Joe, I've been bothered by the lack of healthy outlets for kids in neighborhoods around the city. Rec. centers are broken down and uninteresting. And the kids don't have movie theaters and video game arcades that teenagers like in their home neighborhoods.
I was pleased when Penn designed the pop-movie house as a destination for teenagers. Some poor and lower middle class kids don't yet know how unwanted they are in this upwardly mobile society. They probably look forward to meeting up outside the Bridge and feeling normal, like the good kids on TV or on campus. (At least on Sat. night, these kids feel connected to the same world as middle class kids are connected.) I always wanted to see cost efficient festivals like Clark Park festivals and programming at Rec. centers in all neighborhoods, so that cities could start developing healthy neighborhood destinations for teens too. But I volunteered my available time to save Clark Park instead. I'm also concerned about the problem this crowding indicates! As for the anticipated police state response, I think several new techniques have been piloted recently at the G-20 summit in Pittsburgh. In addition to tear gas, militarized riot thugs now use a sonic cannon for use in herding the people. The Good can't yet put all the poor and lower middle class in ankle bracelets or private prisons. And Penn does pride itself on copying the latest cleaner safer technology. Stay safe in our powder keg society, Glenn -----Original Message----- >From: Joe Clarke <philly.jo...@gmail.com> >Sent: Oct 11, 2009 9:38 AM >To: Ucity Listserve <univcity@list.purple.com> >Subject: [UC] Herding Teens > >I've also noticed on two Saturday evenings Penn police, en-masse, >herding underage kids from the area at 40th and Walnut. I've noticed >over the past year large groups of African American youth around the >area of 40th & Spruce up til 40th & Walnut streets and also at Strikes. >I noted, too, that at least one of the places that the groups would >congregate, Penn Arcade, on Spruce west of 40th, has since burned down, >eliminating one gathering spot. > Last evening about 10:30 Penn police (and Philadelphia Police) were >at 40th & Market herding the kids north and some into the Blue Line. >The police were standing in a line on the south side of Market blocking >the way of a large group of teens who tried to go back down 40th. I was >getting off at 40th where the trollies are detoured on weekends, and saw >the sometimes frightening group action: I thought there might be >violence. Instead a large number of adolescents went very loudly into >the Blue line station, where I was headed. The kids were kids: loud, >mischievous, but otherwise well behaved; it was the numbers that were >startling. If anyone knows anything more about this phenomenon and what >Penn's been doing about it, I would like to know. > >Joe C. > >---- >You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the >list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see ><http://www.purple.com/list.html>. ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>.
