Comments on: Ames Strives to be More Inclusive Community http://iowaindependent.com/2543/ames-strives-to-be-more-inclusive-community Iowa politics, news and commentary Mon, 12 Sep 2011 07:06:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Anonymous http://iowaindependent.com/2543/ames-strives-to-be-more-inclusive-community/comment-page-1#comment-41276 Anonymous Fri, 05 Aug 2011 06:08:00 +0000 http://iowaindependent.com/2543/ames-strives-to-be-more-inclusive-community#comment-41276 Let me start by say, I am a black women that migrated to Ames, IA from the Quad Cities, IA 10 years ago after meeting my now husband who was born and raised in Ames. I don't get out and about in the town enough to know exactly what is going on in it (usually work, home, and classes). So, I will not speak about that. But I will say, I felt confident enough to make the move after putting myself thru school while raising two boys on my own and was living life "right". I wanted the best for myself and 2 boys. I think, when you have goals and dreams and you know that they are achievable, you tend to look at life a little differently; in a more positive way. Side note about me: After dropping out high school while pregnant; life looked like it was over for me. But I am not a quitter, so I went back to school and got my GED and also my CNA. While working as a CNA, I would here others talk about college. What is college, I thought? My parents never talked about college. Probably because they did not attend college themselves. I then started to look into colleges, and was accepted and graduated. First in the family :). That was 14 years ago and now, a whole new world has opened up for me! Since then, I have never stopped going. I am always taking some sort of a class. This side note is also leading to the next paragraph. Most people on section 8 have probably have given up or just does not know how to do any better. Therefore, they do not know how to teach their kids any better than they (maybe the government should step in here too). Do me and yourself a favor; if you cannot afford kids...don't have them! Don't make me pay for them. I only had 2 children because that is all I could afford financially and physically. My kids went to the Ames schools from elementary and up to the high school. When they were in high school, they would say things like...Those bad kids from Chicago did this and that or there was a fight today, I would ask who was fighting and the reply would be...guess mom. My boys were even afraid of the girls from Chicago. They would also talk about all of the "ghettoness" going on with them. I am okay with being "ghetto”, but there is a time and a place for it and that place would be...your own home. I would also see total disrespect in the hallways by these students when I would visit the High school. Again, if their parents did not teach them better, they can know no better! The cycle continues. Rapping things up. I feel section 8 is a more of a handicap than a crutch. Take it away or put a time limit on it. I bet that you will start to see different results. I also say, kick them in their asses and make them get an education (should be required while on section 8 if there is none for employability) and/or a job that keeps them occupied. I do not mean a part-time job at Wendy's or McDonald’s. I mean a real job that wears them out so that they have no energy left at the end of the day just like the rest of us! Let me start by say, I am a black women that migrated to Ames, IA from the Quad Cities, IA 10 years ago after meeting my now husband who was born and raised in Ames.

I don’t get out and about in the town enough to know exactly what is going on in it (usually work, home, and classes). So, I will not speak about that.

But I will say, I felt confident enough to make the move after putting myself thru school while raising two boys on my own and was living life “right”. I wanted the best for myself and 2 boys. I think, when you have goals and dreams and you know that they are achievable, you tend to look at life a little differently; in a more positive way.

Side note about me: After dropping out high school while pregnant; life looked like it was over for me. But I am not a quitter, so I went back to school and got my GED and also my CNA. While working as a CNA, I would here others talk about college. What is college, I thought? My parents never talked about college. Probably because they did not attend college themselves. I then started to look into colleges, and was accepted and graduated. First in the family :). That was 14 years ago and now, a whole new world has opened up for me! Since then, I have never stopped going. I am always taking some sort of a class. This side note is also leading to the next paragraph.

Most people on section 8 have probably have given up or just does not know how to do any better. Therefore, they do not know how to teach their kids any better than they (maybe the government should step in here too).

Do me and yourself a favor; if you cannot afford kids…don’t have them! Don’t make me pay for them. I only had 2 children because that is all I could afford financially and physically.

My kids went to the Ames schools from elementary and up to the high school. When they were in high school, they would say things like…Those bad kids from Chicago did this and that or there was a fight today, I would ask who was fighting and the reply would be…guess mom. My boys were even afraid of the girls from Chicago. They would also talk about all of the “ghettoness” going on with them. I am okay with being “ghetto”, but there is a time and a place for it and that place would be…your own home. I would also see total disrespect in the hallways by these students when I would visit the High school. Again, if their parents did not teach them better, they can know no better! The cycle continues.

Rapping things up. I feel section 8 is a more of a handicap than a crutch. Take it away or put a time limit on it. I bet that you will start to see different results.

I also say, kick them in their asses and make them get an education (should be required while on section 8 if there is none for employability) and/or a job that keeps them occupied. I do not mean a part-time job at Wendy’s or McDonald’s. I mean a real job that wears them out so that they have no energy left at the end of the day just like the rest of us!

]]> By: fucksectioneight http://iowaindependent.com/2543/ames-strives-to-be-more-inclusive-community/comment-page-1#comment-24610 fucksectioneight Sun, 16 Aug 2009 13:24:03 +0000 http://iowaindependent.com/2543/ames-strives-to-be-more-inclusive-community#comment-24610 get these assholes out of ames. ames used to be great without these freeloading assholes flooding the streets. i'm not worried about them taking our jobs. they don't have any. they have food stamps. lucky little scurves. they steal our bikes, start violent crimes, etc. i've been a long time resident of this boring town and have been in the lower class the whole time. people in town that say it's finger pointing and such don't see this shit first hand. they live in the richie rich development areas. where's charles bronson when you need him? get these assholes out of ames. ames used to be great without these freeloading assholes flooding the streets. i'm not worried about them taking our jobs. they don't have any. they have food stamps. lucky little scurves. they steal our bikes, start violent crimes, etc. i've been a long time resident of this boring town and have been in the lower class the whole time. people in town that say it's finger pointing and such don't see this shit first hand. they live in the richie rich development areas. where's charles bronson when you need him?

]]> By: fucksectioneight http://iowaindependent.com/2543/ames-strives-to-be-more-inclusive-community/comment-page-1#comment-20054 fucksectioneight Sun, 16 Aug 2009 08:24:03 +0000 http://iowaindependent.com/2543/ames-strives-to-be-more-inclusive-community#comment-20054 get these assholes out of ames. ames used to be great without these freeloading assholes flooding the streets. i'm not worried about them taking our jobs. they don't have any. they have food stamps. lucky little scurves. they steal our bikes, start violent crimes, etc. i've been a long time resident of this boring town and have been in the lower class the whole time. people in town that say it's finger pointing and such don't see this shit first hand. they live in the richie rich development areas. where's charles bronson when you need him? get these assholes out of ames. ames used to be great without these freeloading assholes flooding the streets. i'm not worried about them taking our jobs. they don't have any. they have food stamps. lucky little scurves. they steal our bikes, start violent crimes, etc. i've been a long time resident of this boring town and have been in the lower class the whole time. people in town that say it's finger pointing and such don't see this shit first hand. they live in the richie rich development areas. where's charles bronson when you need him?

]]> By: fucksectioneight http://iowaindependent.com/2543/ames-strives-to-be-more-inclusive-community/comment-page-1#comment-18120 fucksectioneight Sun, 16 Aug 2009 06:24:03 +0000 http://iowaindependent.com/2543/ames-strives-to-be-more-inclusive-community#comment-18120 get these assholes out of ames. ames used to be great without these freeloading assholes flooding the streets. i'm not worried about them taking our jobs. they don't have any. they have food stamps. lucky little scurves. they steal our bikes, start violent crimes, etc. i've been a long time resident of this boring town and have been in the lower class the whole time. people in town that say it's finger pointing and such don't see this shit first hand. they live in the richie rich development areas. where's charles bronson when you need him? get these assholes out of ames. ames used to be great without these freeloading assholes flooding the streets. i'm not worried about them taking our jobs. they don't have any. they have food stamps. lucky little scurves. they steal our bikes, start violent crimes, etc. i've been a long time resident of this boring town and have been in the lower class the whole time. people in town that say it's finger pointing and such don't see this shit first hand. they live in the richie rich development areas. where's charles bronson when you need him?

]]> By: dave98 http://iowaindependent.com/2543/ames-strives-to-be-more-inclusive-community/comment-page-1#comment-17889 dave98 Fri, 07 Aug 2009 23:03:59 +0000 http://iowaindependent.com/2543/ames-strives-to-be-more-inclusive-community#comment-17889 This is a really late comment, but has to be made. Crystal, you're an idiot.<br><br>Yeah, the majority of the crime in Ames is from the "white" residents. Those crimes are mainly things like public intox, disturbing the peace, ect. That crime we don't care about, when the car jacking and murders happen, that's a problem. First, I agree that this state has plenty of poor people in rural areas, why not help them. Second, I don't care about color and if the people coming in from Chicago just wanted to work that would be cool too. It's that people are tagging along that don't think twice about committing violent crime that's the problem. This is a really late comment, but has to be made. Crystal, you're an idiot.

Yeah, the majority of the crime in Ames is from the “white” residents. Those crimes are mainly things like public intox, disturbing the peace, ect. That crime we don't care about, when the car jacking and murders happen, that's a problem. First, I agree that this state has plenty of poor people in rural areas, why not help them. Second, I don't care about color and if the people coming in from Chicago just wanted to work that would be cool too. It's that people are tagging along that don't think twice about committing violent crime that's the problem.

]]> By: Crystal http://iowaindependent.com/2543/ames-strives-to-be-more-inclusive-community/comment-page-1#comment-6931 Crystal Sat, 09 Aug 2008 05:12:41 +0000 http://iowaindependent.com/2543/ames-strives-to-be-more-inclusive-community#comment-6931 Each one of these comments represent the closed mindedness, ignorance and thoughts of many white people in Ames. This is a large part of the problem. You can have your opinions but to just single out poor, black, section 8, urban, Chicago or anything else and perpetuate these lies and stereotypes is what is destroying peoples ability to get past the color of someone's skin and see their true character. Lets be honest...in a community "where 93.9 percent of residents are not people of color" (and this is quoted from the article) statistically more non colored (so to speak)residents probably commit the majorities of crimes in Ames. It is not the Minority committing the Majority of crimes or even violent crimes for that matter in Ames...but when someone of color, who isn't a long standing resident of Ames, commits a crime it becomes more visible than the multitude of white drug dealers, rapists, and child molesters that litter Ames...Look that up and check it for yourself. It's not statistically possible for the very small percentage of colored folks to commit the majority of crimes, so put things in true perspective and stop perpetuating the bigoted stereotypes...ALL OF YOU. Each one of these comments represent the closed mindedness, ignorance and thoughts of many white people in Ames. This is a large part of the problem. You can have your opinions but to just single out poor, black, section 8, urban, Chicago or anything else and perpetuate these lies and stereotypes is what is destroying peoples ability to get past the color of someone's skin and see their true character. Lets be honest…in a community “where 93.9 percent of residents are not people of color” (and this is quoted from the article) statistically more non colored (so to speak)residents probably commit the majorities of crimes in Ames. It is not the Minority committing the Majority of crimes or even violent crimes for that matter in Ames…but when someone of color, who isn't a long standing resident of Ames, commits a crime it becomes more visible than the multitude of white drug dealers, rapists, and child molesters that litter Ames…Look that up and check it for yourself. It's not statistically possible for the very small percentage of colored folks to commit the majority of crimes, so put things in true perspective and stop perpetuating the bigoted stereotypes…ALL OF YOU.

]]> By: Crystal http://iowaindependent.com/2543/ames-strives-to-be-more-inclusive-community/comment-page-1#comment-6290 Crystal Sat, 09 Aug 2008 05:12:41 +0000 http://iowaindependent.com/2543/ames-strives-to-be-more-inclusive-community#comment-6290 Each one of these comments represent the closed mindedness, ignorance and thoughts of many white people in Ames. This is a large part of the problem. You can have your opinions but to just single out poor, black, section 8, urban, Chicago or anything else and perpetuate these lies and stereotypes is what is destroying peoples ability to get past the color of someone's skin and see their true character. Lets be honest...in a community "where 93.9 percent of residents are not people of color" (and this is quoted from the article) statistically more non colored (so to speak)residents probably commit the majorities of crimes in Ames. It is not the Minority committing the Majority of crimes or even violent crimes for that matter in Ames...but when someone of color, who isn't a long standing resident of Ames, commits a crime it becomes more visible than the multitude of white drug dealers, rapists, and child molesters that litter Ames...Look that up and check it for yourself. It's not statistically possible for the very small percentage of colored folks to commit the majority of crimes, so put things in true perspective and stop perpetuating the bigoted stereotypes...ALL OF YOU. Each one of these comments represent the closed mindedness, ignorance and thoughts of many white people in Ames. This is a large part of the problem. You can have your opinions but to just single out poor, black, section 8, urban, Chicago or anything else and perpetuate these lies and stereotypes is what is destroying peoples ability to get past the color of someone’s skin and see their true character. Lets be honest…in a community “where 93.9 percent of residents are not people of color” (and this is quoted from the article) statistically more non colored (so to speak)residents probably commit the majorities of crimes in Ames. It is not the Minority committing the Majority of crimes or even violent crimes for that matter in Ames…but when someone of color, who isn’t a long standing resident of Ames, commits a crime it becomes more visible than the multitude of white drug dealers, rapists, and child molesters that litter Ames…Look that up and check it for yourself. It’s not statistically possible for the very small percentage of colored folks to commit the majority of crimes, so put things in true perspective and stop perpetuating the bigoted stereotypes…ALL OF YOU.

]]> By: mark http://iowaindependent.com/2543/ames-strives-to-be-more-inclusive-community/comment-page-1#comment-6932 mark Wed, 06 Aug 2008 03:02:43 +0000 http://iowaindependent.com/2543/ames-strives-to-be-more-inclusive-community#comment-6932 Iowa City is experiencing the same problem as Ames. I just moved back to Iowa from Los Angeles and am appalled at the rise in poverty—not to mention the introduction of 'thug' culture—in IC. We're all worried that IC will become unlivable. The section 8 area of town resembles Watts in LA and I know what I'm talking about—I taught school in Watts for several years.<br><br>The part of the article that stuck me the most was the quote: "So we decided to put our heads together and figure out how to make Ames a more welcoming place for everyone." I'm sorry, but this is VERY naive. Our friends from Chicago don't give a damn about feeling 'welcomed' and are here merely to 'game' the system. I know this sounds like the rant from Whitey, but the truth is, I have many black musician friends in IC that I've known for decades and this has NOTHING whatsoever to do with skin color. As MLK once pointed out (paraphrase), "It's not the color of the skin, but the content of the character." Iowa City is experiencing the same problem as Ames. I just moved back to Iowa from Los Angeles and am appalled at the rise in poverty—not to mention the introduction of 'thug' culture—in IC. We're all worried that IC will become unlivable. The section 8 area of town resembles Watts in LA and I know what I'm talking about—I taught school in Watts for several years.

The part of the article that stuck me the most was the quote: “So we decided to put our heads together and figure out how to make Ames a more welcoming place for everyone.” I'm sorry, but this is VERY naive. Our friends from Chicago don't give a damn about feeling 'welcomed' and are here merely to 'game' the system. I know this sounds like the rant from Whitey, but the truth is, I have many black musician friends in IC that I've known for decades and this has NOTHING whatsoever to do with skin color. As MLK once pointed out (paraphrase), “It's not the color of the skin, but the content of the character.”

]]> By: mark http://iowaindependent.com/2543/ames-strives-to-be-more-inclusive-community/comment-page-1#comment-6074 mark Wed, 06 Aug 2008 03:02:43 +0000 http://iowaindependent.com/2543/ames-strives-to-be-more-inclusive-community#comment-6074 Iowa City is experiencing the same problem as Ames. I just moved back to Iowa from Los Angeles and am appalled at the rise in poverty—not to mention the introduction of 'thug' culture—in IC. We're all worried that IC will become unlivable. The section 8 area of town resembles Watts in LA and I know what I'm talking about—I taught school in Watts for several years. The part of the article that stuck me the most was the quote: "So we decided to put our heads together and figure out how to make Ames a more welcoming place for everyone." I'm sorry, but this is VERY naive. Our friends from Chicago don't give a damn about feeling 'welcomed' and are here merely to 'game' the system. I know this sounds like the rant from Whitey, but the truth is, I have many black musician friends in IC that I've known for decades and this has NOTHING whatsoever to do with skin color. As MLK once pointed out (paraphrase), "It's not the color of the skin, but the content of the character." Iowa City is experiencing the same problem as Ames. I just moved back to Iowa from Los Angeles and am appalled at the rise in poverty—not to mention the introduction of ‘thug’ culture—in IC. We’re all worried that IC will become unlivable. The section 8 area of town resembles Watts in LA and I know what I’m talking about—I taught school in Watts for several years.

The part of the article that stuck me the most was the quote: “So we decided to put our heads together and figure out how to make Ames a more welcoming place for everyone.” I’m sorry, but this is VERY naive. Our friends from Chicago don’t give a damn about feeling ‘welcomed’ and are here merely to ‘game’ the system. I know this sounds like the rant from Whitey, but the truth is, I have many black musician friends in IC that I’ve known for decades and this has NOTHING whatsoever to do with skin color. As MLK once pointed out (paraphrase), “It’s not the color of the skin, but the content of the character.”

]]> By: Mike http://iowaindependent.com/2543/ames-strives-to-be-more-inclusive-community/comment-page-1#comment-6933 Mike Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:15:49 +0000 http://iowaindependent.com/2543/ames-strives-to-be-more-inclusive-community#comment-6933 What a great idea bringing in gang bangers, drug dealers, welfare recipients, murderers and rapists into our community all in the name of diversity. I am glad that my tax money can support the increasing crime rate, the unemployed, and the overpaid salaries of Mayor Pat Campbell and Barbara Woods. Great job attempting to address the fact that you have single handedly destroyed a community in order to ram diversity down the throats of Ames residents. What a great idea bringing in gang bangers, drug dealers, welfare recipients, murderers and rapists into our community all in the name of diversity. I am glad that my tax money can support the increasing crime rate, the unemployed, and the overpaid salaries of Mayor Pat Campbell and Barbara Woods. Great job attempting to address the fact that you have single handedly destroyed a community in order to ram diversity down the throats of Ames residents.

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