MY RANT OF THE DAY: Who do we have to snowblow around here to get some attention?

Despite all the news coverage of the “Blizzard of 2010” there have been very few news stories focused on how the snowstorms have affected life east of the river. I suppose if Marion Barry shot someone over a snow shovel then Fox 5, The Washington Post, and all the rest would dog sled their way over here if they had to.

During weather disasters when transportation is limited  and most local reporters are reporting on news literally in their own backyards, it becomes abundantly clear how few reporters actually live in River East. Before the blizzard media coverage of River East was defiantly limited and mostly one-sided; however, during a snowstorm of this magnitude that initial limited coverage becomes virtually non-existent. You would think that someone…anyone… would cover some of the many River East stories; for example, with so little retail, service and healthcare options in the community to begin with that most River East residents are already “on the brink” of having to go without. True, Ward 8 just got its own supermarket in 2008 but that Giant is the only supermarket in all of Ward 8 – one of two big chain grocery stores in River East. Can you imagine the impact on someone who lives in Barry Farm, Congress Heights or Washington Highlands who needs to get to the grocery store in the blizzard but either doesn’t have a car (or has a car but it’s unsafe to drive) and no metro buses are running? Can you imagine a single mother at home with an empty refrigerator and no access to public or private transportation? Should she leave the kids at home and walk the two and half miles to the only grocery store in Ward 8? Can you imagine the impact on the most vulnerable members of our community (the elderly, the sick, the impoverished) of unplowed streets, lack of metro buses (and let’s face it River East got the short end of the stick on that one) and school closings (which mean no free breakfast and lunch for children who depend on it)?

I have no doubt that while I am griping about not being able to pick up another bag of honey BBQ chips or wine or extra DVDs that right now there is a River East family who are really hungry, and the last thing they are worried about is the third season of 30 Rock. They are literally stuck between a rock and a cold, hard, hungry place. That realization makes me both thankful and ashamed. Thankful that despite the inconvenience of having to dig my car out (again) that I do have a car to drive when the buses stopped running (again), thankful that while I didn’t have that extra bag of honey BBQ chips that I did have food in the fridge and money to order a pizza. I am thankful that while I may have had moments of suffering from “cabin fever” that I wasn’t suffering from bitter cold in my own home. I was ashamed that because despite all those blessings I didn’t really appreciate them and I took them for granted. I was not much different than those outraged folks on the news who were complaining about untimely snow removal and who claimed that “DC did not think their neighborhoods were important enough”, yet at the same time they did have some options like restaurants and shops within walking distance and maybe even some metro bus service. Not to diminish their concerns but if no one cares about DuPont Circle or Columbia Heights then I am afraid to ask where Barry Farm or Congress Heights ranks on the list.

This is the type of story that I think someone...somewhere… should be covering. I am not going to lay all the blame on the “big bad media outlets” who haven’t invested in River East reporters or stories. I am going to reserve that blame where it belongs – right here – and right at the doorstep of our so called "community leaders" and the River East publications that pride themselves on covering East of the River news – “our” news. I’m not going to call out any names but you know what publications I am talking about – and if you don’t it’s probably because you don’t read their publications in the first place. In terms of our community leaders they are very much to blame. I haven't heard a peep from Barry about what is happening to his "last and the least" nor have I seen him do anything - including shoveling his walkway - but that is no surprise. We all know that Barry’s focus has always been heavy on publicity and light on productivity. But then again if Barry treated his council seat much more like a real job and much less like a paid retirement then perhaps we may actually have an advocate able to actually get things done. Everyone knows I love River East, Ward 8 and Congress Heights but as a whole we set the bar entirely too low. Sometimes the bar is so low you would need a snow shovel to find it. I’ve attributed this self-defeatist behavior in prior posts to the “crab epidemic” that has infected our community and the haterade that sustains certain "poverty pimps" in our community but in truth we all bear some responsibility. We voted these people crooks into office, we buy their magazines and newspapers, and we patronize their businesses – even when they don’t patronize us.

We need to dig our way out of a lot more than snow. We need to “dig deep” and get rid of the denial, apathy and corruption that has left our community like so many cars in these snow covered streets – stuck.

To contact The Advoc8te or to submit an article for posting on Congress Heights on the Rise email congressheightsontherise@gmail.com.

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