This has been the question posed, but the definition of caring is one that I reject. The Courant has framed the issue as follows: Hartford residents do or do not care about the city based on political corruption and/or low voter turnout.
As if those were the only indicators of caring!
Don’t Blame Me for Perez
I have voted in every election. Because I am not able to see the world through rose-colored glasses, I know that people can be corrupt, evil, or just plain stupid, regardless of party affiliation; thus, I do not vote along any party line. Although I do not despise him as many do, I have never voted for Perez. And guess what? Many others in Hartford did not vote for him either. Citing as proof that Hartford residents do not care because Mayor Perez was reelected is like saying Americans did not care because GWB was elected twice. I do not understand why some would cast their votes in favor of certain candidates, but they do.
Low voter turnout is a problem, but it is not a problem unique to Hartford. Even in presidential elections, Americans do not take part as they could. Do we blame voters for not participating in a system that they view as broken or unable to be affected by the people? I don’t. I’ll admit to not always believing that my vote matters, but I do it anyway…in the same way that I wear a seatbelt or a bike helmet. It might be futile, but then, it might not, and it does not hurt me to do so.
Instead of framing the outcome of an election as a sign that Hartford residents do not care, why do we not ask instead why better candidates are not running for political office?
I do not care about Perez
Sure, I care about him as a human being. He’s never been unpleasant in my very few interactions with him. But I do not care about his trial. There. I said it.
The media cares about the Perez trial because it is scandalous (low grade scandal is what I would call it) and scandal sells papers, gets viewers, and allows “reporters” to sit in a court room tweeting inane, irrelevant observations, passing that off as news.
It’s not that I am a supporter of corruption. If the Mayor did in fact do something illegal, he should be punished appropriately for it. But — here’s a shocker — his fancy counter tops do not affect my everyday life. They are not the first thing I think of in the morning and the last thing before I go to sleep. No, the last thing I think about when going to bed is how the “noise ordinance with teeth” is more like one with dentures, in that when residents call for enforcement, the teeth have been removed. I care about the need for stronger enforcement of leash laws. There are people who let their pit bulls roam, which causes problems when they tangle with other dogs; there are some in my neighborhood who are afraid they will be bitten. Another thing I care about is how lackadaisical traffic law enforcement is. The police only need to park themselves at the corner of Broad and Capitol to meet any ticket quotas they might have. Every single time I am at this intersection I see people running red lights, speeding through the intersection, and doing other amazingly idiotic things, like texting while turning. Sit by the highway on and off ramps. I would feel safer standing in the middle of a driving school parking lot. I care about low literacy, bullying in schools, and the lack of employment for residents. I care that in certain neighborhoods where there are high rates of diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure, I see prominent billboards advertising alcohol and fast food. I care about the way downtown landlords price out low income residents or new small businesses, how the city demolishes buildings they own rather than maintain them so that they can be used, how the parks are not maintained as they should be, and how a minority of violent thugs make life unbearable in small sections of the city.
When I do not have so many other things to care about, then maybe I will have room in my brain for caring about a rather minor accusation made of a politician, who, by the way, has not gotten us into a war (or two), permitted torture, or wrecked the economy. Let’s prioritize our outrage. If Perez acted illegally, then he should be punished, but there is no need to sensationalize the trial, as this is not worthy of sensationalism.
Joe
Good piece Kerri. I was disappointed to read the links though. The problems of Hartford are so much bigger than us and are not controllable by Hartford alone. We could write a treatise on that, but we’re all too busy trying to get by and do right by Hartford.
And I was really upset to see folks like Rick Green, Duby McDowell, and Colin McEnroe say that folks like us who live here are part of the problem. It’s attitudes like that that makes one feel even more that it’s useless to be involved. There are many of us who are frustrated in our attempts to make Hartford a better place, but we keep plugging away. And although we may not be perfect, WE ARE NOT THE PROBLEM!
Perhaps some encouragement and help could come from these self-appointed guardians of the city’s welfare rather than pontificating from a radio mic or newspaper column. I’m actually surprised that “caring” has been reduced to voter turnout and whether or not we pay attention to Eddie’s trial. I thought these folks were smarter and more nuanced than that.
Kerri Provost
Joe, you said it way better than I was trying to. Thanks for that, and for all of the work you are doing in the city.
peter brush
I’m not sure the question should be framed as, “Who cares?” But, now that you mention it, most residents don’t. They are, in fact, mere residents, not citizens. I differ with Colin, and other liberals; more voting won’t help. The potential electorate doesn’t care, and/or is hopelessly wed to liberal machine government. I commend those who strive to make Hartford a better place, but at the end of the day the problem with the town is the folks who live here. Ditto with the schools. The critical difference between the Connecticut Hartford district schools and the Connecticut West Hartford ones, for example, is the students. Hartford is zoned ghetto, and we take the $ from outside to pretend we’re governing ourselves well/educating ourselves well. We might wish the municipal government/state schools were better, more honest, but at the end of the day we settle for the government jobs and handouts. Parenthetically, I’ve lived in this shell of a town for more than 25 years.
Kerri Provost
If you hate it so much, why do you bother to stay? You don’t need papers to move to West Hartford or Glastonbury. There are no border guards. You’re free to go at any time.
But seriously, I don’t understand the negativity. What are you doing to improve Hartford? How are you behaving as a citizen and resident? I’m asking because you are criticizing without offering any solutions.
Furthermore, I don’t understand how you can continue to make false generalizations. I live in this city (which is not a shell) and can quickly name dozens of residents who care a lot about it and are working to improve it. Maybe you need to get out of your cynical shell and meet different people…you’d see that not everyone here, or even most, are content with the way things are.
peter brush
I think you are afraid of generalizations as a whole, because their truth hurts. How about this for a generalization? We in Hartford are simply more criminal than in neighboring towns. In my 06106 zipcode, for example, we have about 200 registered sex criminals. If we had registries for other types of crimes we’d find that a significant portion of the population would be registered. As to why I live here, who knows? I’m not particularly attracted to Glastonbury, etc. Doesn’t disqualify me from assessing Hartford honestly. Not a shell? Check out retail on Front Street.
Kerri Provost
Your example is a shopping center that is still under construction?
Come check out Park Street. Hardly a shell.
peter brush
Compared to Front Street Park Street is, indeed, vibrant. I cross it on a daily basis on my way to my favorite bodega up on Broad (good price on beer, and fair price on Sunday). I sometimes use the library on Park. I have met people who insist they wouldn’t mind if their daughters were to walk down Park at night. I think they’re nuts.
elizabeth
Afraid of generalizations? no I’d say weary of them as they help about as much as whining does. You didn’t answer the question “what are you doing to improve your hometown?
As to your “we in Hartford are more criminal” statement. Please. 1) have you any idea how many surrounding towns are drop off points for people just released from prison? have you checked all those folks “real” hometowns? 2) have you checked who primarily supports the criminality, i.e. supplies the guns, buys the drugs, launders the $$$?
As to “allow their daughters” – if I had one I wouldn’t let her to walk around much of anywhere by herself at night. After a certain age and with friends I knew and felt were as sensible as she? Anywhere that had a decent reason for her to want to visit.
I think I’ve past “brief” without even putting a dent in my passion for coming to the defense of my chosen home.
Anne
I appreciate your blog and your comments about Hartford. I agree–it can’t be all about Perez and voting. I wrote a letter to the Courant about Jamil Ragland’s op ed piece; perhaps it will be printed. I offer no great solutions, just that each of us do our best to be good citizens and residents. Keep being positive–I love to see your photos and your enthusiasm for Hartford.
Kerri Provost
Thanks! I’ll check back to see if it gets printed or not. If they don’t run it, feel free to leave the extended comments here.
Kerri Provost
I see it got published here: http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/letters/hc-letter-paluck-20100530,0,6404259.story
I like the example of the flowers on the median. We have so many examples of small ways that people are trying to make improvements. Thanks for writing this.
Jim Condren
Peter, you’re still talkin’ smack after all these years. You want criminal registries for Hartford residents? Well, if there was a criminal registry for offenses against logic, sound reasoning, and common sense, your name would be on it. Oh yeah, and add spurious generalizations to your rap sheet. You say the problem is the caliber of people living in the city? Take a kid born west of Prospect Avenue and let him come of age on the mean streets of Hartford. Conversely, take a ghetto kid and raise him in the lap of luxury. How do you think they’ll turn out? Model citizen or on a crime registry?
As for voting and responsible citizenry, how do you explain Dubya’s two terms? The worst president in history wasn’t elected by urban voters.
peter brush
Jim:
I talk no “smack.” I have not criticized anyone’s lack of common sense, etc. I am simply agreeing with Colin McCenroe, et al. This little conversation began with a guy named Danton saying, “It seems that McEnroe (on whose show I am occasionally a guest), Duby McDowell and my colleague Rick Green declared Hartford’s government broken and implied, in Ragland’s view, that “the people of Hartford have gotten the government they deserve.” I haven’t made any spurious generalizations, but agree with you; the streets of Hartford are “mean” and there are a lot of “ghetto” people here. Speaking of good things about our fair town, and Park Street in particular, I heartily recommend Park Hardware. On the other hand, the big grocery store across the street closed about a month after opening and remains an empty shell.
elizabeth
things that have me burned about Perez’s “problems”:
he (and his contractor) thought it was fine that no permits were requested for the work. ditto for the other city admin guy who had his front yard converted to a driveway.
No one asking why Costa got the contract for Park St. in the first place.
Whether Perez is gripping his mayoral position in order to reach his magic date for hauling in a city pension. (Rumor has it that would be about six more months.)
And, in general, how little he seems to understand ANY of the neighborhoods of the city and what issues matter to them.