I see the black community is all up in arms about the decision to move the Bessie Smith Strut to a safer venue. I see the so-called black leadersand black elected politicians railing against the ”racism” that they say is the reason for everyone that disagrees with them.
I personally think safety issues truly are the reason the Strut was moved. After all the shootings and gang violence in Chattanooga over the last two years I think any reasonable adult will have to admit this needs to be considered.
After reading and thinking about this issue for several days there are some things that I think are being left unsaid. These are things that I think the black community needs to give answers for if they truly expect to be able to keep the Bessie Smith Strut on MLK Blvd as they so adamantly demand.
Here are my thoughts in no particular order:
If this event belongs to the black community and should be left on MLK Boulevard with no say-so by the city of Chattanooga or the Friends of the Festival, then why is the city of Chattanooga being expected to supply all of the police officers for free? Why do all the Riverbend Festival vendors have to pay a fee to be able to sell their food to help cover the expenses of putting on the event (like security) and the vendors of the Strut pay no fee? How can the vendors of the Strut sell beer out of a cooler on the side of the road without a beer license? If this Bessie Smith Strut belongs to the merchantson MLK, then why does the Friends of the Festival pay to set up the stage for the performers? Why does Friends of the Festival pay to set up the lighting for the stage and surrounding areas? Why does the Friends of the Festival search for, book, and pay for the bands that play on stage? Why does Friends of the Festival and their volunteers have to clean up after the party is over? Why are there no cover charges to help pay for some of these expenses? What would the black community do if the Friends of the Festival simply took the night off and left the merchants on MLK to fend for themselves?
To me it seems that the merchants on MLK and the black community have had 30 years of a free ride and should be grateful for everything that has been given to them year after year after year. This mentality where some people think they “deserve” something or have a “right” to something for free that is paid for by someone else just isn’t based in reality. Somebody has to pay for this stuff.
If you are a merchant on MLK or if you area leader of the black community, what have you paid to make the Bessie Smith Strut what it is today? What are you willing to pay to keep it? How much work are you willing to do? How many volunteers can you get to work for free to do all the jobs that need to be done? Are you merchants and vendors willing to pay for the entertainment out of the profits you make?
It’s time to step up to the plate. It’s time to take ownership of the Bessie Smith Strut and show us that you really want it to succeed. It’s time to quit expecting someone else to pay for everything and quit expecting someone else to do all the work, especially after all the bad things I have heard said about the city of Chattanooga and the Friends of the Festival this week.
Curtis A. Smith
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Does anyone else find it disturbing that black community leaders, councilmen and quite a few of the black community members have rallied around the loss of the Strut much more than the loss of control of their youth? I want to know what is so special about the Strut that it is worth taking a stand for and rallying the community, but the gang epidemic is not? It is sickening to see that the so-called leaders of the black community do have the ability to take a stand but choose to stand up for the issues like the Strut and not the growing epidemic citywide which is black on black crime/gang activity.
An opinion letter this morning by Councilman McGary is a perfect example. He states: "I call on all churches, mosques, synagogues, and their respected leaders, the 100 Black Men, fraternities, sororities, Masons, Kiwanis clubs, teachers, and all concerned citizens who believe in the Strut - whether male or female, black or white, or any race to commit an hour of your time to volunteer at the Strut." He then goes on to urge black youth to take a stand against their peers to do the right thing for the Strut. To beat the stereotypes placed upon them with good behavior, again for the Strut.
Maybe I've just missed it, but I don't recall him challenging the community or black youth to take a similar involvement against our growing gang and crime issue in the same area of the Strut. There is a trend in what these "leaders" are willing to come forth and actually unite for. It seems blame has to be able to be placed upon some other group and not within the black community itself. The city's gang problem won't go away or be ended with politics. It will take a lot of work starting from within the black community itself. Truly disappointing to see what really matters to some.
Chris Sanders
Hixson