Hartford, CT -- Local African American Leader Becomes An Apologist for Violence in City, Keney Park

This entry will discuss race. Read on if you dare! It's a delicate subject, but one that Liberty Alert readers deserve to explore. If you want the news, you can go to CNN. If you want watered-down, low risk opinions, you can go to the op-ed page of your local newspaper. Liberty Alert tries to provide opinion not concerned with political correctness.
I recently played a round of golf at Keney Park golf course in the heart of Hartford, Connecticut. The golf course was fine. However, while trying to find the course I had to drive all around Keney Park. Keney Park is a series of forested and park areas, including ball fields, playgrounds, and a golf course. It is quite large and is split by several through roads. While driving through the park, in the back of my mind I physically feared for my safety. I passed by groups of people apparently just "hanging out" around parked cars. Yes, nearly all the people were minorities (African American or Hispanic). Young men with their pants sagging walked in front of my moving car apparently oblivious to the fact that I might hit them. It was a display of passive-aggressive (or maybe aggressive-aggressive) behavior to try to intimidate. As I slowly drove by in my business-casual clothes I thought I heard people shouting at me as I panned my head back-and-forth looking for the golf course. At the time, I told myself it was all my imagination. It was my prejudices as a white male from a mostly rural background that were making me have irrational fears, or so I told myself at the time. Anyway, despite the uncomfortable moments, I found the golf course and played my round without much issue.
Then came the news this week. Dead body found in Keney Park. I started investigating further. The week before: Woman sexually assaulted in Keney Park. I started to re-evaluate the thoughts and fears I had during my recent drive through Keney Park. Maybe my fears were not irrational at all. Perhaps my fears were not a by-product of profound prejudices. I'm sure there are African Americans out there that would argue the contrary, but the data does not lie. My instincts were dead-on. I'm a relatively young, and healthy man. Imagine how a woman or older person would have felt taking the same drive I did.
Perhaps by co-incidence, perhaps not, columnists in the local newspaper, The Hartford Courant, have recently written columns touching on crime in Hartford. One of the columns describes the fear of Hartford living. A white male authored this column. The second column discussed police prejudice, how Keney Park was an "underplayed asset" within Hartford, and how Keney Park was indeed safe. It's interesting that two different columnists for the same paper could have such different perspectives on the same subject. Something did not add up here.
The column regarding fear in Hartford was by well-known local liberal radio talk-show host and columnists Colin McEnroe. I describe Colin as a liberal not in a derogatory way, but as a fact. He does not hide his political tendencies. He is as openly liberal as Rush Limbaugh is openly conservative. The column by Colin printed July 27th was one of the most interesting columns I have read from Mr. McEnroe. You can read the column at the following location: http://www.courant.com/news/local/columnists/hc-colin0727.artjul27,0,3116101.column The title is "When the City You Love Starts to Scare You". The column explains how Mr. McEnroe moved to Hartford because he enjoys the choices and diversity of urban life. However, it goes on to detail instances of crime and police incompetence that have made his favorite city unlivable, even for a single, successful man without any family to worry about. At the conclusion of the column Mr. McEnroe explains that he will be doing what nearly all people of means have done in Hartford: He is moving out in 2 weeks. Who can blame him? Why should a successful, smart, generally peaceful person subject themselves to crime, violence, and fear? Still, it's sad. In his words, Colin McEnroe was someone deeply committed to city life. He put his faith in city life. He put his faith in the goodness of people. In the end, his faith was stomped upon by thugs, and well as a police department that seems to accept thuggery.
Just one week prior (July 19th) prominent African American columnist and also part-time radio talk show host Stan Simpson wrote a different column. I describe Mr. Simpson as an "African American" columnist because that is generally how he identifies himself. Most of his columns have to do with race, and his blog site, stansimpson.com, is dedicated to "the African American experience". He considers himself one of the leaders of the African American community. (Aside: Isn't it interesting that Caucasians do not have any "community leaders"? Caucasians do not consider themselves part of the "white community". You would never see a Caucasian running for president of the United States who's previous work experience included the job title of "Community Organizer", what ever that is! Ok, just an interesting sidebar. Back to the main point now.) I have enjoyed hearing his perspective through his radio show, and reading his columns. In his July 19th column Mr. Simpson laments that a new Hartford police officer considers Keney Park dangerous. The column can be read at: http://www.courant.com/news/local/columnists/hc-ctstan0719.artjul19,0,5984769.columnMr. Simpson states, “Anyone who has ever visited Keney to golf, watch cricket, play basketball or fire up a grill knows that it is safe.” Mr. Simpson goes on to criticize the Hartford police officers stating that the young officers lack “seasoning”. Hello! Talk about denial! Does the woman who was just sexually assaulted in Keney Park believe it’s safe? What about the family of the dead man just found in the park? I myself have driven through Keney Park and my instincts told me it was not safe. My instincts were supported by the recent crime headlines. Who better to know about crime in Hartford than a Hartford police officer? Then there was the column by Mr. Simpson’s colleague at The Hartford Courant (and I can assure you that Colin McEnroe and Stan Simpson know each other) explaining the violence that is driving him to the suburbs. In light of all these events, I spent some time considering how such a chasm could form between my perceptions (backed up by Colin McEnroe, and a Hartford police officer) and Stan Simpson’s perceptions. Are black and Hispanic people the only people who can feel safe in Keney Park?
I did some digging into crime statistics in Hartford. Hartford has way too many urban problems for a relatively small city. People may be surprised to learn that Hartford has a population of only about $120,000 people. Most people familiar with the city think it would be more. This is hardly a huge metropolis. It’s not even the biggest city in the small state of Connecticut. It is third largest behind Bridgeport and New Haven, which have populations around 120,000 to 140,000. Despite Hartford’s small size, murder in Hartford is nearly 5 times the national average! Overall violent crime is 2.42 times the national average. Compare that to the similar sized cities in the state of Connecticut, such as Bridgeport and New Haven. Bridgeport’s violent crime rate is 1.62 times the national average, and New Haven’s violent crime rate is .26 times (i.e. under the national average) the national average. That’s the real data. Then there’s the anecdotal data, such as my unpleasant drive through Keney Park, as well as the Hartford hit-and-run story. It made national news when the hit-and-run of an elderly man was caught on tape. The outrage came when nobody bothered to help the man after the accident. See the coverage at this link: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=5013503
Hartford is too small of a city to have these big city issues. The mayor and the Hartford Police chief should be ashamed. Perhaps one might expect crime issues in cities with 1 million plus people like Detroit, Washington DC, or New York, but Hartford has unrealistic big-city expectations if the perception is that crime at this level is acceptable.
It might be tough to hear, but demographics are a big issue here. Nobody that has the means to move out would stay in Hartford. Colin McEnroe is a perfect example. Therefore, Hartford is left with an 80% minority population with an equally high percentage below the poverty line. African American leaders such as Stan Simpson cannot remain in denial. Keney Park is not safe. Hartford is not safe. Hartford is not a place that anyone with any other option would choose to live. Hartford is not a thriving community. View the hit-and-run video again as a reminder. Bill Cosby has been an outspoken advocate of accountability within the African American community. Leaders like Stan Simpson should stop being apologists for the disgraceful urban culture that thrives on intimidation, machismo, and violence. Instead of criticizing the police perception, perhaps leaders should advocate responsibility, accountability, and just plan politeness within the urban minority community. A city of 120,000 in the middle of the wealthiest state in the wealthiest country in the world has the potential to overcome these issues. Perhaps suburban people will have more interest in investing in the city if they are able to feel as safe passing through the city as a city-dweller would feel passing through the suburbs.

Two final questions to ponder: Does Stan Simpson live in Hartford? If so, why?