KEEP THE LIBRARIES OPEN
to hazelwoodeditor@yahoo.com
for hazelwoodhomepage.com
======
Just about everyone in Pittsburgh with ears knows there are 5 libraries closing. Nearly everyone who thinks about it is angry. What do we the wiser thinking people do with all the energy of this anger?
When there was a decision to build another coke plant in Hazelwood, the fear and anger slowly grew to become almost unmanageable. Veterans of the controversy share strong emotions still remembering it. People called each other some very uncivil names, and it at times came near to violence. When you're dealing with your child having emergency visits to the hospital at pollution incidents (when the old mill was running), or not being able to afford higher education for that child because you're an out-of-work steelworker, you're dealing with life and death issues. We managed that energy by knocking on doors, gathering disease and mortality statistics of those living closest to the pollution, demanding the Health Deparment see us as more than numbers, organizing and attending meetings, talking, demonstrating, and - at times - hollering it out, because hollering is better than no communication at all. It was an exercise in democracy I'm grateful for having had. We learned we are a community, with common concerns. And we learned that corporations can be extremely powerful, brutally uncaring, and dishonest.
By coming to respect each other, we forged a new relationship with the city, county and state governments. We became stakeholders by refusing to just accept every decision that comes down the pike. We have to display that same power now by refusing to allow Hazelwood to go one day without a library. The government's not going to save us; we're going to have to do it ourselves.
Our schools are closed. We no longer have a grocery store. Who would want to invest here now ? How dare they the distant deciders presume to make wise decisions for us. Don't they see the children with skinny legs, asthma inhalers, diabetes and heart problems? No wonder they don't want to get out of their cars as they hurry down Second Avenue - they're afraid they might learn something. God, these children are so beautiful despite their problems. Where do you think they're going to go if they can't go to the library?
Just as with the closing of our library, the decision to build another coke oven in Hazelwood was "a done deal" most felt helpless to resist. They, the money people, were going to build it, and the politicians were rolling with it - until we got a little crazy. We spoke (and hollered) out of turn when authorities said things we knew weren't true.
Suited corporate representatives lost our respect when we realized they were being deceptive about the amount of pollution expected from the new mill. Now someone is "telling tall tales" (as President Obama so diplomatically puts it), to say there's no money to keep these little branch libraries open, all the while big building projects are sprouting all over town to service the entertainment "needs" of those who can afford more than the simple food, shelter, clothing, and education that some of us are struggling with. Rather than call them liars, let's just say they fail to notice the discrepancies.
Public anger is on the rise. We have so much to deal with already. It's like that brief footage we've all seen of the young black protester being jacked up against the wall who fights back. It's like when the Redcoats started losing the War of Independence. It's like when development up Centre Avenue got stopped at what is now called Freedom Corner - by people saying no further, you're not going past here, we're not going to let you, PERIOD. It's when you realize you've nothing to lose because the money mad are going to take everything you have left if you let them.
How can anyone be so focused on money as to decide to close working libraries in financially stressed neighborhoods?
When the library at Alexandria burned, people lost track of the fact that past civilizations - in many ways more advanced than our present one - destroyed themselves.
Just as gardeners know that plants miniaturize themselves if not given enough room, we have to a great extent lost our memories and stopped considering the future. It's so difficult to plan when you live day-to-day in a state of conflict - budgets and businesses collapsing, homes being taken from people, more and more weapons being manufactured and bought, I could go on and on. We need to consider that, as referred to in the Bible and other spiritual traditions, the planet has seen catastrophe before caused by human conflict. We need to learn of that quiet warning from the past.
Do not shut down the centers of communication.
======
Jim McCue
composter and biotech researcher
http://bioeverything.blogspot.com
http://facebook.com/alllifelover
for hazelwoodhomepage.com
======
Just about everyone in Pittsburgh with ears knows there are 5 libraries closing. Nearly everyone who thinks about it is angry. What do we the wiser thinking people do with all the energy of this anger?
When there was a decision to build another coke plant in Hazelwood, the fear and anger slowly grew to become almost unmanageable. Veterans of the controversy share strong emotions still remembering it. People called each other some very uncivil names, and it at times came near to violence. When you're dealing with your child having emergency visits to the hospital at pollution incidents (when the old mill was running), or not being able to afford higher education for that child because you're an out-of-work steelworker, you're dealing with life and death issues. We managed that energy by knocking on doors, gathering disease and mortality statistics of those living closest to the pollution, demanding the Health Deparment see us as more than numbers, organizing and attending meetings, talking, demonstrating, and - at times - hollering it out, because hollering is better than no communication at all. It was an exercise in democracy I'm grateful for having had. We learned we are a community, with common concerns. And we learned that corporations can be extremely powerful, brutally uncaring, and dishonest.
By coming to respect each other, we forged a new relationship with the city, county and state governments. We became stakeholders by refusing to just accept every decision that comes down the pike. We have to display that same power now by refusing to allow Hazelwood to go one day without a library. The government's not going to save us; we're going to have to do it ourselves.
Our schools are closed. We no longer have a grocery store. Who would want to invest here now ? How dare they the distant deciders presume to make wise decisions for us. Don't they see the children with skinny legs, asthma inhalers, diabetes and heart problems? No wonder they don't want to get out of their cars as they hurry down Second Avenue - they're afraid they might learn something. God, these children are so beautiful despite their problems. Where do you think they're going to go if they can't go to the library?
Just as with the closing of our library, the decision to build another coke oven in Hazelwood was "a done deal" most felt helpless to resist. They, the money people, were going to build it, and the politicians were rolling with it - until we got a little crazy. We spoke (and hollered) out of turn when authorities said things we knew weren't true.
Suited corporate representatives lost our respect when we realized they were being deceptive about the amount of pollution expected from the new mill. Now someone is "telling tall tales" (as President Obama so diplomatically puts it), to say there's no money to keep these little branch libraries open, all the while big building projects are sprouting all over town to service the entertainment "needs" of those who can afford more than the simple food, shelter, clothing, and education that some of us are struggling with. Rather than call them liars, let's just say they fail to notice the discrepancies.
Public anger is on the rise. We have so much to deal with already. It's like that brief footage we've all seen of the young black protester being jacked up against the wall who fights back. It's like when the Redcoats started losing the War of Independence. It's like when development up Centre Avenue got stopped at what is now called Freedom Corner - by people saying no further, you're not going past here, we're not going to let you, PERIOD. It's when you realize you've nothing to lose because the money mad are going to take everything you have left if you let them.
How can anyone be so focused on money as to decide to close working libraries in financially stressed neighborhoods?
When the library at Alexandria burned, people lost track of the fact that past civilizations - in many ways more advanced than our present one - destroyed themselves.
Just as gardeners know that plants miniaturize themselves if not given enough room, we have to a great extent lost our memories and stopped considering the future. It's so difficult to plan when you live day-to-day in a state of conflict - budgets and businesses collapsing, homes being taken from people, more and more weapons being manufactured and bought, I could go on and on. We need to consider that, as referred to in the Bible and other spiritual traditions, the planet has seen catastrophe before caused by human conflict. We need to learn of that quiet warning from the past.
Do not shut down the centers of communication.
======
Jim McCue
composter and biotech researcher
http://bioeverything.blogspot.com
http://facebook.com/alllifelover
posted by St. Jim the Composter at 8:41 AM
1 Comments:
Great post Jim...it is a sad state of our city when those who lead vote to close community gathering places that boost our city instead of tear it down.
Misguided leadership should be questioned, bad decisions should be questioned...and you're right--the people need to get involved if they want to make things better!
PITTSBURGH'S NEIGHBORHOODS NEED LIBRARIES TO STAY HEALTHY...
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