Wonder why this little knowitall doesn’t live in his home town that is full of the minorities he is so found of. My guess he is the typical hypocrite who always is looking to tell others how to live but can’t bring themselves to practice what they preach. Maybe he doesn’t live among the lowlifes because he’s really afraid his family will get mugged or shot by them, or worse yet, bring them into the family. Being a Chink is far better than being a White Turd. Walk the talk knight, or shut up.

Hi Linda. Are you a closet racist, or do you also spout racist rants in real life offline? Knight obviously lives here because he works here. See anything wrong with that? And what do you mean, he doesn’t practice what he preaches? Are you suggesting all non-racists must live in a neighborhood that is as full of minorities as possible, regardless of what location might be closer to work, family, etc? I chose my neighborhood based on things like proximity to my job and my children’s schools, just as most people do. I wouldn’t refuse to live in a neighborhood because of its racial makeup. I would, however, hesitate to knowingly buy a house next door to openly racist folks.

Michelle, What I’m talking about is manners, being against bad ones does not make one a racist. I and many others stayed or moved to Pekin for what it was not for what it wasn’t or didn’t want it to be. If I came to your home for dinner and griped about your china or food you would think I was rude at best and maybe an asshole. And you would have that right because it is your home and don’t need someone else preaching to you on how to take care of it. Same for the little jerk from Peoria, there was and is need for his type of thinking there, if he is serious about his words, let him clean up his house before he starts on anyone elses. If the knowitall can straighten out the real racial mess in Peoria his home, then let him then preach in Pekin.

Umm, Linda … I may have grown up in Peoria, but I now live in Pekin. This is my home. I pay taxes in Pekin. I send my children to the public schools in Pekin. I vote in Pekin. That gives me the right to put my two cents in. If you don’t want to listen to it, that’s your right.

Thanks for providing a great example of the sort of denial that goes on here. Just because Peoria has racial problems … and I’m certainly not denying that they do … that doesn’t mean that the people of Pekin shouldn’t work hard to address issues of racism here.

You missed the point. I’m talking about your rudeness of being a new comer and giving instructions like you got a message from God. If a person moves to Florida because of the conditions there, does that make them a racist or bigot against other states, of course not. People generaly move to an area because they like it, and don’t move to other areas because they don’t. Did you know of the reputation that Pekin had before you moved here? Did someone force you to move here? Did it ever occur to you that most Pekin residents like living without the problems that minorities bring to any place U.S.A.?
You are free to move where you want, but it’s rude to tell people they are wrong on issues you have little or no experience at. The bottom line is, you are afraid to practice your sermons. Adopt a black Peoria child, show us you are not racist. Until then, you are just another little guy with a big mouth that has a personality complex.

Good luck changing the image of Pekin, Knight.

Sorry I missed you on WHOI — I didn’t realize you were on.

Dear Linda: When people talk about racists, it is people like you they are talking about. If you do not see it, there’s certainly nothing I can do to open your eyes. But please re-read your posts and try. You refer to minorities as low-lifes who cause problems, mug people, etc. And your insistence that people must never move from their hometowns — unless they first turn them into perfect Nirvanas — is just mystifying. I’m imagining you getting a job offer in a nearby town and moving there, then bringing up that your new town has some sort of problem that you think it should work on. Perhaps not enough parks. And then I imagine some idiot in the new town insisting you have no right to complain that your new town doesn’t have enough parks because you didn’t single-handedly fix the problem of rampant racism in your own home town of Pekin, and insisting you ought to go back to Pekin and rout out the racism before daring to suggest your new town lacks sufficient parks.

Linda,
Ahhh yes … the wonderfully enlightened idea that someone who hasn’t lived in Pekin for 4 generations can’t possibly have a valid opinion. That’s complete BS.

I don’t have to adopt a black child to know that racism is wrong. Apparently you missed this little event 40 YEARS AGO called the civil rights movement. You might want to get with the program.

I did know about Pekin’s reputation before I moved here, and initially I didn’t even consider looking at houses here. Fortunately I found a real estate agent that grew up around here and convinced us to give Pekin a chance. I’m glad she did. Except for people like Linda, this is a wonderful town.

And finally …
“Did it ever occur to you that most Pekin residents like living without the problems that minorities bring to any place U.S.A.?”
OMG … did you really just say that??? Linda YOU ARE THE PROBLEM. You’re the reason that Pekin still has this nasty, ugly reputation. Please hop in your time machine and go back to Nazi Germany or the Antebellum South. You’ll find those eras more to your liking.

C.J.,

Thanks! I think I’ll need some good luck.

Michelle, It is obvious even if we don’t agree, you can at least be civil, unlike the Talking Turd. I don’t believe it is racist to state facts. It’s not my fault that minorities have a reputation of causing trouble and lowering the value of property were move in to. I know that many in the majority race are just as bad, but not to the degree of population ratios. And believe me I wouldn’t want them for neighbors either. Does that make me a racist against the majority race, I don’t think so. Are there white people you don’t like, does that make you a racist, I wouldn’t say so. As far as the narrow minded runt, there is a big difference in trying to make change if and where needed in a polite way, but when he wants to force others in to being as naïve as he is, that’s going to far. It’s hard to believe you can’t see the rudeness of his statements.

Linda,

I grew up in the Washington/East Peoria area, but I was actually born in California. I’ve also lived in Morton and Tremont. I moved to Pekin because I teach here, and I think it’s valuable to be immersed in the community in which my students are being raised. I’ve only lived here for five years, and I have to agree with Knight - it’s a great town, but it could use some more work.

There are those of you who grew up in Pekin that seem to think you are the only ones who are allowed to make suggestions for improvements in this town. I’ve moved more than twenty times in my (admittedly short) life, and I can tell you that I have made each and every town I’ve lived in my home. Which, if you’re still following along, means that Pekin is now my home, and I feel very qualified to suggest ways to improve it.

In fact, I do just that on a daily basis. At my job. As a teacher. In Pekin. That’s right! You’ve got people who were NOT born in this town teaching your young! Sometimes I tell them racism is wrong! Sometimes I tell them to be kind to others! It’s mayhem, I tell you!

Attitude is everything, Linda. Yours could definitely use an adjustment.

Linda — I feel very sorry for you. It takes a lot of energy being angry at people you don’t know or understand. When is the last time you’ve ever reached out to someone you considered “a minority with a reputation of causing trouble and lowering your property value.” I think you’ve lowered your own value to an extent far worse than money or property could ever have.

Well girls the only thing I can think of when reading your statements is that it’s ok for you to climb on me for my thoughts but you refuse to look at reality. Do minorities as a whole lower standards where they live, yes. Will you move in to their south end neighborhood, no. Why, we all know the answer, you don’t you don’t want to be subjected to their shit. Face it girls you are really racist and just hide behind uppity white feel good talk, no different than the white runt. You have never done one serious thing to prove your talk. I plead guilty to one thing, not wanting to lower my standards by associating with human trash of any color. Now I have to go to work, something else most minorities won’t do. And then they blame white people.

WHOA, Linda! Please do not call me racist. You do not know me, and I have not presented any racist statements. For your information,the first house I ever bought was on West Thrush Street in Peoria. It was a darling house and the price was right. Some of our neighbors were black and some were white. You offer no evidence that any person of any particular race is more likely to be a troublemaker than a person of any other race. I have two teenagers, and if either of them should decide to marry or date a good person of any race or culture, I will welcome that person into the family. I don’t care what color my future grandbabies are as long as long as I get some someday (not too soon) to cuddle. Let me ask you something, Linda. How many black, Hispanic, Asian, etc. people have you ever gotten to know well? Have you ever worked with, dated, lived next door to, or just been friends with anybody who wasn’t “white”?

Wow. Just…wow.

My friend Sam used to wear these gloves in high school that had a patch sewn on them that said, “Mean people suck.” And he was totally right, they do.

I think it’s interesting that you are accusing who knows how many people of never doing anything to prove our talk. No, I’ve never adopted a black child, but you know what else I haven’t done? I’ve never spread hatred. As a matter of fact, I have actively tried to put a stop to the hatred that exists in this town, and I am continuing that right now by telling you that you should just shut up. It would be a good course of action for you because nothing positive has come from you, and the last thing any of us need - in Pekin, or anywhere else - is MORE negativity. We have plenty of that already, thanks.

I said it before, and I’ll say it again. Attitude is everything. You don’t have to live in the projects to make a difference. Sometimes just being a good person and not taking crap from mean people is good enough.

Michelle, your family statements just prove that people like you have moving standards always ready to lower them. Likely the reason you had to find a mail order spouse.

Ms. Teacher, I pity your students having a teacher who ignores truths of life, and teaches false information. Truth is reality even if it is not exactly what we would like it to be and to ignore it as you and your kind do is to live a lie. Not smart.

Linda sez: “I don’t believe it is racist to state facts.”

I sez: Then state some facts and cite your sources. So far you have only posted insults and opinion.

Linda sez: “Adopt a black Peoria child, show us you are not racist. ”

I sez: I have - two - as well as two bi-racial children . (Every winter we spend three days a week in Pekin at the arena playing hockey.)

You speak of rudeness - you are the only one who has been rude. You are the only one that has been insulting. You are the racist.
You are the problem.

Thank you for showing the people of Pekin (and the rest of the world) exactly how much work there is to do in that town.

Wait a minute Knight, how can you speak on minority issues as a Caucasian? Is you wife a minority or any other members of your family? My father was adopted to this city in 1966 at age 7; I believe he is much more of an authority on race issues of Pekin. He has experienced the racism of this city.

I attended school at an elementary Peoria Parochial school a year, attended college, and have spent a lot of time in Peoria (Shopping, friends, sports). I have never had a racial slur or people staring or making comments about my family. But to the reversal, I have had both in Pekin. If fact I had a person say a racial slur to me while attending to there customer service needs at the place I work. My mother Caucasian and my father an Asian naturalized citizen, people have commented on our biracial family.

It is easy to make comments on a subject that you do not live.

I have never posted on a blog and I might not ever again but I just wanted my two cents out there to. I do read this blog alot and I think that Knight Does an awsome job at what you do. I have lived in Pekin my whole life. I went to school, worked and played in Pekin. I think the issue is not what color you are but how you were rasied. I now work in Peoria now but before that I worked in Pekin from being a paperboy at 14 until I quit at a local retail store at 22. While I was working here I felt that there were problems with people wanting free stuff and trying to steal what ever they could. I guess what I am trying to say is that yes I think Pekin has a problem but I also think it is because some people are not educated or willing to accept that things change and they have to.

Jason,
Thanks for your input. You’re correct … while I’ve certainly had plenty of anger directed at me from some elements in Pekin (perhaps the same narrow-minded elements that have afflicted you & your family), I do not know the experience of racism personally.

I’ll admit that I’m basing my opinion on a rather small level of input from the few minorities I’ve had contact with in Pekin. Edgar Sandoval, for example, has stated that except for one particularly nasty encounter with the World Church of the Creator, he has felt overwhelmingly accepted in this community. It saddens me that your experience has not been the same. Perhaps the fact that he’s married to the daughter of the once and current mayor has protected him from some of the ugliness that you and your family have experienced. I also admire the fact that, despite your experiences, you’re still dedicating yourself to making Pekin a better place. I’d be very interested in hearing your opinion on where the problems lie and what could be done about it.

Given what you say and the nasty things that Linda has been saying here, maybe Pekin DOES deserve its reputation. If that’s true, then it’s even MORE important that we all work hard to turn that around.

I didn’t mean to suggest that we should dispel the image of racism while allowing real racism to smolder beneath the surface. I want to dispel Pekin’s image by making true changes to the environment here that make minorities welcomed and accepted.

I really have no clue HOW to do that other than being personally accepting of minorities, teaching my children to do the same, and using my blog to shine a spotlight on the issue of racism in Pekin - something very few people here want to talk about, but what EVERYONE outside of Pekin talks about when referring to our community. Dispelling deep-seated prejudices is a monumental task. Anyone who has any helpful and constructive suggestions … I welcome them.

Linda: When backed into a corner, stupid people will always begin lashing out personally at those who have proved them wrong. You have personally attacked Ms. Teacher and I to prove what point? Because my family once lived in a racially mixed neighborhood in Peoria, you say I lowered my standards? Earlier you were spouting off an opinion that none of us would agree to live in a non-lily-white neighborhood. I tell you I have in fact done so, and now that’s not the right thing, either. Sounds like you just want to argue, as shown by your dig at my husband. We met the old-fashioned way — he is one of my best friend’s relatives, and she introduced us when he was visiting his American family members several years ago. I feel lucky and blessed to have found someone who loves me so much he was willing to give up everything and start all over in a new country. We celebrated our first wedding anniversary this week. I don’t know anything about mail-order husbands because I never had any problem attracting boyfriends. I would, however, suggest you do a search on Google and see if you can’t find yourself a good mail-order husband service, because as bitter and unhappy as you are, I suspect a good roll in the hay would do wonders for your mood.

Another comment for Jason …

I do think that you need the input of the majority as well as minorities to have an effective discussion of the issue of racism.

My personal experience is that I heard many more racial slurs growing up in Peoria than I’ve heard since coming to Pekin. Although I have not lived in Peoria in over 15 years, what I noticed then was that many caucasians would use derogatory racial terms around each other, but weren’t blatant about using them directly toward minorities.

Maybe Peoria is less racist than Pekin, or maybe Peorians are just better at covering up their racism.

I think you are preaching to the choir. I think that those who are not racist in Pekin will remain that way. I also think that the trash that keeps the persona alive will never change.

On the same note, I can’t say that I think Morton, Tremont, Dunlap, or Bartonville as being racial meccas.

The most updated information I could find puts Pekin as having 4.2% minority population, Tremont a 1.2% minority population, Morton at a 2.1% minority population, Bartonville at a 1.9% minority population and Dunlap at a 2.5% minority population. Why don’t they get picked on for not ACTIVELY courting minorities and inviting them into their community?

Why? Because Pekin has a history. Something that many in this town would like to see go away.

As far as minority awarness in the community, though nowhere near where it should be, it is (very) slowly making progress.

Maybe it’s not so much that the natives of this town want to supress the history and pretend it never happened (imagine that!). Maybe the natives of the town know enough to not prod with a hot iron.

Michelle, I only get angry when knowitall do gooders try to force their faith or values on to others and do it in such a way that sets them up as the last word on any subject. Who put you or the little white runt in charge of preaching what is right? Everyones rights end where my nose begins. What you do as a private person is no problem for me, but because I and most others in Pekin have standards we don’t want lowered should be no business of yours. I judge things and people of all colors by actions not hot air words.

Linda,
What “standards” are you speaking of and how would they be “lowered”?

You say you judge people by actions and not words, yet you use your words in an effort to discredit other by using vague terms and insults.

Words DO mean something. They can hurt, too. Your words reveal you to be racist, segregationist, ignorant and bigotted.

You have shown me nothing that disproves the perception of Pekin being hostile towards minorities and change. Luckily, in my experience, the true minorities in Pekin are the small minded people like YOU.

Mouse Person, I am not trying to prove that the perception is untrue. As usual with your type you can not stay focused on the begining topic. As for the names you called me they may be true. All humans are biggoted against something, being a biggot is only bad if there is no proof of the biggotry. In this case proof is abundant to those not blind.

From Just A Girl:
“The most updated information I could find puts Pekin as having 4.2% minority population, Tremont a 1.2% minority population, Morton at a 2.1% minority population, Bartonville at a 1.9% minority population and Dunlap at a 2.5% minority population. Why don’t they get picked on for not ACTIVELY courting minorities and inviting them into their community?”

You answer the question yourself … “because Pekin has a history.” I agree … Pekin in 2007 is probably no more or less racist than any of those communities that you mentioned. I can’t speak to that definitively … to do so would require sampling the experiences of minorities in all those places for comparison … but I believe your assessment is correct.

However, because of its history, Pekin needs to work harder to dispel its image and marginalize narrow-minded racists like Linda and that creep Turnpaugh who wrote to the Times editorial page recently. Is that fair? Probably not … but it’s the reality Pekin has to deal with, and we can’t just wish it away.

Besides, as Jason points out, there’s enough real racism remaining in Pekin to make this a worthwhile effort. Both the reality of racism in Pekin and the image of racism in Pekin continue to drive people away from this community … and that hurts us all.

Linda sez: “Mouse Person, I am not trying to prove that the perception is untrue. As usual with your type you can not stay focused on the begining topic. As for the names you called me they may be true. All humans are biggoted against something, being a biggot is only bad if there is no proof of the biggotry. In this case proof is abundant to those not blind.”

I sez: Dear Linda-person, I cannot make heads or tails out of the above message.
I did notice you use the word “proof” several times, yet you provide none. You seem unwilling to provide proof, facts, or examples that back up your arguements.
I suspect you are nothing but a crank, dear Linda-person. If not, the time has come to either put up or shut up.

I vote “Shut up”!

‘We want to attract young educated professional people to locate here and build their lives here.’

By all means, replace race bigotry with age and class bigotry.

I agree with you Knight, I take issue with those who state that reputation of Pekin and racism no longer exist. Every community has a group of close minded individuals. I feel that still has an outspoken group of racist who are not willing to accept a person for who they are and not there stereotype.

Hi all,

I believe that discussions about racism are good when then lead to action, and I would love to see something concrete come out of this online give and take, although I have no suggestions at the moment.

After reading various posts where it was suggested that cities such as Pekin, Peoria, Washington, East Peoria, etc., are more or less racist than other communities, I would like to remind everyone of something they already know: racism knows no boundaries.

It does not begin and end at the invisible line on the map of the borders of Pekin’s city limits, or the city limits of any other city.

The pastors, physicians, school teachers, UAW workers, nuns, dentists, store owners, etc., in Pekin aren’t aren’t more or less racist simply because they choose to live there.

Racism is a problem in central Illinois, the Midwest, and the nation. It is typically born in a culturally homogenous environment lacking in educational and economic opportunities, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t bigots among the rich and well-educated.

Pekin has the same problems with racism that exist everywhere, but it bears a greater burder because of its reputation.

It is sadly ironic that Pekin residents (and I used to live and work there) are still occasionally judged unfairly by others who have a stereotypical view of the city.

LOL!

I have lived in the southend of Peoria for over 25 years. I live in a very mixed neighborhood. I sent my boys to Manual where they were the minority. Ya know, it’s hard to break stereotypes. We all have a racist streak in us at some point. I must say that if you came down my street and saw the young youths (which happen to be black) most of you would think gang bangers and hoods. Actually they are the boys of my good friend who is retired from CAT, drives a school bus, and yes, he is black. His wife is wonderful person and his boys mowed my lawn when I was ill last summer. They are the nicest boys I know yet they are stereotyped solely because they are black.

My point is this; I get it all the time from people who tell me to move or they say it is too dangerous to live there. I have never had a problem that any other neighborhood hasn’t had. (ie cras on the lawn, loud music at times, and yes, once a drug house which I reported and worked with the police to remove) Most white people move to the Dunlap or Morton or Tremont to escape the minorites. Period. Maybe Linda should stop by and sit a spell on my patio any evening and see that I have normal everyday neighbors and they come in colors.

Yikes! Sorry for the typos.

That’s “they” instead of “then” in the first sentence, and please, mentally strike the extra “aren’t.”

I agree with others that Pekin bears a greater burden to take actions against racism, not a “burder.”

Mouse person, because I do not keep records of what I read and hear from news reports, I can only offer what I have heard from these independent sources. 70% of those in state and federal prisons are blacks. Over 70% of out of wedlock births are to blacks. 70% of blacks do not finish school. 70% of the black adult population does not work. After the hurricane hit the gulf cost, it was the over whelming black population who couldn’t or wouldn’t help themselves. I see this as that they have become so dependent on some type of welfare they have lost the will and ability to cope in a normal society. The TV news several times showed how other severely hit cities immediately got about cleaning up and starting over, but the black population in New Orleans still has not made a serious effort to help themselves. I see this as lazy. There is not one community U.S.A. that is primarily black that is not crime ridden and poorly run. These are just a few things that are proof of low standards by the majority of the black race in America. I have no use for this set of values from any race of people including mine. If having standards that places value on obeying the law, working for a living and not depending on others for support, taking care of my property, and not wanting to associate with human trash of any color makes me a bigot, or a racist or any of the other names you called me, then I am. I believe a person becomes what they live around and except. I refuse to lower my civilized standards and act like jungle animals. You and others may not like what I have said but that does not keep it from being true. And I have no plans to except lies and excuses to be politically correct. There is only one reason the majority of blacks can’t and won’t act like civilized people and that’s because they are addicted to being slaves to the welfare system. The black population in modern countries that do not have this type of welfare are much more responsible than the blacks in America, more proof. Pekin people owe no one an apology for not wanting an uncivilized population move in.

Unbelievable.

Is Linda the screen name Matt Hale uses to post from federal prison? Am I the only one that finds the level of anger, lack of attributable fact and blatant stereotyping strangely similar?

I hope this is simply someone pretending to be from Pekin. There’s really no way for anyone but KiD to know, is there?

Linda, if you are really espousing your true beliefs, and if you really do love Pekin, for your own sake and the sake of the rest of the people that live there, take a break from commenting on this topic and think for a bit.

While you certainly have a right to your opinion, you’re giving yourself a bad name and are reinforcing stereotypical views of Pekin the rest of the residents, like KiD, don’t deserve.

WOW, sorry I missed all of this, including the TV spot!!!! I have to say that I am a (at the very least) 5th generation Pekineeze (as my hubby loves to call me). He was not mail order, but from Chicago and 100% polish…gasp.
If I could weigh in, I have to say that racism is, IMHO, 50% ignorance and 50% experience. Half the people have racist opinions because they were not exposed to people of other cultures or races or religions. The other half, have had exposure but a bad experience. I have to say that in our 25 years as foster parents, and many placements of children of different races, I always said I would never adopt a child that was not caucasian. Because I did not want my child to suffer at the hands of Pekin racists, or be the only child of color in their school. I now will tell you we DID adopt a child of color. Hate to tell you this, but when you fall in love, you don’t see color or culture, or whatever you want to call it. We questioned if it was fair to our child to stay in Pekin. BUT, I have to tell you, in 7 years I have gotten literally hundreds of comments about how sweet, cute, charming, tiny, etc. my son is. Perhaps once or twice an old person sniffed and looked the other way, but NO ONE has EVER said anything where we could hear it. Maybe it is because our son is beautiful LOL, I chose to believe it is because Pekin has changed. You have racists everywhere, Pekin is no different. Pekin is more ignorant because of lack of exposure, but that is changing. My son has been in public school for 2 years. Not once so far has he been the only child of color in his classroom. I feared that he would not have a correct self image by not being around more black people. Wrong, one of his teachers stressed that she wanted the kids to color a picture with correct colors, trees green and brown, not purple and pink (I know, what ever happened to creativity?) anyway she told the kids that they had to use ‘apricot’ for skin. My wonderous child colored himself brown. We laughed and laughed. We could have been mad at the teacher, but she learned a lesson without us having to become indignant. A small story of just not thinking things through, not having exposure, making a mistake and learning through it. A lot of us Pekineeze will make mistakes, but hopefully learn, so we don’t have problems as our city becomes more diverse. Just my 2 cents worth. BTW, I did adopt a ‘black child from Peoria’ thank you. And I would not change a single thing about him. Jake’s mom

P.S. I also have to admit, that as a Pekineeze over the age of 40ish. I struggled with the Knight’s perception of the Chink memorabilia. I do still have my high school Pekin Chinks Tshirt. I don’t wear it. My yearbooks say Chinks on them. I didn’t burn them. I was a Chink. I was proud to be a Chink because it was an honor. (we were ignorant) We were told that if you dug all the way through the earth, you would come up in Peking China. We had the theatre that was all decked out in red, gold, dragons and the Asian women with crowns whatever they were! We honored the Chinese culture (we thought). So it is hard to accept we were offending someone that in our minds, we were honoring. I know, IGNORANT. But some of us were just that. Believe it or not, colorblind can be racist. We are not all the same, and by not recognizing the difference, you are racist. By ingoring that my child is another color than me is racist. By me caring for my child’s hair in the same way I did his siblings is not acceptable, he is different. By buying the same doll for him as I did his brother is wrong, he got a ‘brown’ baby doll. We have decorations that include brown angels and santas. Some think it is silly, but don’t you think santa is the same color as you. How about God? Is he white, Black, Asian, a woman? My son once told questioned students during a social studies class(he is a teacher) about what color they thought Jesus was. After all, he was born in the middle east. What color do you think he is. Bet he didn’t have blonde hair. BTW, it was in a parochial school so they were also doing a religion class, we all know God can’t be discussed in our public schools I myself find that offensive, but that is another discussion isn’t it?

Linda, you may just as well ‘hang it up’. You can’t cite any real numbers to back up your racist statements, you can’t form a decent argument, and you certainly can’t play nice with others.

You are entitled to your opinions, but so is everybody else you share a zip code with.

Linda - pulling numbers out of thin air does not make a fact.

Let’s take one of your numbers.

Linda sez: “70% of blacks do not finish school”

I sez: WRONG!
According to the United States government, in a March 2004 study, 5.7% of blacks do not finish 9th grade. An additional 13.6% do not finish high school. Add those together and you get 19.3%. That means 80.7% of blacks DO finish school.
http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/race/black/ppl-186/tab7.txt

You want to see something even FUNNIER?
go to http://www.schools-data.com/schools/PEKIN-COMMUNITY-HS-PEKIN.html
You don’t even need to scroll down.
You will see that the graduation rate for Pekin High School is 71.3%. That is 18.7% BELOW that (nationally) for whites and 9.4% BELOW that (nationally) for blacks. If the national average held true, then adding blacks students to Pekin High School would help INCREASE the graduation rate in Pekin.

Lets do one more, for fun.
Linda sez: “70% of the black adult population does not work.”

I sez: WRONG AGAIN.
Similar data from the U.S. govt. states that 10.1 % of black of working age are unemployed. That means 89.9% DO work.
http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/race/black/ppl-186/tab10.txt

See Linda - these are facts backed up with sources. Check them out. Your numbers are false, and so are your conclusions.

Knight, keep fighting the good fight. Mouse, you’re way above “Linda”, she (if it’s really a she) can’t keep up with you, but it’s been a joy to read.

Linda - how long, exactly, does a person have to be a “resident” of your community before they are allowed to have an opinion? Or is it simply that if you’re not born there, you should shut up?

Amazing stuff, I must say the close-mindedness is astounding. But hey, you’ve got every right to say it.

Like I said on your other thread a couple of weeks back, KiD, the perception and reality aren’t as far off as some would like to believe. All of the Peoria area has a racism problem, more than I’ve ever been around (and I’ve lived and worked in six states), but the continued stories out of Pekin, and attitudes like Linda’s, are more prevalent than any of the other mid-size communities around Peoria. It’s going to be a long, hard, battle to change things, but you’re on the right track. I just hope your house doesn’t end up like that of the fictional lawyer Jake Brigance.

Oh my, this is quite fascinating. Linda, you’re certainly a piece of work.

This one’s for you, babe-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7I1wtPUOtM

Lady Linda:
From reading this blog for a few months, I can say you are wasting time and key strokes. I don’t know if your facts are exact but do know they are close. But to those in denial here can not deal with reality or otherwise they would have to admit their happy make believe world doesn’t exist, and they don’t have the capacity to deal with truths, as seen with them ignoring all sorts of news reports for decades and the real world around them. It’s nice to know that there are real Americans like you willing to stand up in Tazewell County for truth, even if unpleasant. Hope to find you down the road on a serious blog.
Richard

Richard - Look again - her “facts” are no where NEAR close. If anyone is in denial, it is you and Linda.

Get real.

Richard,

Yes, if only we would pull our heads out of the sand long enough to look around us, we would see the truth. We would see exactly what you want us to see - that our prisons are full of African Americans, that inner city schools are full of African American kids that typically come from single-parent households, that many of those kids don’t graduate from high school or seek a higher level of education, and that, correspondingly, many of them grow into adults who have no job at all. Yes, we would see all of that if only we weren’t living in a “happy make believe world”. Then we would agree with you, wouldn’t we?

The thing you and Linda don’t seem to understand is that we do see all of those things. We live in the same world that you live in - we just view it a different way. We see hope where you see only despair. We see a way to make things better where you only see how things are. The world is full of rage, hate, and discontent, which you seem perfectly happy to live with, but I do not. I would much rather live in a world where people tried just a little bit harder to be more tolerant of each other’s differences. Is that so hard to believe in? That would could maybe try to be a little more open minded?

I have followed this thread from the beginning, and my anger at people like you and Linda, while still present, is now being replaced by an overwhelming feeling of sadness for you, because you really must be desperately unhappy with your life to be filled with such hatefulness.

You and Linda (especially) have made me more determined than ever. I will keep doing what I can to change Pekin for the better, and I will keep hoping that the generation making their way through our school district will see the world with fresh, new, hopeful eyes. And you? You will probably continue hating. I guess it takes all kinds, right? I can only hope that in the future, there will be a lot more hopeful people than hateful ones.

Teacher Lady:
Holy Cow, I was just giving my opinion of what I read here and you go nuts, and I’ve seen others do the same thing when a different argument is put forth. The perfect way to stop thinking from taking part. Look, bad things happen in life and there are bad people everywhere, and to ignore those truths is silly. I don’t know anyone who carries a log of details on every issue that might possibly be discussed some place. But the news is full of long time information that there is constant trouble in minority communities that makes problems for our total society.. For you to act like these aren’t real situations is not mature thinking. And this site seems to be mainly used by people that refuse to except reality to things regardless of facts and general information. I believe I read in one of the other posts that Linda said she is also against white people who act badly, that doesn’t sound like racism. But this was my first response to this blog and have no reason to add anything else, because everyone here already knows everything.

Actually, Richard, the reason I responded to you the way I did was because your comment had a noticeable air of knowing everything.

So, I am go glean from your latest comment that when things are going wrong, we are not supposed to do what we can to make them better? We’re just supposed to give up and accept it as our reality? Sorry, that’s just not an option for me. I want something better for my future…for my children’s future.

Sorry to “go nuts” on you, even though that’s hardly what I did. I just don’t see how your and Linda’s negativity is helping at all. I’ve only known negative attitudes to affect people and situations in one way: negatively.

[...] in Pekin, two people by the names of Linda and Richard who have been putting up quite a fight on Knight In Dragonland’s blog are saying “see, I told you [...]

I see Linda’s comments a little different than most of you, maybe most of you. I also understand Ms Teacher’s comments on trying to change things that one sees (and yes you did go off on Richard IMO). Still, I would have to ask…
(these are related to our area)
Why are the prisons so full of blacks?
Why are mostly black nieghborhoods crime ridden?
Why do schools in Dist.150 that are mostly black have lower scores?
Are Linda’s figures remotely close?

Please, don’t feel sorry for me or label me, I just want to hear the answers to these questions and maybe they will enlighten other people.

Emtronix - let em try

The answer to your first three are the same. Blacks are more likely to land in prison, live in crime ridden neighborhoods, and have lower test scores because they are more likely to be poor. I did some research in a statistics class that really changed my mind about some things. Income, more than any other factor, influences us the most.
Are Linda’s numbers even close? Nope! I disproved two of them in this discussion already.

Pekin is Pekin. We don’t need to change anything. We don’t need to attract minorities. If minorities like Pekin, they can come on their own, but I’m not going to make an effort to lure them here. I don’t see minorities trying to lure whites into their neighborhood, so why the double standard. It’s a free country, but we don’t need to actively launch an ad campaign as they will come if they want to.

Jason,
It is not about ‘recruiting’ minorities to Pekin. However, there should be every effort made to remove anything that discourages such a move, especially the outright ignorance and hostility that Linda and Richard show.

Exactly what Mouse said.

For the good of the community, you have to decide what you’d rather attract. For example, would you rather have a professional couple, both earning high incomes, both volunteering their time to help out at school functions, both coaching youth sports or teaching youth choirs or bands, who also pay their taxes and spend their disposable income in the city, who also just happen to be black?

Or would you rather have a dude with a meth lab in his basement supplying drugs to the kids of the town, doesn’t pay his taxes, and spends more time dodging the law than helping the community, who just happens to be white?

Look at KiD’s original post that started the discussion…he is wondering how the city can attract professionals…just like the ones I described above.

Horse feathers. Professionals or any other educated person or family isn’t going to be attracted to any community because of some old or legend. They will be turned off at the REALNESS of white trash and black ghettos. As one post put it, where in the country have blacks improved any community they moved in to? There is no such place. And being poor is not the root problem, it is culture of how the person white, black, brown, yellow was brought up in. Being poor in character is the root problem not poor in wealth. Why would any sane community or person wish for a population with proven poor character traits?

Eric sez:
“where in the country have blacks improved any community they moved in to?”

I sez: Do you really need a history lesson that badly?
Let’s start with Crispus Attucks and Boston and we’ll move onward from there.

Maybe you should look into some of the writings of W.E.B DuBois. Here is one of the his theories:
Employment and education directly relate to criminal activity.
It doesn’t have anything to do with skin color.

Eric, you racial-ized my post, when that’s exactly what I WASN’T doing. Would you rather have the professionals upgrading the community, or the meth lab rubbish?

Color isn’t the point. But then you made it the point, with your question which Mouse has answered quite clearly.

You both must have been excellent dodge ball players, because you have been dodging the real question as I understand the concern. It’s not that Pekin or any other town doesn’t want professional people moving in, it’s that they don’t need anymore riffraff than they already have, black and white. It’s not about race it’s about what good things new people can bring. If history shows a certain type bring mostly bad, then why ask for trouble? Theories are for those who can’t deal with truth. As pointed out by Stone, Pekin has enough bad white people without adding more of the same of a different color.

Eric - you lump all black people into the same category just ebcause of their skin color.

Not all black people are riff-raff.

“If history shows a certain type bring mostly bad, then why ask for trouble?”

Yes, those damned dirty Irish don’t belong anywhere near our fair cities. Drunk mackeral snappers being rounded up in paddy wagons doesn’t do a damn THING to make our communities better! Why should we let that kind of rif-raff in? NO IRISH NEED APPLY!

(historically-based sarcasm, people. SARCASM.)

Dumb broad. Probably blond.