[Introduction and Background] Buzz Bissinger’s A Prayer for the City discussed many issues that impacted cities around the nation, but more specifically the problems of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia has had an illustrious history as an American city- the Declaration of Independence was signed there, it was one of America 's first cities, and currently it has the fifth largest population of any city. When Rendell took office as mayor, he faced a multitude of issues. Some of these issues were “immediate crises” that he believed may go away by some miracle, others would require much more work and seemed to be nearly impossible tasks. Among the problems for Philadelphia were crippling unemployment, crime, and race relations within the …show more content…
For Philadelphia, the shipyard was a place that they could always count on for employment. There was always a need for people to work there and for the most part, the people of the city took advantage of that. There was a certain vibe within the city and the nation that the shipyard would always be there and would always be able to provide work. Former Secretary of the Navy, Francis P. Matthews once wrote, “I have every confidence that one hundred and fifty years from today Americans will repeat this solute to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard when it celebrates three hundred years of distinguished service to the fleet and to the nation.” Not even a half century later, Matthews prediction was proven to be …show more content…
Bissinger describes the cycle as a treadmill. Regardless of how much running an individual does, they will always be stuck in the same place. If they attempt to go about life in the correct manner, they are not getting anywhere due to discrimination and a poor economy. On the other hand, if they turn to a life, of thievery, drugs, and other crimes, they are only making themselves and their neighborhoods worse. In that sense, it is also like a treadmill, not because they cannot make progress, but the cycle of crime is always pushing people backwards. Consequently, hatred and hate crimes rise. In tough times people often look for scapegoats. People like to place blame on others because it is difficult to see their own faults. It is argued that the people of the Kensington area of Philadelphia were the hardest whites. Their desperation coupled with competition from minorities and evident crime around them led them to pick all non-whites as their scapegoats. While the race relations before may have been poor, they were about to get significantly
In his August 7, 2011 Sunday morning speech at Mount Carmel Baptist Church in West Philadelphia, Mayor Michael Nutter aims to confront teens of Philadelphia. The congregation consist of all ages, different races, genders, and religious views. Unfortunately, Mayor Nutter introduction to the congregation happen prior to me listening to his speech. Therefore, I am unable to comment on the introduction. However, the great scheme of things began to unravel as he shared the fact he was away days prior to the incidents that happened the night before. Mayor Michael Nutter did not clearly state his thesis statement until much later. Nevertheless, by using, association with humor, ethos, and guilt amongst a few other strategies he appeals to the parents to get their children off the streets as they are
An obsession exists in the world today based solely upon the use of scapegoats. According to the dictionary, a scapegoat consists of a person or group made to bear the blame for others or to suffer in their place. Some of the most influential scapegoats consist of Jesus Christ taking suffering for the sins of civilization, the Jewish population being punished for the problems in Germany, and more recently the U.S. citizens who perished in 9/11 being punished for the sins of America. Scapegoats have come in many forms over time and have been very destructive. The usage of scapegoats in our society, such as in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”, has proved to be damaging, and an end must be found in order to find peace.
He begins in Chestnut Hill, a high-income neighborhood in Philadelphia, at the city’s boundaries on Germantown Avenue. Anderson eloquently points out what most do not notice consciously, but are truly aware of as a matter of self-preservation. This self-preservation becomes more prioritized, or vice-versa, as a ...
The Democratic Party was facing a difficult election in 1984 against an extremely popular president, Ronald Reagan, whom for four years had dominated the political United States. In his “Keynote Address to the Democratic Convention” in 1984, Mario Cuomo, the Italian-American New York governor, addresses the strain a Republican president has put on the nation’s lower and middle classes. He mentions President Reagan’s view of the nation from his “Shining City on a Hill”, a phrase which the President used many times throughout his career to describe the prosperity of America’s upper class. Cuomo challenges President Reagan’s beliefs that America is thriving with allusions to the lives of lower class Americans, and states that the nation is instead
Some of them could have even been used as scapegoats. Yet how does one become a scapegoat? Could someone out there have that much hatred and anger to blame one person for the faults of many? Is the need for blame significant? Does desire lead to hatred and evil?
Since I am a minority I was already a bit accustomed with the inequalities or wrongdoings that occur to those of a minority group. Before reading this book I used to think that those who commit crime or engage in delinquent behavior are considered “lazy people” or people who just want “the easy way out;” or maybe they just weren’t trying hard enough to attain that “American Dream”. After reading Victor Rios’s book I realized how much the system has an impact on your future depending on where you come from. Right in the beginning Victor Rios mentions the “youth control complex.” The youth control complex is this idea that the system criminalizes young people for acting in everyday behaviors. (2011; pg.xiv). They are criminalized through schools, families, police officers, probation officers, community centers, the media, businesses, and other institutions. (2011; pg.xiv). These institutions are supposed to be
The essay under critical analysis is entitled, “Philadelphia’s Radical Caucus That Propelled Pennsylvania to Independence and Democracy,” written by Gary B. Nash. This analytical essay consumes the fourth chapter of the book Revolutionary Founders: Rebels, Radicals, and Reformers in the Making of the Nation, edited by Alfred F. Young, Gary B. Nash, and Ray Raphael. His essay, along with the twenty-one other accounts in the book depicting lesser-known individuals, whose contributions in securing independence from Great Britain and creating a new government in America rival that of the nation’s more notorious and beloved founders, such as Thomas Jefferson or James Madison. Dr. Nash focuses his efforts on Philadelphia’s Radical Caucus of the 1770’s and 80’s and the lasting influences of the 1776 constitution it created within American politics as well as several nations around the world. Within his analysis and interpretation of Pennsylvanian politics during the American Revolution, Dr. Nash utilizes a pro-whiggish, radically sympathetic stance to assert the Radical Caucus’ remarkable ability to gain support from and bestow power upon the common working man, take political power from conservatives within Pennsylvania’s public offices, and revolutionize democratic thought through their landmark reformations of the state’s constitution. Respecting the fact that Dr. Nash’s position on this subject required extensive research through first hand accounts, pamphlets, newspapers and the analysis of countless preserved records, indicates that the account he has given is very credible. Complying with his presentation of facts and the significance of the topic within early American history has prevented a well-rounded counter-argument ...
Although Boston was perceived to be a free and racially balanced state, the people of Boston never welcomed diversity. The city of Bos...
economic or social success some minorities have attained may result in increased feelings of resentment by members of the larger population. As Levin & McDevitt (1993:48) argue, resentment can be found to some extent in the personality of most hate crime offenders. It may be directed toward a part...
The problems included the homicides in Philadelphia and the “no snitch” rule that was understood within the community.Thuggs warned people to “stop snitching” and “Don’t cooperate, fight the power.”. This would intimidate witnesses who might be tempted to direct the police toward bad men. Another problem was young people are getting killed for owing money to drug lords and for snitching to the police on what happened and who did it. Also that the community didn’t trust the police and didn’t feel safe going to them about what they saw. Everyone was scared to get killed for testifying or telling police what happened. That only made the homicides increase in North Philly. With these problems there are many solutions to help make the community a pedestal for power
Five star general and 34th president, Dwight Eisenhower once said that, “this world of ours... must avoid becoming a community of dreadful fear and hate, and be, instead, a proud confederation of mutual trust and respect”. When established in 1624, New York was only a very small colony of French Huguenots from the Netherlands where everyone was seen as equal to one another. However, as New York began to develop and change, a wealth gap developed between the wealthy and those who lived in poverty. This wealth gap led to many domestic problems emerging in the city. In George Templeton Strong’s journals, he outlines what the city New York needs to do to become a healthy functioning city. In doing this, Strong is confident that New York will make the necessary changes in order to have a very bright future ahead where many more opportunities will be available for its citizens.
Although they needed African Americans for their factories and work ethics they did not agree with them having the same rights or sharing any rights with them. They wanted them just to work for them and have authority over African Americans. The more Africans Americans populated their living area, the more whites felt upon to call for action. For example whites wanted to feel much superior...”African Americans had to step off the sidewalk when a white person approached”(Digital Collection for the Classroom). This quote illustrates how whites did anything in their power to feel superior. The Great Migration caused whites to fear and enable them to more injustice actions. Although the Great Migration did benefit many African Americans in certain aspects it also crated unintended consequences. Due to the large growth of the African-American population there was an increasing competition amongst the migrants for employment and living space in the growing crowded cities of the North. Besides, racism and prejudice led to the interracial strife and race riots, worsening the situation between the whites and the African Americans. Racism became even more of a national problem. The Great Migration intensions were to let African Americans live a better life style economically wise and help them from poverty not cause even more issues with racism or become competition against others. Because many white people did not want to sell their property to African Americans, they began to start their own exclusive cities within that area of sell. These exclusive cities were called the “ Ghetto”(Black, 2013). The ghetto was subject to high illness, violence, high crime rate, inadequate recreational facilities; lack of building repairs, dirty streets, overcrowded schools; and mistreatment from the law enforcement. Although the ghetto cities helped unify African Americans as
The effects of stereotype behaviors and beliefs against black people have both good and bad influence. However, the adverse impact has outweighed the positive results. For example, the stereotype belief that all black people are thieves or associated with all the social evils in the society has led to police brutality (Couillard, 2013). The police officers discriminate and falsely accuse black forks of a crime they might not have committed. It has led to African-American becoming bitter and resenting the police department officials.
In Jane Jacobs’s acclaimed The Life and Death of Great American Cities, she intricately articulates urban blight and the ills of metropolitan society by addressing several binaries throughout the course of the text. One of the more culturally significant binaries that Jacobs relies on in her narrative is the effectively paradoxical relationship between diversity and homogeneity in urban environments at the time. In particular, beginning in Chapter 12 throughout Chapter 13, Jacobs is concerned greatly with debunking widely held misconceptions about urban diversity.
Analysis of Leroi Jones' A Poem Some People Will Have To Understand There is an implied threat in "A Poem Some People Will Have To Understand" by Leroi Jones. Ostensibly, there is no intimidation. The poem is confessional, even reflective; the theme is one of mutability and change. However, there is something frightening and ominous in Jones1 vision, which he creates through attention to word choice and structure. Jones' warning is immediately evident in the title through his manipulation of words.