I have chosen Baltimore City as a micro level segment of the U.S. population. I choose Baltimore City because I lived there for 4 years, so I can speak from a real life perspective.
Baltimore City is directly and negatively affected by both stratification and social mobility. If you have ever been there it is like a city that time has forgotten. The extremes of stratification are noticeably evident. There are four social classes in Baltimore City. They are the upper-middle class, lower-middle class, working class and underclass. 20% of Baltimore city residents live below the poverty line so they are considered underclass. The stratification between the classes of have's and have-not's are alarming. Socioeconomic, institutionalized racism, drugs, crime, lack of jobs and equitable educational facilities are what fuels the problems in Baltimore.
Relative deprivation is so blatant but yet the sense of helplessness is so strong that people turn to drugs to alleviate the emotional pain. A bureaucracy that is plagued with global economic strain is hardly in a position to help and even when it was prejudice and discrimination hamper the efforts.
I subscribe to the "concentrate on the future" theory. This theory focuses on prevention. I suggest stopping the bleeding by stopping the perpetuation of the problem. I propose applying a direct and consistent wave of resources to help the children. Better schools, computers, after-school programs, summer camps, after school and summer meal programs, mentoring, field trips and exposure to more positive cultures within the children's own racial background. This will improve the children's self-esteem and give them hope and a fighting chance at the future.
To fix the problem from a "root cause" perspective I would driving a stronger business economy into Baltimore through tax breaks. Much like what was done in Washington, D.C. Business brings jobs, then people buy homes and the city receives more tax revenue. This new revenue stream would fund the project. But the commitment has to be with driving the revenue into the lower income areas to help the next generation and stop the perpetuation of the social class problem.
This would not be easy but it can be done. It would take a committed legislature and an asserted effort but it is possible.
http://www.baltimoreorless.com/tag/social-class/
I am relatively new to the area, and having never been to Baltimore I was not aware of the extreme poverty there and influx of the lower class. But I am actually little surprised by this as the economic situation of DC and its metro areas in Maryland may be in a similar situation if it were not for the federal government that accounts for the majority of the jobs in the area. That's a good point to make, that channeling resources into the elementary education system may help the problem in the distant future, but economic situation probably has a greater impact on the problem - simply an absence of booming economy and businesses.
ReplyDeletePerfect city to direct this to! I have 2 little brothers 14 and 7 growing up in Baltimore. I fear for them everyday. Between the violence and the drugs I just pull my hair out thinking about them and their future. Luckily for them, my father can provide them with a private, catholic school education where they will never even witness half of this nonsense. They live away from this as well. But still, it's down the strret and right in front of their faces. I would love to see better schools and summer camps for these children. The cycle needs to be broken with them first. Adults and teenagers will do as they please. But the children will imitate what they see. Great work!
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