Part I:
The 10 Years Later video really shocked me. I could not believe so much change has been brought about in the Cincinnati area in such little time. I must admit I felt embarrassed to learn of the race riots of 2001 because I could not believe the Cincinnati police department would be so hateful towards its African American community. I don’t believe that only one man was at fault for sparking the riots but that the entire police department was put to shame for the escalation of tension between the police and the society as a result of lack of communication and trust. I can see a connection between this event and Gladwell’s broken window theory because if the city police was not able to maintain integrity in its own department, than what else was there to keep order in the city? I can see how, corruption amongst the very city officials, which were supposed to be keeping civilians safe, would trigger a large-scale reaction in the form of the race riots.
Other interesting information I gathered from the video is how low standard of living is for most people in the city of Cincinnati. It is astonishing considering the presence of many large corporations and institutions there to help out the community. The problem as was stated in the video, is the lack of effort on the community’s part to reach out their hand and accept the aid that is being offered. I recall the mention of homelessness being an issue especially because much of the housing is vacant and looked at by investors as “dollar-signs”, and that the solution is not to provide food, but the resources necessary for people to be able to get ahead financially and afford their mortgage. I applaud the city’s success in decreasing infant mortality rates through their health program, in improving the quality of education to the schools that needed help the most, and for constructing safe havens for individuals wishing to work hard and seek out the correct personnel that will help them better their lives.
Part II:
I think we should visit the William Howard Taft National Historic Site and the Ronald McDonald House Charity during our “flex” weeks. The William Howard Taft site is the only memorial for the 27th President and he clearly had strong ties with the Cincinnati communities. The site offers group tours of the house, interactive exhibits, an orientation film, brochures, and a gift shop. It is a free park site and there is free parking in front of the Taft Education Center; it is open all week from 8 to 4 pm. Guided tours are every thirty minutes starting on the hour and half hour, with the last tour at 3:00pm.
My other suggestion for the “flex” week is the Ronald McDonald House Charity because they are very well known for their contributions to the community and provide many volunteer opportunities. They currently have more than 400 volunteers working to help kids recover from hospitalization with the love and support that can only come from a family. They strive to make their place a “home away from home” for over 1,000 families per year.
The 10 Years Later video really shocked me. I could not believe so much change has been brought about in the Cincinnati area in such little time. I must admit I felt embarrassed to learn of the race riots of 2001 because I could not believe the Cincinnati police department would be so hateful towards its African American community. I don’t believe that only one man was at fault for sparking the riots but that the entire police department was put to shame for the escalation of tension between the police and the society as a result of lack of communication and trust. I can see a connection between this event and Gladwell’s broken window theory because if the city police was not able to maintain integrity in its own department, than what else was there to keep order in the city? I can see how, corruption amongst the very city officials, which were supposed to be keeping civilians safe, would trigger a large-scale reaction in the form of the race riots.
Other interesting information I gathered from the video is how low standard of living is for most people in the city of Cincinnati. It is astonishing considering the presence of many large corporations and institutions there to help out the community. The problem as was stated in the video, is the lack of effort on the community’s part to reach out their hand and accept the aid that is being offered. I recall the mention of homelessness being an issue especially because much of the housing is vacant and looked at by investors as “dollar-signs”, and that the solution is not to provide food, but the resources necessary for people to be able to get ahead financially and afford their mortgage. I applaud the city’s success in decreasing infant mortality rates through their health program, in improving the quality of education to the schools that needed help the most, and for constructing safe havens for individuals wishing to work hard and seek out the correct personnel that will help them better their lives.
Part II:
I think we should visit the William Howard Taft National Historic Site and the Ronald McDonald House Charity during our “flex” weeks. The William Howard Taft site is the only memorial for the 27th President and he clearly had strong ties with the Cincinnati communities. The site offers group tours of the house, interactive exhibits, an orientation film, brochures, and a gift shop. It is a free park site and there is free parking in front of the Taft Education Center; it is open all week from 8 to 4 pm. Guided tours are every thirty minutes starting on the hour and half hour, with the last tour at 3:00pm.
My other suggestion for the “flex” week is the Ronald McDonald House Charity because they are very well known for their contributions to the community and provide many volunteer opportunities. They currently have more than 400 volunteers working to help kids recover from hospitalization with the love and support that can only come from a family. They strive to make their place a “home away from home” for over 1,000 families per year.