Hearne: Joe Miller Addresses Plaza Kid Curfew

531595_GThings may be better down south but they’re far from perfect…

“While I said that mixed races seem to be more comfortable down here, there are some things that are worse,” says Joe Miller, a Kansas City and Pitch refugee who now teaches college English in Columbus, Georgia. “While the black population here is a majority, there are only three black City Council members out of 10. I don’t know how you can have a majority of the population but only three on the City Council.

“And the schools down here are really messed up. It’s very segregated. Where in Kansas City you have Troost, here you have Macon Road. And down here the street names change from the white areas to the black areas, so the white areas don’t have to have the same names as the black areas. So the (racial) legacy’s here too.”

Miller’s take on KC’s curfew controversy:

“Kansas City isn’t innocent in this story,” he says. “I don’t think the curfew is going to solve the problem and I don’t think it’s a racist issue, but the problems are based on racist issues. All of these (problems) are just symptoms. The curfew law is just a symptom of Kansas City’s deep, historic racism. And it’s because there’s no where else for black kids to go.”

22039533_BG1In Columbus for example, they also have mass gathering of young kids.

“Yeah, actually it’s interesting,” Miller says. “There’s an area in North Columbus, which is white suburban and there’s lots of kids of all colors hanging out there. But folks here seem to get along better. So that’s one area where they’re doing better here.

“Here people just don’t have a problem with blacks being part of the day to day culture, but clearly they have a problem with them having any power.”

Back to Kansas City’s kid troubles…

“I feel for Kansas City, Kansas City’s in a tough spot just like any other city,” Miller says. “But there’s a real violence issue in Kansas City – black on black crime – and it’s true that violence erupts when there are large gatherings of people. It’s here too, but it’s different.”

RAW_Mayor_Sly_James_ta26263ea4-3d58-4b53-9a76-2b2ec7cc12f00003_20110825113609_320_240KC’s violence is a symptom of “institutionalized racism,” Miller says.

“I guess my opinion of the curfew on a policy level would be I would hope that they would address having a place for kids to gather late at night,” Miller says. “But I don’t know about a curfew, that sounds Draconian. I think the curfew and security issues could cause problems if there’s no place else to go.”

To that end, Kansas City has put in place a summer kids program.

The $64 million question being, What about the other nine months if the new curfew passes?

 

 

http://www.mb-kc.com/
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22 Responses to Hearne: Joe Miller Addresses Plaza Kid Curfew

  1. alwaysfiredup says:

    Um… KCMO is not majority black and has never been majority black. What is Miller smoking?

  2. alwaysfiredup says:

    nm… that’s in Georgia.

  3. the dude says:

    Bullsh*t.
    Black kids out of control are the problem here with them harrassing and beating up normal, law abiding citizens. If this was white or purple or yellow kids causing these problems nobody would bat an eye at the curfew being established and enforced to gain control back so normal citizens feel safe on a weekend.

    THE REAL PROBLEM HERE is you have people that are exploiting this problem in the name of race and want to extort money and time from officials and taxpayers who have no intestinal fortitude or the proper moral compass to do the right thing. White guilt will make people do crazy things, brother.

  4. mark smith says:

    One of the revs made the statement “they are making lots of money on the plaza. If they want the problem to go away they need to put their money where theory mouth is “.
    Extortion pure and simple.

  5. Billy Mays says:

    We should have a white flash mob at St. James. Hang out for hours in the vestibule saying that we need them to give us money cuz we aint got nothin to do.

  6. the dude says:

    And I will fully agree that there is racism in that when it is black on black crime on the east side most people don’t bat an eye because it might as well be on the dark side of the moon to them. And it is very sad.

    The other problem here is that capitalism is being diminished and we know red-blooded Uhmericuns will have no such thing. Bring out the billy clubs, horse patrols, armoured personnel carriers, water and sonic cannons to squash the capitalist diminishers. Capitalism shall not be impeded!!

  7. expat says:

    This must be Hearne’s big push to give disingenuous white liberals their say – formerly they were represented here by Harley. Instead of college English teachers who live in a state of unreality how about getting a statement from those cops who were handing out flyers endorsing the curfew? I’d wager they know the reality of the situation better than out of town Ivory Towerists.

  8. What? says:

    KC’s violence is a symptom of “institutionalized racism,” Miller says.
    Really? Or is it people who do not know how to handle themselves in public? Take Rockfest yesterday. Yes there were probably a fight or 2, but make that event a rap event and I guarantee many would have been shot. Black people do not know how to behave like civilized humans, only like the gangstaz from the videos.

  9. Rainbow Man says:

    The Plaza is just a few blocks from a huge black population and it has been situated that way for decades. Why are we acting like this is a surprising phenomenon? I just don’t think it is that big of a deal. Those kids don’t scare me. I used to be a Plaza regular but the only reason I avoid The Plaza now is becuase the character of it left. Too many corporate chain stores that I can get anywhere.

  10. Hot Carl says:

    “And it’s because there’s no where else for black kids to go.”

    So the Plaza is the only place for black kids to go? That is one of them dumbest things I’ve ever heard.

  11. Danimal says:

    “And it’s because there’s no where else for black kids to go.”

    Since when is it the duty of city government to provide entertainment? No wonder KCMO schools are a joke and streets and sewers and other infastructure are crumbling. Too much time, energy and taxpayer dollars spent on babysitting.

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