Looking at the signs
My better angel just walked off my shoulder to get a bite to eat, so.....My lesser angel is wondering if one could make a game of matching the metal treeboxes with the "Re-Elect Leroy Thorpe" signs. Was it last week when I noticed those bright red and white signs all appeared at once?
I got an email stating that someone was a little overzealous in putting signs in folks yards. Not unheard of. I wasn't surprised when I found a Linda Cropp sign in my treebox, but as soon as I saw it I removed it. According to my little birdie (just wub the widdle burdies) those signs are not necessarily there at the request or desire of the occupant. Some signs I have seen hint to that. Somewhere on 5th there is a sign that has been placed just so between the security door bars, like a large Chinese takeout menu. Another sign, further up 5th, sits on the ground, between the gate and a wooden fence. Also if you find such a sign in your yard and you really don't want it, don't return it, you will be confronted.
posted by Mari @ 27.9.06
21 Comments:
Mari,
I sent you an email about a film I am working on, I'm wondering if it ended up in the spam bin...
My wife and I are new residents in Shaw, and we were drawn to buy here because of Shaw's neighborhood appeal, diversity, and affordability. I am a documentary filmmaker and I'm interested in producing and directing a film about Shaw, tying in its history, long-time residents and the changes taking place here and in other "gentrifying" neighborhoods, in urban as well as rural areas.
There is a lot of controversy in the term gentrification and I would like this documentary to delve into that issue.
dear fineandq,
There will be little controversey if your film accurately documents that gentrification -- at least in our neck of the woods -- actually includes many African American, hispanic, and some asian homeowners and renters. But maybe you want it to be controversial to make it interesting(?) A diverse group of people in America getting along is kinda boring.
It would be interesting to note that economically disadvantaged neighbors have been leaving the neighborhood in droves and one clear example of that is the student population at Scott Montgomery which has as a result been halved since just last year due to rising "gentrified" housing prices. Sad to see that those who would most benefit from the services of a City with full coffers now pushed out of reach of those services. Maybe you should also promote some of the ways those who have struggled to hang on can stay in the neighborhood and enjoy it like the rest of us.
I agree that in Shaw many of the gentifires are African American, hispanic, asian .... And no I'm not looking to make a controversial film.
...to get back on topic, ... Looks like Fenty's winning yard sign strategy is misplaced at the local ANC level (Fenty clearly has money to burn). Those signs are so expensive and signs clearly don't translate to votes. I wonder if Mr Thorpe has any more tricks up his sleeves. I do hope he stops burning money.
I didn't get a film email so it did probably did end up getting caught in the spam filter. Occassionally the listserv digests wind up in the trash along with friends, I'm not exactly sure why 1/2 the time. Try again.
As far as topic goes. Yes, signs cost money but once someone puts something in your yard, it's yours to 1) keep; 2) return to sender; 3)trash or repurpose.
Unfortunately, not every Documentary is a “page turner.” I’m interested in getting your thought on the subject too (on or off camera). .You can contact me via email at kchalk322 @ gmai . com Sorry for the off topic posts.
Mari, I'll send you the email again.
I like option 3. Maybe we should all put in requests for more Re-Elect Thorpe signs and see if he can keep up with the demand.
It's too bad that funds are not invested in producing and distributing an ANC newsletter, distributing agendas prior to meetings (that give more than a date and time), having an ANC office, computer, website, and e-mail distribution list - like nearly every other ANC in the District. Where does the quarterly allocation to the ANC from the district government go? -- I hope not to yard signs. Can't get meeting agendas out -- but yard signs for reelection, no problem.
His agenda's been prioritized. Thorpe's campaign signs are more important than what his community needs.
Martine Vose
What screams with much more significance is how many people do not have his signs in their yards (even many of his old supporters). Looking at it that way, Thorpe's support looks pretty darn slim.
We have a Leroy sign in our yard which we approved, but wondered if now that means we're on the outs with all of our neighbors... because we're too "new" for the old school and too supportive of the old for the new school.
P.S. I do NOT even want one of those tree boxes...seriously! They're way too tall (chair height for sitting and sipping).
JumboChic well you picked option 1- keep.
Count yourself as the new school supporters of Leroy. Several of you do exist. Some of the reasons for new school (I'm going to say people who have been here 10yrs or less) support of LT have been mentioned in other comments, which seem to boil down to 'better the devil you know' and LT getting results despite himself.
You can tell I have a anti-Thorpe bias. But I do sorta can respect some Thorpe supporters when the reasons behind the support relate to what good he has done.
Unlike our little king, not of us are so insecure that we need to be disrespectful of people simply because they have a difference of opinion or express their right to make their own choices for their own reasons. I think it's great that we have pro and anti Leroy residents speaking freely here. Pity this type of discourse is not tolerated in community meetings run by the king and some of his other loyal subjects.
I am from France and I went to the ANC meeting last month. I could not believe the manner in which our little king ran that meeting. And then his ego gets in the way and he gets sloppy, talking about morals and how victims of crime are asking for it. And he said the internet is like crack. well, maybe it is...for him.
Martine Vose
Saying the internet is like crack is like denigrating books and reading. As we (blogophiles) know, there are virtually TONS of valuable resources on the web, free classes, discount products, health information, which disadvantaged people on the other side of the internet divide should be encouraged to avail themselves to -- via public libraries if nothing else.
Many folks of my parents' generation are still afraid of the web because a lot of people lost jobs and didn't get proper training to keep up with the young whippersnappers who learned to use computer technology in school. They speak about "the computer" as if its "communism" or "the terrorists" (egads) or some other threat to their way of life.
Just chalk this off as another way that Leroy's idiocy helps to keep people down. Saying the internet is like crack is just another calculated scare tactic for his base.
His supporters should fess up about his weaknesses because the package he offers us to choose on Nov 7 is pretty darn mediocre. Why can't we try for something better than the status quo ante? Do any of his supporters care to share the meeting agenda for the ANC2C meeting this Wed., 6:30 pm, at the Chinese Cultural Center, 616 H Street, NW, 2nd Floor, CCCC-DC.org. Don't have it? I guess they're not worth giving it too either. But some have his re-elect sign is their yards. The meeting will probaby just be another LT campaign rally surprise. But that's not really a surprise.
I think Leroy's supporters have been fessing up to his weaknesses. I have said several times what I do not like about him. I think if anything the anti-Leroy sentiment is much more rabid and has that "drank the Kool-Aid" feel to it. At this point, part of what makes me a Leroy supporter is the alternative being offered. Some of you are fine with the idea that his opponent "seems like" he would do this or that, mostly because he has never done anything related to Shaw. To tell you the truth I am glad to know there are this many people who actually care who the ANC-Commisoner is and hope after the challenger loses (i am pollster tracking doesn't look good) we can all put our differnces aside and improve the hood.
The challenger is going to win. Some people want to try something new because they are tired of the SOS.
Although I respect the loyalty of the die hard LT supporters, I have been out knocking on doors and introducing old timers to Kevin's campaign myself and, although no one has sent a poll my way, I can verify there are converts out there who had been given LT signs for their yards and windows who, after learning about or meeting the challenger, have taken those LT signs down, thrown them out or just keep them face down in case/until LT passes by.
This race is competitive, but if LT and his supporters want to sit on his red hat laurel, so be it. Kevin is making converts every time he goes out knocking on doors and I imagine every day when folks hit his web site.
It's not difficult to be a good ANC leader. Being smart, professional, respectful and having a will to be responsive to constituents' needs are the basic requirements. Having a background in criminal justice helps. Being from the hood but avoiding the trappings of the ghetto that hinder success show skills that make the challenger well suited to be a leader in this community.
We'll see who's been drinkin' the kool aid on Nov. 8 when the dust settles.
I'm a fairly-longtime Shaw dweller (15 years) and VERY respectful of those who have lived in Shaw for generations. That said, Leroy needs to go. He's a bully. I have seen him threaten gays on the streets with physical harm. I have watched as his supporters (during a campaign two years ago)told neighbors that his yard sign would ensure that police would come when they called 911. And of course I'm offended to see the treeboxes bear his name (even though they are paid for by taxpayer dollars.) This bully is out to help nobody but himself.
Yes, let's get Leroy (Charlie Manson) Thorpe out of office.
Our ANC needs someone who can represent us all, regardless of race, color, creed, ethnicity or orientation.
DEPOSE OUR LITTLE KING.
If Leroy Thorpe really cares about this community, then he should name and denounce those hate mongers (like at the ECCA meeting last Monday) who are poisoning this community by going around talking about "race riots".
Instead, he's giving paranoid rants about people plotting against him (translation: having opposition in a democratic election).
Like GWB, he's a divider, not a uniter.
The worst thing about those Leroy Thorpe/ECCA tree box frames is that they don't even contain the dirt/mulch gardeners add to the tree spaces to cultivate them as green spaces. Folks just end up needing to jury-rig some container at the base of the frame to keep dirt and mulch from flowing all over the sidewalk. But LT and the ECCA ladies are only concerned about creating some inane little monument to their mediocre accomplishments. Sloppy, messy, unnattractive, egotistical, vain -- but oh so typical.and an appropriate symbol.
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