bethb's Diaryland Diary

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for the thugs

lots of air quotes in this one...

Yesterday I went to a 'facility' where thugs are called 'scholars' and cafeterias are called 'cullinary' and fights are called 'altercations'. This is, i suppose, based on something called the 'Missouri Model' which after reading about, i endorse. Except the fucking wildebeast that patted us down before entering said 'facility' apparently hasn't gotten the memo.
When we got to the facility yesterday, two scholars apparently had an altercation in cullinary which resulted in a campus-wide lock down so we were not able to get in. When another member of the panel came and asked what was going on I explained it in the softer-side of juvenille detention which she didn't get so I had to rephrase it "two kids had it out in the cafeteria so no one is allowed in or out of the yard". Also, The Wildebeast was IRATE that the artist i was with had a small thermos full of coffee and I insisted i needed a cell phone as i was expecting a call at noon. Oh nonono nonono. NO, you don't UNDERSTAND me, you see that SIGN? You can't bring NO CELL PHONE in.
The sign that I couldn't see from 40 miles away in Washington DC, but now that I'm out here in East-jabib maryland I can make out behind the yellowed bulletproof glass? That sign? yes i can see that sign. When we were finally permitted access, nothing worked, the library was gross (and there were signs warning the young men as to the high AIDS rates of their female counterparts posted all over) and about 450 degrees. One more degree and all the books would have burst into flame. The first 'scholar' was really into the first artist and got up and shook (well...handshake/grab/dap thing) it was cute. He had to leave and three more brought in. One was a complete mouthbreather. And he's reproduced! Yay! I think the most we got out of him was a 'thumbs up'. Maybe he was just shy, but I kind of doubt it.
The thing that gets me about these kids (most kids in this city and I guess kids everywhere now) is *how* fucking loyal they are to these teeney patches of asphalt and neighborhoods and they let that shit identify them. Not that they're "the one that can hit 53 lay-ups in a row" or "eat 14 tacos in one sitting". It's about their street. And god forbid, you're from the next street or two over because then you're just fucking dead. And you know what? Those neighborhoods don't care about them. I mean, some do. Some try. Most just seem to throw their hands up in surrender and blame the problem on gentrification or the police or lack of or too much of. As someone who happily left where she grew up at 18 and really only went back for a few weeks in the summer (I guess the entire summer between college and grad school because I needed to make some money) I don't get it. I saw school as my chance to get out. And my home wasn't like this. It was nice. And cushy. i didn't get along with my parents then, but who did when they were 18? Too many of their parents have too many kids and just don't care and it's sad.
I'm encouraged to see what Obama is doing offering unpaid internships to DC seniors for this summer in the White House. I think that's pretty amazing. I'd like to see more opportunities like that happen and this Missouri Model take hold and grow and for these kids to learn that who you are is more than your street's name.

3:15 p.m. - 2009-03-31

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