In every one of the stories Neumark writes about, the people are underdogs. They are the ones where society expect to fail, but it doesn't turn out that way. For example, Jim Drake was one of the persons hired for a vison of the South Bronx community, and he pointed out how the people there were not sufficient enough to be leaders, that they did not have what it took to qualify for a leadership role in the community. It was just so interesting how quickly he could judge all those people and their potential, and he never gave them a chance to see how amazing and how incredibily strong those people were. How else would they have gotten thus far? He's such an idiot.
Another a wider scale, the South Bronx continuously go through judgment from surrounding cities, like when there was the rat infestation. It wasn't a problem at first since the rats werent infesting the other cities, but once they did, then something had to be done about it. "If this communityu was expected to be a dumping site and transport point for a large part of the city's garbage, it is only natural that we would host a disproportional share of the cities's rats, and that they could live within our "defined" borders with full impunity." 181
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Neumark is a special person because she's willing to risk letting the most unlikely people lead. There's a lot of risk there, but it often pays off for her. It's one of the aspects of the book that is so inspiring.
ReplyDeleteIn today's world, I think that people are both the underdogs and the force that is causing the creation of underdogs. As I read over the story of Amelia and her two children and how Amelia's husband had beat her yet she came to a Sunday service (having dressed her kids in their best with tears and fears in her eyes), I sat in the Green Hills Mal, looking up every once so often to see a teenage girl wearing clothes of a supermodel and adult men trudging around in work suits and the cleanest smiles. What a world we live in?!? I wonder what Amelia and her kids would think if they escaped to Nashville to see the same dark situations they live in New York City - a world where the rich throw money at high class stores while the black, unappreciated high schooler is just trying to survive on the streets, trying to escape to a better place and a better life.
ReplyDeleteI was really disgusted by the Rats 101 section. It makes me feel so privileged to have never had to experience living in conditions like that. The image of "rodents running rampant in broad daylight" makes me cringe. The injustice the people living in the Bronx have to face is clear. There should be no "defined borders" for these rats...
ReplyDeleteNeumark really likes to take care off people in ways most people wont dare to risk. She shows her love for people and God in her actions and turly is a person of GOD!
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comments about Jim Drake. It was strange the way that he could automatically say that that group of people were not capable of leadership. I like how Neumark says, "Obviously transformation doesn't always happen-- every addict doesn't beat his addiction, everyone who has been beaten down will not rise up, at least not on this earth, but you never know." As long as there is a chance, they might as well try.
ReplyDeleteWe really shouldn't judge others. I know I joke around with you when I say that but I truly mean it. It is unfair for us to assume of what people are not capable of. That part of the chapter really upset me, it's people like him who keep others from succeeding.
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