The Segregation Of The Mind
I've been thinking about how to write these ideas down for about a week straight. My thoughts need to be carefully articulated because I genuinely do not want to leave anyone with the impression that my mind is cluttered with racist thoughts. But I live in NW Indiana and I am struck by the segregation that occurs in this region. Now, one might expect that, given the history of the region, the precedents of using the next wave of immigrants to provide cheap labor resources for the mills and surrounding industry, that I am talking about the segregation that is obvious if you drive through Hammond, Gary, East Chicago or other communities where neighborhoods, like those seen in bigger cities, have lines of demarcation and names that reflect the ethnicity of the people living there.
In Chicago we have a Chinatown, a Greek Town, a Korean Town, an area noted for its Indian and Pakistani ethnicity, another close by noted for its Middle Eastern ethnicity, an area formerly known as "Jew Town", and so forth. In New York we see similar dynamics. Boston, San Francisco, LA, New Orleans, Dallas and every other major US city share some of these dynamics.
Of course, both Hammond and Gary are clearly marked with lines of white and black neighborhoods, with many neighborhood distinctions being treated as if it is a separate town rather than a neighborhood or development (i.e. Miller, Miller's Beach, Ogden Dunes, Woodmar, Hessville, North Hammond, Robertsdale, Lake Station, etc.). Both these towns have suffered "white flight" and the economic decline of the steel mills has devastated some areas of each city... Gary more than Hammond.
East Chicago has a large Latino population. Even among the Chicanos and other Latino groups within the city there are distinctions. Newer and poorer Latinos living in East Chicago are found primarily in the "Harbor," a district noted for its close proximity to the mills and the refineries, and a bit of danger, drug dealing and living on the edge. At least that is its regional reputation. Of course, the reality is that there may be more drug dealing and danger in Porter County than in most parts of Lake County, including the Harbor, all of EC and most areas of Gary. But no one pays much attention to facts when dealing with political matters. As the line in "G.I. Jane" goes, "perception is enough."
Then there is the declining downtown area that was once filled with historical landmarks noted for being involved in gangster activities, some even for being haunts for the likes of Dillinger and his contemporaries.
Whiting, too, is marked by neighborhoods that are known for its ethnicity, including Polish, Serbian, Croatian, Slovak and more recently the Latinos. The older, more nostalgic folks in Whiting won't come right out and say it, but there are very few people in Whiting that appreciate the changing ethnicities and social dynamics in Whiting.
Even in places like Portage, Valparaiso and Chesteron, these dynamics play out in quite significant, but certainly different, ways. We can see the these dynamics in Schererville, Merrillville, St. John, Hobart and Kouts. There are not overtly hostile acts of rascism or prejudice occuring on every corner at every hour of the day (although there are certainly some of those), but a latent form of prejudice that permeates the entire region and segregates us against them, whoever "them" might be... whoever "us" may be.
But what strikes me more than the marked neighborhoods and the obvious ethnic flavors of each community, or even the overt and blatant racism, is the segregation of people's minds. Despite years of economic turmoil that will not be overcome unless people work together, there are people with so much inherently instilled prejudice and racism that it permeates even good people, good organizations, and good neighborhoods.
The worst of it is not where one might expect to see this kind of racism, prejudice or "us versus them" dynamics. We do not find it being overtly pervasive in any of the neighborhoods. Instead, it is insipidous in nature. It crawls among us, lays low when an "incident" occurs, and returns to a semi-public view when the ruffled feathers are smoothed and the waters are once again a bit more trnaquil.
We find "it" among our political leaders, in the offices of our elected officials and in the comments made on the "QT" during political campaigns, regardless of whether it is an election campaign, a neighborhood or community issue, or the internal struggles of a political party. No one comes right out and uses a racial or ethnic slur or epithet. No one dares to speak out against any one group, clique or identifiable organization. That would be too gauche. It could also have repercussions.
This form of racism, prejudice and entrenched ideology is latently blatant... or perhaps blatantly latent. It presents as benign processes, but actually represents an entrenched "us versus them" mentality... and us is a narrowly defined group... usually those that are in power.
I have seen it in the way Rudy Clay operates as a political leader in Lake County and Northwest Indiana. Clay is one of the most inarticulate, uneducated, uninformed men I have ever met. Yet, he is a political powerhouse in Northwest Indiana. The late Mayor Pastrick from East Chicago was much the same way a leader without a real vision. Leon West, the Democratic Chairman for Porter County seems to operate in the same manner. None of these folks operate out of a sense of helping as many people as they can. Instead, it has always been about improving the stranglehold on the powerbase in the region.
Pastrick passed away and left a void. It has been filled, but in a less benevolent manner. His regime as one of the most powerful politicos of NWI impressed me as being mostly like that of Mussolini during WWII. The folks that voted for him knew this was his nature, but also knew he made the City of East Chicago work in a largely effective manner. Mussolini made the trains run on time and Pastrick made things happen for EC.
Rudy Clay is a different sort of dictatorial power-hungry SOB. He is blatant about his grab for power, only supports those that support his regime, and doesn't seem to care if his leadership role is effective in any way other than to assure his continued ascendancy along the power structure. Now that he has the reins in Gary, I suspect that there will be certain neighborhoods that receive great attention, but the larger goal of restoring Gary to its once renowned greatness (it was once touted as a great city in several popular songs) will be left to someone else... someone that might come along after he and his cronies are long gone.
Leon West seems to be an affable guy. He will laugh with you, shake your hand, call you "friend," and assure you he has the best interests of the constituency at heart. But he has his hands in everything, and a thumb on top of most things, that occurs in Porter County. He is not as blantantly power-hungry as Rudy Clay, but he is power-hungry. Nor is he as blatantly in charge as was Mayor Pastrick in his day, but he is surely in charge. Few of us outside of his inner circle really find him to be anything more than a Rudy Clay in nicer garb. He does not lead by principle, example or even strategy. His vision is limited by the power that he insists on having and control he is able to assert.
The major difference between West and Pastrick is that Pastrick got things done and people nodded their heads at his achievements and looked the other way at the process. Leon West cannot seem to get things done is such a manner as people cannot help but notice his flaws, goofs and flies. His leadership in Porter County will last until his retirement. As soon as he is voluntarily out of the picture, there will be a cat fight, a dog fight and a major schism among the Democrats in Porter County.
The major difference between West and Clay is that Clay will stab you while you're talking to him. West has to do it while you're not looking. Clay is a devil you know and can predict outright. His grabs for power and efforts to distribute that power among his friends are so blatantly obvious, one has to wonder how he has gotten away with it for all these years and not suffered the fate of other politicians of similar practice. In my view of things, its a wonder that Rudy Clay has not been indicted and convicted for some of his antics. West, however, is the ultimate devil because, like Satan, he has convinced us he doesn't exist as an evil entity.
In the southern parts of Porter County the dynamics are played out along ideological and religious lines. The Porter County Republicans, led in part by the ultra-conservative Christian Right that makes sure to get out the vote by using their repsective churches as a bully pulpit, have a stronghold in the county offices. Getting assistance in the political realm, in terms of social welfare and everyday services means surrendering to the will of the Republican leadership or going without. Dealing with the political process in Porter County is a tightrope walk that doesn't seem to have any rules... but boy-oh-boy is it entertaining.
The same dynamic happens in the southern (south of Route 30) parts of Lake County, but they have not managed to control the county offices over in that neck of the woods because of the population demographics. But that is changing. St. John, Lowell, Schneider, Dyer and other remote parts of Lake County are being overly developed these days and the population--mostly white, affluent and religious in an ultra-conservative manner--is growing. Whether or not these folks take over Lake County depends on whether the Dems in Hammond, Gary and EC can keep a hold on the votes up north... But doesn't Hammond have a Republican at the helm? So the real question is whether or not Lake County is becoming a future Republican stronghold.
So, the segregation of the mind is not purely racist, ethnic or even ideological. It is parochial, xenophobic and relativistic. It is not intent upon being chaotic or even detrimental. But, because it is chaotic and dysfunctional, it is the root of all evil in Northwest Indiana, the state at-large and the reason why we have the Bush gang leading us into immorality and un-American endeavors at the top levels of government... we have allowed our pettiness to define who we are. We don't seem to mind that we settle for the worst political leadership possible, even when there are quality candidates and solid leadership available. If we want to bring back a sense of pride and real prosperity to NW Indiana, we must conquer our tendency to define all things in an "us versus them" mentality. If we ever want to see progress, economic growth, health communities and prosperity, we must seek out only the best and the brightest among us... those willing to lead by applying geunine first principles of government, employing sound reasoning and implementing an effective process of problem-solving. So far this is not what is happening in our neck of the woods... just ask anyone looking for a job in our region.
In Chicago we have a Chinatown, a Greek Town, a Korean Town, an area noted for its Indian and Pakistani ethnicity, another close by noted for its Middle Eastern ethnicity, an area formerly known as "Jew Town", and so forth. In New York we see similar dynamics. Boston, San Francisco, LA, New Orleans, Dallas and every other major US city share some of these dynamics.
Of course, both Hammond and Gary are clearly marked with lines of white and black neighborhoods, with many neighborhood distinctions being treated as if it is a separate town rather than a neighborhood or development (i.e. Miller, Miller's Beach, Ogden Dunes, Woodmar, Hessville, North Hammond, Robertsdale, Lake Station, etc.). Both these towns have suffered "white flight" and the economic decline of the steel mills has devastated some areas of each city... Gary more than Hammond.
East Chicago has a large Latino population. Even among the Chicanos and other Latino groups within the city there are distinctions. Newer and poorer Latinos living in East Chicago are found primarily in the "Harbor," a district noted for its close proximity to the mills and the refineries, and a bit of danger, drug dealing and living on the edge. At least that is its regional reputation. Of course, the reality is that there may be more drug dealing and danger in Porter County than in most parts of Lake County, including the Harbor, all of EC and most areas of Gary. But no one pays much attention to facts when dealing with political matters. As the line in "G.I. Jane" goes, "perception is enough."
Then there is the declining downtown area that was once filled with historical landmarks noted for being involved in gangster activities, some even for being haunts for the likes of Dillinger and his contemporaries.
Whiting, too, is marked by neighborhoods that are known for its ethnicity, including Polish, Serbian, Croatian, Slovak and more recently the Latinos. The older, more nostalgic folks in Whiting won't come right out and say it, but there are very few people in Whiting that appreciate the changing ethnicities and social dynamics in Whiting.
Even in places like Portage, Valparaiso and Chesteron, these dynamics play out in quite significant, but certainly different, ways. We can see the these dynamics in Schererville, Merrillville, St. John, Hobart and Kouts. There are not overtly hostile acts of rascism or prejudice occuring on every corner at every hour of the day (although there are certainly some of those), but a latent form of prejudice that permeates the entire region and segregates us against them, whoever "them" might be... whoever "us" may be.
But what strikes me more than the marked neighborhoods and the obvious ethnic flavors of each community, or even the overt and blatant racism, is the segregation of people's minds. Despite years of economic turmoil that will not be overcome unless people work together, there are people with so much inherently instilled prejudice and racism that it permeates even good people, good organizations, and good neighborhoods.
The worst of it is not where one might expect to see this kind of racism, prejudice or "us versus them" dynamics. We do not find it being overtly pervasive in any of the neighborhoods. Instead, it is insipidous in nature. It crawls among us, lays low when an "incident" occurs, and returns to a semi-public view when the ruffled feathers are smoothed and the waters are once again a bit more trnaquil.
We find "it" among our political leaders, in the offices of our elected officials and in the comments made on the "QT" during political campaigns, regardless of whether it is an election campaign, a neighborhood or community issue, or the internal struggles of a political party. No one comes right out and uses a racial or ethnic slur or epithet. No one dares to speak out against any one group, clique or identifiable organization. That would be too gauche. It could also have repercussions.
This form of racism, prejudice and entrenched ideology is latently blatant... or perhaps blatantly latent. It presents as benign processes, but actually represents an entrenched "us versus them" mentality... and us is a narrowly defined group... usually those that are in power.
I have seen it in the way Rudy Clay operates as a political leader in Lake County and Northwest Indiana. Clay is one of the most inarticulate, uneducated, uninformed men I have ever met. Yet, he is a political powerhouse in Northwest Indiana. The late Mayor Pastrick from East Chicago was much the same way a leader without a real vision. Leon West, the Democratic Chairman for Porter County seems to operate in the same manner. None of these folks operate out of a sense of helping as many people as they can. Instead, it has always been about improving the stranglehold on the powerbase in the region.
Pastrick passed away and left a void. It has been filled, but in a less benevolent manner. His regime as one of the most powerful politicos of NWI impressed me as being mostly like that of Mussolini during WWII. The folks that voted for him knew this was his nature, but also knew he made the City of East Chicago work in a largely effective manner. Mussolini made the trains run on time and Pastrick made things happen for EC.
Rudy Clay is a different sort of dictatorial power-hungry SOB. He is blatant about his grab for power, only supports those that support his regime, and doesn't seem to care if his leadership role is effective in any way other than to assure his continued ascendancy along the power structure. Now that he has the reins in Gary, I suspect that there will be certain neighborhoods that receive great attention, but the larger goal of restoring Gary to its once renowned greatness (it was once touted as a great city in several popular songs) will be left to someone else... someone that might come along after he and his cronies are long gone.
Leon West seems to be an affable guy. He will laugh with you, shake your hand, call you "friend," and assure you he has the best interests of the constituency at heart. But he has his hands in everything, and a thumb on top of most things, that occurs in Porter County. He is not as blantantly power-hungry as Rudy Clay, but he is power-hungry. Nor is he as blatantly in charge as was Mayor Pastrick in his day, but he is surely in charge. Few of us outside of his inner circle really find him to be anything more than a Rudy Clay in nicer garb. He does not lead by principle, example or even strategy. His vision is limited by the power that he insists on having and control he is able to assert.
The major difference between West and Pastrick is that Pastrick got things done and people nodded their heads at his achievements and looked the other way at the process. Leon West cannot seem to get things done is such a manner as people cannot help but notice his flaws, goofs and flies. His leadership in Porter County will last until his retirement. As soon as he is voluntarily out of the picture, there will be a cat fight, a dog fight and a major schism among the Democrats in Porter County.
The major difference between West and Clay is that Clay will stab you while you're talking to him. West has to do it while you're not looking. Clay is a devil you know and can predict outright. His grabs for power and efforts to distribute that power among his friends are so blatantly obvious, one has to wonder how he has gotten away with it for all these years and not suffered the fate of other politicians of similar practice. In my view of things, its a wonder that Rudy Clay has not been indicted and convicted for some of his antics. West, however, is the ultimate devil because, like Satan, he has convinced us he doesn't exist as an evil entity.
In the southern parts of Porter County the dynamics are played out along ideological and religious lines. The Porter County Republicans, led in part by the ultra-conservative Christian Right that makes sure to get out the vote by using their repsective churches as a bully pulpit, have a stronghold in the county offices. Getting assistance in the political realm, in terms of social welfare and everyday services means surrendering to the will of the Republican leadership or going without. Dealing with the political process in Porter County is a tightrope walk that doesn't seem to have any rules... but boy-oh-boy is it entertaining.
The same dynamic happens in the southern (south of Route 30) parts of Lake County, but they have not managed to control the county offices over in that neck of the woods because of the population demographics. But that is changing. St. John, Lowell, Schneider, Dyer and other remote parts of Lake County are being overly developed these days and the population--mostly white, affluent and religious in an ultra-conservative manner--is growing. Whether or not these folks take over Lake County depends on whether the Dems in Hammond, Gary and EC can keep a hold on the votes up north... But doesn't Hammond have a Republican at the helm? So the real question is whether or not Lake County is becoming a future Republican stronghold.
So, the segregation of the mind is not purely racist, ethnic or even ideological. It is parochial, xenophobic and relativistic. It is not intent upon being chaotic or even detrimental. But, because it is chaotic and dysfunctional, it is the root of all evil in Northwest Indiana, the state at-large and the reason why we have the Bush gang leading us into immorality and un-American endeavors at the top levels of government... we have allowed our pettiness to define who we are. We don't seem to mind that we settle for the worst political leadership possible, even when there are quality candidates and solid leadership available. If we want to bring back a sense of pride and real prosperity to NW Indiana, we must conquer our tendency to define all things in an "us versus them" mentality. If we ever want to see progress, economic growth, health communities and prosperity, we must seek out only the best and the brightest among us... those willing to lead by applying geunine first principles of government, employing sound reasoning and implementing an effective process of problem-solving. So far this is not what is happening in our neck of the woods... just ask anyone looking for a job in our region.
posted by Jim Downey at 1:11 PM
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