Blind I | The Boutique Music Blog | Quality Over Quantity.

2016? YOU DON’T SAY.

It’s been awhile since we’ve put any social commentary up on the site, but with Sister Toldja coming back soon you shall not starve for long. In the meantime, I wanted to share something with the Blind I faithful that I put up on my personal blog addressing Chicago’s failed 2016 Olympic bid in juxtaposition with the murder of 16 year old Derrion Albert. I’m sure the intelligent base we have here at Blind I will rock with my words. Partake.

I suppose Chicago in 2016 was more important at the time than a 16 year old Chicagoan. Derrion Albert would have been 22 years old around the time the Olympic Games would take over the city of Chicago, supposedly joining the corners of one of the most segregated cities in the world through the welcoming of every nation participating into our “welcoming confines”. Every real Chicagoan, from Wrigleyville to Calumet City, K-Town to the Low End, knows that it’s a tall feat for us to get along with each other already, let alone millions of tourists envisioning a town totally different than the one they’d be stepping into for an Olympic Games. The grievances and issues Chicago faces are not the caliber which would be easily dealt with in a mere 6 years. Rather, a lifetime of struggle and resistance has existed in Chicago, with little ground gained since the years of the Civil Rights movement. People move to our city and stay in their comfort corner, with the majority never daring to go south of Roosevelt. Equally, the born-and-bred Chicagoan is one that rarely goes North of Roosevelt, unless it’s for work purposes or to inquire within City offices. When such a rift exists between Chicago itself, how could the members of the Chicago Olympic Committee actually go through with making this pitch to the IOC? How, with teenagers dying every day in the streets — not just through gang violence, but senseless acts like the one that took away the life of Derrion Albert — could they actively say that the world would be safe here?

You can read the entire post over at my blog now, but feel free to comment here if you wish and let us know your thoughts on this whole ordeal.

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6 Comments to 2016? YOU DON’T SAY.

1. [...] YOU DON’T SAY. http://www.blindiforthekids.com/2009/…-dont-say/ Add to favoritespermalink 19 seconds ago follow [...]
blindi - TwitFlip.com on October 2nd, 2009
2. 

   gr8 post! the billions of dollars that would have been needed to host the games is a slap in the fuckin face to the damn recession we in. i know barack & dem from the chi & they want to “represent” any time chicago has a chance to be in the limelight on a global scale… but c’moooooooooooon ne! we need to focus our time, energy & MONEY to gettin our nation back to where we SUPPOSED to be NOT on some “games”.
NO on October 2nd, 2009
3. 

   Absolutely we need more dialogue like this. I SECOND No’s opinion… I mean priorities people. Grant it we’ve made strides in race relations, however what we all fail to realize is that their are many folks (at the risk of sounding prejudice) mainly white folk who are resentful of success by anyone who doesnt look like them. Which honestly goes back to that bullschitt 16th century race hierarchy which sadly alot of people haven’t evolved from. I mean just recently; Amadou, Sean Bell, OFFICER Omar Edwards, My good friend rest his Soul Officer Chris Ridley, and the list goes on and on. It goes way beyond racial profiling tho. Its a mindset that I feel was conditionally bred in SOME whites that they truly far more superior than any other people and therefore, they feel entitled to do what they want…Including taking live without fear of consequence…Its truly FUCCCED UP, but tru. its not just the Chi either its all accross our nation… Honestly I would love to see President Obama take a more active role in speaking about these issues now that hes elected. Of course he would have to go about it in a way where everyone could digest it but we all kno that hes more than capable of doing just that.
Niyre aka Oh Boi of BLACKMINDZ on October 2nd, 2009
4. 

   After reading my post i needed to clear up my point in relation to the post… ghettos are ghettos not by default but by DESIGN. The gentlemen I mentioned before were all apart of this environment and all died sensely because of the tensions within them. These tensions are a product of the poverty that exists in these neighborhoods which was partially brought on by those who felt entitled to the more resourceful areas in major cities around the country. Ergo, it manifests itself in different ways from crimes against each other to police brutality. I’m not trying to be prejudice and if your offended MY bad. I just wanted to state one of the causes of this ongoing problem.
Niyre aka Oh Boi of BLACKMINDZ on October 2nd, 2009
5. 

   i wondered when you all would speak ur piece/peace about this matter….i still had to question the BLISSFUL NIGGNORACNE that transpired…to see these kids tryin to literally kill each other of nuthing of real substance n matter….is truly disenchanting because i feel @ times BLACK CULTURE/COMMUNITY is doomed…we have to get the hate n apathy out our hearts…and let a lil light n love in..
disenchantedhero on October 2nd, 2009
6. 

   EXCELLENT POST SULI. This really should be published as commentary in a Chicago newspaper.

   Had it not been for the YouTube clip, I wonder if Derrion Albert’s story would have garnered any news coverage. Sadly, kids are losing their lives to nonsense every day.

   The plight of minorities is always skewed so negatively in the media,placing the spotlight on our crimes and misfortunes as opposed to highlighting anything outstanding we are doing. I’ve been in newsrooms and witnessed their bigoted decision making and really, it’s disgusting.

   That being said, our culture has become so materialistic that we’ve abandoned the very phrase our people were founded on: It takes a village to raise a child. Derrion Albert was also our responsibility.

   We can point fingers at the parents that are uninvolved or deemed “absent,” but that will not fill the void these young kids are looking to the streets for. We must MENTOR, TUTOR, SUPPORT and become a force in the lives of young kids. We have to sacrifice time for each other. An hour spent with you in a rec center could be the catalyst to transforming a kid and steering them from the bullshit to a brighter opportunity. Volunteer. For black men in particular, these young boys need you as an example and a beacon of who they can become.

   May his soul rest in peace.
Maiya on October 3rd, 2009

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