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I certainly don't agree with everything Native wrote nor that DAl's response was sexist. But I will cosign (actually repeat what I said up top) that it's hard to see what's the "point" of the article. FWIW, by looking at the map, it's easy to conclude that people lacking college degrees are largely found East of the city's core w/most of them found EOTR. This area also happens to be poorer AND blacker than the rest of the city.

So from my perspective, this article doesn't say very much beyond what we already know. My criticism is that it introduces and dismisses race in a manner that makes the article lack focus. I'm personally not offended by the suggestion that many lower class and undereducated blacks live EOTR..because it's true. We all know that we are also represented in areas all over the city. Yet, the highest concentration of blacks are WOTR.

I don't buy the notion that "we" can't talk about race because of attititudes like Native's. I've always found the problem is in who and how (medium/format) such discussions are moderated. I'm also aware that discussions about DC (good and bad) here are most often led by nonblacks who have no problem generalizing large swaths of blacks due to what they perceive as conflicting interests. Even the notion that W8 would get better once Marion Barry dies was widely supported by those here.

The difference between Native's entry and countless others is that examples like the "Barry should die" one are supported by the majority of posters. Had Native posted to some other board w/a black majority, I imagine most would "understand" where he/she's coming from.

by HogWash on May 17, 2012 12:11 pm • link • report