Kauffman Park / SWAT article from Oct. 18 issue

[Guest]

The article regarding the SWAT team at Kaffman Park depicts a group of "good boys" that clean up litter in the neighborhood. Being that I live near Kauffman Park, I found the article very disenheartening; for the real truth of the problems at Kauffman Park were not noted one bit in that Lengthy article of gibberish.

Firstly, I am not saying that those boys written about in the article are bad. I truly believe that there are some very fine youth in this community and I respect that they are trying to keep the community clean and beautiful. However, they can not and should not be to blame for the youth who continue to be bad or troubled. And the article was very misleading indicating that there are only "good kids" that hang out up there.

The real issues at Kauffman Park is that the park has turned into a teenage hangout with no supervision. Without proper supervision, sometimes things get out of hand. We were all kids and know this from our own experiences.

There are nights where anywhere from 30 - 50 kids are up there with music blaring loudly from a car in the parking lot. These kids are essentially having a party up there every night in summertime. Since school is back in session, the problems are not as bad. Obviously, the city needs to look into some solutions to keep this kids occupied when they are not in school. Evening youth programs that interest teenagers need to be developed and sought after in order to give these kids a place to go and enjoy each other on a social basis which is essentially what they are trying to do at the park.

The article implied at several points that it is a racial thing which is wholly incorrect. I don't think any good parent would condone the foul language, the dope smoking, and the drug dealing from their children or want their children exposed to it no matter what color, shape, or intelligence their child is. Besides, I have never seen anyone living in Lakewood take a racial or bi-racial stance. I don't believe that the people living in this community have those issues.

Now, you can believe that all is well and good at the park. But, I am telling you that parents with young children do not even feel comfortable in the park and parents are no longer taking their small children there to play. The parents do not want their small children exposed to the foul language that is fiercely present amongst those teenagers that are hanging out there. A group of teens that large can be intimidating.

The article mentioned that the SWAT team has a message that is all about respect. Respect for yourself, your neighbor, and your "hood" in the "Wood". How about making me believe that this is truly their message.

If all teens hanging out there could please respect themselves, the neighbors, and the "hood" enough that the illegal activities stop and that the foul language stops so that we can all enjoy our "hood" together as a community.

[Ellen Malonis]

Thank you, Carly, for posting about his article. It was hard for me to assimilate much of the article myself. Perhaps I missed it, but was there an explanation of the term "SWAT" near the beginning that would help put things in context?

I appreciate the Observer so much. I personally was a little overwhelmed with this current issue. I could not make it through most of the lengthy articles.

I enjoyed the concise well written piece about St. Cyril & Methodias.

Since you live near the park, I can understand how intimidating it must be to see a large number of kids hanging out. With those numbers, and human nature, crowd mentality, peer pressure coming into play, you don't have to be there to imagine what the results can be. The article has opened up the discussion - which is the whole point for the existence of the LO.

It would be great to hear from some of those young folks. What did they think about the article? How many have read it - the whole thing?

OK, yes, now that I've commented on it, I'll go back and try to finish it!<g>

[Jim O'Bryan]

Carly


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Jim O'Bryan

[Jim O'Bryan]

Carly

We need to verify your membership.

As for Kaufman Park and the SWAT story. When we first got the call about "bad kids" at Kaufman Park I was very interested in seeing how it had change since the 60s and 70s. As Ken, Steve Calhoun and Dan Slife and I walked up the hill from Andrews I was very interested in finding how bad these kids were.

I started telling the other three how it used to be. I had remembered "hippies" milling about at the top, a softball game going on at the field, greasers slightly down the hill and some that floated amongst everyone.

When I got to the top of the hill and over to the entrance of the field I started to laugh. I noticed only one dramatic change. The clothing. There was a multi ethnic group over by the tennis courts, a group of pseudo punks($80 hair does not make one a punk), some stragglers working on their "game" getting ready to go the the park, and a softball game going on. DejaVu.

Now I find it funny as I talk to many members of this board. Especially old Lakewoodites. The group we later learned was SWAT, would have scared any old Lakewoodite, and many new ones. The four of us wandered into the group and using out tried and true method we worked every player together making mental notes of how they work together, then we broke them out and talked to them separately with one two or three of us working the group. I pulled away the leader, while the other three saw what would happen leaderless. Then we brought them back together and watched the show.

As we left in the short walk to Detroit we knew one thing. These kids we not BAD kids. They might has a couple bad habits, but they were not going to break in your house. They were not going to hurt or rob anyone. If anything the opposite was true. These "troubled" youths made no bones about having problem in school, and with others. But they had dreams of going to college, of getting jobs and families. They new they had to get their acts together but they had found this "safe zone" that kept them away from the really bad kids. This was their zone and they were going to take care of it and protect themselves.

Now lets think about this through my eyes. I am sure most had broken families. I am sure many smoked cigarettes and more. I am sure if they found a beer on the street they would drink it. But they were not bad kids, they were not as it is being made out here.

Now in this world of parents living vicariously through their children, and parents not letting children out of the eye site. The kids would have been bad. But I never felt unsafe EVER. Just the opposite, once the bridge was made I felt very comfortable. By the end of the drill down, and they held nothing back Dan decided he would do the story about them. Dan is fearless and very observant. He takes Slife of Life very seriously

I hope Dan jumps in on this because he spent the most time with them, but his thoughts are in the paper. I am sure we can get Steve and Ken to post their thoughts. But music might be loud, they might swear, but they are no different than 30 years ago.

To prove my point lets take a trip back to Lakewood 1971. As we walk down Detroit first we encounter the Webb Gang at Webb Pharmacy. These were my peeps. A group of 10-20 kids ages 14-18, that bonded over softball, football and Boones Farm. Next in the walk would be the Roman Fountain Gang, legendary names in Lakewood Gang Lore. Fox, Papileo, Norman, Lovano. within in this group was the Roman Fountain Junior Gang, with the brothers of some very tough kids. Most would walk to the other side of the street to go past Roman Fountain, even when traveling in a group, no especially if in a group. Next would be the Midnight Market Gang, a group of fun loving mix basically greasers turning into hippies. They also had the hot girls on the street but why not. Tough kids with long hair, all bases covered. Then there would be a small group at Ross Dairy, then came Kaufman Park, the common melting pot.

I promise you any of these groups and many of the woman in these groups were far more dangerous than SWAT. Were they bad kids, well some of these were bad kids, some even were arrested and spent time in juvenile hall. But today those that are still alive are active vibrant members of the city. i see members of Roman Fountain working for the city, the hospital, and doing other things. One was featured in the first edition with his beautiful stained glass. Members of the Webb Gang are everywhere including this paper. The Madden Brothers often seen on TV as clerks and bailiffs of county court. Famous musicians, authors, TV personalities. Midnight market guys seemed to turn to trades as iron workers almost all, except for Gus who I see every week working in his family's business The Place To Be.

Maybe this is why I see them as kids, not a threat. Their dreams for the future gave them away. They want jobs, they want to buy homes.

ALSO They knew the police, and the police knew them. From what we were able to figure out. It was a love hate relationship. They love the protection the police offered them, but also saw them as pesky parents that intruded on skateboarding, and making out with girlfriends. DejaVu.

My point is loud, maybe, nuisance, maybe, a threat no.

However next we go to Cove and Detroit, the war zone. Even the police cannot figure out it has gotten so bad in front of their station.

Ellen

As you can tell from my answer, this is not a short subject. This is one of the beauties of the Observer. Dan wrote and we fit it in. We did not limit him for a quick hit, to sensationalize, to gloss over. We/Dan drilled down so that you could meet these guys, just like Bognar The Walking Man, just like Phil DiSatis/Brother Petty.

We are working on shorter articles, and this issue actually had more than ever. But I have some big ones coming. But again this is what the Observer is all about. It was created not to report the news, which we are beginning to do. But to look at Lakewood, allow us to know Lakewood better than anyone has known a city. I think we are succeeding. We also wanted to tackle the tough issues facing Lakewood. So that as informed residents we can work together to make the city better. Again I think we are succeeding.

Finally, please write a story or two. You have some much to give, you are easily one of the more fascinating people on this board send me a good length of story(s) so that I can see what is a good size.

I cannot even begin to tell you how happy I am to see your name pop up.

.

[Kenneth Warren]

Ellen:

Here is the definition stated in the article:

"We're the S.W.A.T. team - Special Winning Attitude Team," says punctured rapper Kyle Rains....."

Here's an update.

Now that football season is here the S.W.A.T. team is playing football sans equipment on the field.

In the ancient spirit of contest, the dudes are rattling their bones.

Breaking from the football huddle, they puff on cigarettes.

Kyle believes this may be a first in the sport.

The other day Kyle broke his finger.

A dude, who is attending college, received a hairline fracture on his leg.

Tonight we spoke about the when the time was right for college.

Kenneth Warren

[Patrick Andrews]

The S.W.A.T. Team article in the Lakewood Observer of October 18 was hilarious. The pseudo-intellectual grad school jargon was dead on. By the third column I was laughing out loud. A few examples bear repeating:

"Their cultivation of urban space is both acute and restorative..."

"The economic and social realities of a de-industrialized nation impinge on the S.W.A.T. huddle."

"... creating a civic/tribal structure that engenders measures of respect for each other within open, public space."

The "politically flexible, culturally pluralist middle that allows for give-and-take relationships in civic space."

By the time the "burrito wrappers [met] the psychic scar tissue of youth, creating a unique sense of safety in good company," I wondered whether you would be able to sustain that level of satire throughout a 3,200+ word essay. However, you seem to possess an inexhaustible supply of social science gibberish: "the situational working class," "place-making," "chaos-making" and "creative, energetic and unsanctioned DIY terms."

Keep up the good work. I can't wait for "future Lakewood Observer inquires" on "how the message of respect for yourself and others informs the interface between the S.W.A.T. team dudes and the young girls drawn to the park."

Patrick Andrews

[Jim O'Bryan]

Keep up the good work. I can't wait for "future Lakewood Observer inquires" on "how the message of respect for yourself and others informs the interface between the S.W.A.T. team dudes and the young girls drawn to the park."

Patrick Andrews

Patrick

Excellent comments, you should write for the Observer. Groupie status might indeed have risen.

As for Dan, you should sit in on a "Wrecking Crew" session. I think you would die laughing. Everyone at the table has a different skill, and power of Observation. All of us tend to be a little too intense, but that is half the fun. Dan is amazing in his ability to blend, pull out information, and make it sound important.


.

[Dan Slife]

Carly,

Your concerns about the mob of kids at Kauffmann park are well founded. Perceptions about class, race and expectations are not necessarily "driven"at the conscious level.

There was one particular line of reasoning that I'd like to address specifically.

"I don't think any good parent would condone the foul language, the dope smoking, and the drug dealing from their children or want their children exposed to it no matter what color, shape, or intelligence their child is."

Welcome to working-class Lakewood. Two parents working 50+ hours a week, single parent households, divorce and other issues effecting family structure will allow for less "control" and "refinement" when resources are low to "just-get-by". The "just-getting-by" economic model is not only limited in sophistication where child rearing is concerned. It cannot allocate necessary resources to keep child in structured environments while hyper-stressed parents are slaving to make the next months debt.


"Besides, I have never seen anyone living in Lakewood take a racial or bi-racial stance. I don't believe that the people living in this community have those issues."

Have you asked the question? I have. You'll be suprised how phoney the"liberal city" myth is. It's liberal in a 1950's sense. I've talked to many residents, business owners, landlords and city workers. There's a general inclination toward ascribing all the negative attributes of poverty to minority populations. However, there certainly are correlations between class and race and crime that are worth examining.

While browsing the book stacks one day at Lakewood Library, I overheard two 50-something gentlemen discussing the mass-exodous of residents. They went back and forth rattling off the names of 8 families, all of which had their homes on the market. They were getting out before the "Canadians take over". I'll let you do the research on that one.

Personally, I do not subscribe to the racial hysteria. This is what I'm hearing and experiencing. While I don't belive that it's in our city's best interest to turn a blind eye to what seems to be an increase in crime, this problem cannot be addressed without factoring the class and racial pieces of the puzzle, issues few want to aknowlegde, much less address.

You see a law breaking punk. I see myself and many of my friends at age 16 who are now successful working class adults, holding down jobs and just-getting-by, as they learned via hard-knocks education. Figuring it out on their own.

Best,
Dan

[Jim O'Bryan]

Carly,

Your concerns about the mob of kids at Kauffmann park are well founded. Perceptions about class, race and expectations are not necessarily "driven"at the conscious level.

There was one particular line of reasoning that I'd like to address specifically.

"I don't think any good parent would condone the foul language, the dope smoking, and the drug dealing from their children or want their children exposed to it no matter what color, shape, or intelligence their child is."

Welcome to working-class Lakewood. Two parents working 50+ hours a week, single parent households, divorce and other issues effecting family structure will allow for less "control" and "refinement" when resources are low to "just-get-by". The "just-getting-by" economic model is not only limited in sophistication where child rearing is concerned. It cannot allocate necessary resources to keep child in structured environments while hyper-stressed parents are slaving to make the next months debt.


"Besides, I have never seen anyone living in Lakewood take a racial or bi-racial stance. I don't believe that the people living in this community have those issues."

Have you asked the question? I have. You'll be suprised how phoney the"liberal city" myth is. It's liberal in a 1950's sense. I've talked to many residents, business owners, landlords and city workers. There's a general inclination toward ascribing all the negative attributes of poverty to minority populations. There certainly are correlations between class and race and crime stats that are worth examining.

While browsing the book stacks one day at Lakewood Library, I overheard two 50-something gentlemen discussing the mass-exodous of residents. They went back and forth rattling off the names of 8 families, all of which had their homes on the market. They were getting out before the "Canadians take over". I'll let you do the research on that one.

Personally, I do not subscribe to the racial hysteria. This is what I'm hearing and experiencing. While I don't belive that it's in our city's best interest to turn a blind eye to what seems to be an increase in crime, this problem cannot be addressed without factoring the class and racial pieces of the puzzle.

You see a law breaking punk. I see myself at age 16, and many of my friends who are now successful working class adults, holding down jobs and just-getting-by, as they learned via hard-knocks education. Figuring it out on their own.

Best,
Dan

You go boy!


I have heard more than one member of this forum talk about the, "err, ah, (look over both shoulders), wrong kind of Lakewoodites."

.

[Stephen Calhoun]

It's a work ing class
cit ee.
no ought mid
le class. nor
up ur-class. naw ain't low
est glass.
nary class ee
is it?

Professor Feste

***


Of the United States
I'll go and sit down a few minutes with my soul. Hello,
are you there? and if so, what have you got to say?

Like when they ask you, how do you write poems, Mr. Olson,
what do you say? that if they come out, they come out, and

if they don't come out, they don't. Walk out with a resound-
ing tread, if you don't want to walk out, stay, the objectification

is all, the relevance is all, all is included, all does move,
sitting down, if it has the capacity. The bear, or Pencil, the

greatest of all the catfish of all the rivers of the South, of
the United States, is desired, and if you think you can catch him,

or shoot him, without going through the formulas, and concerning
yourself with his relatives, I do believe you are on the thin side.

There are those who are vulgar, and they increase. There are those
who obey, and there's more obedience at the same time that gall,

from the fact that people now live in cells, is most noticeable.
It's the flagrant, and the sensitive, who are now most at war,

the flagrant walking the streets, the sensitive all bundled up,
in their homes. This is the new war, and you could say that Yakuts,

who know bears best, ought to be imported to establish rites and
encourage warnings for those who want to know what they are up against,

when they go out these days. And the sensitive? what can we do for
them? Is there anything which helps a person arm themselves? Is there?

My soul, it's your turn. Have you any answers? Have you anything to say,
today, to those who suffer the present condition of mankind? Have you?

Olson, C.

[Ruthie Koenigsmark]

(my first post to this disappeared. but I’m trying again)Thank you to LO for bringing this issue to the forefront …….as a parent of two boys I am disturbed(worried) by the thought of kids just “hanging outâ€Â￾ in Kaufmann Park or anywhere. I understand and appreciate the “growing upâ€Â￾ phase. I just have to wonder if our kids are being presented with all the options that exist in doing things socially but positively. My guess is probably not, unless you happen to have a parent who seeks things out.

I so hope to see that our next generation will be compassionate, inquisitive and have a strong social conscience,,,but how do they get there? I am a believer that it “takes a village to raise a childâ€Â￾ and from that have always lived(and hope that my children will too) by Ruthie’s Garden Theory(RGTâ€â€￾he, he) which is that we are all given a garden, we are literally, but more than the flowers we plant…it’s the family and friends we are given to nurture …once we have nurtured our primary garden it is our responsibility to tend the “world gardenâ€Â￾ however the need presents itself. I can’t help but think that the visit from some LO contributors was a very positive thing for these kids…. how can we offer our kids more opportunities to become socially conscience citizens?

[Jim O'Bryan]

... I so hope to see that our next generation will be compassionate, inquisitive and have a strong social conscience,,,but how do they get there? I am a believer that it ?takes a village to raise a child? and from that have always lived(and hope that my children will too) by Ruthie?s Garden Theory(RGT?he, he) which is that we are all given a garden, we are literally, but more than the flowers we plant?it?s the family and friends we are given to nurture ?once we have nurtured our primary garden it is our responsibility to tend the ?world garden? however the need presents itself. I can?t help but think that the visit from some LO contributors was a very positive thing for these kids?. how can we offer our kids more opportunities to become socially conscience citizens?

Ruthie

Beautiful words beautiful thoughts.

But where to begin. The gist of Dan's story is not so much about the kids, but the "situational working class." Now I am lucky enough to know you, your husband and your family, it is a very good family unit. But it is a very rare family unit in this day and age, especially in Lakewood.

I know I will get some people jumping in saying speak for yourself, our family...

But the truth is, is this day and age we have broken families, working families, absent families, drugged out families etc. The crush of the failure of this administration to hold the reins on jobs and the economy will only accelerate the problem.

I am sure we all know at least one family with someone working two jobs to stay above water, some need three or four in the same family. In the past, dad was the bread winner, and mom watched the family, and kept the children busy and free from those nasty outside influences.

But that is just the tip of a very large iceberg getting ready to hit America, as Dan points out. The city, the country has been stripped of things that were around when we grew up, Gray Y, and after school program run by the YMCA, gone. After school activities sponsored by the schools GONE, fun programs from the churches, gone. And it leaves nothing for many kids to do.

Again back to Dan's story, and what I tried to underline in my first response. These kids SWAT, and many other kids have formed groups, just as kids always have (remember the sharks and the jets). For safety, help, convenience, and to occupy their minds. Of course, "feral" kids are left to their own to develop and it becomes a 50/50 chance on which way they go. But what was refreshing in this whole drill down is that many if not MOST of SWAT have hopes, dreams and aspirations to be better. This is a good thing.

To be honest I see bigger problems with families that live vicariously through their children. My generation(I know you are much, much younger) have really screwed up so many things. Now the only thing left is to screw up their kids and their kids lives by keeping them TOO CLOSE, and not letting them experience life in little bits and pieces that allow them to grow, test their wings, and leave the nest.

A not so nice example would be binge drinking. Kids that experiment with social drinking in their youth while they are at home, tend to not be binge drinkers. They become social drinkers. Because they have the training to be able to walk into their homes and not raise suspicion. It is the older person that leaves the nest and goes to school that usually goes over the edge.

So we as a society are only left with a two choices in SWAT, all pointed out by Dan directly or indirectly. One, ignore them, at least we know we can walk through Kaufman Park without fear. Two, be aware of the problems and take proactive steps to help and fix them. work with the Chat Room, the Family Room, the Library and pour support, time and money into helping. But that comes at the cost of what you can give your family, and that becomes a very expensive proposition doesn't it.

Thanks again to ALL of our national politicians, and corporations for turning their collective backs on the USA and the people that live here. Because of their policies, the USA is going third world. But at least we are going third world together in the best suburb in the best region.


.

[Stephen Calhoun]

I have another gist: Jim, Ken, Dan, took the time to enter into a dialog with these men in the midst of an evening during which all of us ended up hanging out together.

Speaking for myself, and given what I know was my colleagues' experience, most if not all of our grown-up working assumptions taken through the 'front door' of the dialog were soon made to disappear.

It is important from my perspective to note that the SWAT Crew was open and at ease with our inquiry. We were, initially to them, complete strangers. One was dressed in a natty suit. Two in t-shirts and slacks. And, me in fatigues and a t-shirt. We may have a comprised a bit of an odd 'sight'.

Yet, we listened carefully, questioned both forthrightly and sincerely, and, we didn't patronize or condescend.

Much, were the village to raise children and each other, may ride on the basics of interpersonal communication, personal intention, (itself in my view a matter of real consciousness,) and the ability to set aside biases, unproven assumptions, and unhelpful habits of how one relates to other persons.

In coming to know what our community's people are really about, we are called to make very sincere and sophisticated inquiries of each other. This isn't about getting to know our prejudices and projections better! The demands made on our self-awareness in this interpersonal context include: being much more open, much more receptive, much more 'experimental', much more present.

We also have to free up the time to do this "knowing," act of knowing. So, it has to matter a great deal, has to move us off the 'dime' as-it-were.

Very few urban communities do this in the modern West. Maybe it's time to try the experiment of becoming the community where people deeply come to know what those persons who wish to be better known are about.

The SWAT Crew wished to be better known. And, those of us who began the inquiry were changed a bit by meeting their wish. So, there's something in all of this that poses the potential to be changed by this process of inquiry.

Personally, I feel it's very profound, so my time flows easily into this experiment. Time is the big challenge.

[kate parker]

In coming to know what our community's people are really about, we are called to make very sincere and sophisticated inquiries of each other. This isn't about getting to know our prejudices and projections better! The demands made on our self-awareness in this interpersonal context include: being much more open, much more receptive, much more 'experimental', much more present.

quoted for truth

[Danielle Masters]

But the truth is, is this day and age we have broken families, working families, absent families, drugged out families etc.

Jim, I agree completely with you. But there is hope for these kids. Growing up in bad situations can make you stronger. My husband and I both came from broken families. My dad was a not so nice person, I haven't seen or heard from him in years, which is a good thing. My husband came from a broken and pretty screwed up family also. But we knew what we didn't want and although it hasn't always been easy we are raising our children in a mostly functional family. It takes determination and dreams, which is what the SWAT kids seem to have.

Reading Dan's story was wonderful. We see kids all the time hanging out and often it is assumed they are up to no good. But Dan's story showed looks can be deceiving. These kids make look rough, but they are really no different than we were as kids.

I do wish that there were more activities to keep kids occupied. Although I am not for lots of government spending this is one area where I think we need to spend more, but I truly doubt that will be happening anytime soon. I do know that getting to know the teenagers around you is a great place to start in making their lives better. Talk to them and listen to them. It shows them that someone cares and for some of these kids that can mean the world to them. That is what you guys have done and I commend you for it.