I teach at a local university. Part of my curriculum involves discussing undesirable behavior on the part of police departments. I usually draw from local examples because it helps the students understand and discuss the issues in greater depth. If I really wanted to, I can be highly critical of the Boston Police Department and cite examples and studies. Much of what I try to do is call attention to social and structural influences on bad behavior because most of these problems are systemic in nature. Are there bad cops out there? Sure, but most bad behavior is related to training, internal incentives, and a social structure that reifies racialized understandings of behaviors, criminality, etc.
I personally have had a good relationship with my local district police department. For the most part, they've come when I've called about noisy neighbors who were running an illegal club on the third floor of our triple decker (we don't live there anymore). I know the community liaison and have met the captain. I believe they've been as open as they can be around incidents in our neighborhood. However, I also know that their officers have a tendency to profile Latino youth and this has caused unnecessary tension between the youth and the police department. I've also seen some of the officers summarily dismiss concerns that citizens bring to their attention. Unfortunately, those citizens tend to be Latino and the officers I've witnessed doing this are not. So, while I generally have a positive view of the local district, there is room for improvement.
Yesterday, I came home from work around 6:30 or 7 pm. As I approached the corner to my place I could see flashing lights and construction equipment. As I got closer I noticed the sound of a jackhammer. I rounded the corner and found the Boston Water and Sewer Commission doing something. I did not ask because they all looked rather busy and I figure they would not be there at that hour unless they had a job to do. I generally believe that they don't just go digging into the sidewalk unless there is a reason to do so.
I also noticed a police officer knocking on my neighbors door a few doors down. I got concerned that maybe there was a problem so I approached and asked him if there was a problem. He told me that he was trying to get the owner of the car parked on the sidewalk next to where they were jackhammering so that the owner can move it (no, it wasn't our car). The car was not in the way, but the officer thought they should have the opportunity to move it so that it doesn't get damaged.
I thought that was nice. He didn't need to do that, but a small gesture like that showed that he cared about my neighbors. So, while there is improvements that need to be made, I don't think they are doing too bad of a job.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Subway coincidences
I was sitting on the train last week reading a paper about the Rwandan genocide and the movie Hotel Rwanda. It was a critical analysis of the movie's portrayal of the genocide. These are real life events and real people and the point of the paper was to discuss how well the movie depicted those events. They paid particular attention to the stereotypes often relied upon to explain conflict in Africa. It is a very interesting paper, especially for someone like me who had not seen the movie and admittedly knew little about the specific event.
The woman next to me was reading a book. I wasn't really paying attention to her because this paper was really well written, a breath of fresh air after spending most days grading undergraduate essays. At some point, however, I looked over and glanced at the book she was reading. The left page header said "Rusesabagina". I blinked, looked back at the paper in my hand. There was that name. I asked her if I could see the book cover. She showed me and explained that it was written by the guy from the movie Hotel Rwanda. I told her that I was reading a paper on the movie. We both chuckled at the coincidence. Shortly, we arrived at my stop. I got off and I suspect she got back to her reading.
Another little connection made on the T in Boston.
The woman next to me was reading a book. I wasn't really paying attention to her because this paper was really well written, a breath of fresh air after spending most days grading undergraduate essays. At some point, however, I looked over and glanced at the book she was reading. The left page header said "Rusesabagina". I blinked, looked back at the paper in my hand. There was that name. I asked her if I could see the book cover. She showed me and explained that it was written by the guy from the movie Hotel Rwanda. I told her that I was reading a paper on the movie. We both chuckled at the coincidence. Shortly, we arrived at my stop. I got off and I suspect she got back to her reading.
Another little connection made on the T in Boston.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Subway riders taking things into their own hands
It was reported today that Red Line riders who were trapped on the Longfellow Bridge forced open the doors of their car, climbed out, and went on with their day. While there are legitimate safety concerns here, can you really blame them?
First of all, you never know how long you might be stuck on the train in between stations. I remember once being stuck on the Orange Line because some kids were playing on the tracks. We waited for a good half hour before the MBTA police managed to get them off and make sure there was no one else there. I was on my way to the supermarket at Jackson Square and would have definitely taken the opportunity to walk, given that we were only a few yards from the station. I would have been really upset if I had been on my way home from the grocery store.
Given the recent bridge tragedy in Minnesota and recent reports that the Longfellow Bridge is in serious need of immediate repair or replacement, you can understand if people are not feeling up to being trapped in a subway car.
And besides, the weather was nice. It was a good day for a walk.
First of all, you never know how long you might be stuck on the train in between stations. I remember once being stuck on the Orange Line because some kids were playing on the tracks. We waited for a good half hour before the MBTA police managed to get them off and make sure there was no one else there. I was on my way to the supermarket at Jackson Square and would have definitely taken the opportunity to walk, given that we were only a few yards from the station. I would have been really upset if I had been on my way home from the grocery store.
Given the recent bridge tragedy in Minnesota and recent reports that the Longfellow Bridge is in serious need of immediate repair or replacement, you can understand if people are not feeling up to being trapped in a subway car.
And besides, the weather was nice. It was a good day for a walk.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Political participation
Much of my research has something to do with political or civic participation. I've written about participation in state environmental permitting processes, local zoning processes, even about community based participation in neighborhood beautification projects.
However, until this summer, I've done little research on participation in voting. I figured that the political scientists have that covered and any good scholar tries to find the areas that no one else is paying attention to. This summer I conducted a pilot study on community involvement with the help of young people from our local environmental justice crew, ASPIRE, and Northeastern University. The project had many goals, the most important of which was testing whether using young people as surveyors would work.
Anyway, a few of the questions had to do with voting behavior. I was not surprised to find that about a half of subjects in our study voted in the previous election. It was a landmark election and bitterly fought. Participation in that election was fairly high. In East Boston, over 50% of registered voters came out that day.
This summer I also volunteered for the first time in an electoral campaign. In the past I have helped developed policy platforms and similar things. This time I was in the thick of it. I was the bookkeeper, I went out doorknocking with the candidate, I helped keep the computer equipment working. On election day, for the first time ever, I worked in a poll.
My job was to be a poll checker. Basically, I sit behind the poll worker and listen for who comes into vote. If they are on my list, I check them off. Three other campaigns had poll checkers too. It was a long and not terribly exciting day.
However, what I witnessed was just astounding. I saw our poll worker allow two registered Republicans vote in this Democratic primary. I had to call our campaign lawyer and he had to come in and educate the Warden and the poll workers. Apparently, the poll worker was told in the last primary to allow Republicans to declare a different party and allow them to vote. In Massachusetts, only the unenrolled can do that.
The poll worker for my precinct also had some problem with her eyes. I suspect either cataracts or maybe glaucoma. In any event, she had a hard time actually reading the book with the list of registered voters. Several times she checked off the wrong voter and had to be corrected. The Warden and the other poll workers tried to get her to let another poll worker do that, but she was having none of it. She made several mistakes that took time to correct. It was amazing.
The candidate I was supporting did not win. These problems are definitely not the reason for her loss. However, I am disturbed that something that is supposed to be so important to our political identity as a democracy is conducted with such a cavalier attitude. I don't expect perfection. Mistakes happen and these poll workers work 13-14 hour days - and that's if nothing goes wrong. But these people are paid to do this work. And good money too. It is too much to ask for poll workers to not be blind and know the basics of who gets to vote in a primary?
I had tried to volunteer once to be a poll worker after I moved back to Boston. The city put out a notice that they needed volunteers. The city never called me back. I didn't think much about it. When I went to vote in the next election, I noticed that the poll site seemed to be overstaffed. There were something like 12 people for a single precinct. I guess they didn't need the volunteers in my neighborhood. But now I wonder, who chooses the volunteers? How are the assigned to the polls? And how does a woman who is half blind manage to become the clerk of a polling station?
However, until this summer, I've done little research on participation in voting. I figured that the political scientists have that covered and any good scholar tries to find the areas that no one else is paying attention to. This summer I conducted a pilot study on community involvement with the help of young people from our local environmental justice crew, ASPIRE, and Northeastern University. The project had many goals, the most important of which was testing whether using young people as surveyors would work.
Anyway, a few of the questions had to do with voting behavior. I was not surprised to find that about a half of subjects in our study voted in the previous election. It was a landmark election and bitterly fought. Participation in that election was fairly high. In East Boston, over 50% of registered voters came out that day.
This summer I also volunteered for the first time in an electoral campaign. In the past I have helped developed policy platforms and similar things. This time I was in the thick of it. I was the bookkeeper, I went out doorknocking with the candidate, I helped keep the computer equipment working. On election day, for the first time ever, I worked in a poll.
My job was to be a poll checker. Basically, I sit behind the poll worker and listen for who comes into vote. If they are on my list, I check them off. Three other campaigns had poll checkers too. It was a long and not terribly exciting day.
However, what I witnessed was just astounding. I saw our poll worker allow two registered Republicans vote in this Democratic primary. I had to call our campaign lawyer and he had to come in and educate the Warden and the poll workers. Apparently, the poll worker was told in the last primary to allow Republicans to declare a different party and allow them to vote. In Massachusetts, only the unenrolled can do that.
The poll worker for my precinct also had some problem with her eyes. I suspect either cataracts or maybe glaucoma. In any event, she had a hard time actually reading the book with the list of registered voters. Several times she checked off the wrong voter and had to be corrected. The Warden and the other poll workers tried to get her to let another poll worker do that, but she was having none of it. She made several mistakes that took time to correct. It was amazing.
The candidate I was supporting did not win. These problems are definitely not the reason for her loss. However, I am disturbed that something that is supposed to be so important to our political identity as a democracy is conducted with such a cavalier attitude. I don't expect perfection. Mistakes happen and these poll workers work 13-14 hour days - and that's if nothing goes wrong. But these people are paid to do this work. And good money too. It is too much to ask for poll workers to not be blind and know the basics of who gets to vote in a primary?
I had tried to volunteer once to be a poll worker after I moved back to Boston. The city put out a notice that they needed volunteers. The city never called me back. I didn't think much about it. When I went to vote in the next election, I noticed that the poll site seemed to be overstaffed. There were something like 12 people for a single precinct. I guess they didn't need the volunteers in my neighborhood. But now I wonder, who chooses the volunteers? How are the assigned to the polls? And how does a woman who is half blind manage to become the clerk of a polling station?
Friday, September 21, 2007
Breaking News: College students not doing something stupid
The school year started out with several stories of students doing something so unbelievably stupid that you wonder how they managed to get into college in the first place. At my own university, two freshman were arrested before classes even started for possession with the intent to distribute. How do we know they intended to distribute? They shouted out their apartment window to a person on the sidewalk that they had drugs to sell. Unfortunately for them, there were two plains clothes police officers on the sidewalk as well. This story was not only widely discussed locally, it was included in NPR's news quiz show, Wait Wait Don't Tell Me. These two students didn't even make it to the first day of classes; they were promptly expelled.
And just today, a 19 year old MIT student was arrested for bringing a hoax device into the airport. This young woman walked into Boston Logan airport wearing a sweater with a circuit board connected to 9-volt battery glued onto it. She was also holding what looked like putty and was apparently acting a little bit suspicious. Her excuse for wearing this to the airport: she was on her way to career day and wanted to get noticed.
There's a small part of me that feels a little smug. You could characterize the Northeastern students actions as entrepreneurial. You might sympathetically conjecture that they were trying to raise money to buy their books. It might be a stretch, but not unreasonable. The MIT student, on the other hand, was clearly not thinking.
But, the point I want to make is that the vast majority of students are, in fact, well behaved citizens. The majority of the 200,000-250,000 students who live here at least 9 months out of the year are not selling drugs, are not vomiting on our streets from overconsumption of alcohol, and are not testing our homeland security methods. A significant number of them are taking our orders at local restaurants, hanging up the overpriced merchandise at our favorite retail stores, volunteering in our local schools, participating in the Charles River Cleanup, and a whole host of other good things. They are also spending their money here, a much needed source of revenue that us residents often forget that we rely on to keep our streets paved.
The universities do need to do a better job managing their student's off campus behavior. But, more importantly, the universities should be promoting the good things that their students are doing. And our local media should be covering it. Hundreds of thousands of students graduate with a variety of degrees and certificates from these schools. The vast majority of them spent their time in Boston doing their schoolwork, working crappy, low-wage jobs, and living fairly uneventful lives. A good number of them do some pretty wonderful things. It's too bad that a few boneheads make the rest of them, and the universities they attend, look bad.
And just today, a 19 year old MIT student was arrested for bringing a hoax device into the airport. This young woman walked into Boston Logan airport wearing a sweater with a circuit board connected to 9-volt battery glued onto it. She was also holding what looked like putty and was apparently acting a little bit suspicious. Her excuse for wearing this to the airport: she was on her way to career day and wanted to get noticed.
There's a small part of me that feels a little smug. You could characterize the Northeastern students actions as entrepreneurial. You might sympathetically conjecture that they were trying to raise money to buy their books. It might be a stretch, but not unreasonable. The MIT student, on the other hand, was clearly not thinking.
But, the point I want to make is that the vast majority of students are, in fact, well behaved citizens. The majority of the 200,000-250,000 students who live here at least 9 months out of the year are not selling drugs, are not vomiting on our streets from overconsumption of alcohol, and are not testing our homeland security methods. A significant number of them are taking our orders at local restaurants, hanging up the overpriced merchandise at our favorite retail stores, volunteering in our local schools, participating in the Charles River Cleanup, and a whole host of other good things. They are also spending their money here, a much needed source of revenue that us residents often forget that we rely on to keep our streets paved.
The universities do need to do a better job managing their student's off campus behavior. But, more importantly, the universities should be promoting the good things that their students are doing. And our local media should be covering it. Hundreds of thousands of students graduate with a variety of degrees and certificates from these schools. The vast majority of them spent their time in Boston doing their schoolwork, working crappy, low-wage jobs, and living fairly uneventful lives. A good number of them do some pretty wonderful things. It's too bad that a few boneheads make the rest of them, and the universities they attend, look bad.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Public civility, or lack thereof
Yesterday in the Boston Globe, one of my favorite authors published an op-ed that really struck me. Gregory Maguire (author of Wicked and The Ugly Stepsister) rambled on a bit trying to draw parallels between the story in Wicked and modern day life. I was drawn to this particular statement:
Yesterday morning (after reading Maquire's piece) I was at the bank. While I waited for my banker to make some copies of something for me, I could hear a conflict brewing at one of the teller windows. Before even turning my head, a young woman started screaming at the supervisor, accusing the teller of being disrepectful to her, cutting her off, etc. She began throwing the f-bomb around like it was going out of style. The branch manager had to stop what he was doing to tell her that such language and behavior will not be tolerated. As it turned out, whatever this young lady needed could not be done at the teller window. Having just been to that teller just a few minutes before, I must admit that I refuse to believe that the problem was with the teller. More likely, the irate customer was overworked, overtired, stressed out, and obviously short-tempered (giving her the benefit of the doubt - she may have been just a bitch).
I too share Maguire's lament in the lack of public civility. I guess the question is, what do you do about it. In this case, the branch manager and teller supervisor stood their ground in insisting that the customer not harass or otherwise mistreat the teller. On the blog I referred to earlier, the blogger has started moderating comments and refuses to post any that include personal attacks. I think more like this needs to be done to impose some modicum of civility back into public life.
"Now I find the lack of civility and the evaporation of respect for different points of view to be rampant all over the political spectrum, including the soapbox I comfortably occupy."This pretty much sums up the discourse on one local blog as it relates to a special election happening here in Eastie. However, I would add that this lack of civility is not just found in political discourse, but in every day life.
Yesterday morning (after reading Maquire's piece) I was at the bank. While I waited for my banker to make some copies of something for me, I could hear a conflict brewing at one of the teller windows. Before even turning my head, a young woman started screaming at the supervisor, accusing the teller of being disrepectful to her, cutting her off, etc. She began throwing the f-bomb around like it was going out of style. The branch manager had to stop what he was doing to tell her that such language and behavior will not be tolerated. As it turned out, whatever this young lady needed could not be done at the teller window. Having just been to that teller just a few minutes before, I must admit that I refuse to believe that the problem was with the teller. More likely, the irate customer was overworked, overtired, stressed out, and obviously short-tempered (giving her the benefit of the doubt - she may have been just a bitch).
I too share Maguire's lament in the lack of public civility. I guess the question is, what do you do about it. In this case, the branch manager and teller supervisor stood their ground in insisting that the customer not harass or otherwise mistreat the teller. On the blog I referred to earlier, the blogger has started moderating comments and refuses to post any that include personal attacks. I think more like this needs to be done to impose some modicum of civility back into public life.
Ugly children have a chance after all
Today I was walking down Cambridge Street in the West End and overheard the following snippet of conversation:
"He was funny looking as a kid, but ended up being a good looking guy after all."
So, there's hope for all of the awkward, funny looking children that you might be raising (or might be yourself). And even if you persist in less-than-hunkhood, you can always do a Bill Gates and just become fabulously rich and powerful.
"He was funny looking as a kid, but ended up being a good looking guy after all."
So, there's hope for all of the awkward, funny looking children that you might be raising (or might be yourself). And even if you persist in less-than-hunkhood, you can always do a Bill Gates and just become fabulously rich and powerful.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Trash
In my little section of Boston there is the constant complaint of trash. I live right off one of the main thoroughfares, so trash is blown on our street rather constantly. It probably doesn't help that the next door neighbor's idea of sweeping the trash is raking it into the gutter. Keep in mind, we don't have much of a gutter since the city at some time in the not too distant past elevated the streets so that they are just about even with the sidewalk.
I've spoken with others about the trash problem. In this day and age of unthinking xenophobia, many blame immigrants. Quite a few also blame teenagers. I usually point out that other parts of the city have public works people sweeping their streets for them. East Boston does not get those kinds of privileges. Obviously having powerful politicians living in our neighborhood hasn't helped. There's a theory that the trash problem will be taken seriously when those luxury condos are built and a few millionaires come into town. Although after an article in the Boston Globe describing the litigiousness of these kinds of folks, I'm not sure it's a good trade.
Yesterday, I was in the car with a friend and we got stuck behind the trash truck. And what did we see, you ask? One of the gentlemen picked up a barrel, threw it headlong into the compactor, spilling half of the contents onto the street. He then emptied what was left and flung the barrel back onto the sidewalk. The truck then moved on.
Somehow, I doubt this happens in Beacon Hill.
I've spoken with others about the trash problem. In this day and age of unthinking xenophobia, many blame immigrants. Quite a few also blame teenagers. I usually point out that other parts of the city have public works people sweeping their streets for them. East Boston does not get those kinds of privileges. Obviously having powerful politicians living in our neighborhood hasn't helped. There's a theory that the trash problem will be taken seriously when those luxury condos are built and a few millionaires come into town. Although after an article in the Boston Globe describing the litigiousness of these kinds of folks, I'm not sure it's a good trade.
Yesterday, I was in the car with a friend and we got stuck behind the trash truck. And what did we see, you ask? One of the gentlemen picked up a barrel, threw it headlong into the compactor, spilling half of the contents onto the street. He then emptied what was left and flung the barrel back onto the sidewalk. The truck then moved on.
Somehow, I doubt this happens in Beacon Hill.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Pregnant Pauses
Today, on the Blue line, I ended up sitting between two young women who struck up a conversation about their pregnancies. Both were still early - in the third and fourth months. This was the first for one and the third for the other. Neither woman knew the other. They just started talking. It was a rather funny coincidence because I was coming home from visiting a very pregnant friend who's on mandatory bedrest and is hoping to be giving birth in the very near future - tomorrow if the baby concedes.
Despite a "concerted" effort to focus on the law review article I was reading, the conversation between these women was much more interesting. I was allowed to be a silent participant in this intimate conversation about prenatal vitamins not purchased, nausea, the desperate desire for the child to be born already, and the sleeping habits of neonates.
All three of us exited at the same stop and went our separate ways without the usual farewell rituals practiced by close friends. It goes to show that deep and longstanding acquaintance is not necessary for intimacy. People can talk about the personal in the space of four subway stops and then go on with the rest of their day feeling a little more connected and reassured. At least that's how I felt.
Despite a "concerted" effort to focus on the law review article I was reading, the conversation between these women was much more interesting. I was allowed to be a silent participant in this intimate conversation about prenatal vitamins not purchased, nausea, the desperate desire for the child to be born already, and the sleeping habits of neonates.
All three of us exited at the same stop and went our separate ways without the usual farewell rituals practiced by close friends. It goes to show that deep and longstanding acquaintance is not necessary for intimacy. People can talk about the personal in the space of four subway stops and then go on with the rest of their day feeling a little more connected and reassured. At least that's how I felt.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
A stalled development
There was a community meeting tonight in my neighborhood. It was about a fairly large development that had stalled and is in danger of not happening. As an example of the balkanization of my neighborhood - and the city in general - only the members of the immediate neighborhood were notified. I learned about the meeting third hand and only because the person who told me about it knew that I do research on these processes but who is also running for office and needed someone to give her a summary of the meeting since she couldn't stay.
As is fairly typical, the State Agency was the messenger for the Developer who was conspicuously absent. The State Agency became the de facto proponent for the suggested changes to the development that no one in the neighborhood wanted - particularly those who had fought hard for the current design. The suggested changes would significantly modify the design of the new park. This community has been fighting to replace the open space that was savagely taken by the State Agency 40 years ago so that you, my dear reader, can fly to Boston relatively easily and cheaply. The frustration and outrage is, in my view, understandable.
It struck me that the development pendulum swings at a different pace for different neighborhoods. Other neighborhoods with a similar demographic and history seem to be bursting at the seams with new housing development. Granted, a speedy development process is a recipe for all kinds of problems, but why has it taken 20 years to get a viable proposal for a single piece of waterfront property? I'm sure if I had a student do the historical research, blame could be spread widely and I would put my money on:
As is fairly typical, the State Agency was the messenger for the Developer who was conspicuously absent. The State Agency became the de facto proponent for the suggested changes to the development that no one in the neighborhood wanted - particularly those who had fought hard for the current design. The suggested changes would significantly modify the design of the new park. This community has been fighting to replace the open space that was savagely taken by the State Agency 40 years ago so that you, my dear reader, can fly to Boston relatively easily and cheaply. The frustration and outrage is, in my view, understandable.
It struck me that the development pendulum swings at a different pace for different neighborhoods. Other neighborhoods with a similar demographic and history seem to be bursting at the seams with new housing development. Granted, a speedy development process is a recipe for all kinds of problems, but why has it taken 20 years to get a viable proposal for a single piece of waterfront property? I'm sure if I had a student do the historical research, blame could be spread widely and I would put my money on:
- neighborhood associations (or otherwise well organized groups of residents) who don't want any change anywhere, especially if it brings in "the wrong kind of people,"
- developers who view collaboration with the local community as infringing on a God-given right to build what they want anywhere they want,
- local and state agencies that are more concerned with their own bottom lines,
- local and state elected officials who are more concerned with re-election than the community, and
- stereotypes about what kinds of developments are viable in what kinds of neighborhoods.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
The training of seeing eye dogs
The other day I was on the E line and struck up a conversation with a woman who was training an 18 month old dog to be a guide dog. She told me that she made a mistake when she trained him. Apparently the last time he had been on the train was when he was six months old. She realized when she took him on an elevator that she had not trained him to be in moving vehicles. So she was doing intensive training so that he was comfortable on elevators, trains and other moving objects. He would not be able to be used as a seeing-eye dog if he couldn't handle moving vehicles.
I also learned from this woman that they also have to train them to walk on glossy white tile. Apparently most dogs see glossy white tile like water and won't walk on it.
I didn't realize the standards for these guides dogs are really high. That's a good thing, of course. Who knew that the training for these animals was so intense? This dog was doing o.k. but clearly needed more time to get used to the Green line's jerky movement. I hope she's able to correct his deficiencies so that someone can get the companion they need.
I've decided that if we ever get a dog it will be a guide dog that failed his/her training. At least the dog will have been potty trained.
I also learned from this woman that they also have to train them to walk on glossy white tile. Apparently most dogs see glossy white tile like water and won't walk on it.
I didn't realize the standards for these guides dogs are really high. That's a good thing, of course. Who knew that the training for these animals was so intense? This dog was doing o.k. but clearly needed more time to get used to the Green line's jerky movement. I hope she's able to correct his deficiencies so that someone can get the companion they need.
I've decided that if we ever get a dog it will be a guide dog that failed his/her training. At least the dog will have been potty trained.
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