Sunday, April 7, 2002
What your neighbors said
Neighbor to Neighbor asked participants to answer these four questions. Top 10 responses to each:
Where do we agree?
- Education on race issues is critical, especially to reach the young.
- We all need to get to know people different from ourselves.
- It’s important to celebrate diversity.
- Racism exists; some people have fewer opportunities and more obstacles.
- Economic disparities contribute to racial tensions.
- Fear of people who are different is part of the problem.
- More frank, interracial talk is needed.
- Police-community relations must be improved.
- Integration shouldn’t be forced.
- People are frustrated over a lack of racial progress.
Where do we disagree?
- Whether affirmative action is effective or fair.
- Whether English should be our official language.
- Whether poverty or race causes racial tension.
- Whether we should be color-blind or take into account a person’s race.
- Whether the city’s economic resources are fairly distributed among neighborhoods.
- Whether government or citizens should set educational standards.
- The extent to which racial discrimination exists.
- Whether equal opportunity and truly integrated communities are achievable.
- Whether the news media intensifies racial tension.
- Whether racial tolerance is best taught in the home, school or church.
What can we, as citizens, do?
- Live by the Golden Rule: Get to know others, respect each other, smile, be warm.
- Get involved: Become a mentor; volunteer in the community and in schools.
- Continue Neighbor to Neighbor meetings; invite new people.
- Speak out against racially demeaning jokes and comments.
- Organize and attend multicultural events.
- Encourage churches to share pastors, services, programs.
- Teach your children well.
- Learn more about racial issues and different cultures.
- Plan and attend neighborhood socials.
- Vote.
What should our community leaders do?
- Insist that schools provide role models, implement race forums, restore vocational education, hold educators accountable for confronting racism.
- Improve police-community relations.
- Invest in economic development, minority businesses, youth job programs.
- Organize multicultural events.
- Meet and listen to residents.
- Rebuild troubled neighborhoods.
- Participate in diversity training.
- Church leaders should be leading racial change.
- News media should do more positive stories.
- Corporate leaders should get more involved.
The Police
Violence up, arrests down
Changes made since April 2001
Q&A with Police Chief Streicher
Q&A with former F.O.P. president Keith Fangman
Neighbor to Neighbor
Community meetings produce results
Going beyond polite silence
 What your neighbors said
What do you think?
What's happening in 145 communities
A sampling of communities:
• Mount Healthy
• Pleasant Ridge
• Milford
What institutions are doing
Related Links
Neighbor to Neighbor home page
Matters of Race: Bridging the divide in Greater Cincinnati
On the Same Page Cincinnati
Live Without Hate
Common Ground
Cincinnati 2001: Year of unrest
Unrest in the city: Archive of riot coverage
Unrest photo timeline
Jim Borgman on race
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