i’ve always thought of “town-hall meetings” as being fascinatingly weird gatherings. some old pensioner standing up to protest the neighbor’s unwillingness to edge his sidewalk, or some dogwalker complaining that some other dog-owner has been allowing their pup to drink from a human water fountain. a resolution must be passed! no dogs on fountains! edging for all!
well, what really brought me to thinking about this was SNITCH‘s article about a rape in Douglass Hills, one of my old haunts. Right in the middle of Douglass Hills is Crosby Middle School, my middle alma-mater. In any case, the replies from the frightened Douglassites in this article are just priceless:
From “Helen”, who would not give her last name because she’s afraid she might become the rapist’s next victim, and hadn’t left her condominium in a week: “If I see a black guy walking through here, I’ll call police,” she said, then added: “I know that sounds terrible.”
Yep, that’s pretty terrible, Helen. But what is to be expected from mostly-all-white Douglass Hills? Helen, turn off the six-o’-clock news.
further, from Phil Brown, landscaper, possible $1,000 bounty-poster: Brown said he has trained his wife and children to “die on the spot. She knows that if some guy takes her to a far away place to kill her, then I’ll be very upset. If somebody touches my family, that’s going to be too bad for them.”
I don’t know if Phil was quoted out of context — but “training your wife and family to die on the spot”? I don’t even know what to make of that. If the rapist takes his wife/child far away — will he be upset with his wife/child or with the rapist?
I don’t care how idyllic any suburbian plot may look — underneath lies the same fear, loathing and hatred that is everywhere else.
