Here are a few things I learned last night about the city I live in:
- it was the capital of the Confederacy (OK, i knew this one)
- it was built on land stolen from Native Americans through genocide (20,000+ killed)
- it was the largest slave market in the US (after New Orleans) from 1820-1860
As if that doesn’t explain a few things, here are some more thoughts (which are probably true no matter where you live):
- racial segregation is an economic plan
- neighborhoods are purposely segregated by income (think about it: those living in your neighborhood make relatively the same amount of money. the goal is to “move up” to the next neighborhood, the bigger house, nicer car, etc.)
- the only place you see what real community looks like is with the poor because they have no other choice.
Hmmm… just some thoughts. Do with them what you will….
[...] Sunday night Ben Campbell from the Richmond Hill came and spoke to our community about Richmond. He talked about everything from our cities past to our current struggles. Some of his thoughts from the night can be found on my wife’s blog: Mosaic. [...]
real community with the poor- I totally agree. I tutor a boy from a very poor family. Under one (small) roof they have mom, dad, 2 teenagers, aunt, uncle, baby cousin and occasionally grandma. They may not always get along, but they certainly know each other well and the student I tutor is among the sweetest kids I’ve ever met.
it’s interesting because not long ago, my son told my husband that he wished he could live in the projects. he didn’t know that they were the projects, he just knew that when he went there, everyone was outside living life together, playing together, and including him. he also knew that when he went home (to his safe, suburb community) that wouldn’t happen. we’re all self-sufficient and don’t need each other in my neighborhood… that’s completely untrue of course, but isn’t that our goal in life? to be able to do it ourselves and not need anyone’s help?
so unlike how life’s truly supposed to be….