"EDITORIAL: I attended the vigil last night at 7 p.m. that was held in front of the home where 2 girls lives were cut short, 9-year-old Dayja Scott and 8-year-old Dalijah Scott. 2 little boys were hurt 7-year-old Michael Scott and 5-year-old Luther Scott remain hospitalized.
"I saw a community come together, people young and old, people from all walks of life to show they care and to show sympathy after such a tragic loss. I saw tears coming from children’s eyes who played with the victims, friends and neighbors hugged each other, strangers that never met the family bow their heads. I went as a mother of two daughters to show my respect for the family, I could never fathom the pain they are going through right now.
"I stood in front of the boarded up house where 911 dispatchers heard that calls for help that children were trapped in a fire and screaming, the firefighters gave so much that they dropped because of exhaustion, where police officers were hurt trying to rescue the kids, as I looked at the home I couldn’t even imagine the chaos and pain that everyone earlier that day felt.
"What I didn’t see, public officials coming to pay their respect. One alderman showed up to pay his respects. What happened to our city? Our leaders? Our Priorities? Do they they think because its not in their district it doesn’t affect them? Or because it wasn’t in the perfect neighborhood people don’t count?
"We face a fire station possibly being closed because the Mayor said cut the budget. But we are going to buy property and pay $70,000 a year to maintain it so it looks good? $400,000 on bathrooms, $200,000 to fix the transit center that was built very poorly in the first place? Giving loans (Tifs) for over a million dollars? The list goes on and on. But we can’t spend $3.10 per person to keep this city safe? Businesses and people won’t move here or thrive here if there aren’t the vital services that a city needs to sustain itself.
"It is a very sad time in the city I love so much and fight for. I can only hope that the Common Council realizes that WE RESIDENTS are #1 priority, not concrete, not copper roofs or marble bathrooms, that the breathing living people that love this city deserve the protection and demand it. I don’t want to write about people losing their lives or their homes because the city didn’t want to spend the money. Some may say well it goes into certain funds, in the end it comes out of all of our pockets.
"There is a public meeting on Monday November 12th at 6 p.m. at City Hall concerning the closing of Station #5. I highly encourage everyone to contact their elected officials and demand better of them. Show up at this meeting you are allowed to speak your mind and even if you don’t want to speak, show up to support the community before it’s too late."
Beth David
Editor “Racine Uncovered” www.racineuncovered.org
Read more:http://racineuncovered.org/2012/11/a-family-devastated-little-lives-cut-short-common-council-stop-the-insanity/
That is one of the best editorials I have ever read.
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7 comments:
I agree with Orbs' comment. Thank you for posting this. Thank you, Beth, for putting into coherent words exactly what needed to be said.
I cannot say how many tears have fallen while reading this and the many other reports about those beautiful children.. I cannot imagine how many more will fall if they choose to close that fire station.. I LOVE Racine and while life has chosen a different place for me to live it's still my HOME and I will love it until the day I die.. If life brings me back there is yet to be known for sure, but I will fight for it as much as I can 1000s of miles away.. I have written my alderman and voiced my concerns, I cannot vote in local elections but I can speak to those that can. When I'm there I do try my best to talk to my neighbors to bring them into a neighborhood once again.. I dont know what I can do to make things better, I wish I did, but I yearn to make things better. Racine is not the town I remember and I do not believe that it only my perspectives that have changed.. There is a change in the air, the attitudes, in the neighborhoods.. I remember going into each and everyone of the houses growing up because we knew everyone.. Now we dont even see one another.. We have to reach out and make each other our neighbors. It's easier to fight for Racine when we care for what is going on. Community is important and the basis for a better Racine.. then we get involved in city council..
Orb's, This entire situation has me near tears, ten times a day. The Editorial, by Beth, Is great, and It's perhaps 100% true, but as of yet, we don't know what caused the fire. My biggest fear, Is that It was caused by using dangerous things to Heat, or Light the home? I personally cannot think of anything worse than three children dying because they didn't have Heat or Electric, because It was shut off? This not knowing, prevents me from commenting futher on this horrible incident.
Orb's, Please don't mis-understand my previous statement as being In support of the current Administration, or their policies, now or In the future, but It's the cause of the fire that bothers me the most. I don't want people, particularly young children dying, because of investors interest In a public Utility.
I cried, too.
I know that having Station 5 open did not help save these children. But the tragedy highlights the need for more fire education and protection, not less.
Also, last week there was another house fire where Station 5 was the first to respond. That occupant got out safe.
How long does It take to ask the Man, and Woman of the house what happened? It's driving me crazy.
WELL, It appears my worst fears have come true. It Is now reported that a candle In the bathroom caused the fire on Linden Ave. that took the lives of THREE innocent children.
We all know our utility bills must be paid, or we risk losing service. The utility has a very short period where they actually can turn the service off before the law states they cannot do so. (which BTW Is false) so basically they can put at risk the lives of young children, for the protection of their investors.
WHY Is It that the City/County can intervene In the interest of children, when they feel they have been spanked, slapped, etc. but do nothing to protect them when Gas, and Electric are shut off, and EVERYBODY knows something dangerous will be used to get by, thus endangering THE CHILDRENS lives?
Perhaps the Utility should contact the City/County and let them know that children may be In danger because the utilities were shut off due to non-payment? SOMETHING needs to be done to protect INNOCENT children from this danger. This certainly Is not the first time this has occured.
I could go on and on about this, but all It does Is make me angry.
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