I typically don’t humor people ranting out of the side of their mouth (unless you’re one of my housemates I suppose), but this one I just had to post about.
Today I came across a great review of my current home. I had always known about nicknames for DC like “Chocolate City”–which referenced the huge percentage of people of color who called DC home prior to the great Gentrification Rush of 2000–as well as even more offensive nicknames like ”Dodge City” (I’ll let you think about that one, but no I’m not talking about the bar on U Street). Today though, I learned about a much wittier nickname. According THE Cindy Adams, DC should be called “District of Crapola“.
Why do I find this more offensive than a nickname like “Dodge City”, you ask? Take the comment below, for example:
“The entrance, the red carpet into the capital of the God blessed United States of America is wall-to-wall degradation.
“You who people Washington, who enjoy the luxury of Chevy Chase and Georgetown, the Potomac, bike trails, affluent residential gardens of Maryland and Virginia, and choose not to live in DC, should be ashamed of yourselves.”
According to Ms. Cindy the folks at 1216 are safe from shame. In fact, 40% of people dwelling in the 1216 house don’t even work in DC, yet still chose to live in this gosh-forsaken place that one may have even compared to Pakistan. But I digress…
Well, okay not before this one quote, which I’d call the real meat of this column.
“Help us. Help your country. Help your capital. Help Washington, DC. Clean it up. Drive into it, drive by the approach, see how rank it is. How murky. How smelly. How putrid. How vile. The area’s a sewer. It lacks only a dead body decaying there.
“It isn’t like children can enjoy the open spaces and play basketball or baseball. Any game in those dirty lots would be Spin the Cop.”
In the midst of the extremities she’s describing, I suppose I can get down with one piece of truth in here. The fact of the matter is that yes, more people who live in DC could be more involved in making their communities better.
Oh wait, you mean there’s plenty of people who are doing that? There are binders full of nonprofit orgs working to make DC a better place.
The way I see it, the problems in DC have less to do with the types of philanthropic events (because, we really need to do more to build up communities like Glover Park, plenty of broken pavement and glass there) or the work of nonprofit organizations. When you live in a place that isn’t recognized constitutionally as a state, it’s virtually impossible to take full control over your own local affairs.
But of course, this is just my take on the issue. What do you think?
My New Years resolution to practice my music regularly, but instead I play on Photoshop If I stick to my resolution I'll make sure this is my album cover.
She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.
She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.
Here's how I feel when starting a new job tomorrow that will make sure the most disenfranchised groups in our society get to participate in democracy this election year.
Oh heeeeeyyyyy, my vegan rice pudding is featured on Vegan Housewives today. Thanks for the shout out Kortney!
Check out the van we used to tour the country with below. Old school!
origamiaround
tangentwithtanner
snowghoul
romaincrisis
titsay
kaledo-art
areudirty
