Cut and paste your favorite off-the-topic thread-killing rants and other rubbish here.

Okay EVERYONE....I know that MY rants may seem off base to some of you, and on point to others.  I know the deeper issues that never used to affect me when I was younger (particularly race relations and other social issues) seem to hit me harder now that it directly involves me at times.  I get frustrated seeing and hearing things that I do, whether it be within my work environment, or something that just involves the community as a social issue.  It's strange how the media can pick and choose which aspect of the story at hand they want to sensationalize or put in the light.  Many times there are only parts of the story that is told, which can make either side look better or worse than they really are.  There have been many things in the media in the recent past about race relations within the fire department, it makes the department as a whole look terrible and racist.  The unfortunate part is, not the whole story was told.  Many of the "hazing" episodes that made certain minorities feel "singled out"...happened to all rookies, no matter what race.  When I was a rookie, I had things such as toilets explode, beds fall apart at night, flour put in my sheets, and fire crackers thrown in my direction during my sleep.  Juvenile and childish?  Yes.  Part of the ceremony of being a rookie? Yes.  Fun?  Yes.  Unfortunately, a small handful of people took these things and turned them into racial issues.  There were really never any formal complaints about many of the issues brought up in the law suit, these were things that accumulated over time.  To me, that is unfair, if there was a problem, it should have been addressed at the time, through the proper chain of command, and if the problem was not addressed, then and only then take the route these people did.  It was never stated in the media that at a union meeting, a group of minorities made it public that they did NOT want to be lumped into the group that started the law suit, that they felt happy and comfortable in the work environment.  They stated further, that they wanted to make public record that the group that sued the city was not a representation of what the climate on the fire department was.  These types of things are never reported because the are not sensational stories that cause problems...no interest.  Living with these things can tend to make opinions jaded at times.  When I see what I see at work in the public sector, then only to hear these actions defended with statements like "it's not their fault" or "society is the root of the problems" makes me want to blow my top.  Yes, there IS racism in every aspect of life, that is a sad but unfortunate truth.  That alone cannot be the crutch for society to use every time something isn't right.  Racism goes many different directions, NOT just how whites feel toward blacks, which many people seem to think is the only way racism can be supported.  I have never said that blacks are bad.  I have never stated that poor people are bad.  I have never said that all people in public housing are bad.  I made a statement in another post, that I would not want to invest in high end housing in a mixed income project that included low income housing.  My opinions are based on my experiences of working on the east side of the city, responding to many low income housing projects, and seeing the things I have seen.  I live in an apartment building, and in my building, I have never seen garbage strewn about in and out of buildings, urine and fecal matter in the stairwells or hallways, or graffiti and vandalism prevalent.  I know that not all people in low income housing choose to live like that, but I have seen it much too often for me to want to take a chance to invest in a housing experiment such as that.  I commend those that do, you are true urban pioneers, and I do hope it works.  I hope this type of housing can open peoples eyes as to the importance of self respect and respecting others...and others properties.  I have a love hate relationship with the city of Cleveland.  I bitch and moan with the best of them about certain aspects of the city/region, but at the same time, I will tell an outsider to go fuck themselves when they talk smack about Cleveland.  I felt this way growing up (before I ever lived in the city) , I feel this way that I do live here, and I would still feel this way even if I had the choice to move out of the city.  We can all have different opinions, we can agree...or we can agree to disagree(Didn't Ron Burghandy say that?)  Either way, I enjoy reading and posting on this site.  My apologies to anyone who has been offended.....

JDD,

 

Sorry if any of us came out too strongly.  Most of us care deeply about Cleveland and are sensitive towards certain topics that cut a little too close to a nerve ending.  Your insight is very valuable as you are on the front lines of a city with many issues.  While we discuss floor plans of the Avenue District, there are many who put their lives on the line to make this city a better place.  Keep up the good fight.

 

Now, generally speaking..

I would like to say that I value the level-headed, informed banter that occurs on this site.  This place is a great source of info. Let's keep it that way. 

I dont mean to come across a negative sometimes, but I share alot of the feelings that JD does. I Love Cleveland, but dislike some things about it. Cleveland will always Rock IMO!

<Insert rant here for MGD starting this thread.>

Sorry guys this thread is pointless.

 

If you have concerns over members who are frequently getting a topic with the same rant, that's known as trolling which will not be tolerated on this board.

 

Also, calling out a member for posts in a thread different from the original thread is also trolling. If you desire to call someone out, do so in an appropriate manner in the thread. Please do so in a respectful manner.

 

 

As always, you can alert admins and mods if you think someone is guilty of said practice.

 

Save the occasional rant, its up to you guys (or the mods) to keep the discussion on track. However, due to the nature of discussion, don't start crying when you're thread gets slightly off topic, this is a discussion board.