Be happy and proud of your son for becoming a college graduate. He should be able to figure this out on his own. Why do you need a three-bedroom apartment for yourself because he might come back to live with you? My boys shared a tiny bedroom for over ten years until I could save enough to add a room...and I had to pay for it....and I own it at my risk. That causes stress, believe me.
"My mother has been living in Obery Court for fifty years. We need to stay together."
CP says--Fifty years? And you look to be old enough to have grandchildren yourself. How many more years and generations should you be in public housing--at someone else's expense? Is that a way to live? Did you choose this? Are you forced to live that way? Are you going to take care of my father-in-law who is 86, fought in World War 2 before Obery Court was built and taught college for almost as long as your mother has live at other's expense?
"We need central air and heat. We need an alarm system. We can't accept a one or two bedroom apartment when we are used to having three. We need a washer and dryer in each apartment. There are many places where we could be moved into during renovation, but I'm not going to Harbour House."
CP says: Yes, we all are needy. Sure. I have a spare bedroom for you...I guess. If I moved my office and computer and books, which is where I earn my living, but I'd have to charge you market rent. That would make my room a lot more than your whole apartment. You'll have to go upstairs to do your laundry. No problem. There are plenty of places we could move you to. Let's see.....Park Place? Parole? The vacant and foreclosed homes for sale?
Uh....I grew up in a nice home in the suburbs, but we did well without central air conditioning thank you very much....and my folks worked very hard for all their lives...and they expected and raised their kids to become independent...and my brother and I had to share a bedroom for many years and I was not able to get central A.C in my home until a few years ago...at the same time I added the bedroom....BUT MY PARENTS OWNED THEIR HOME AND I OWN MY HOME AND I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR ME AND I PAY TAXES....AND MY HOME COSTS ARE WAY IN EXCESS--VASTLY IN EXCESS OF THE THIRTY PERCENT MAXIMUM that HACA residents pay for their apartments--THAT WE THE TAXPAYERS OWN!!!! NOT THE TENANTS! BUT WE THE TAXPAYERS...yet it's still not enough for some of the HACA residents. THEY ARE VICTIMS AND THEY NEED MORE.....and I had to pay for my own alarm system... and to protect me from who or what??? And my new washer just cost me $700.....because I own it.....and on, and on, and on, ad infinitum, ad nauseum, add more and more debt.....like the illustration says, if the shoe fits...
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17 Comments:
(the following was sent by Annapolis resident Bill Kardash)
Paul-
Your piece is brilliant .. you captured the essence of the comments last night. Nice job.
You should try to get this beyond the blog … to some mainstream media; it’s timely, too.
After listening to the comments from all, I hope the HACA people are well-paid, ‘cause their stress must be intense.
Bill
I have much to contribute to this topic. But first, I'll watch the video on Comcast tonight.
You're right that there's a culture of entitlement, and it's amazing how disempowering it is.
This comment came from Stanford
Erickson of Eastport:
Paul,
Thank you for covering the hearing on Obery Court Monday night (January 26). Your reportage is very helpful in encouraging normal ,well-intentioned Annapolitans in understanding that they must not continue to countenance this attitude of entitlement by many of those who live in Pubic Housing. Reasoning with such people is not only a waste of time but further exacerbates the problem.
Rational people, with kind hearts, must resolve this problem of entrenched entitlement by creating a policy that states that unless someone is disabled they no longer can live at the expense of other Annapolitans more than five years. For years, many of these public housing residents have been taking advantage of our good nature and actually playing us for a fool. This has done damage to them and to us. Enough is enough.
We need alderman and alderwomen and a mayor who have the courage to deal with this situation.
Thank you again Paul for all your information and good council.
Stanford Erickson
Paul
I am always put off by anyone that refers to normal people as in "normal ,well-intentioned Annapolitans"
What exactly is a "normal Annapolitan" ?
And how exactly are these people to afford the transition to "normal" ( outrageously priced) private housing ?
I thought the right wing was blaming our current economy on abnormal people ( those making a less-than-livable wage or much, much greater) being allowed to buy houses they could not afford.
Surely the answer lies in providing a livable wage for all the people that are in the service industries in Annapolis serving "Normal Annapolitans' .
Stanford, if you want to help these parasites* to become normal and capable of understanding your rational argument , Work for legislation that demands a livable wage. Nah, that would be abnormal.
I do agree, however, that asking for a/c is a bit much. What next soaking tubs and parking pavillions ?
* the only inference one can make from Standford Ericksons loaded comments)
Whoooaaaa,,,Schmoe...how are you keeping regular these days? (Or as you wrote, regualr...??) By "normal" I believe that Erickson was referring to people who think clearly, as opposed to the victim/perpetrators of the victim culture whose every thought is tainted by mistrust and anger and ignorance....perhaps....but I dunno..However, having said that, who the #$%@ knows what "normal" is? I am not sure I want to be normal....but then again, according to my readers, I have nothing to worry about in that respect.....(Remember "Young Frankenstein" and the brain Marty Feldman fetched from Abby Normal????...as in Abnormal??? Ahh, I love those passing references to pop culture, I am just so je ne sais quois....or some such French thing....
Hey Schmoe.....instead of commenting on comments--what about the post??? When are you going to start writing real stuff instead of just responding to things already published???
I will try and comment on your posts in the future.
But this Standford Erickson person ( I have no idea what makes him tick or who he is) reminded me of a certain type of lock-stepping neo-con ideologue that likes to throw around the word 'normal' in order to demean anyone truly capable of independent thought. What they mean by 'normal' is 'anyone that does not live like "WE" do' . With '"we" being a group of male, white, self-righteous condescending, Rush Limbaugh echo heads, that worship Reagan.
Uhhh....excuse me Schmoe, but while you sign on as "Schmoe" Mr Erickson signs on as himself--and stands behind what he writes. You have this figured out all wrong. Just plain wrong. And then you have the chutzpah to attack him! Is that what we mean by "normal"?
I would completely agree with Paul that, Stanford, whether you agree with him or not, at least has the courage to identify himself and stand behind his point-of-view.
Conversely, Schmoe just makes personal, racists attacks from the cowardly security of being anonymous.
It's also a bit amusing that someone who suggests he represents what's "normal", via the name Regular Schmoe, finds it unreasonable that Standford should pretend to have a handle on a sense of right and wrong.
Bob McWilliams
Right On......I am pleased to see you weigh in on the public housing wounds..
But Paul is the one that commented with Stanford Erickson's name. Was this perhaps a personal email and published without Stanford's knowledge? WHy doesn't Stanford log in and post?
Geeze Paul, keep it up and Don Dwyer will become a fan of yours.
Geez Anonymous...Pot--black? Kettle black? What a stupid comment. It was a personal email and it was published with Stanford Erickson's consent....yet you remain anonymous and accuse me of ...whatever! Why don't you post with your identity?
Hmmm....so by speaking out against the lose-lose culture of victimization that somehow makes me a right wing extremist? Gimme a break. As for whether Don Dwyer supports me or not, I don't really care. If you disagree with my thoughts about the culture of victimization, why not write a thoughtful rebuttal--with your real name--well?
Because I dont want to. If you dont want the comment then dont approve it or dont allow anonymous comments. Easy enough?
Easy enough? As easy as you standing behind what you write. But how do I know which "anonymous" you are? Geeze--what an ass you are! You write whatever you want, expect fair and equal treatment with those who give you this opportunity and those who identify themselves--and then you get haughty with me? What indefensible chutzpah! Just for that, I am going to start writing in under the name "anonymous" to make you look bad!!!! Just kidding....but that would be fun-eh? Aaah, the power of the new media. First I get accused of writing in a comment under someone else's name without their permission.......oh Lord....give me the strength to carry on
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