The final touches are being put on a new documentary, co-produced by local filmmaker Larry Bastain (brother of State Rep. Talibdin El-Amin), which takes a closer look at the often violent lives of many of our city’s young men and boys.
“Off the Record” features interviews with gang members, local community leaders, and elected officials, including El-Amin, State Rep. Rodney Hubbard and State Senator Jeff Smith.
November 5th, 2007 at 11:54 am
I wondered when I read reports of the motorcycle gangs or groups or whatever they were doing crazy stuff towaqrd motorists—some reportedly gather at Soulard—just how they fit into the picture of this local pols and young people situation.
November 5th, 2007 at 5:25 pm
What do you think would happen if an urbanist told that one guy that those boarded up buildings are fine architectural specimens in need of preservation?
November 5th, 2007 at 9:52 pm
Alright French guess Jeff is paying you now. If we pay you for a replay of Debbie Does Dallas bet you’d post that too.
November 6th, 2007 at 7:16 pm
The buildings didn’t cause the problem. In fact if rehabbed they are community assets.
The problem is divestment and the exodus of manufacturing jobs, while the education system has not trained our kids for the predominantly white collar jobs that remain. As Senator Smith indicates, we have kids working service sector jobs that have no benefits and slave wages. Selling drugs is more attractive so they sell drugs. They don’t have any alternatives which are appealing.
You can demolish the buildings, but without education nothing will change. What you will have is the same ghetto activity in newer buildings or in vacant lots.
What would be definitely worthwhile is small businesses opening on MLK, not demolishing the once thriving black commercial district. It is rather upsetting to see our historically black communities, like the Ville and Kinloch, be destroyed, when historic tax credits are available. The argument that they place an economic burden upon residents, due to historic guidelines, is moot because exemptions are made for financial hardship.