Tuesday, July 31, 2001

Reality Hits Home

Last night, I went to clean up Voodoo Mansion, and it was quite a bit of work, so luckily I got some help...I left there with Voodoo Daddy, and we went to pick up Voodoo Mommy in the Civic Center. After that, we were about to turn off to Voodoo Central, when I noticed, about two blocks from my house, a police car, an amblance (yes I said Amblance), and the men/women who were uniformed standing around a yellow tarp on the ground.

I turned to Voodoo Daddy and said, "Yo, Pops, if they cover you with a yellow tarp, that means you're dead, right?"

"Pretty much."

And then check this out: Voodoo Mommy sez, "Let's drive around the corner to check it out!"

Nice.

So although that's not something that happens daily in my old yet new 'hood, it's kind of amazing how much I just blew it off. On Saturday, about half a mile away I know someone got gaffled because they cut someone off in their car. 16 years old and took some lead to the dome, or for those of ya'll who don't flow ghetto, that means she got shot in the head a FEW times. Sad. They were from out of town. It always seems to be those who get lost in the wrong part of town. Or it's young men who lose their lives to stupidity or

I blew it off, not knowing if that's something I should be afraid of, or if that's something that I need to be more concerned about. Things happen in the neighborhood that are scary, no doubt, but after awhile, scary becomes a way of life. I've lost one student to that quiet little war. You and I both know that ain't a way to live. Yellow tarps or not, it's just not right.

Ever wonder why there is a preponderance of violence and strife in economically and psychologically depressed areas in your town? If you were disempowered, unwanted, and marginalized, would you be able to accept the role you were to play in life? For some, that is indeed the rule: I will accept my role and act as I am presupposed to act. Violence, as many of us are aware, is a primal way of expressing one's rage, and rage is a daily fact of life for many people. Rage and angst are derivatives of feeling out of control of one's life, and physical expression of that is a way of gaining control over a situation, or even a person. You get immediate results and you establish yourself with surety and clearness. You are in control. Unfortunately, these breakouts of rage are all too familiar and all too easily glossed over. And I dare say that these breakouts are accepted.

What to do? Prioritizing neighborhoods and people as if their and OUR lives depended on it would be a nice place to start. Infuse that into institutional missions, and we're talking change here. Mobilize crisis units, counseling, job training, and economic investment in the people, and for once, realize that these are people we're talking about, not shady characters who happen to live "over there." I'm tired of hearing of people swept under the rug. How easy it is to drive "around" the "problem." And never be exposed to it. And to pretend that it doesn't exist. Not in my backyard. These cheesy people, and I know of a few that exist, are out there, Voodoo Babies. You do know, that these folks hold the power, the money, and the ability to change things. Until they come around, you can expect more yellow tapes, white chalk and black and whites in my neighborhood.

Before I place the entire blame on them, gotta look at myself, check my shit, to make sure that I'm not contributing to the problem, but working towards solving it. Silence, as the story goes, is complicity, and until the silence is broken amongst ourselves and others, this violence will continue to spill blood.

Happen it does, and consider those happenings screams for help.

Peace,
Voodoo

posted by Voodoo Child @ 8:53:00 AM