We have previously remarked that a regular feature in Seattle's Sandinista Weekly, The Stranger, titled "I Anonoymous," may in fact be written by the publication's staff. And in any case, that it is foul-mouthed, and close to sub-literate.
However, you may recall the ancient paradigm of that monkey at the typewriter who, given enough time, will eventually blunder into typing a graf or two of Shakespeare, perfectly.
And so here you have it, in The Stranger's current "I, Anonymous" (no permanent link, so read it now).
It's a right-on, if obscenity-laced jeremiad about the no-account, pathologically entitlement-minded panhandlers, and assorted mega-stoned, screwed-up losers who make merely shopping or walking on one of Seattle's main thoroughfares (Capitol Hill's Broadway) a bad dream.
But. If only this were just a bourgeois lament about unpleasant promenades.
The Capitol Hill neighborhood - which, off Broadway, boasts some of the city's finest old homes, plus, in sharp contrast, apartments full of under-employed purple-haired, pierced baristas who call themselves "artists," and really meant to vote for Kerry but somehow failed to make it to the polls - is littered with used needles, human waste and a permanent sidewalk-squatting underclass of society's dregs.
Oh, and BTW, Capitol Hill is also home to Seattle Central Community College, home of intellectual diversity and tolerance.
The above-linked Stranger screed is, I can testify, based on the street-level Capitol Hill scene that persists, same as ever, 11 years after I moved to Seattle. Only it has steadily worsened. In August, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer had a revealing report on pervasive social anomie in the 'hood. Also of note are previous articles in The Stranger, here and here.
My wife and I moved to Seattle in May, 1994, from Chicago. At the time, Capitol Hill was considered one of the city's more vibrant neighborhoods. To boot, the lead singer and guitarist of the epochal Seattle grunge-rock group Nirvana, Kurt Cobain, bought his heroin on Capitol Hill (this was well-known) before - high on smack - he killed himself with a gun in his Seattle home in April, 1994. His wife Courtney Love, broadly hints at her late husband's Capitol Hill smack connection here.
From that zenith, Capitol Hill has gone steadily downhill.
Capitol Hill is also essentially childless. And where there are no chiildren, there is great "tolerance" of social dysphoria in all its forms.
Now, our family goes up to the eastern edges of Capitol Hill, dad buying CDs at Wall of Sound; and us maybe getting lattes or scones at Bauhaus. Where this summer the streetlight poles were festooned with the requisite "Bowl Against Bush" posters. We're also fond of Capitol Hill's western edges, on 15th Ave. It is a pleasant, low-key commercial strip, very much unlike Broadway, and is home to a Group Health facility where our first child was delivered safely by an outstanding team, under very trying conditions.
Yet Broadway, the public face of this old and once proud Seattle neighborhood, is in steep decline, along with adjacent parks and many public byways.
Capitol Hill has become Seattle's Tenderloin. And that's sad.
Posted by Matt Rosenberg at February 03, 2005 08:32 PM | Email ThisI had hardly picked up the Stranger before Sound kept mentioning it. Now "I Anonoymous" has been the subject of two different posts. I guess I am going to have to read it instead of Forbes.
Posted by: Erik on February 3, 2005 09:13 PMThe sad thing is that the politicians of Seattle never even mention what a complete disgrace Capital Hill is. Why? Because they get their votes from places like that.
It's easy to pass idiotic things like a monorail circus ride when you have a large portion of voters like these people. Unemployed, or hardly employed, full of socialists and anarchist ideals, pretending to be "artists," when they have a hard time drawing stick figures.
In fact, the politicians of Seattle seem to think that Capital Hill is some sort of monument to the city and therefor needs to be preserved exactly the way it. They think it is actually better this way; better than it was 10 years.
Silly.
Posted by: DeadManVoting (aka Iguana) on February 3, 2005 09:21 PMWe can retake the liberal footholds of Captiol Hill and greater Seattle, who is with me?
Posted by: CR ACTIVIST on February 3, 2005 09:34 PMI'm right there with ya. I don't know how the guys of Sound Politics feel about Seattle, but at least a few of them feel like you and me.
When I hear people talk about how much they "love" Seattle, it makes me want to puke. What's to "love" about the place? It's soul-less, boring, the people are about charismatic as dead iguanas and even less friendly. "Polite" in an insulting sort of way.
I'd rather have someone in NYC tell me to f-off.
But, alas, I suffer through this stinkin' city because I love the summers in the NW. Or, maybe I'm just a loser. Or, maybe both.
Keep complaining though, christmas, because eventually it might help change some things. Definitely, a first step, is to get all the East Coast liberal whiny types that moved here in the 90s OUT. Chase them out. Scare them out. Take away the hand outs and tent cities and all the rest that makes them "just love" it.
Posted by: DeadManVoting (aka Iguana) on February 3, 2005 09:54 PMThat was when I decided I'd had it with cap hills progressive hypocrites and that toilet of a neighborhood. I suppose I should have made that decision when I came across my first cap hill corpse.. The previous winter.
The only honest thing about cap hill is that it perfectly reflects the frame of mind of those who happily call it home. Repugnant.
M
CR, I really do wish you well in your endeavor to clean up Capitol Hill. You could, in some way, save their lives down there! I'm with ya' at least in spirit over here in very-family-oriented Sammamish! What do you specifically plan to do to accomplish your objective?
Posted by: Michele S on February 3, 2005 10:51 PMI'm hoping for that to change. It just may.....who knows when
Posted by: Michele S on February 3, 2005 10:54 PMMatt: My Crapitol Hill story intertwines somewhat with other entries here on SP. I was working for the St James Refugee program as a volunteer coordinator, and worked with a woman (SCCC grad) who could charitably be called "unfriendly" towards people of faith, except ones that eschew doctrine. Yes. At St James.
On one occasion a group of Vietnamese, Mongolian, Laotian, et al refugees came for a "talk-time" which this woman sited at 'volunteer park.' I hadn't been there, but wasn't overly impressed. As we went through various ESL strategies, what to my innocent eyes should appear but a barely clad couple, leashed to a man in similar black leather garb. The spectacle did not allow for continued conversation... and much to my chagrin they headed in our direction, the bearded "musher" slapping the derrieres of the stud-collared couple with a riding crop.
Our students were comprised of gentle souls, a meek Vietnamese lady in her 40's, a young Mongolian man, a few others, and the aforementioned anti-religionist lady. We also had a vounteer with us who caused several jaws to drop when she described her employment: she walks dogs. (The nonplussed gazes of incredulity, in the context of the harsh working lives of these refugees, were something to behold. )
But back to the S&M trio. Audaciously standing in our immediate presence, they asked some now forgotten freak-out type question to the one of the group that looked most chastened by their untoward appearance. It was an apparent tweak on their sensibilities as I recall. I had a mixture of anger, offense and disgust, tinged with more than a little powerlessness, in my face as I glared at the ground. My thoughts were on the impression this must be leaving with our students.
If our goal was to create an environment for confortable exchange, to get them out of their subculture comfort zone, we just dashed it, I thought. The interlopers moved on, the one still whipping the others. The dog-walker alienated more than one of us by saying "I love Capitol Hill."
Later, after we'd sent the students on, the SCCC grad said to me, furiously, "If you're ever working with me again, you'd better not act like that anymore!!! I couldn't believe you!!!" I reminded her we worked for the SAINT James Refugee program, and she sneered that I would be surprised at how the nuns felt about homosexuality.
That REALLY ticked me off: my reaction had everything to do with how they were dressed, what they were doing, their rude intrusion... and somehow this was homophobic? And she thought she had the right to judge my facial expressions?
This was, for me, an important revelation about the nature of leftism. This self-righteous secular fundamentalist was castigating me for my UNSPOKEN emotions! And making assumptions about their cause. This is tolerance? This is compassion?
No, it's the cult of self-worship.
Posted by: Bleeding heart conservative on February 3, 2005 10:58 PMNow, the best thing that I can say about it is that if you go into the used movie/music marts, there are good prices on Christian/wholesome stuff. There isn't much competition to drive up the price.
And be on needle/junkie alert. Not to mention bury your wallet.
Don't drink the water. Probably should say "Flav R Ade."
After reading this, I'm gonna go in and put a Gershwin antidote on the sound system.
Posted by: scott158 on February 4, 2005 12:32 AMHowever, like a grand old tree, these people will continue to point at how magnificent Capital Hill is and how lovely their community is until the rot finally hits the outside of the trunk and/or it cracks and falls in the wind.
Posted by: anonymous on February 4, 2005 05:34 AMEnjoyed your post about Cap Hill. I've lived in Seattle since the late 80's, and have seen that neighborhood go downhill ever since.
However, I DO have to take you to task for your assertation that the absence of children in Cap Hill contributes to its downfall, and that folks w/out kids are somehow more "tolerant" of street scum. As a women in my mid-40's, who had never wanted children, your statement confuses me. I like peace and quiet, the absence of street scum, and safe environments as much as the next person.
So, what's up with that?
Posted by: APrey on February 4, 2005 07:40 AMIguana, for someone commenting on East Coast whiny types, you sure bitch a lot. And the bums can barely get it together enough to pee on themselves, so do you really think they voted?
SnoCo, you admittedly desire to move to Ephrata, so your comments on Seattle culture are as worthwhile as my comments on... Ephrata.
And yes Salthering, there are many morally decent liberals left.
Posted by: CandrewB on February 4, 2005 08:30 AMGood question, but I think you're the exception to the generic rule that childless households are more tolerant of other lifestyles where as households with children tend to favor communities where moral absolutes, in some form, are more clarified.
Just look at the comparison between how unmarried, childless women voted in the 2004 election versus how married women with children cast their ballots. An imperfect analogy but demonstrative of my point nonetheless.
The analogy between childless households and "street scum" as you described would get less precise in higher income neighborhoods which also don't have a high number of children like Belltown, but Belltown and Captiol Hill are different enough that the comparision would be much more complex than just one or two issues.
Either way, I think Matt's on to something. As a fellow conservative who enjoys the urban life, it is a lamentable turn of affiars.
Posted by: Eric Earling on February 4, 2005 08:31 AMCapitol Hill is a diverse friendly neighborhood where one can study life, art, talk literature, in every way live life.
Yeah, it thumbs its nose at consumer culture, and I guess that really makes you all mad.
Don't go there. Its economy is practically self-sustaining and the million dollar homes around broadway are all highly liberal, you all would stick out.
Posted by: yhwy on February 4, 2005 09:02 AMFirst, that doesn't mean that there are folks who've decided not to have children, for whatever reason, who don't still value and perhaps help enforce public order, like yourself.
It is just to say that the more families with children there are in a given neighborhood, the greater that community's motivation to enforce and encourage a safe, sane street life.
Posted by: Matt Rosenberg on February 4, 2005 09:15 AM14 years later only two things bring us back to the area - doctors visits and Dick's. If we're coming from a wedding or black tie event, a late night trip to Dicks for burgers & fries is a welcome event. Waiting in line with the wild collection of humanity always brings a smile to my face. Even bringing our 3 young kids, in a mini van festooned with Bush and Christian stickers, is something we do a lot. Although we usually have to explain (or attempt to explain) a few characters. And we don't spend time hanging around or checking out any other stores - Just Dicks.
Anyway, as I look back over the many years in the broadway area, it has gone downhill, fast and far downhill. A lot of the 'dregs' of society are on full display and are even 'celebrated'. I wouldn't call the area vibrant or alive, more like dark and decaying. But also as a 3rd genreration Seattleite, raising a 4th over in West Seattle, I know it has long been an area of the young and 'alternative'. Just how or what to do about bringing it back from over the brink? I don't know, and it is pretty obvious our city government doesn't know either (which is not surprising).
Posted by: Denis on February 4, 2005 09:30 AMAnd CR Activist--weren't you the one that wanted to do away with parks? I suggest you go rent "Animal House" and take note of the outcome for Niedemeyer.
Posted by: Steve on February 4, 2005 09:54 AMIf accepted to SU Law School, I plan on moving into the Capitol Hill neighborhood.
Some suggested ways to clean up the neighborhood:
1) Have BIG conservative rallies at prominent "dead-head" areas.
2) Work with the poor and homeless to get them off the streets. This might include getting donations to help these people get off their butts, find a place to stay, get off the streets, and find employment or volunteer opportunities.
3) Lobbying the City Council to pass ordinances restricting pan-handling and "loitering".
4) Working WITH investors to renovate several of the older buildings, or tearing down and building a REAL METROPOLIS of complexes.
5) Working through the many Churches of the area to get congregations mobilized- whether making blankets, taking back the streets, or organizing neighborhood watch programs.
6) Lobbying the City Council and others to re-zone certain areas for "commercial only", which would strip away some of the worst areas from the "druggies" and encouraging economic developmetn.
7) Working with Seattle PD to increase patrols and effectiveness of law enforcement in the area.
For those of you who don't think this can be done, turn your eyes to Tacoma. Yeah, it still stinks down here, but GREAT things are underway to turn this city around. The Downtown area has especially seen a big revitalization, and local Business Districts are beginning to flourish AGAIN.
Comments?
Posted by: CR ACTIVIST on February 4, 2005 11:06 AMI want to thank you for your civilized reply (oh how weary I get of individuals in the on-line community getting their neck hairs up just because someone looks at things a little differently or raises questions)!
Steve: What you said, what you said! I was also thinking "age demographics" when pondering this issue. I think 20-something folks tend to see an alluring "danger" in living near the marginalized, plus it sets them apart from their middle-class, suburban parents. But it's one thing to be woken in the middle of the night by a street brawl, police sirens, ect when you are 22 (it may even be exciting), but once you hit 35 or so - OY! At that age, it's an unwelcome PITA!
Yup, like it our not, we all turn into our parents.
Posted by: APrey on February 4, 2005 11:06 AM