White people make good neighbors?

[Holly C. Whisman]

Ohio wasn't a slave state. So there have never been many blacks in most of ohio. There's no need to feel guilty or lacking for that. It is just the way things are.

This is not about guilt, it's about raising questions. For example, we could compare the demographics of Lakewood and Cleveland Heights. Both are inner-ring suburbs with similar population and are both in the same range for median household income. However, as of the 2000 census, Cleveland Heights was 53% white and 41% black. Lakewood by comparison was 93% white and 1.7% black. (Someone raised the issue of inaccuracy in the census, and this is a valid point, however percentages this drastically different cannot be ignored.)

One must ask whether Lakewood has a history of discouraging diversity within its borders. This might explain why community leaders can look at a flier like the one Joe mentions and not see anything wrong with it.

In regard to the school enrollment statistics, these are probably the best data available to us at this time. While the changes reflect the changing demographics of Lakewood, we still can't pretend that we're living in a diverse, inclusive community.

The next logical questions: What should we do to promote rather than discourage diversity? How can we develop respect and understanding across cultures? (And on a personal level, do I want to raise my family in Lakewood?)

[Stephen Eisel]

One must ask whether Lakewood has a history of discouraging diversity within its borders. This might explain why community leaders can look at a flier like the one Joe mentions and not see anything wrong with it.

Would you ask the same question to the community leaders of Harlem, East St. Louis, and East Cleveland? Is it possible for every city in the US to have a diverse population ? when 75% of the US population is white? There are over 10,000 cities in the US..

[ryan costa]

Ohio wasn't a slave state. So there have never been many blacks in most of ohio. There's no need to feel guilty or lacking for that. It is just the way things are.

This is not about guilt, it's about raising questions. For example, we could compare the demographics of Lakewood and Cleveland Heights. Both are inner-ring suburbs with similar population and are both in the same range for median household income. However, as of the 2000 census, Cleveland Heights was 53% white and 41% black. Lakewood by comparison was 93% white and 1.7% black. (Someone raised the issue of inaccuracy in the census, and this is a valid point, however percentages this drastically different cannot be ignored.)

One must ask whether Lakewood has a history of discouraging diversity within its borders. This might explain why community leaders can look at a flier like the one Joe mentions and not see anything wrong with it.

In regard to the school enrollment statistics, these are probably the best data available to us at this time. While the changes reflect the changing demographics of Lakewood, we still can't pretend that we're living in a diverse, inclusive community.

The next logical questions: What should we do to promote rather than discourage diversity? How can we develop respect and understanding across cultures? (And on a personal level, do I want to raise my family in Lakewood?)

It is cool to promote tolerance and civility. There's no reason to promote demographic shifts for the sake of demographic shifts.

Thirty years ago the west side was nearly all not-african-american. Cuyahoga Heights was closer to black population centers. West side homes were generally nicer than east side homes, so white residents stayed in them longer. However, today you can buy a six bedroom house on the west side for 65 grand.

[Holly C. Whisman]

No one is promoting demographic shifts for the sake of demographic shifts. We don't have that power, anyway.

This is about City Hall marketing our community in such a way that would discourage some people from choosing Lakewood. Why would someone want to move into a community in which they're likely to feel threatened or out of place?

[The comparison was between Lakewood and Cleveland Heights, not Cuyahoga Heights.]

[Dee Krupp]

Why would someone want to move into a community in which they're likely to feel threatened or out of place?

If the number of minority residents is up, I don't think they are feeling threatened or out of place because of Lakewood's marketing.

[Dee Martinez]

[
It is cool to promote tolerance and civility. There's no reason to promote demographic shifts for the sake of demographic shifts.

I think this comment says it best. The city has no intrinsic interest in whether its population is X percent this or Y percent that. The citys interest is in making sure whatever the population is, it gets along with repect for the rule of law, the sense of "community"and each other.
Factors government cant control (jobs housing and such) will decide the demographic makeup. How the government reacts to providing for the needs and desires of the citizenship as a whole is what is worth discussing.

[Kenneth Warren]

Joe raises some interesting questions about the effectiveness of a publication that joins word and image in the effort to advance lawful cultural norms in Lakewood neighborhoods.

As the discussion suggests, the legal, political and practical culture of written rules published in Good Neighbor Guide is too easily subordinated to the image.

Because the written word is the basis of law within the dominant culture seeking to preserve its order, I believe, images are best left out of such a guidebook.

The tactical provision of written notice of expectations to the community, which includes strangers in midst of good neighbors, through publication of the Good Neighbor Guide is something people have been suggesting as necessary. Publication thus represents an act of faith in the written word to advance the rule of law and to conserve Lakewood’s collective memory and tradition of decent social order. Yet I would bet that illiteracy is the bane of many bad neighbors.

Is oral culture rather than written culture the better communication axis for transmission of neighborhood norms and laws?

In "Paleosymbolic psychometrics," Stephen Ellis cites a passage from Krishnamurti that is worth contemplating:

"Why does the mind create an image? Life isn't an image. Life is strife, unfortunately. Life is constant conflict. Conflict is not an image. It is a fact, that which is happening. So why does the mind create images? The speaker means by an image, a symbol, a concept, a conclusion, an ideal. These are all images--that is, what I should be; I am not this, but I would like to be that. That is an image projected by the mind in time, projected into the future. So that is unreal. What is real is what is actually taking place now in your mind. Can we go on from there?"
[ J. Krishnamurti, To Be Human ]

Source: http://tinyurl.com/2h2tlz


Kenneth Warren

[dl meckes]

Yet I would bet that illiteracy is the bane of many bad neighbors.

Is oral culture rather than written culture the better communication axis for transmission of neighborhood norms and laws?

Kenneth Warren

Because there are problems with illiteracy, because English is not always the first language and because good neighbors are wary about speaking to each other, I would suggest that provides a strong argument for the prolific use of images to illustrate good neighbor guidelines.

This also makes careful thought about the use of words and images imperative. We send many messages as we communicate. Sometimes the message seems straightforward but in fact is not.

I don't believe there was anything intentionally malicious about the good neighbor guide but neither do I think the guide's potential impact was carefully considered.

[ryan costa]

language is weird. I'm not sure what the axis or vector of transmission of culture is.

I've worked with a few African refugees in my usual 8 dollar an hour crap jobs. I got along with them fine. They moved here as teenagers or young adults, not speaking english. Somehow they talked better english than most of the youth of cleveland and columbus.

I've worked with all kinds of old blacks and hillbillies or just hung out with them at the fishing piers. their grandkids or great grandkids just go all wrong and talk this rough ebonics or carnie methhead kind of talk.

The kids of my mexican neighbors are very well spoken, and I live in a somewhat bad neighborhood. I mean, it isn't as nice as lakewood or westlake.

There are transformative spurts of history. That's why we don't sound british any more. It will be nice to hear how people sound 50 years from now. hopefully not like Mickey Mouse.

[Kenneth Warren]

dl:

You are correct. We are contemplating, after all, a propaganda tool for indoctrination into good neighbor cultural norms. Thus more targeted and sophisticated deployments of images geared to behavioral norms might fire up mirror neurons in bad neighbor brains helping them to become good neighbors.

Walter Lipmann said it: "We shall assume that what each man does is based not on direct and certain knowledge, but on pictures made by himself or given to him...But what is propaganda, if not the effort to alter the picture to which men respond, to substitute one social pattern for another?"

Source: http://tinyurl.com/2egk9s

Kenneth Warren

[Kate McCarthy]

Hi Joe - another place I noticed a similar depiction of Lakewood was on the rendering of the Kaufman park development.....to me it looked like someone wanted us to look like a future "crocker park".

Thanks for noticing things like this.

~Annie

I haven't seen this? Where can I get my hands on the latest propaganda?

I have to say I haven't been anywhere where I've seen print copies of the observer lately (I always picked them up at the library but there's not much there there right now). But I can say I chuckle monthly over the very white crocker park ads that appear in Cleveland Magazine.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Where I notice this most is in malt liqour ads, no white faces what is up with that?

I have been thinking about this, and it does really twist my head.

I have been in a couple meetings for art like this, and have never heard anyone say "white people only." I am sure it happens sometimes and at some level, but not in early development or changes I have worked on.

I take that back. On project for BP America and health services. After the entire project was done, the woman who was in charge, a darker human wanted the artwork change to be black families on the cover. I am sure at some point she felt a point needed to be made.

So my question is. Is it more correct to let designers design, or to make sure blacks, asian, round faced Irish, some Mid-Easterners are included. Which breeds hatred and diviseness? Which is correct. Should we wonder why the Mona Lisa is Italian? Or are we just over thinking everything.

To me the courageous conversation is teaching people we are all human, we are all in it together, and we really have to get away from labels.

FWIW

ps - 6'4" brown hair, blue eyes, Irish

[Shawn Juris]

Great Googly Moogly. Is today the vernal equinox or something, I agree with Jim on this one.

[Rick Uldricks]

deleted

[Chris Karel]

John thanks for posting the link. After re-reading the pamphlet I was curious to see how the city communicated the penalty for dog waste.

It says:
ALWAYS clean up after your dog on public or private
property. Dispose of it in your own trash. Do not put it
down the drain.

Currently, there is an ordinance passed in 04 - 505.15 DOG EXCREMENT REMOVAL. that states " Whoever violates any provision of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor and for each subsequent offense a misdemeanor of the fourth degree."

This provision needs greater enforcement. I am a father of two school-aged boys who walk to school multiple blocks each day. It has become routine to watch out for doggie "land mines". It is obvious that the poo-poo is stepped in. It gets tracked into school and ultimately homes. I believe this is avoidable by getting the word out that you will be fined if you are caught not cleaning up after your animal.

Any suggestions?