But not without a ten-foot pole...
Generally, my blog posts tend to sit on the fence, politically and such, as I usually avoid the local hot-button issues, as I find a few of my fellow Ypsi bloggers can cover societal and political topics far better than I. Still, a few things have cropped up in recent days that find me needing to vent, just a tiny bit--
Foremost of course, is the recent "police action" that took place around N. Huron/Arcade streets, in which a man was gunned down eluding police officers after a botched and set up drug buy. If you've read the latest there seems to be some questions as to whether the man was armed or not. For the cops sake, as well as our own, I hope he had brandished a weapon, or at least had one on him-- Because just being a low-life, is no reason to be shot down like a dog, running away-- Especially for a stupid back lot drug buy. I find the "quietness" on the LAWNET personnel's side, troubling to say the least. Some of my neighbors are saying that they're (the cops) just trying to get their stories to mesh-- Hopefully not true, and I usually do give the police the benefit of doubt, at least initially. Now if there was/is anything suspicious regarding the law officers use of deadly force in response to this "sting"-- Then my hat's off to local blog-star, Brett Schutzman for seeing/sensing it first, while he commented on Laura's site. I guess we'll just have to wait.
Another sad point: Are that some of my south-side neighbors are apathetic to say the least about this story: They see this as everyday shit, around here. Not quite true, but I understand their feelings-- Shootings are a little too common around here. Somewhat ignored on the official level, as well. Fusillade's of bullets fling about "Heritage Park" much more frequently than Arcade or N. Adams, in general, I'd wager. Yet after almost twelve years on the south-side myself, I can somewhat see where some of my neighbors are coming from, or at least how many of them seem to have developed and grown accustomed to this bunker-like apathetic mentality, and when you toss in a somewhat dormant (but still there) historical distrust of police-- I can sort of see their point, if only a little.
My two cents towards their viewpoint? Although the gunfire is by far more prevalent here (south-side), as well as the majority of gun -related deaths, I find that the news, the traditional sources as well as the blogosphere, tend to ignore it, somewhat. Yes, when a shooting incident or something happens here (south-side), it does get covered, of course-- Bad news is good news, as they say. But at most its a little blurb article in the newspaper, or a quick blurt on someones blog, so I find the news bits around here on this topic "lightly" covered at best, whatever the source. I also can't help but wonder if that's because folks in this town are used to just shrugging and saying something along the lines of "Same old south-side shit" and then go on about their day? I hope not. Yet when I compare, say, the blog postings about this Arcade Street shooting, and see the number of comments being currently made on these posts, it's in direct contrast with the amount of "blog-action" or attention given to someone killed around here-- It usually gets a little posted feedback then its on to the next topic. Look, I'm not about to gather up tireless links to support my argument, I'm sure that if you care too, you can look up the archives of various local bloggers and you'll be able to see where I'm coming from. For instance: One local blog is up to 44+ comments in two days on this Arcade shooting-- True, there's the added element that a cop was involved, so the numbers get ballooned somewhat. Still, if you can find that many comments archived on any other blog about a south-side shooting, I will eat one of my hats. Also irritating me slightly as well, is the shocked tone of some of the posters on these blogs: "Gasp! That's too close to depot town!" To which I infer that if it happens on the south-side (like it usually does) then it's better, if not downright OK? Aren't we all in the same town? Shouldn't an incident here have the same weight of importance as one on the north-side by cutesy-poo depot town?
Just wondering.
So, to finish: One of my neighbors sadly made a remark that sort of fits Ypsilanti in this present time: "Gun violence isn't new in this city-- Just seems so to some folks, when it steps up north of Harriet street...."
Foremost of course, is the recent "police action" that took place around N. Huron/Arcade streets, in which a man was gunned down eluding police officers after a botched and set up drug buy. If you've read the latest there seems to be some questions as to whether the man was armed or not. For the cops sake, as well as our own, I hope he had brandished a weapon, or at least had one on him-- Because just being a low-life, is no reason to be shot down like a dog, running away-- Especially for a stupid back lot drug buy. I find the "quietness" on the LAWNET personnel's side, troubling to say the least. Some of my neighbors are saying that they're (the cops) just trying to get their stories to mesh-- Hopefully not true, and I usually do give the police the benefit of doubt, at least initially. Now if there was/is anything suspicious regarding the law officers use of deadly force in response to this "sting"-- Then my hat's off to local blog-star, Brett Schutzman for seeing/sensing it first, while he commented on Laura's site. I guess we'll just have to wait.
Another sad point: Are that some of my south-side neighbors are apathetic to say the least about this story: They see this as everyday shit, around here. Not quite true, but I understand their feelings-- Shootings are a little too common around here. Somewhat ignored on the official level, as well. Fusillade's of bullets fling about "Heritage Park" much more frequently than Arcade or N. Adams, in general, I'd wager. Yet after almost twelve years on the south-side myself, I can somewhat see where some of my neighbors are coming from, or at least how many of them seem to have developed and grown accustomed to this bunker-like apathetic mentality, and when you toss in a somewhat dormant (but still there) historical distrust of police-- I can sort of see their point, if only a little.
My two cents towards their viewpoint? Although the gunfire is by far more prevalent here (south-side), as well as the majority of gun -related deaths, I find that the news, the traditional sources as well as the blogosphere, tend to ignore it, somewhat. Yes, when a shooting incident or something happens here (south-side), it does get covered, of course-- Bad news is good news, as they say. But at most its a little blurb article in the newspaper, or a quick blurt on someones blog, so I find the news bits around here on this topic "lightly" covered at best, whatever the source. I also can't help but wonder if that's because folks in this town are used to just shrugging and saying something along the lines of "Same old south-side shit" and then go on about their day? I hope not. Yet when I compare, say, the blog postings about this Arcade Street shooting, and see the number of comments being currently made on these posts, it's in direct contrast with the amount of "blog-action" or attention given to someone killed around here-- It usually gets a little posted feedback then its on to the next topic. Look, I'm not about to gather up tireless links to support my argument, I'm sure that if you care too, you can look up the archives of various local bloggers and you'll be able to see where I'm coming from. For instance: One local blog is up to 44+ comments in two days on this Arcade shooting-- True, there's the added element that a cop was involved, so the numbers get ballooned somewhat. Still, if you can find that many comments archived on any other blog about a south-side shooting, I will eat one of my hats. Also irritating me slightly as well, is the shocked tone of some of the posters on these blogs: "Gasp! That's too close to depot town!" To which I infer that if it happens on the south-side (like it usually does) then it's better, if not downright OK? Aren't we all in the same town? Shouldn't an incident here have the same weight of importance as one on the north-side by cutesy-poo depot town?
Just wondering.
So, to finish: One of my neighbors sadly made a remark that sort of fits Ypsilanti in this present time: "Gun violence isn't new in this city-- Just seems so to some folks, when it steps up north of Harriet street...."
posted by Rob at 2:47 PM
2 Comments:
I'm sure this won't come as a surprise to you, but to answer your rhetorical questions:
The vast majority of blogs in Ypsilanti are maintained by individuals who live in Normal Park, Midtown, or Depot Town. They are nearly all white, upper-middle-class homeowners, with college degrees and steady jobs, mostly in Ann Arbor.
Thus, in the local blogosphere, anything south of Michigan Avenue doesn't usually register as more than a blip on the radar. Similarly, unless I myself write about it, there is never any mention of events transpiring north of EMU in the much-maligned and poorly-titled "Student Ghettos" (unless, of course, it involves some money changing hands in conjunction with a particular apartment complex, or the misadventures of David Kircher).
Your frustration is certainly warranted, in my opinion, as I've felt it myself for some time and have probably grown overly cynical as a result.
Thanks, Brett. I know that cynical feeling as well (as you may have surmised).... Been following your comments on Mark's site, and if poor Mr. Ware's attorney is anywhere close to right about what went down, then I'd say not only has the "can of worms" been opened-- The little buggers are practically jumping out of the tin! (can't help but have visions of a quickly wiped down gun being placed in a deceased hand... but that's what a lifetime of crime shows will do to ya..)
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