Full story can be seen here
Then there are the neighbors. On religious holidays, hundreds of Buddhists park on two-lane Sylvia Street, blocking driveways and ripping up yards with their tires. A neighbor, Anna MacDougal, has complained to the police and zoning inspectors, to no avail, she said. At times she has paid tow truck drivers to take cars away.
Temple leaders, acutely aware of the parking problem but oblivious to Americans’ love for grass, converted the front lawn into a parking lot and covered it with gravel
“I was appalled,” said Donna Davis, 56, a medical assistant who lives next door. “If they want to live here, why can’t they start acting like Americans?”
“I can’t stand them,” said another neighbor, Kelli Lawson, 33, who says she is uncomfortable with many aspects of Buddhist life. “It’s strange to us, so we don’t like it.”
“I don’t feel comfortable going out in public in my robes because people point and laugh at me,” he said.
Now the whole nation can see why I'm proud to call Fort Wayne home.
23 comments:
How convienient you only took out the parts you thought would have the biggest slandering effect.
Then there are the neighbors. On religious holidays, hundreds of Buddhists park on two-lane Sylvia Street, blocking driveways and ripping up yards with their tires. A neighbor, Anna MacDougal, has complained to the police and zoning inspectors, to no avail, she said. At times she has paid tow truck drivers to take cars away.
Temple leaders, acutely aware of the parking problem but oblivious to Americans’ love for grass, converted the front lawn into a parking lot and covered it with gravel.
“I was appalled,” said Donna Davis, 56, a medical assistant who lives next door. “If they want to live here, why can’t they start acting like Americans?”
I have a similar problem with a Mexican family that moved in two doors down. They have turned their front yard into a sea of plastic junk and gravel, it looks terrible. On top of that they have 8-10 cars parked all over the front lawn. Maybe this is acceptable in Washington DC or SE Fort Wayne, it's not in Aboite but the city won't enforce the code.
If the city will not enforce the "code," then the problem is with the code enforcement folks and not with your neighbors. People will try to get away with whatever they think they can. Las I checked, there was no Fort Wayne code against having a gravel yard...so these monks and their congregations are not likely guilty of anything but a few ticketable parking violations.
"Slandering effect?" You're an idiot. If you use words that come directly out of someone elses mouth, it's hardly slander. Simply pointing out that people are intolerant bigots is hardly slanderous. Besides, I think you meant "libelous," considering this was in print.
If you don't like the Mexican family that lives there, why don't you just move? Seems pretty easy to me. That's the Fort Wayne way, right? Don't like the status quo? GET THE HELL OUT!
These jackasses that were interviewed for this article, sadly, are VERY representative of the population at large in Fort Wayne.
There are a hell of a lot more people like them than people who, for example, may actually be interested in learning what a Buddhist actually is, and what they stand for.
Not in my backyard....
Wow
"Maybe this is acceptable in Washington DC or SE Fort Wayne, it's not in Aboite but the city won't enforce the code."
I live in Fort Wayne and really like that there are a lot of immigrants - makes the city more interesting.
Then again, I'm not lawn-obsessed.
"Maybe this is acceptable in Washington DC or SE Fort Wayne, it's not in Aboite..."
Yikes, not in my backyard, Yikes.
May God have mercy on your soul.
You guys have really gone over the top in your efforts to find things to complain about in Fort Wayne. Fort Wayne has been incredibly welcoming to thousands of immigrants from Burma and throughout Southeast Asia. Hundreds of Fort Wayne residents contribute huge amounts of money and countless volunteer hours to support, assist and assimilate these new arrivals, many of whom have fled the near genocidal levels of persecution carried out by the junta in Mynamar. This is why there are more Burmese refugees in Fort Wayne than anywhere else in the US.
Are there a few gripes and a few unhappy neighbors? Of course. But there are more doctors and professionals in Aboite bitching about the influx of GM workers to their neighborhoods than their are problems with the Burmese. No acts of violence targeted to them because of their ethnicity, no vandalism against their temples, their children are welcomed to our schools and our businesses have provided jobs. There are plent of volunteer positions open to do more, if you would prefer to do more than engage in uninformed bitching.
Fort Wayne can be justifiably proud of its role in helping the people of Burma, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. When I travel in Southeast Asia, many people know Fort Wayne favorably because of these efforts. Its a shame you guys can't see a positive even when its staring you in the face.
Mark Garvin
Absolutely amazing. Especially since buddhists have an incredible amount of tolerance and patience with others and their beliefs. You would never hear these sort of remarks out of a practicing buddhist's mouth.
I strongly suggest that anyone who has intolerance of buddhists actually go and TALK to them. Talk to them about what their philosophies are. (Buddhism is not a "religion." Buddha is not a diety, he is simply a teacher.) I'm sure they would be MORE than happy to explain their beliefs to anyone who cares to ask, and would be more than happy to work with their neighbors to solve any social issues.
Another suggestion would be to go to the library and read through the first chapter or two of "Buddhism for Dummies", which is a pretty good book. Or read "Siddharta" by Herman Heese - its a very quick read.
Most Christians could use a good dose of buddhism in their lives. You can be both - buddhism is extremely compatible with the core morals and beliefs of western faiths. (Except when smiting or fighting is involved.)
Based on the full article, the Davis quote in the summary does seem pulled out of context. Her comment seemed to be made more out of frustration with the inconsiderate parking and tearing up of lawns, rather than the fact that they were Buddhist. Perhaps that frustration was put a bit crassly, however.
Kelli Lawson's quote, however, is less defensible.
I think Mr. Garvin is right in his comment, w/regards to the welcoming nature of Ft Wayne to many immigrants.
In any event, for what it matters, as a believer in Christ I think it is great to receive an influx of immigrants, for many reasons. There are a lot of ministry opportunities available, on many different levels.
But honestly vulgrin, I think what most self-proclaimed Christians need is not Buddhism in their life but more Christ in their life.
Jeff
Mark -
The article was posted to bring light what was being posted in the NY Times about our city. It was posted to show the outward impression that we are making.
Unfortunately in news, the focus is rarely on the good.
Change-
And what was the purpose of the line "Now the whole nation can see why I am proud to call Fort Wayne home"? My sense is that Park was embracing the NYT quotes and bemoaning how backward he thinks Fort Wayne is.
Mark Garvin
Kelly Lawson's statements make me sick to my stomach. I am embarrassed her hateful words were printed in the NY Times. I am concerned thousands of people will read and have read this story already.
As residents of FW, we already have a stigma of being closed-minded and intolerant to contend with. These statements made by Ms. Lawson are discriminatory and over-the-top. For every ten postitive stories you hear/read regarding the Burmese population in FW, just one story like this one, can do considerable damage.
I, for one, feel very fortunate to have such fine people as the Burmese living with us in this city. I welcome the addition of more Bhuddist temples to FW. Maybe the fundamental principles Bhuddists share of comapassion and love will eventually take root here.
But not so hateful that you are willing to take a public stand by publishing your name.
11 anonymous and psuedonymous comments - now 12 when you count this one. Change Fort Wayne is a real Profile in Courage isn't it?
Personally, I don't comment much on Blogs like this that are too chicken $h*t to reveal their identities. You nailed it on the head and one can only assume the publisher's of this Blog have something to hide.
To the last two posts:
Do you not get it ? Not only were the statements made by Kelly Lawson hateful, inflamatory, and inciteful, but the negative impact they play on FW's over-all image is huge. Do you realize how many CEO's, CFO's, business managers, entrepeneurs, investors, etc. read the NY Times ? Do you think they are MORE likely after reading a story like this, or LESS likely to do business in Fort Wayne ?
Stories such as this one, printed in such a high profile news paper as the NY Times, decrease our city's chances of luring future private investment and paint a picture to outsiders of FW as an intolerant, non-progressive place to live.
No, we get it.
You didn't seem to get the points of the last two posts.
You want to condemn these hurtful comments published in the NY Times but not enough so as to do it publicly in the town square and attaching your reputation to the denuniciation of such nonsense.
I'm a little curious as to why anyone would find it necessary to condemn anonymous commentors from behind their own veil of anonymity. Sorta reeks of hypocrisy, no?
Anyway, I'm perfectly comfortable posting my own name, followed by my actual opinion, which is simply that the published quotes in the NYT made me nauseous.
Seriously, who uses the police to resolve trivial disputes like parking? Seems to me a neighborly knock on the door would be suitable. But then, I guess those actions aren't surprising coming from people who are willing to be quoted like that in a nationally distributed newspaper. I'm sure there was some perfectly rational fear like "maybe their Buddha-cooties will rub off on me" or some such dreck.
If you honestly think a lopsided article in Americas' premier fishwrap about 2 (count 'em two out of 250k) peoples complaints about their Buddhist neighbors is going to affect the relocation of those sought after "young professionals" you are sadly mistaken.
Much ado about very little, no?
I would think the person that has her driveway blocked has a real grievence. I would be curious to know how many times it really happened.
Tim -
Don't underestimate the power of words. Do I honestly think the article will effect people outside of FW looking to come here for business ? Or better yet, people who may have lived here before and are now thinking of coming back ?
Yes.
Case in point, I forwarded the article to some friends and family who now live in FL, CA and NJ. The family memeber who lives in NJ, ironically had already read the article. The response I received back was unanimously negative. One friend said, "I'm glad I am out of there (FW)." The other commented, "I could never move back to FW".
By the way, all of the people who responded back are college educated, young professionals raised in NE Indiana.
Andy,
Look, I get (and support) the fact that we need to do what we can to make Fort Wayne a desireable place to live. But let's be real, people will ALWAYS have reasons to live in other communities.
I'd give your statements more validity if you would have sent that article to friends in other midwest cities comparable to Fort Wayne, not people who live in coastal states.
My favorite concept ever is COGNITIVE DISSONANCE - which says that humans dismiss information/ evidence that is not in keeping with their preconceived ideas. It's true of nearly everyone, regardless of your specific beliefs. I think it may have been true of the NYT reporter who didn't spend a lot of time wondering WHY we have so many immigrants in Fort Wayne (excellent resettlement agencies with caring, warm staff and volunteers?) and seemed to pursue the story line that we are bigoted hicks here in Indiana. It was probably also true of Ms. Lawson's statement, whose opinion seems to be that there is only one legitimate lifestyle (her own) and that it's not worth the time to learn about anyone else.
Both are right, and both are wrong.
Why in the hell does anyone in New York care if there are Buddhists living in Fort Wayne?
http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2004/SHOWBIZ/Movies/04/15/review.bill2/story.bill.jpg
"when you can snatch the pebble from my hand, weedhopper, then it will be time for you to leave"
There is nothing wrong with buddhists. the dont drive any worse than most life long hoosiers, from my observations.
the only issue I have with flooding a community with starving asian refugees is that we already have no entry level jobs, for our own HS and college kids to work their way through school; and thousands of already laid off/unemployed lifelong residents.
So with Catholic charities flooding our hometown with cheap labor- $5.15 an hour is like a fortune to them, when they are used to $5.15 a month- how are the rest of us supposed to find work, and support our families already here?
I'm sure the poor white, and poor black residents are getting annoyed. not to mention all the illegal aliens already working for cash under the table, hired illegally by local employers...
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