Submitted for your consideration: it is impossible to prosecute the drug war WITHOUT systemic abuses and routine violations of individual rights. Our history guarantees that African Americans bear the brunt. No consent decree, sensitivity training, or community policing strategy will fix the fundamental contradiction. Instead of facing up to the facts, we outsource the consequences to working class cops and underclass blacks. Then we blame the people we’ve put in these impossible situations for the inevitable abuses and bloodshed.
Category: Baltimore
Evidence for my manic-depressive hate/love affair with Baltimore. People, events, community, politics, urbanism, etc.
A new “game changer” for Baltimore post-Grand Prix
With the end of the Grand Prix in Baltimore, maybe we should seize the moment to propose some new models for encouraging visits, business, and better quality of life for all Baltimore. What are your ideas? Can you think of one or more events or programs that would cost the city little and greatly enhance our surroundings?
Here’s one idea to kick it off:
Turn Charles Street between North Avenue and Pratt into a no-cars playground for Labor Day weekend. Run busses in a loop around the area. Let the existing businesses sprawl on to the sidewalk. Fill empty storefronts with pop-up galleries, handicrafts, etc. Give arts and community groups space as well. Food trucks and restaurants will serve everyone. Create pop-up parks and games along the way.
Your thoughts?
Grand Prix of Baltimore canceled through 2015, and likely beyond
Race cars may have burned rubber on the streets of Baltimore for the last time earlier this month, as Grand Prix of Baltimore organizers announced Friday calendar conflicts doomed the event for the next two years.
Do you like ironic reclamation of negative symbols? Do you dislike decaying vacants and urban blight?
If you are a fan of Baltimore Slumlord Watch and/or ironic reclamation of negative symbols, you may be interested in this shirt/fundraiser: http://teespring.com/fightblight
The city is trying to demolish dangerous vacants, and there’s a program to help renovate those that can be restored, but more needs to be done.Fight Baltimore Blight
Throughout Baltimore (and many other cities), decaying vacant homes have been marked with a white “x” on a red background. Fire departments, wary of losing their brave firefighters, have determined these buildings are so unstable that they should not be entered unless lives are at stake. It’s a haunting icon of decay and resignation.
Let’s reclaim this symbol of despair and send a little support to the people fighting blight by ordering this T-shirt. The modest proceeds of these sales will be donated to Housing Policy Watch.