Colin Flaherty: Blacks Teens Cause Memorial Day Chaos - Downtown/Lakefront Chicago

Colin Flaherty reviews and gives commentary on news with headlines "Column: One woman's response to the Memorial Day chaos: 'Don't just say they're wrong, prove them wrong'" and "Police try to keep peace downtown, along lake by 'directing' large groups of troublesome teens to express trains"

By: Mary Schmich Chicago Tribune June 1, 2018 8:10 pm
These are one woman’s thoughts on what happened in downtown Chicago over Memorial Day weekend. She knows not everyone will agree.

Her name is Deanese Williams-Harris and she works on the Tribune’s crime and justice desk. Like everyone else paying attention to Chicago news, she heard about the large groups of young African-Americans who flocked downtown and to North Side beaches for the holiday.

“If nothing else comes out of the story of groups of black young-adults being carted away on trains from the downtown area,” she wrote, “I hope parents and members of the black community will have conversations with our youths about how you should behave in a downtown setting in Chicago…We need to bring back manners.”

Neacy, as she’s known to friends, is 45, African-American and has raised two sons on her own in the South Side neighborhood of Bronzeville, where she grew up. That gives her valuable perspective, which is why I sought her out.

One of the first things she said about the Memorial Day trouble: It was one more sign of the problems rooted in Chicago’s segregation.

“It’s been segregated my whole life,” she said. “When is it going to change? People have been talking about change since the ’60s. The only thing that has changed is the buildings.”

“I think these kids are coming downtown because it’s not safe to be in their neighborhood,” she said. “They have dangers in their neighborhood they think they wouldn’t have to face downtown. Memorial Day weekend, they were venturing to a safe area where they wouldn’t have to worry about being shot.”

They’re also coming, she said, because they’re bored.

“Chicago needs to figure out: Why are our kids so restless? Why are they coming downtown? We don’t have any programs for them in the neighborhoods. So they’re going to venture out and see what else is going on. And you should be able to go downtown and enjoy the day.”

But for a black kid from the West or South side, she said, coming downtown, where most residents and tourists are white, can be fraught. Many come in large groups, she speculates, because they feel safer that way, even though their presence in roaming groups makes other people feel unsafe.

“Seeing a hundred black kids walk down the street, there’s going to be people who are scared. Is that right? Is that fair? No. Should they be scared? No. But that’s the reality.”

“Some of them are quiet and respectful,” she said, “but you have a few who basically behave any kind of way. Instead of getting angry with them, somebody has to step up and tell them, ‘This is how you behave in a public setting.’ ”

“Don’t just say they’re wrong, prove them wrong,” is one of Neacy’s mantras to young people in her community.