I checked my Facebook notifications on Friday and had an invite to join the Atlantans Together Against Crime and Cutbacks (ATACC) group. Attached to the invite was the following note:
Guys, Atlanta crime is getting super bad. Someone just got murdered in East Atlanta at the Standard. Stop this senseless crime in MY favorite neighborhood!
Pause for effect. Ready now? OK.
Something has really been bugging me about the news of the death of John Henderson, the bartender of East Atlanta’s The Standard who was murdered this week. It was yet another act of senseless violence, but what was needling me was why this particular murder is getting so much coverage and public organization. This happened in East Atlanta, a quickly gentrifying area of the city. Now I’m all for urban progress, but let’s be honest here: middle-class people suddenly moving into neighborhoods were crime rates are traditionally high kinda spells a recipe for a “crime wave”. Yes, citizens in Atlanta need to feel safe. But I get the overwhelming perception from people I’ve talked to and read about that because this happened in East Atlanta, things must really be out of hand. I’d disagree with that. What if this happened in Bankhead or East Point or Buckhead? Would the public outrage be this great or this social-media oriented? Why start organizing now? Because it happened at a familiar haunt? I can almost smell a Twitter hashtag forming. (I’m partially kidding about that.)
The AJC reports that intowners are afraid in the aftermath of this shooting. As an intowner (West End resident for 7 years), I have to say I’m not too scared in my neck of the woods, regardless of public perception of how bad of a neighborhood this is (or most of the city south of I-20 ITP). I do, however, have East Atlanta friends in Cabbagetown, Reynoldstown, and Kirkwood clamoring for me to move to their neck of the woods, even though they’ve been robbed multiple times or know people who have been robbed or worse. ATACC will help in increasing awareness and reporting of crimein East Atlanta, but I sincerely hope that spirit gets carried throughout the city and not just in a few specific neighborhoods.
Let’s not just turn a blind eye to violent crime because it’s not in a gentrified area. Atlanta crime affects all Atlantans.
[Thanks to Cecily, Erica, Brian, André, J. Brotherlove, ATG, and Amber for convincing me to post this.]
Really well said and totally agree. Funny how people care about crime when it happens to certain people and not others. And by funny I mean infuriating.
Unless we address these systemic issues of privilege nothing will change.
I'm willing to cut some slack and not think of it merely in terms of "privileged" Facebook users.
I don't feel personally threatened by a crime in Buckhead or Druid Hills, because I don't spend much time in either place. I wouldn't organize on Facebook. But I get very uncomfortable when I hear about crimes happening near my home or neighborhoods I frequent. A string of break-ins in Oakhurst is a big part of why I have yet to buy a flat screen TV … LOL.
That said, I do see plenty of media coverage and vigils when bad things happen to folks who were trying to do right. I also see plenty of media coverage when crime becomes endemic, such as with gang violence in Clayton County. But much of the organizing in response to those crimes happens *offline,* not via Facebook.
So what you have, me thinks, is merely an overlap in demographics of Grant Park/Kirkwood/East Atlanta/East Lake/Oakhurst victims of crime and friends/acquaintances of those victims and Facebook users. Which makes perfect sense when you think about the demographics of both.
FWIW, violent crimes are down in Atlanta while property crimes are up 20%. And a lot of the "facts" reported by APD were wrong:
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/st...
I don't think this was as much a matter of crimes against some people and not others being more or less relevant or important as much as it is a the straw the broke the camels back, as it were. I've been pissed about crime in Atlanta a long time, but you can't argue that the attacks are becoming more and more violent and/or that crime is up…and you're right – it's about Atlanta. Not Grant Park, not the Highlands or Oakhurst – all of Atlanta.
I'm with you, I've lived in the city for quite a while and have seen my share…it comes with the territory. That said, my vehicle being broken into half a dozen times in one year is hardly comparable to my neighbors being mugged, sexually assaulted, and murdered. I think citizens are frustrated about a lot of things (including but not limited to Shirley Franklin, budget cuts and less police on the streets).
To Amber's point, I think if you asked any of the 400 folks that were at the vigil they'd say they're upset about anyone being harmed in such a senseless way, it just so happens they knew this one. Not surprising they'd be even more emotional and passionate.
I'm glad you wrote this, it's important that we continue the dialog and communicate. After all, we're neighbors.
[...] a bit raw right now. Yet I still feel the need to speak, and I admit I’m doing it after Karsh did the hard word of speaking first. Ever since I heard about the vigil at The Standard and the formation of the Facebook group against [...]
[...] There’s Crime! In! Atlanta! | BlackGayBlogger.com "Yes, citizens in Atlanta need to feel safe. But I get the overwhelming perception from people I've talked to and read about that because this happened in East Atlanta, things must really be out of hand. I'd disagree with that. What if this happened in Bankhead or East Point or Buckhead? Would the public outrage be this great or this social-media oriented? Why start organizing now? Because it happened at a familiar haunt? I can almost smell a Twitter hashtag forming." (tags: crime atlanta news violence privilege class) [...]
Thanks so much for your post! You are absolutely correct – this particular incident has received a lot of media attention. I believe there are a few reasons for this:
- John was very well known by many in Grant Park (where this incident occurred) and the surrounding area;
- This incident occurred in an area that has quite a few organizations
committed to working on neighborhood initiatives, including public
safety (GPNA, SAND, SAFE, EACA, etc.);
- The initial reports of the incident ("execution-style" killing) were heinous.
These types of incidents are happening ALL OVER the city. Our organization was born out of the frustration that while crime is rising (and has been at very high levels for a very long time), police are being cut and bickering and blaming is taking part at the highest levels of city government instead of focusing on creative solutions to work towards handling this crime occurring in backyards across the entire city.
We have begun an effort to identify organizations within the neighborhoods of Atlanta that we can work with for this change. This absolutely must be an effort on the part of all residents of Atlanta. One of our objectives is to encourage diverse participation from everyone, regardless of location, race, ethnicity, sexual-preference, or socio-economic status. This is a problem we ALL share. If you are aware of any that we need to include, please let us know!
We appreciate the dialogue — it is valuable for us to know how Atlanta's citizens feel about our efforts. If you ever have any further questions, complaints or so forth, feel free to contact us. We are more than happy to listen.
Tessa, I admire your organizing power with this! Whatever you do, please please please do not get in bed w/ the Midtown Ponce Security Alliance or the Midtown Neighbor's Association.
Having grown up in one of those dangerous neighborhoods in Atlanta, I just wish all these energetic, well-meaning folks were around when people were killing each other left and right when Atlanta was the crime capital of the United States.
I want to be glass-half-full like Tiffany B., but part of me just finds it difficult to be that charitable.
I'll admit that I've been away from ATL going on 8 years now, so I'm not exactly up on what's changed now versus then, other than the demographic shift.
And Tessa, if I can make one small suggestion – rather than waiting for someone to make you aware of other groups who might be interested in working with you, do the legwork/homework yourself. I don't mean that to sound as nasty as it may come across in text, but if the fight against Prop 8 taught me anything, it's that activists can't sit around waiting for representatives from "other" communities to come calling, they have to be willing to show up, do some glad handing, and interact.
[...] frustration at what is occurring in these neighborhoods. yes, i realize, as karsh pointed out that this happens in all neighborhoods and we should care, but when it happens consistently within a tight radius of where you live or [...]
Thanks Amber. If you have any suggestions, we are totally open to feedback! Just drop me a line.
A big part of the problem is over the past decade, Atlanta has been growing at a very rapid pace and the city's (not just government) infrastructure isn't building to support all of the growth. This goes from the sewer system to traffic to crime.
We have been actively reaching out to neighborhoods in the Atlanta Metro area since the inception of this organization. We will soon be looking for one representative per neighborhood in the Atlanta Metro area to act as the liaison between their neighborhood and ATAC. We aren't activists — we are concerned citizens. We are actively reaching out to new organizations and community leaders daily. We should be updating the site as soon as we start to flesh out more of the programs we are in the midst of coordinating.
Thanks so much for your input Cecily — we are totally open to suggestions. Please feel free to reach out to myself or either of my two co-founders at any time.
Thank you for saying that, Cecily. A big part of privilege is expecting other people to do your homework for you, or expecting that "others" exist in order to educate you. It rubs me the wrong way big time.
i happen to think that people being concerned about the increase in crime in atlanta is a good thing. not sure how things r where u grew up, but in my hood, we ALL stand up to crime, no matter who the victims r.
and yes, we get it – you're brave for living in the big bad scary west end and recent transplants aren't down like u r.
and the comment above about privilege is pure drivel. try getting infuriated about MURDER instead of anything and everything that offends your little mind.
last thing – newsflash: the standard isn't in east atlanta. educate yourself.