I'm told that Twelve, which is located in 1100 block of H Street, now has their liquor license. The restaurant and lounge was open and serving a full menu before obtaining its license. I'm not normally one to make recommendations here, and maybe it's just me, but the flashing open sign just seems a bit out of place.
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UPDATE
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I've since been able to visit XII and I think it will be a nice contribution to H Street. The menu is classic American food at reasonable prices. The space was well put together and the upstairs is indeed a lounge area. By which I mean the space is occupied by a bar, numerous small tables with stools, three couches, and a circular booth in the corner. The couches and the booth constitute the VIP areas. I visited with a friend on Tuesday evening and I think we were two of maybe six people in the entire place, so I had a very good view of the entire space. Because much of the upstairs in windows you can get a great view of H Street, but the space is large enough that you don't get the feeling people on the street are watching you.UPDATE
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The capacity is around 300 people. For comparison the Rock and Roll Hotel has a capacity of 400 people. So XII is in a very large space for H Street, but it isn't huge compared to other places in the city.
I was also able to speak to the owner briefly, and he talked a bit about his plans for the business. The business is likely to appeal primarily to those in the 30 and over age range. Plans are in the works to have a sidewalk cafe on the side, and a rooftop deck, both of which should be very popular in warm weather.
And the open sign is indeed simply a holdover from the days of Cluck-U.
123 comments:
Well I have a suggestion- I think they should eliminate the downstairs as an eatery...I felt like I was going to play bingo or cards. Maybe they make it s bar only area.. I personally would hate to be eating there, when people are constantly walking buy heading upstairs to the lounge area.
A group of us went early Saturday and had a great time. The food and service were both good. Bernard was also very welcoming. I almost wish he had focused on the restaurant side of is business and not the night club, in that I think he's got a shot at having a really good restaurant, but the club/lounge space was very nice as well, but huge.
Inked I could not agree with you more the flashing open sign is so tacky. I went with my significant other about two weeks ago and was not quite impressed with the food and the first floor setting. However the upstairs lounge area was really nice. I am planning to go back and give them another chance soon.
My guess is that the neon "Open" sign is the last remnant of Cluck-U. But I agree, it does not fit in with the new image he's trying to portray.
we ate there at night and the food was good. we were just happy to have normal food on H street. chicken sandwich and fries, that sort of thing, without some weird theme going on. i think the lights inside were too bright but as a family, we had fun eating there. we didnt mind people going by to use the upstairs space. i like those other places too, but it's nice to have a more mainstream option as well.
We ate her the other day. Worst food and service ever. Frozen chicken wings took 30 minutes to come out of the kitchen. Once this nihgtclub is open I can only imagine the type of shoot em up crown it is going to attract!
Do the have pool tables upstairs? Is so, how many?
No they don't. Atleast not when I got a tour there wasn't any. The capacity for the entire space is 336 including the rooftop deck/bar. There is a vip section, and there are 3 platforms with couches on them that are available to reserve.
Trinidad Home Owner
ANON. 12:00 Did something occur that made you think people who carry illegal weapons would frequent 12? Did you come to that conclusion based on the slow kitchen? Please elaborate...that's quite a statement.
I'll echo Sasha on that one. I don't see a nexus Anon 12:12. If you are going to make inflammatory comments it might be good to back them up with something concrete. Otherwise people might think you were just making stuff up because you don't like Bernard Gibson, or you have some other unknown axe to grind.
I've been there. The food was good and the owner was nice. The space is HUGE and with a 300+ capacity my fear is that the food will soon become secondary as he begins to pack them in on Friday's and Saturday nights. Watch.
And unless he caters to an older, jazzy R&B type (like myself), its a matter of time before he follows the money and with his "Reserved Sections" becomes a ghetto, hip-hop club filling the neighborhood with outside trouble-makers. I hope I'm wrong.
Living nearby, I am very skeptical of a "layed back R&B lounge" (or any other type music venue for that matter) that caters to 300 + of any clientele.
It is true that XII now has their liquor license and from what I can tell, the business has improved. As far as the kitchen being slow, well that depends on the night you choose to visit. Fridays and Saturdays have been very busy there but I am sure things will get better with time. Really tired of people having something negative to say without having a positive alternative. If you don't like it, don't go. It's really simple. As far as people going upstairs to eat and use the upstairs lounge, why would that be a bother? Most restaurants have a bar and people socializig while you are eating. Not sure where you have been but that is the norm nowadays. For the person that said something about catering to older jazzy, R&B individuals well you should have been there this past Saturday night where the DJ catered to the crowd that was present. There was very minimal hip hop if any played and a lot of music to hand dance and just have a plain ole' good time to. Take your suggestions to the owner and I am sure he will take it all into consideration instead of having something bad to say about everything.
For the poster who referenced jazz/blues/r&b, I hope you have checked out Pap & Petey's on the west end of H. They have live music several nights a week in a more intimate setting.
Anon. 2:14, I'm Anon. 1:44 and I was there this Sat. night.
My concern is not with the type of music or clientele, but the fact this place is going to have 300+ soon looking for parking on my street. I'd feel that way if it were the Rock-n-Roll Hotel, if it were a gay dance club, or a hip-hop joint. I think it's too big!
Did this size venue get approved by the ANC? Does it have to? Whose SMD is it in anyway?
the "shoot em up" poster is on to something. R&B night spot? I am sure it will attract the local crowd that would frequant LOVE nightclub. At least that place had metal detectors at the door. Nothing good is going to come from this place in terms of a positive step for the neighborhood. Instead of reporting the shootings at 800 19th Street they will be detailed at 12th and H
300 extra drunks on H Street is going to be great for the neighborhood!!!!
If I'm not mistaken, I think in DC if you have just one club shooting it has to be shut down.
My only reaction to this thread has been to the number...300+! Sounds like alot of people. XII must ok by the zoning regs for this. Anyone know?
Lets pray that this does not happen to our emmerging neighborhood. It would be a shame from all the progress we have made
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/27/AR2007052701296.html
The food at Twelve is delicious, the prices are reasonable, and the upstairs space is absolutely gorgeous. Unfortunately, both times we've gone for dinner, the service has been pretty awful. I hope this is a kink that works itself out, because you really get the impression that Bernard appreciates everyone's business and he's made a great investment in H Street.
Capacity of 300 doesn't mean it is necessarily going to have that many people in there at once. I believe that the maximum capacity at the Rock and Roll Hotel is 400. The capacity of Love [assuming it didn't change with the name] is 2,380.
Really not the same thing at all. They have their liquor license and I haven't heard of any incidents, so let's not panic. 300 cars is a lot of cars, but not every one is going to drive, and hopefully many people will take cabs.
Bernard's mission will be to fill that place up with 300 people looking to have a good time - after they find parking. His food will become secondary to people buying alcohol. This is a huge (though very nice and I'm sure expensive) venue. I'm still wondering if he took this 300+ plan before the ANC.
Other than the Atlas, can someone tell us what is currently the largest capacity for entertainment on H? Would it be the Rock-N-Roll Hotel? How many people does it hold? SOVA's new space is pretty big too. I'm just wondering what they compare to XII.
Thanks Inked you answered my question as I was typing it. IF R&R Hotel is around 400, then I stand corrected on all my 300 + people capacity for XII. I just know from seeign XII that it is huge and the thought of that many people looking for parking seems a bit daunting. I have never been to the R&R Hotel, it just appears smaller.
anon @ 1:34 and all other random anti-hip-hop people...why do rational adults continue to argue that particular music styles attract violence? there were mass rapes at woodstock 99, should we be worried about the rock-n-roll hotel?
maybe twelve shouldn't play modern music at all, since there have been violent incidents at concerts for most modern music forms. How about turning it into an opera playhouse, harking back to the days when fights were settled with swordplay?
ridiculous...
most of the people making these comments have never even been to a hip-hop event...
Perhaps they should trychamber music.
Just to follow-up on a few questions asked on this thread:
1. Did the ANC approve this tavern? We don’t approve businesses per say, we approve liquor licenses. Mr. Gibson did present his application for a class tavern liquor license to ANC 6A’s Alcohol Beverage Licensing Committee in November 2006. The full commission took the ABL committee’s report at the December 2006 ANC meeting
The ABL committee report was filed in the December 2006 agenda package:
Liquor License Applications – Twelve Restaurant & Lounge. Mr. & Ms. Gibson, owners; presentation made by Maurice Evans, business agent. Mr. & Mrs. Gibson currently own Cluck-U-Chicken. They are proposing to bring more of a spin to the second floor of this property located at the corner of 12th & H. The entrance is on the 12th street side but with an H street address. They are applying for a tavern license to cover the 2nd floor, terrace and an outdoor café on 12th street side. Combined capacity in the mid-300. They anticipate a zoning certificate in a few days and will be applying for a license pre-construction. Attract a mature crowd, 30/35 plus. While tavern licenses are not required to provide a full menu, the Gibson’s want to offer a full menu, steaks, crab cakes, fish, chili, burgers, etc. The restaurant will be open for lunch and also brunch on Sundays (Sunday – Thursday 10 – 2; Friday & Saturday 10 – 3:00). There will be live entertainment and recorded. Building permit is ready for filing by December 5.
These are the minutes from the December 2006 meeting are in the January 2006 agenda package:
Commissioner Beatty reported that the people that own Cluck-U-Chicken want to open the Twelve Restaurant and Lounge at 12th and H Street, upstairs from Cluck-U. They want to apply for a tavern license, which would cover the second floor, terrace and an outdoor café on H Street. The entrance would be on 12th Street. They plan to appeal to a 30-35 year old crowd, and the capacity would be in the mid-300’s. They plan to have a full menu, and serve brunch. There will be live entertainment, and expect a zoning certificate within a few days of the meeting. Concerns were expressed about sound issues and music on the roof, and they said they would be willing to work with the community to make sound levels acceptable. Motion: Ms. Beatty moved that the ANC accept the Committee’s recommendation and pursue a voluntary agreement with Twelve Restaurant and Lounge, with stipulations regarding mitigation of rooftop sound. It passed without objection.
2. Whose single member district? Twelve is in my single member district?
3. Huge space…packing them in? Our ANC has a very good voluntary agreement process. In the case of Twelve, we specifically added sections for sound proofing, noise and guidelines for the roof top deck. You can find the voluntary agreement at: http://www.anc6a.org/volAgrees/VAtwelve.pdf
4. Parking…more people? First, while I personally have problems with the $25 million H Street Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) due to the fact that it favors developments over 10,000 square feet (think H Street Connection and Auto Zone); this fund is designed to encourage the development of parking. For example, the H Street Connection ownership could apply to use part of the $25 million H Street TIF to create a multi-level underground parking garage – ditto for the ownership of the AutoZone. Second, the street car system will greatly alleviate some of the parking challenges. That is why we are working hard to have the street cars in place at the end of the H Street construction. Third, we need more businesses on H Street. The more people that come, the more opportunities for businesses to thrive. We have a mile and a quarter corridor, we have at least 50% of the corridor still vacant. Parking will be a challenge no matter what businesses come to H Street.
5. How many taverns are enough? As an ANC, we can’t simply say “No more taverns.” However, we are going through a process to see if the community is interested in setting a limit on how many classes of liquor licenses for H Street (CT is tavern and CR is restaurant). There was a lot of controversy when we discussed this last year – recall the discussion about how a bar moratorium would kill H Street? I think we lost the definition battle – moratorium. In all cases, we where thinking of setting a “limit” – is it 30, 40 or 50 taverns or restaurants? We don’t know. We have to look at other areas of the city. But the idea was to give fair warning to the community that at some point in the future, we would limit the number of licenses by class. We are still working this and if you live in ANC 6A, please feel free to attend our ABL meetings and share your ideas with us.
Sorry for the long thread, but these questions warrant answers.
Annon 12:14's mention of music to hand dance to has me iterested. BTW, you can hand dance to hip hop music about just as much as you waltz to it. The two genres just don't match. Hip hop and hand dancing that is.
I notice that most of the truly inflammatory comments are being made by people who lack the courage to attach their names to them.
A couple of weeks ago, I posted a long review of XII here, from when my gf and I went there on the night of its soft opening. There were things I liked and things I didn't like; and I've been a bit disappointed by some of the posts since that suggest that things I didn't like haven't changed (the lights! for the love of God turn down the lights!). But we met Bernard Gibson that night, and between talking with him and checking out the place (both upstairs and downstairs), I didn't see a thing that suggests anything to worry about. I mean, really -- nothing has happened at XII to suggest any of the negative crap anonymous posters keep throwing out there, and yet it keeps coming up over and over. I wonder what the source of this is.
I'd like to say I'm amazed that folks who don't seem to have any direct experience with Bernard, haven't spent any time at all at XII, have demonstrated no personal experience with either hip-hop music or places where it's played, and have provided no information showing that there's even any intent *at all* to turn the place into a hip-hop club, can nonetheless associate XII with "shoot em up crowds" and "`ghetto' hip-hop clubs" with apparent ease. I'd like to say I'm amazed. But it isn't amazing anymore. Just sad.
Chris: Cluck-U! This is the source of Bernard's tainted reputation with many in the neighborhood. Bernard has a tough hill to climb in getting over his shenanigans with the Cluck-U boondoggle.
Hopefully for the sake of neighborhood improvement he'll prove us all wrong with a thriving respectable business - this time.
Anon 924, keep in mind that Mr. Gibson actually won on the question of whether or not Cluck-U was a fastfood restaurant. He brought everything into compliance, making his branch of Cluck-U the only technically non-fastfood [for BZA purposes] one around. That aside, Cluck-U always seemed clean and well run from everything I saw and heard. It isn't like the guy was running a brothel, illegally dumping oil in the alley, causing people to congregate in front of his business, selling liquor to kids, or even failing to pay business taxes.
All of this hate is clearly racially based, ignorant and sad. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
If it is not the potential music, it is the capacity or the Cluck-U experience. Just come out and state your true feelings. Disgust.
Why is it always the "anon" people who make inflammatory comments about local businesses. If this were my blog, I'd not allow anonymous comments.
Anyway, I'm kinda surprised that people are whining about 300 "more people" coming to H Street businesses. I'm sure we are nowhere close to the busy-ness of H street of decades past. H Street is a commercial corridor, and that's what we WANT, right? If you want to live in the H Street neighborhood of ten years ago, you're out of luck.
Anon 9:24: I understand that people are skeptical of Bernard Gibson given their (IMHO slightly bizarre) frustration over how the creation of Cluck-U played out. But the Gangsta's Paradise nightmare that some folks spin here goes miles beyond seeing him as untrustworthy. After all, lots of people are able to get businesses' others don't like through the permitting and licensing systems in D.C.; but not many of them are then presumed to be aiming at callously creating a "ghetto" club that'll result in random gunplay. So no, it doesn't make sense to me that this is solely because of Cluck-U.
Inked, Your points are well taken, but I have to disagree with you on this one (rare). No matter whose "fault", Cluck-U contributed nothing positive to the improvement of H St. Bernard might as well have been opening another Popeye's, McDonalds, or Good Danny's - it was still another fast-food establishment and in my backyard not yours. Improving his reputation for being a postive force on H St. has a long way to go with me (and many others living immediatly around the corridor). Hopefully XII will be a more positve step in the right directions.
Is anyone really crazy enough to believe that Mr. Gibson wishes to open some kind of ghetto gangsta's paradise club? Why would that make economic sense. Did anyone have the same fears about the Martini Lounge?
If we can deal with 400 drunk hipsters from Englert's places, I am sure that the crowd from XII will be just fine.
Maybe Mr. Gibson is catering to the neighborhood. After all, did Cluck-U make sense or was he catering to the old hood?
Martini Lounge was a nice (mixed) place to go until the owner was quoted in the Post saying that his place was somewhere that blacks could feel comfortable around their own (or something like that). I haven't been back.
Lets face it. Racisim (and reverse racisime) is still very much alive along H St. The whites have their Englert places (where I've seen very few blacks) and the blacks have their Martini Lounge, and probably XII. With this type of self-segregating going have things really changed that much in 40 years?
The owner of the Martini Lounge was right - we go where we're most comfortable.
All this makes me want to visit 12 even more! I did not plan to have dinner their tonight but now I will...just to protest the azz backwards rantings of the "anoymous" crowd. Don't be scared anonymous people...new businesses owned by black people will not muddy your precious pipe dream of H Street, NE no longer reflecting the community we live in. If you are that concerned I encourage you to move to Cleveland Park....no worries there...right
:-)
Good, this racist dialog is actually working then. It gets people thinking and into these places to see for themselves - as it should be. We look forward to your reports.
My partner and I live about two blocks off H street, and we went to XII Saturday night for dinner before a movie. We ate upstairs, mainly for the view and the music, and the food was great (I had ribs, and they were outstanding). Bernard and his staff were great hosts, and we will be going back. I agree that the lights could come down a little, but when we were there, it was very hard to read the menus with the lights down low.
Sasha, I'm afraid your racist comment could just as easily be reversed to read, "Don't be scared anonymous people...new businesses owned by WHITE people will not muddy your precious pipe dream of H Street, NE no longer reflecting the community we live in." - right?
- Ahsas
Anon 1021, I'm just saying I think some of the comments here are worried about stuff without much factual information to support those fear. I do understand that there are still some ruffled feathers [on both sides] over the Cluck-U fast food thing, but I don't think it makes the owner totally untrustworthy. Nor do I think it makes the objecting neighbors NIMBYs. As far as I'm concerned the challenge had legitimate legal merit. It's just that the business was changed slightly to make it fit BZA's definition. And it isn't in my backyard, but it is slightly over 2 blocks from my front yard [which is different]. Here's hoping that XIX is a better neighbor for you and that XII ends up appealing to a sizable contingent of neighbors.
Hmmm...this blog gets more interesting by the day. We go from reading about the great news of Twelve opening and obtaining it's liquor license to out right assuming it will be some all out ghetto, shoot em up, gang bang spot. You have got to be kidding me! Really. I guess this is the kind of stigma that black businesses get and yes, I said it. The fact of the matter is there are so many other venues that have that same capacity if not more on the same strip of H Street. I have not read about anyone complaining about any of the other businesses except for Twelve. Since when does "R&B" bring violence. These are the types of comments that come from closed minded individuals that like to stop the growth and progression of business owners with a potential good thing. And the fact that Bernard owned Cluck-U and operated it as a restaurant that the community saw as a fast food chain is not a valid reason for him to be an untrustworthy person. Good grief! I am sure if the ANC had a problem with this business then it would have not been approved or given the chance. Half of the people in this blog have not set foot in Twelve yet and probably never will and will continue to complain outside of the door about things that are untrue. All I am reading is a bunch of complaints and insinuations from a bunch of grouchy individuals that don't want change and things to remain the same. I guess the real motive here is to deter people from going there period. Well I can tell you it's not working, in fact you are making people more curious and actually making Bernard's business thrive. It's time to clean up H Street and I promote new businesses. More will come and you can't stop them...oh and by the way...see you at Twelve!
Signed,
Fran
Its just hard to argue with ignorance - that's pro XII ignorance and against XII ignorance, both well represented in this thread.
- Narf
Incredibly sad said:
Club U---shooting death 2 decembers ago.
Club Envy--shooting last week
H20---shooting death and another shoot-out in last year.
2k9--shooting death 3 year ago.
Smarta/Broadway--shooting death of 18 year old girl last Janurary 2007.
Go-Go Club at Florida Market-multiple shootings last Spring.
And there are many, many more.....
Not ALL the clubs' fault, a socio-economic problem fomented by alcohol, loud environment and sexual and emotional frustration........
All African-American clubs. All let kids in 18 and over to boost sagging nights and sagging sales.
To ignore that there is incredible violence among young African-Americans is pure fantasy land.
Bernard must do a cohesive job of attracting responsible people to his club.
He should never do a night in which ANYONE under 21 is admitted.
On any night there is dancing, there must be LOTS of well-coordinated security with walkie-talkies, beepers and flashlights.
Every security person should be well-versed in crowd-control and behavioral science.
Kids aren't shooting each other at Black Cat or 9:30 or Tattoo. It may hurt some feelings.....but these are just facts...........
Sorry, I wish it wasn't the case...it just is.......
Funny...you thought my comment was "racist?" I think that word may be overused. I was simply saying just because an establishment attracts people who may be different that some of the other new establishments on H...well that does not make it bad. I am all for any business that provides us with options and runs a safe clean establishment. I may not frequent Rock and Roll Cafe but I certainly would not make such inflammatory comments just because it may not be my cup of tea. We live in the city for goodness sake! I appreciate the diversity of all the establishments. Last time I checked options were a good thing. There is really something for everyone. That is actually the beauty of U Street NW. Some nights I was in the mood for Joe Englert's former State of The Union and other nights Republic Gardens. I think it's unfair to be so harsh on XII right now. Give it a chance. I agree it has work to do but hopefully (much like Napa) the owner will listen to the constructive criticism and make changes.
I returned tonight and my experience was uneventful. No one got shot :-) and the food was just fine. I was not a fan of the musical selection but that's just because I don't have a real appreciation for that particular genre of music. I encourage people to go and experience it themselves. I wish the owner success. Also...it's okay if you don't like a place...don't go..but don't bash it based on speculation and innuendo.
ANON 828
Nicley said. Completley true. I have posted twice and that is the EXACT point I was getting at. I hope Bernard can control the crowd or have a door policy the same way the successful clubs in DC to with out the shootings
Dirk
Agree completely with Anon. 8:28. Glad to see that some rational people out there realize what the FACTS are. The facts are a sad reality and before anyone tries to scream "racisim", please try to support your comments with similiar credible FACTS that these same problems occur in non-predominately African American night clubs in DC. I doubt you'll be able to do it.
As put by Anon 8:28, "Not ALL the clubs' fault, a socio-economic problem fomented by alcohol, loud environment and sexual and emotional frustration........" Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps people and stop blaming "the white man" or anybody else for that matter and take some responsibility for your own social ills.
OMG Triple Shoot’em Up Ville I’m going to have to start sleep in my cast iron bath tub again every Friday & Saturday
I think H st needs the type of lounge that Bernard proposes in His application(a club that caters to a 35 plus clientel) that also plays "old school" music. I would like more choises in night clubs beside The Solar Eclipse or The Chataeu. My other choise is to travel to Prince Georges County. There are a lot of blocks on H st. I'm sure it can accomidate more than one style of night club. Another point, all blacks don't listen to the same type of music. And all of us don't carry guns and participate in shootem ups.
I still find it interesting that people don't have the guts to attach their names to these posts.
So, anonymous 8:28, you've given us five-plus shootings at predominantly black clubs over a three year period. I'm surprised there's not more than that. After all, in just four months (a period where I happen to have info at hand) at clubs that *aren't*, uh, predominantly black:
Club Heaven and Hell -- man beaten to death just after leaving.
Bossa -- man slashed across the face.
Anzu -- man beaten to the point of permanent paralysis outside club.
Chloe -- three men and two women attack woman when she leaves club, beating her severely and stabbing her in the heart, requiring emergency open-heart surgery to save her life.
Does violence, gun violence even, occur at and around clubs that cater to a predominantly black clientele. Yes, of course. Does violence of comparable severity occur at and around clubs that cater to a predominantly white clientele. Sure -- I just gave you some examples. Is the *frequency* comparable? I have no idea, and references to individual examples from either you or me don't make it any more clear. Without a careful study, I go on my personal experience: I'm white, and I've been to clubs here in D.C. playing hip-hop and go-go (not the same thing, btw; your listing of clubs conflates the two), and have never worried for my safety. Hell, the scariest fight I ever saw in a bar was at a place playing country music.
But all of this ignores the central question, which has been asked a couple of times in this discussion, and which the anonymous inflammatory posters don't answer: why is this discussion of violence relevant to XII? Put more bluntly, what information do you have that demonstrates that the kind of establishment you're worried about is the kind of establishment Bernard Gibson is trying to create? What do you know about his plans for XII that those of us who have actually been to the place don't?
Is it just fear of a bunch of black people being together in one place? No? OK then, what's the information you have that we don't? Please, enlighten me.
Thanks in advance.
Hello: After reading your comments. I went and visited this establishment. I it found to be pleasant, professional, decorated and a smart sense of style. I will go back. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was very laid back and cool.
I must, after reading these comments, find many of the writers to be racist. To be more direct I find the thinly veiled racism to be quite poor in reason and, having visited the establishment I find them poor in fact.
No one is talking about the white man keeping them down, or thugs or shootings.
I am hardly a thug, in fact I would be as much a thug as Bryant Gumbel or Wayne Brady, and I thoroughly enjoyed this establishment.
As a black man, an Ivy Leaguer (Cornell), and a native Washingtonian, I frankly am not surprised by the racist attitudes of some on this blog, but at the end of the day I don’t believe my opinion will sway you.
I only invite you all to visit the establishment. Make up your own minds. Enjoy yourselves or not leave and return or not. But this vitriol needs to stop. It’s petty, tacky, and does not appeal to the better angels of our nature.
-Robby, Trinidad Resident, 202-494-0607
Joe Englert said:
Being a veteran of many years, the dance club is a totally different animal than the tavern or restaurant.
(First of, no restaurant, even Wolfgang Puck's--find their legs for a good two months. Be patient with 12 and offer Bernard advice via in person. It resonates more face-to-face.)
Dancing and cover adds many more problems with patrons than just a sit-down bar.
Dancing means the inevitaable scraps between men fighting over women. Have lots of security when there is dancing...especially on the dance floor.....
From experience, I would have a full-time events person to book weddings, parties, casting parties, etc. I would NEVER give a night to an independent promoter. Keep things in house. You are in it for the long haul. Don't give up a night to some kid with nothing at stake except a printing bill.
Go see how Love is ran. Marc Barnes is a genius on how to control a big crowd. The place is also cleaner than a testing laboratory. Park, his latest place is even more impressive.
Have a dress code. We even have one at the Lucky Bar on Conn Ave. It works, especially if you want to keep out gang members.
Enlist neighborhood support. Call the gentleman from Cornell. Is there anyway he can organize an African-American Ivy Leaguers once a month Happy Hour or dance party?
Enlist other interested people for ideas and clientele.
Finally, the comments about violence on 18th Street and Conn Ave dovetails into many other issues.
We need a moratorium on H in due time. Many restaurants, yes. Put we do have to cap how many places have dancing and entertainment.
Before yelling, go to Adams Morgan this Friday or Saturday night. Then make your decision.
It is too much of a good thing.
Every incident listed by Meltzer happened on the street not in the club, usually perpetuated by kids under 21 that were not at the clubs.
We need MUCH better security for the long haul than these two areas. We need more businesses to step up to the plate and give to our H street BID so we can have training and yes, even our own police force.
H needs long-term planning and it has to start now.
Joe:
Thank you for your ideas, I think a BID would be a great idea. Having studied the BIDS, in particular Downtown DC Bid, in grad school I am aware that BID's can be amazing tools to help transform an area an keep it safe and clean. I think generally, your over arching comments ring true. I don't think anyone wants H to become Adams Morgan.
However, I want to say having spoken with the owner last night, he's seeking to run a successful establish for all people.
Let's help him by going, having a drink and giving honest constructive feed back.
-Robby
Joe -- regarding the insinuations that various (always anonymous) posters have made here, do you have information or knowledge regarding Bernard Gibson's plans for XII that suggest the place is likely to become a wellspring of violence? While I agree with you wholeheartedly regardling long-term planning on H (and said as much at the ANC6A ABL Committee meeting on a licensing moratorium we both attended back in the fall), at the moment I'm interested in the things anonymous posters keep saying here about XII. If you think there's something about Bernard Gibson's plans for the establishment that make it likely to attract violence, I'd definitely take that seriously. Do you?
Makes your sortof pine for the old Cluck-U Chicken days, don't it?
The obvious solution is to turn "Twelve" into a gay club. I mean, really, the name is suggestively gay already.
And as for violence, couldn't we all really benefit from the occasional drive-by fashion critique?
And I guarantee you the complaints about harsh lighting would be a thing of the past.
That would be OK.
I agree with Hillman...We need an establishment in walking distance...
Robby, did you have a solid middle class upbringing or did you pull yourself up out of the inner city gutters to get yourself through Cornell? Like your own examples of Bryant Gumble and Wayne Brady - none of you, I doubt, have achieved your amazing and deserved success by blaming other people, or "the system" for any problems you may have had on the road to your success - becasue you achieved it.
I'm just saying those that continue to blame others for their own failures are never going to get past their shoot 'em up, gang banging, thug life mentality - and the same goes for white folks out there that try to blame all black folks for their own problems when their anger REALLY should be directed at the lazy, poor ghetto folks who have no desire to get past blaming others for their own shortcomings. Its an endless cycle. But congradulations Randy, you help to break those sterotypes. I'm still working on breaking my own racist views.
- Anon. racist 10:35
Maybe I'm reading more into it than what is there, but I think I detected some concern about XII from Joe Englert.
"Being a veteran of many years, the dance club is a totally different animal than the tavern or restaurant."
At least he was willing to offer Bernard some unsolicited (and seemingly good) advice. I hope he's listening - or maybe he doesn't even need to.
Joe Englert said:
Different animal means that...........
Most people don't go to dance clubs after they are in their mid-20's.....
The majority of dance clubs come into style one day and then are out of fashion within 6 months to a year.
Clubs are advertising and promotion heavy. Sometimes up to 25% of your budget
In a restaurant, you make money almost every day and every hour you are open.
In the club business you have about 10-12 hours a week to make money....Thursday 10-1 Friday 6-2. Saturday 11-2:30. Washingtonians don't go out on any other days. They work so damn hard, they are tired at night and they go out late on Saturdays.
If a club is not filled with people, people do not stay. They like lots of people to be around.
If people pay cover charge, they
spend a lot less money at the bar.
At Rock and Roll we have probably one of the top dozen or so booking agent in the country. And we still have a bear of a time filling the place up more than 3-4 times a week. It is simply a tougher business than the tavern business.
Not making a value judgement of Bernard's place, I just know how tough it is to make ANY place go.
I'm a white chick, but the anonymous cowards posting here make me want to go visit XII even if I don't like R & B, just to support the owner against the nastiness that keeps coming up.
Want to make a bet that it's the same anonymous coward who made those unfounded allegations about the owner of Jimmy's Tires?
Chris Metzler and Robby get it.
Many of the others, especially Anon racist 10:35, are just showing their true racist viewpoints.
This blog is great for information on our neighborhood but it makes me sad to think I live amongst some of these people.
I do not know what is worse, the neighborhood when it really was filled with gun slinging, law breaking, do nothings or the neighborhood now filled with closet racists. Disgust.
And for the record, I am:
William Kearney
1211 G Street, NE
202-271-8100
I never really have anything profound to say, but I thought I'd share:
I went to Rumors the other weekend with my wife and some friends from out of town. We stayed for two hours. In the two hours:
1) A overly-drunk white man fought with the bouncers to get in. He lost that fight.
2) A drunk white man stepped on a black man's shoes, then pushed him. He got his head mushed and pushed to the floor.
3) Two overly-drunk white men bump into each other on the dance floor. A fight ensues.
They were playing techno and a mix of rock and roll.
I don't go out often, so this might have been a rare occurrence for them, or not. Last year, I went to Chloe with friends, and almost got in a fight with some Russians making a move on my wife.
One more thing: what's this about predominately white or black clubs and the music they play? I've never been to a "white" club that didn't play hip-hop. Go to the Pug on the weekends, and there's a mix almost 50/50 of white and black people. They only play, to my recollection, rock music there. I've never heard about a fight at the Science Club (just a few doors down from rumors) on hip hop nights, or the aforementioned Black Cat or 9:30 when hip hop artists come into town. When was the last fight at Martini Lounge?
The kind of comments about XXII turning into a shoot em up club make me wonder, where is it coming from? Is it racial? I mean, it's okay to say it is, I guess, but I'd rather people be more honest with themselves about it. Don't hide behind the music.
Joe Englert said:
The magic combination is always.....
Males plus music plus liquor plus females plus dancing equal trouble.
The trick is keeping a lid on it all........
I agree with intoxicated souls. The fact that people like anon 10:35 think like they do demonstrates less than no understanding or empathy with someone whose background is different from your own. Clearly the civil rights movement, which is about equal rights (not preferential treatment), has a long way to go.
White Man On 6th
8th and el, remind me not to ever go out with you. Too much action for my taste.
well i like to see those other clubs have beepers, police and all that shit yall asking for 12 cause I've been to rock and rock hotel and it was bad for me as black person. Matter of fact those H Street place don't even catered or have urban black events. Why is that? What the urban folks in DC can't have a place to have fun at too. Plus who the fuck said all black folks are gangstas and shit? Cause the last time I checked I have great job as an executive and i went to a white college American U and from the hood. Support 12...
Those of you mentioning the owner of Martini Lounge's comments in the Post should get your facts straight. The article ('Who's H Street is it anyway?' from Apr 4, 06) says:
" The ANC, which became majority white in 2002, wants to push "the African-Americans from the corridor," said Clifton Humphries, owner of the H Street Martini Lounge, who is black. "They're trying to steer what comes down here. They want an upscale environment, where they are comfortable around their own." "
Joe Englert said:
You better believe we have all those things and more at Lucky Bar and Rock and Roll Hotel. Security is very, very important. We have spent so much money on our investments, the last thing we want is some idiot fighting or hurting people without quick and smart reactions from our staffs.
As stated before, Marc Barnes of LOVE really sets the bar for security. I always learn from him and enjoy hearing the latest in how to make my guests feel safer and more secure in a party atmosphere.
And like Chris and others mentioned, the people on the street can cause as many problems as a rowdy patron. It is really important to have standard policies and a working relationship with the local police. In fact, I am spending this afternoon at ABRA brainstorming on how to make pedestrians and the club patrons safer on Connecicut Ave (south of the circle) weekend nights.
Thanks Liz for that reminder of the quote. I believe Mr. Humphries also said his comments were taken out of context, so we should keep that in mind.
I was at XII last night [I was with Robby]. We spoke to Bernard Gibson and took a look at the place. It looks like a nice place. It was largely empty when we were there [around 9:30pm]. I saw the VIP sections and I don't see the issue. They are clearly visible and not really very segregated from the rest of the place. Mr. Gibson said he had curtains that could drop down to provide more privacy for those areas. Keep in mind that Rock and Roll Hotel actually has private rooms that you can rent for parties.
The space is very large for H Street, but it is far from huge. One very cool thing about XII is all of the windows, which I love at night. I would encourage people to stop by and check the place out for themselves.
"Why is it always the "anon" people who make inflammatory comments about local businesses. If this were my blog, I'd not allow anonymous comments."
It frustrates me to see anonymous comments on any forum. When I ran "Don't Be Silent" I refused to have anonymous people leaving post comments. It's confusing as to which anon is which, plus most anonymous posters had nothing of importance to say.
A lot of people are cowards in the real world, and use the Internet as a form of strength and safety. It'd be a better world indeed if we all spoke our minds without the guise of anonymity.
"It'd be a better world indeed if we all spoke our minds without the guise of anonymity."
But we all live in the real world, where we don't feel free to speak our minds, lest other very real people in the real world find a way to make us suffer for it.
I think a good compromise is anonymity, but attributable.... an internet moniker instead of Anonymous.
For instance, we will never have an open discussion about race in DC without some anonymity.
Why? For decades anyone that didn't tow the party line on race, class, and social welfare issues in DC was branded a racist.
Yes, I'm sure some of them were. But many were not.
So we learned that in the real world you really don't have free speech. It always has consequences, whether deserved or not. And quite often those consequences are far more severe than the actual perceived 'offense'.
For instance, anyone care to recall the crapstorm over the use of the term 'niggardly' by a DC govt official a few years back?
"lazy, poor ghetto folks"? You have to be kidding me. Do you think anyone wants to be poor and live in a "ghetto"? Trust me, it's not anyone's first choice.
Now we've got both racism and classism on the board. Nice.
"You have to be kidding me. Do you think anyone wants to be poor and live in a "ghetto"? Trust me, it's not anyone's first choice."
I'd argue that few people want to be poor (except perhaps a few religious people that take a vow of poverty), but it's fair to say that quite a few people choose what some would call a 'ghetto' lifestyle by choice.
JJ Walker lived in the ghetto and they called it "Good Times."
Anon. racist 10:35:
For the record, I am a DC native and the product of a single parent home. We were in no way rich; we were barely middle class. I went to Catholic High School (Archbishop Carroll) with the aid of academic scholarships, and got into Cornell because of very good grades and other extra curricular activities.
I say this not because I really care what you think, but so that you know I am not really an exception. There were plenty talented black and brown people at Cornell, although it could stand to have been more diverse.
Most of the kids from my High school class went on to college, most of those graduated from college and are living successful lives. They were from very poor and very wealthy backgrounds. I had friends from wealthy suburbs and friends from Carver Terrace. Oddly those from the poorer areas actually did better.
I’ve met lazy Blacks, Whites, Asians, Latinos, and Native Americans. However they are the exception not the rule. Most people regardless of skin color, ethnic background, nationality, or sexual orientation work very hard to improve their lot in life. Some, like my grand mother, a former NE resident, traveled across town to clean rich people's homes to put food on the table for her family, and others like a former student of mine who was an illiterate adult who put in extra time at the end of a very long working day to learn to read to be able to read his a child bedtime story.
Are there people that game the system, sure, but do not be so quick to paint anyone, let alone any group, with such a broad brush.
All:
XII reminded me of Juste Lounge, or Halo. If you like lounges and very good food, then stop by. If not, then H Street has plenty of other spots and there is room for every one at the table.
-Robby
What exactly is racist about Anon 10:35's post?
He makes two points. First, that it is hard to find examples of predominately white clubs in DC where there have been major violence (shootings, knifings) above and beyond the standard bar fistfight in the club itself or directly attributed to the club patrons (above and beyond the club patron simply being a victim).
Another poster found several examples of club patrons leaving what I assume are majority-white bars being beaten and such. But are those examples of the club patrons doing these things? I honestly don't know. But if we're blaming clubs for random street violence then that's not really fair to the clubs. Again, I don't know about those particular instances cited. But on the surface they sound as if they could just as easily be that these club patrons were simply the victims of violent street crime unassociated with the club itself. If anyone has evidence to the contrary that'd be useful.
Anecdotally, you do often hear of the major violence (guns, knifings) in clubs that cater to a young black audience. You rarely hear of similar events at clubs that cater mostly to whites.
To say this does not make you a racist.
There is a very real problem with violence in certain parts of the poor black community in DC. And a good many of these folks end up going to dance clubs, where violence ensues. Admitting this does not make you racist.
I remember well when Heart & Soul, on 8th Street SE, went from being a neighborhood joint serving above-average soul food to a much larger venue that promoted a hip-hop dance crowd. It wasn't long before there were shootings associated with club patrons (the one I remember most vividly was the one at the gas station next door, involving club patrons in a pissing contest over a girl), very annoying behavior (club patrons threatening neighbors, defecating in their yards, etc).
The Heart & Soul owners cried racism when neighbors complained, conveniently overlooking the fact that those same neighbors had long supported Heart & Soul when it was not a violent nightclub. In fact, back when it was just a neighborhood restaurant those very neighbors had literally kept the place going. I myself, racist that I am (according to the overly-broad definition used by many here) went fairly frequently.
To me it's not the music per se - another poster accurately pointed out that many 'white' clubs play hip hop.
It's cultural. And that culture of violence and thuggery is a sad fact of life amongst some segments of the black community in DC. Applying that universally to ALL blacks in DC would be racist. Denying that it exists at all, as some would apparently suggest we must do, is silly.
And some clubs will play up to that cultural aspect - with the 'playa' motif and the glorification of that culture. Yes, that often includes hip-hop.
The second point Anon made was about lower income people (it's worth pointing out that he didn't specifically say black people) in DC needing to 'pull themselves up by their bootstraps', to stop blaming whitey or The Man or others, and to address the social ills in their society.
Perhaps he should have pointed out that clearly many blacks in DC do exactly that - they work hard, take responsibility, etc.
But he has a point, in that some in DC do blame whitey or The Man for everything, refuse to address social ills in their own society, and generally live what many would term a 'ghetto' lifestyle, generation after generation.
Whether we like to admit it or not, most successful blacks (defining 'success' strictly in economic terms) left DC some time ago.
By and large (but certainly not exclusively) what was left in many neighborhoods was generation after generation of poverty, much of which was a direct result of alcoholism, drug use, a reliance on welfare in lieu of working for a living, a denegration of education as 'acting white', a blaming of the mysterious 'white man' for all life's struggles, and a tolerance and even acceptance of violence and thuggery.
Sadly, the only other thing left in these areas were the decent people that were preyed upon. Doubly sad was that the prey were quite often poor black people.
Pointing this out is not racism. It's facing facts. And the sooner we admit it the faster we can begin addressing the problem.
I don't know anything about Twelve. I can't begin to know what type of clientele he's trying to attract, other than that apparently it's a dance club. I think it's premature for us to judge him without any factual basis. But to somehow claim that clubs that cater to a young black crowd in DC don't often have security and violence concerns substantially beyond the typical bar fistfight is to deny reality.
Such denial is actually detrimental. You can't fix a problem if you refuse to admit it exists.
All I know for sure about this particular bar owner is that I liked Cluck U Chicken and never really understood why that whole fight was such a big deal, especially given the fact that at the time it opened it was dang hard to find much decent food on H Street, fast food or otherwise.
I guess first I take issue with the title of the entire piece. Why not write "Twelve Opens" or something not so negatively matter of fact?
It's subtle and perhaps just a matter of style, but language matters.
As for what is racist? Well to assume that this establishment, because it's run by a black guy, will only attract blacks is a racist assumption. R&B attracts many people. Some of you are uncomfortable about hordes of blacks coming any where near your newly carved out safety zone for white entertainment. That's racist. And to say anything else is a lie. To cloak your racism in some statistically insignificant anecdotal stories is bad social science at best, but in the arrenda of events it is also suspect.
To take your position to its logical and final end would be to say the best way to make DC safe for whites and the white way of life would be to rid DC of all black people, since we are “violent.” Why not bring back lynching laws? I mean I did go to XII with a white woman I must be a threat to her, since I am black and young and thereby violent.
It seems that a white urban paradise may make some of you giddy. Sadly it's not going to happen. Sorry.
Some of you enjoy being urban cowboys; you've come into the ghetto and saved it from the low-lives that lived here. You've rediscover the history and the charm of the neighborhoods.
Except, its not as simple as you or any other people with your views make it. Ask yourself how can you rediscover what was never lost?
I don't fly often into the reality, that no black baby is born toting a gun, or with a history of violence. In fact, I don't know of any child born standing on the corner selling drugs either. They are led to make those choices, and they are choices, by the circumstance that they didn't have the conscious of character to rise above their surroundings. Selling drugs is a choice, but I am not so silly to think that if some of these kids had much in the way of direction towards something different. But I concede to the fact that they made those choices and have chosen a path of violence which erupts sometime in clubs and other places.
In the most disturbing ways we, each of us, contribute to the creation of these monsters and no I don't have a solution for them or us.
We are stuck with each other and unless you are going to employ the final solution on blacks what you're saying is hallow.
Great, you have stories of violent blacks; I have stores of valiant blacks. And we get no where.
BTW none of this has anything to do with XII, except that you're collective fear and loathing of black people has been heightened by the possibilities of more Ni@@ers in your neighborhood.
My only advice is that you better go to Home Depot and get some rope.
Thank god the trees on my street are too low for lynching, but if history is any judge of the violent tendencies of white people, you’ll find a way, even if you have to make a way out of no way.
-Robby
Robby:
Quite the hyperbole you've got there.
If reason fails, call anyone that disagrees with you a Nazi?
No one is suggesting a 'final solution' for blacks. No one is suggesting lynching.
Frankly, such idiotic rhetoric pretty much ruins any other point you may have.
But that's EXACTLY the type of rhetoric that anyone that wants a frank discussion of poverty and social programs / crime in DC has to put up with.
And we're sick of it.
So stop it already.
But to address your point directly.....
We suggest that the problems in the black community (and similar problems in white rural communities) be addressed directly and honestly. There are problems. And they need fixing.
We suggest that the never-ending welfare handout that creates poverty and crime must end.
We suggest that there is a need for welfare, but that it MUST be coupled with a real work responsibility, and if you pull crap like doing drugs or participating in violent crime you lose your free housing and other benefits paid for by the rest of us taxpayers.
And, yes, if you think so little of your kids that you do this while they are being housed at taxpayer expense, you lose your parental rights.
We suggest that real crime have real punishment, not the revolving door that the criminal justice system in DC so often is.
But in addition we suggest a fresh look at drug use. Specifically, the time has come that we require mandatory drug treatment instead of prison time for non-violent drug use offenses.
And we suggest real treatment of homelessness issues. No more 'homeless rights' advocates insisting that people have some sort of right to literally rot to death in front of our eyes in public parks and on our streets. We must stop this, even if it takes the non-PC form of forcing people off the streets, for alcohol and drug rehab and for mental health treatment.
And we need to pay for these programs.
And we shun those that perpetuate the 'violence is cool' mythology. Specifically, the rap stars that show life with guns, whores, and insanely unaffordable bling items as being far more important than education, work, family, etc.
These ideas take a large monetary commitment. And they also take a fundamental change in attitudes.
And the first step is to stop calling those that point out the problems racist.
ENOUGH already! Can we please get back to the purpose of this blog - sharing information about the development of our neighborhood. Find a different forum or blog to have these continuing racially charged debates. They serve no purpose other than to stoke the flames of distrust. If I was a restauranteur/business owner considering opening a location on H Street I would strongly reconsider based on the content that is posted on a daily basis. We could be damaging the further development (and our property values) of our little neighborhood.
Agreed. While Hillman and I disagree on some things and agree on others we can resolve those elsewhere or in person if we choose.
I don't want to ignore the racial overtones, but this is getting us no where. We can go toe to toe and go no where. The truth is we are in this together, so lets roll up oursleves and make it work.
-Robby
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Hillman -- I presumed the reason he was referred to as "Anon racist 10:35" is because *he signed his own post* as "Anon racist 10:35."
Chris:
I'd assumed that posting name was tongue in cheek. Apparently satire or irony is lost on this crowd.
More than one other poster singled out 10:35's post and others as being horribly racist. Hence my questions.
To respond to Robby's comment about the post title. I didn't call is XII Opens, or XII Now Open, because XII was already open and operating as restaurant sans liquor license. Here's the original announcement of the opening.
"The truth is we are in this together, so lets roll up oursleves and make it work. "
Does that include calling those you disagree with Nazis and claiming they want to lynch you?
Hillman 7:55 gets it! Robby, who clearly did pull himself up by his bootstraps, unfortunatly got his Cornell boots very muddy with his racist 9:06 post. So sad.
Anon. Racist 10:25 (now Anon. - and ignorant- Racist 9:51)
Hillman,
Will you ever move on? Who in the hell is the 'we' you repeatedly mention?
Interesting that you would call Robby out for 'idiotic rhetoric' when you continue to set the standard.
Robby than agreed to move on but you continue to tap away at the keyboard with the same old bs.
I will not call you a racist, you are just an ignorant know-it-all (in your own mind) who likes to post and get reactions. Interestingly enough, if you identified yourself and went outside popping that nonsense, I am fairly certain that one of the "ghetto" people you reference would shut you up.
Stop worrying about the problems in the black community and just shut up already. We are way past the point of a productive conclusion to this topic so let it go.
Have a good day.
OK, I'm going to suggest that everyone take a breath. The bottom line is that we're all, to some extent, neighbors. We all have a common interest in a clean, safe, and thriving H Street with a variety of businesses to frequent. I have yet to see anything about XII that makes me apprehensive. I hope people will check them out and give them a chance.
Intoxicated:
I don't take being called a Nazi and a racist lightly.
As for being past the point of productivity, I disagree. It's clear that someone can't even discuss obvious social and cultural issues in DC without being branded a racist, so I'd say this conversation is well overdue.
It's funny how people were so fast to call others racist but suddenly when someone calls them on it they want to quit the conversation, saying it's unproductive.
Was it more productive when you were calling people racist at the drop of a hat, with no apparent basis in fact?
Nice touch, though, suggesting violence if I were to voice my opinions in person. Do you feel that violence would be justified? You do seem to sortof relish the idea.
I'm all for a dignified conversation on the topic. But you've got to get past calling everyone you disagree with racist. It's not only a cheap argument, it actually denigrates the very real struggles blacks (and others) have had against real racism.
Hillman and anon 10:35, I'm really curious about where you two are from. I don't want to assume you're from small or suburban majority white middle class places, but I am very curious. DC is unique in that the overwhelming majority of the lower economic class is African American. I'm just curious that if this were a lot of other cities that do have much larger white communities that fall into the same lower economic class, if you would be saying the same things.
Seriously though, where were you raised and what has been your experience that you have such strong opinions about African Americans and the "ghetto lifestyle" ?
Anonymous:
I'm from a very poor rural upbringing. Ironically, it was made poorer by my father losing his profession in the 60s because he insisted on racial integration (he was a pastor and insisted that his flock reach out to non-white members).
Poor to the point that we literally rationed toilet paper squares we were allowed to use each day.
I've gone out of my way to state that these cultural issues aren't limited to blacks. Obviously, of course, in DC it's mostly blacks.
But in other areas that's not the case. For instance, I remember a time when the Hollywood Cemetery neighborhood in Richmond (nearly all white) was one of the most crime-infested, hoodlum-sporting neighborhood you could find. I haven't been back there in years, so I don't know how it is today.
In my adult life I've lived in mostly 'transitional' neighborhoods, with people of mostly black, white, or hispanic background.
Hillman,
I am tired of posting on this issue. If you want to have a dignified conversation on the topic you are more than welcome to stop by my house at anytime and we can discuss it face to face. We could even go to XII and I will buy you a drink and protect you from the "ghetto" people.
My address is 1211 G Street, my name is William and you can reach me at (202) 271-8100.
I will be more than happy to answer all of your questions and to continue to learn all that you seemingly know about black people and our issues/problems.
My final points:
I am not sure how you define successful blacks but I strongly disagree with your statement that all successful blacks have left the city. There are numerous blacks that I would consider successful on my block.
Violence is rarely the answer.
Hope to see you soon.
I never said all successful blacks left DC. I said most did, and I defined 'successful' strictly in economic terms.
I appreciate the offer for face to face conversation.
But I've learned in DC that the only way you can discuss these issues in DC is anonymously. I have a family and a home and a livelihood to consider. Given the vitriol aimed at me anytime these issues arise, my first concern is their safety.
Hillman,
That is what I figured but I thought I would extend the invite anyway.
A man who seemingly feels so strongly about what he has to say should consider standing up all the way behind those viewpoints, it would carry a lot more weight.
The offer still stands should you change your mind. Otherwise, I hope to run into you at one of the non XII establishments. If so, I will gladly buy you a drink and continue the conversation. Ideally, it would prove to be a more productive conversation.
Hillman is so right on so many levels! And unfortunatly many of the (assumed) African American posts - after all, everyone is really anonymous here - have done nothing but perpetuate their own angry stereotypes of blaming (can I say "shooting"?) the messenger because you don't like the message (can I say facts - or at least stereotypical facts that many fall right into?). Its sad on many levels. However, I do see it a very fruitful conversation - though a little too serious (and emotional) for some.
- Remaining Anonymous
It's actually not "shooting" the messenger. It's not as simple as that. I remember when XII was first introduced on this site and many people were excited. The website was playing Justin Timberlake's "Sexy Back" and many people were ready to go! Then it opened. I think to some people's dismay it did not fit the image they expected. My understanding is that Bernard would like his space to be a lounge. So let's not think Zanzibar or H2O but instead something a lot more layed back that attracts a mature crowd that is not interested in fighting or carrying weapons. It is quite prejudice (NOT RACIST) to assume because the establishment may attract more black people it will pose a safety problem. It is also ignorant to attempt to discuss race on a blog and not face to face. Everyone pre-judges and that is what is happening here with XII. What is really at issue is that an entire diatribe on race ensued all because one black guy named Bernard opened a Restaurant/Lounge. Because honestly that is all that happened. Nothing more and nothing less. No shooting...No violence. I can't help but wonder if the neighbors around U Street were this scared when Mark Barnes opened Republic Gardens which in my humble opinion was the absolute best club in DC :-) Everyone just needs to relax and remember where you live. Our enviroment is very diverse. If you are uncomfortable with that....I am very sorry for you because I doubt it's about to change. One good thing that has come of this is I am getting more of my friends outside our neighborhood to visit XII. Of course they can't believe we are up to 100 comments for one new business! Let's all wish this guy well and if you have constructive criticism share it with him. If you are not comfortable with XII or any other business just don't go! It's quite simple...we all have free will.
Race discusion, you may have noticed, are usually among the longest threads on FT. Obviously people have a lot they want to say on the issue and ultimatly, maybe - hopefully, the dialog can become less emotional, more factual and some of us will eventually find a common middle ground. I think the discussions are a positive thing and can ultimatly, in time, bring about some reconciliation.
I agree that discussions on race are very necessary and not about to go away. However, I am not sure if this particular one did anything to help anyone. I really hope it did not do anything to hurt a new business. I am concerned it may have. It's really unfortunate because many people use FT as a means to determine their next potential go-to place. I am sure all the positive postings for Argonaut, Napa, SOVA, and especially Granville Moore's have contributed to more people going into their establishment. Well let's just look at what is now being associated with XII. A lot of anger and terms like shooting, ghetto, racist. How could that possibly help this business? Some people will go in but many people may be turned off. I really don't see how someone in another section of town could read this and want to venture over to check it out. I ask that people be sensitive to others livelihood. The owners of these businesses have made quite an investment in time and money. Don't defame them before they can get off the ground. For the folks who can offer best practices..those should be shared.
Frozen Tropics is very influential in our community, but its going to take more than than the readers of Frozen Tropics to make or break businesses like XII, R&R Hotel, Napa, etc.
But, I see where Sasha's arugument is going here.... IF XII were to fail at least we're beginning to lay the foundation for external blame as opposed to the possibility of poor business management - though based on some arguments here, that would rarely be the cause.
I hope XII thrives as a respectful night lounge - in my mind it currently has more vanilla appeal for me than the R&R Hotel does. Then, many (including maybe even Sasha) will be pleasantly surprised.
I am kindof sorry that this race / class / cultural issue thing got attached to this particular thread, as it's sortof unfair for this Bernard guy.
I was going to point that out earlier, but even I was sick to death of the lengths of my posts, and I was the one posting them.
But I tend to agree with other posters that we may be overstating the importance of this blog. And possibly if anything it may gin up business for the place.
Actually I have encountered folks outside our hood who say they "heard about something" on FT. Yes...suprising! It has happened to me twice. Once at Granville Moore's and again at Napa. In addition, before I moved to this neighborhood I did a lot of google searching and learned a lot about the area from FT's postings. People may not post comments but I definately think there may be a lot of readers out there. Also folks who own homes over here but live out of town read the site to see how the area is progressing. That speaks to what a great job Inked does consolidating information! I think everyone gets the point. As much as someone does not appreciate being called names by other posters...is as much as the guy Bernard cannot appreciate all the uproar around his new business. No one wants that! Plus it seems from people who have gone to his restaurant that he is really personable and has been doing things like giving tours and greeting the guests to make everyone feel welcome. Like any new business owner...the guy deserves a chance. Again the dialogue is okay..just not attached to a particular business. Especially since the disagreements were more about people's opinions vs. something tangible to XII.
One person hearing something twice does not fill a business - or empty one. Did Cluck-U, or Birdland, or whatever used to briefly be at the corner of H & 12th before Naby's (I've already forgotten the name of it), close because of negative Frozen Tropic comments. Sorry, this blog ain't THAT powerful. But beleive whatever you want.
The Rib Tip previously occupied that space. The owner closed it for personal reasons. But trust me that people from outside the neighborhood will google a business' name and Frozen Tropics will pop up [I can see the stats].
"But trust me that people from outside the neighborhood will google a business' name and Frozen Tropics will pop up [I can see the stats]."
Nice to see NAPA 1015 has their menu and hours on the website now.
See. I can say nice things on occasion....
I ate here last night! WOW! Worst food ever...! Gordon Ramsey needs to visit this place on Kitchen Nightmares. Anyway this place looked like it is going to be a ghetto fabalous pain in the rear end for H Street and our budding economy
Mike
2672401196
Mike please tell me your post was sarcastic.
Guys, if a comment like the one posted by Mike last night [with the phone number] is meant to be sarcastic please realize that most people probably will not read it that way. If criticism is serious, try to make it if constructive criticism. Just be respectful.Remember that your comments can have real world effects on the businesses and people in the neighborhood.
Inked said: "Remember that your comments can have real world effects on the businesses and people in the neighborhood."
But isn't that your purpose here? You can't just randomely select what you like to hear and what you don't (well, maybe you can because its your blog), but once you start self-selecting what you may perceive to be dishonest or less than sincere comments on here, I think you begin to loose some credibility with folks by providing a "Lets only say positive things about businesses on H. Street" blog - but maybe that's what you want to do with YOUR blog. If Bernard's (or Joe Englert's) business can't withstand negative press from a community blog, I'm afraid their doomed for failure anyway.
I agree with Hilman (again) when he said, "I tend to agree with other posters that we may be overstating the importance of this blog." - While yes, influential, I think some are a little grandious about the "power" of this blog.
Saying all that, I too am curious if Mike's 7:19 post was true or sarcastic (it would be nice if he clarified) and if it is, what's wrong with posting his opinion - even if we (or the creator) disagrees?
My Post was serious. Place in my opinion is horrible. I would never step foot in there again and I live a block away. This place is going to attract all of the rif raf late night crowd and I dont want it anywhere near my house.
Mike
And Mike, thank you for speaking YOUR truth. I hope you're prepared for the racist comments (about your being a racist) that are about to come your way because of your OPINION! Fortunately for you and many of the readers, we're up to 114 comments and the whole thread will cycle off soon - which is a good thing here. Nevertheless, it will soon be replaced with another topic that generate another healthy discussion on race in our community.
"BLACK CAT STUCK IN TREE"
Soul Searcher said, "Why did you single out that it was black"
Hillman said, "That's not racist its a fact."
Anoymous 2:15 said, "I heard Janet Jackson's 'Black Cat' at the R&R Hotel Sat. night."
Anonymous 3:15 said, "Well I SAW it at XII last night."
Robby said, "That's racist and paints XII as a gangsta hip-hop club."
Me said, "Yeah, I'd agree that' pretty racist."
Anonymous 3:15 (now 4:15) said, "But I did see it and I'm black."
I never said don't post negative things. I simply suggested that people take a step back and think for a moment before posting to make sure they really want to post something. I've gotten emails from time to time where commentors regret something they've posted and say they which they had hesitated for a moment and though before acting. And I do think constructive criticism is more useful than out right criticism, but if you don't like a place, you are free to say so. This is just a blog, but people who live here, and people who don't, do read it.
My concern with this particular thread is than most of the thread wasn't even about the business.
Hillman wrote: "I am kindof sorry that this race / class / cultural issue thing got attached to this particular thread, as it's sortof unfair for this Bernard guy."
Uh, the whole reason for much of this thread has been specifically to be "unfair for this Bernard guy." That was the point. It may not have been *your* point; but the conversation wouldn't have gone down that road, and you wouldn't have had the chance to pontificate to the rest of us, if anonymous cowards hadn't been spewing out baseless inflammatory speculation about XII.
You're wrong there Chris,
Mike so eloquently gave us an opinion of the place. Now we know for certain the place is ghetto and will be filled with riff raff. I mean, he put his phone number on his post and everything :eyeroll:
While we're at it, can we stop with the anonymous bashing? I'm 8th and El. Poo poo's poo poo. Hillman's hillman. Soul Searcher's Soul Searcher. They might have names like Tim, George, or DaShawn, but does it really matter? Are you going to call Mike because he posted something you don't like?
8th and el: to the best of my knowledge, neither you, nor Soul Searcher, nor Hillman, have hidden behind anonymity to make baseless accusations with no supporting evidence. Others, who have posted simply as "anonymous," have. If you were to do that, yes, I'd criticize you for doing so anonymously. It's no different than trolling.
And the expression "anonymous coward" that at least a couple of people have used in this discussion is old blogging jargon, referencing the fact that several early blogging software systems, predating Blogger or LiveJournal or Blogspot, automatically attached a name of "Anonymous Coward" to anyone who posted anonymously. Slashdot probably popularized it. See the Anonymous Coward Wikipedia page.
EVERYONE is anonymous here. When are people going to get that?? This blog would hardly exist if people couldn't post anonymously - even those with regular tag names. Stop whinning about the anonymous thing, please.
- signed SS#: 723-84-4893 (Does that satisfy you?)
Anon 11:23 -- Speaking only for myself, I don't have any problem with people posting anonymously, in general. I've posted as "Anonymous Coward" myself a zillion times on lots of different fora. But posting mean-spirited accusations without any supporting evidence anonymously is wrong. It was wrong last year when Hillman was the target (during the discussion about clubs relocated to Ivy City); and he was right to call people out on it then. It's wrong now when XII is the target. If you disagree, if you think it's inappropriate to call someone out for using anonymity as a shield to enable trying to hurt other people, well, we'll have to disagree, I guess. -shrug-
We the people, in order to form a more perfect union."
Two hundred and twenty one years ago, in a hall that still stands across the street, a group of men gathered and, with these simple words, launched America's improbable experiment in democracy. Farmers and scholars; statesmen and patriots who had traveled across an ocean to escape tyranny and persecution finally made real their declaration of independence at a Philadelphia convention that lasted through the spring of 1787.
The document they produced was eventually signed but ultimately unfinished. It was stained by this nation's original sin of slavery, a question that divided the colonies and brought the convention to a stalemate until the founders chose to allow the slave trade to continue for at least twenty more years, and to leave any final resolution to future generations.
Of course, the answer to the slavery question was already embedded within our Constitution - a Constitution that had at is very core the ideal of equal citizenship under the law; a Constitution that promised its people liberty, and justice, and a union that could be and should be perfected over time.
And yet words on a parchment would not be enough to deliver slaves from bondage, or provide men and women of every color and creed their full rights and obligations as citizens of the United States. What would be needed were Americans in successive generations who were willing to do their part - through protests and struggle, on the streets and in the courts, through a civil war and civil disobedience and always at great risk - to narrow that gap between the promise of our ideals and the reality of their time.
This was one of the tasks we set forth at the beginning of this campaign - to continue the long march of those who came before us, a march for a more just, more equal, more free, more caring and more prosperous America. I chose to run for the presidency at this moment in history because I believe deeply that we cannot solve the challenges of our time unless we solve them together - unless we perfect our union by understanding that we may have different stories, but we hold common hopes; that we may not look the same and we may not have come from the same place, but we all want to move in the same direction - towards a better future for of children and our grandchildren.
This belief comes from my unyielding faith in the decency and generosity of the American people. But it also comes from my own American story.
I am the son of a black man from Kenya and a white woman from Kansas. I was raised with the help of a white grandfather who survived a Depression to serve in Patton's Army during World War II and a white grandmother who worked on a bomber assembly line at Fort Leavenworth while he was overseas. I've gone to some of the best schools in America and lived in one of the world's poorest nations. I am married to a black American who carries within her the blood of slaves and slaveowners - an inheritance we pass on to our two precious daughters. I have brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, uncles and cousins, of every race and every hue, scattered across three continents, and for as long as I live, I will never forget that in no other country on Earth is my story even possible.
It's a story that hasn't made me the most conventional candidate. But it is a story that has seared into my genetic makeup the idea that this nation is more than the sum of its parts - that out of many, we are truly one.
Throughout the first year of this campaign, against all predictions to the contrary, we saw how hungry the American people were for this message of unity. Despite the temptation to view my candidacy through a purely racial lens, we won commanding victories in states with some of the whitest populations in the country. In South Carolina, where the Confederate Flag still flies, we built a powerful coalition of African Americans and white Americans.
This is not to say that race has not been an issue in the campaign. At various stages in the campaign, some commentators have deemed me either "too black" or "not black enough." We saw racial tensions bubble to the surface during the week before the South Carolina primary. The press has scoured every exit poll for the latest evidence of racial polarization, not just in terms of white and black, but black and brown as well.
And yet, it has only been in the last couple of weeks that the discussion of race in this campaign has taken a particularly divisive turn.
On one end of the spectrum, we've heard the implication that my candidacy is somehow an exercise in affirmative action; that it's based solely on the desire of wide-eyed liberals to purchase racial reconciliation on the cheap. On the other end, we've heard my former pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, use incendiary language to express views that have the potential not only to widen the racial divide, but views that denigrate both the greatness and the goodness of our nation; that rightly offend white and black alike.
I have already condemned, in unequivocal terms, the statements of Reverend Wright that have caused such controversy. For some, nagging questions remain. Did I know him to be an occasionally fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy? Of course. Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in church? Yes. Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views? Absolutely - just as I'm sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors, priests, or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed.
But the remarks that have caused this recent firestorm weren't simply controversial. They weren't simply a religious leader's effort to speak out against perceived injustice. Instead, they expressed a profoundly distorted view of this country - a view that sees white racism as endemic, and that elevates what is wrong with America above all that we know is right with America; a view that sees the conflicts in the Middle East as rooted primarily in the actions of stalwart allies like Israel, instead of emanating from the perverse and hateful ideologies of radical Islam.
As such, Reverend Wright's comments were not only wrong but divisive, divisive at a time when we need unity; racially charged at a time when we need to come together to solve a set of monumental problems - two wars, a terrorist threat, a falling economy, a chronic health care crisis and potentially devastating climate change; problems that are neither black or white or Latino or Asian, but rather problems that confront us all.
Given my background, my politics, and my professed values and ideals, there will no doubt be those for whom my statements of condemnation are not enough. Why associate myself with Reverend Wright in the first place, they may ask? Why not join another church? And I confess that if all that I knew of Reverend Wright were the snippets of those sermons that have run in an endless loop on the television and You Tube, or if Trinity United Church of Christ conformed to the caricatures being peddled by some commentators, there is no doubt that I would react in much the same way
But the truth is, that isn't all that I know of the man. The man I met more than twenty years ago is a man who helped introduce me to my Christian faith, a man who spoke to me about our obligations to love one another; to care for the sick and lift up the poor. He is a man who served his country as a U.S. Marine; who has studied and lectured at some of the finest universities and seminaries in the country, and who for over thirty years led a church that serves the community by doing God's work here on Earth - by housing the homeless, ministering to the needy, providing day care services and scholarships and prison ministries, and reaching out to those suffering from HIV/AIDS.
In my first book, Dreams From My Father, I described the experience of my first service at Trinity:
"People began to shout, to rise from their seats and clap and cry out, a forceful wind carrying the reverend's voice up into the rafters....And in that single note - hope! - I heard something else; at the foot of that cross, inside the thousands of churches across the city, I imagined the stories of ordinary black people merging with the stories of David and Goliath, Moses and Pharaoh, the Christians in the lion's den, Ezekiel's field of dry bones. Those stories - of survival, and freedom, and hope - became our story, my story; the blood that had spilled was our blood, the tears our tears; until this black church, on this bright day, seemed once more a vessel carrying the story of a people into future generations and into a larger world. Our trials and triumphs became at once unique and universal, black and more than black; in chronicling our journey, the stories and songs gave us a means to reclaim memories that we didn't need to feel shame about...memories that all people might study and cherish - and with which we could start to rebuild."
That has been my experience at Trinity. Like other predominantly black churches across the country, Trinity embodies the black community in its entirety - the doctor and the welfare mom, the model student and the former gang-banger. Like other black churches, Trinity's services are full of raucous laughter and sometimes bawdy humor. They are full of dancing, clapping, screaming and shouting that may seem jarring to the untrained ear. The church contains in full the kindness and cruelty, the fierce intelligence and the shocking ignorance, the struggles and successes, the love and yes, the bitterness and bias that make up the black experience in America.
And this helps explain, perhaps, my relationship with Reverend Wright. As imperfect as he may be, he has been like family to me. He strengthened my faith, officiated my wedding, and baptized my children. Not once in my conversations with him have I heard him talk about any ethnic group in derogatory terms, or treat whites with whom he interacted with anything but courtesy and respect. He contains within him the contradictions - the good and the bad - of the community that he has served diligently for so many years.
I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community. I can no more disown him than I can my white grandmother - a woman who helped raise me, a woman who sacrificed again and again for me, a woman who loves me as much as she loves anything in this world, but a woman who once confessed her fear of black men who passed by her on the street, and who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe.
These people are a part of me. And they are a part of America, this country that I love.
Some will see this as an attempt to justify or excuse comments that are simply inexcusable. I can assure you it is not. I suppose the politically safe thing would be to move on from this episode and just hope that it fades into the woodwork. We can dismiss Reverend Wright as a crank or a demagogue, just as some have dismissed Geraldine Ferraro, in the aftermath of her recent statements, as harboring some deep-seated racial bias.
But race is an issue that I believe this nation cannot afford to ignore right now. We would be making the same mistake that Reverend Wright made in his offending sermons about America - to simplify and stereotype and amplify the negative to the point that it distorts reality.
The fact is that the comments that have been made and the issues that have surfaced over the last few weeks reflect the complexities of race in this country that we've never really worked through - a part of our union that we have yet to perfect. And if we walk away now, if we simply retreat into our respective corners, we will never be able to come together and solve challenges like health care, or education, or the need to find good jobs for every American.
Understanding this reality requires a reminder of how we arrived at this point. As William Faulkner once wrote, "The past isn't dead and buried. In fact, it isn't even past." We do not need to recite here the history of racial injustice in this country. But we do need to remind ourselves that so many of the disparities that exist in the African-American community today can be directly traced to inequalities passed on from an earlier generation that suffered under the brutal legacy of slavery and Jim Crow.
Segregated schools were, and are, inferior schools; we still haven't fixed them, fifty years after Brown v. Board of Education, and the inferior education they provided, then and now, helps explain the pervasive achievement gap between today's black and white students.
Legalized discrimination - where blacks were prevented, often through violence, from owning property, or loans were not granted to African-American business owners, or black homeowners could not access FHA mortgages, or blacks were excluded from unions, or the police force, or fire departments - meant that black families could not amass any meaningful wealth to bequeath to future generations. That history helps explain the wealth and income gap between black and white, and the concentrated pockets of poverty that persists in so many of today's urban and rural communities.
A lack of economic opportunity among black men, and the shame and frustration that came from not being able to provide for one's family, contributed to the erosion of black families - a problem that welfare policies for many years may have worsened. And the lack of basic services in so many urban black neighborhoods - parks for kids to play in, police walking the beat, regular garbage pick-up and building code enforcement - all helped create a cycle of violence, blight and neglect that continue to haunt us.
This is the reality in which Reverend Wright and other African-Americans of his generation grew up. They came of age in the late fifties and early sixties, a time when segregation was still the law of the land and opportunity was systematically constricted. What's remarkable is not how many failed in the face of discrimination, but rather how many men and women overcame the odds; how many were able to make a way out of no way for those like me who would come after them.
But for all those who scratched and clawed their way to get a piece of the American Dream, there were many who didn't make it - those who were ultimately defeated, in one way or another, by discrimination. That legacy of defeat was passed on to future generations - those young men and increasingly young women who we see standing on street corners or languishing in our prisons, without hope or prospects for the future. Even for those blacks who did make it, questions of race, and racism, continue to define their worldview in fundamental ways. For the men and women of Reverend Wright's generation, the memories of humiliation and doubt and fear have not gone away; nor has the anger and the bitterness of those years. That anger may not get expressed in public, in front of white co-workers or white friends. But it does find voice in the barbershop or around the kitchen table. At times, that anger is exploited by politicians, to gin up votes along racial lines, or to make up for a politician's own failings.
And occasionally it finds voice in the church on Sunday morning, in the pulpit and in the pews. The fact that so many people are surprised to hear that anger in some of Reverend Wright's sermons simply reminds us of the old truism that the most segregated hour in American life occurs on Sunday morning. That anger is not always productive; indeed, all too often it distracts attention from solving real problems; it keeps us from squarely facing our own complicity in our condition, and prevents the African-American community from forging the alliances it needs to bring about real change. But the anger is real; it is powerful; and to simply wish it away, to condemn it without understanding its roots, only serves to widen the chasm of misunderstanding that exists between the races.
In fact, a similar anger exists within segments of the white community. Most working- and middle-class white Americans don't feel that they have been particularly privileged by their race. Their experience is the immigrant experience - as far as they're concerned, no one's handed them anything, they've built it from scratch. They've worked hard all their lives, many times only to see their jobs shipped overseas or their pension dumped after a lifetime of labor. They are anxious about their futures, and feel their dreams slipping away; in an era of stagnant wages and global competition, opportunity comes to be seen as a zero sum game, in which your dreams come at my expense. So when they are told to bus their children to a school across town; when they hear that an African American is getting an advantage in landing a good job or a spot in a good college because of an injustice that they themselves never committed; when they're told that their fears about crime in urban neighborhoods are somehow prejudiced, resentment builds over time.
Like the anger within the black community, these resentments aren't always expressed in polite company. But they have helped shape the political landscape for at least a generation. Anger over welfare and affirmative action helped forge the Reagan Coalition. Politicians routinely exploited fears of crime for their own electoral ends. Talk show hosts and conservative commentators built entire careers unmasking bogus claims of racism while dismissing legitimate discussions of racial injustice and inequality as mere political correctness or reverse racism.
Just as black anger often proved counterproductive, so have these white resentments distracted attention from the real culprits of the middle class squeeze - a corporate culture rife with inside dealing, questionable accounting practices, and short-term greed; a Washington dominated by lobbyists and special interests; economic policies that favor the few over the many. And yet, to wish away the resentments of white Americans, to label them as misguided or even racist, without recognizing they are grounded in legitimate concerns - this too widens the racial divide, and blocks the path to understanding.
This is where we are right now. It's a racial stalemate we've been stuck in for years. Contrary to the claims of some of my critics, black and white, I have never been so naïve as to believe that we can get beyond our racial divisions in a single election cycle, or with a single candidacy - particularly a candidacy as imperfect as my own.
But I have asserted a firm conviction - a conviction rooted in my faith in God and my faith in the American people - that working together we can move beyond some of our old racial wounds, and that in fact we have no choice is we are to continue on the path of a more perfect union.
For the African-American community, that path means embracing the burdens of our past without becoming victims of our past. It means continuing to insist on a full measure of justice in every aspect of American life. But it also means binding our particular grievances - for better health care, and better schools, and better jobs - to the larger aspirations of all Americans -- the white woman struggling to break the glass ceiling, the white man whose been laid off, the immigrant trying to feed his family. And it means taking full responsibility for own lives - by demanding more from our fathers, and spending more time with our children, and reading to them, and teaching them that while they may face challenges and discrimination in their own lives, they must never succumb to despair or cynicism; they must always believe that they can write their own destiny.
Ironically, this quintessentially American - and yes, conservative - notion of self-help found frequent expression in Reverend Wright's sermons. But what my former pastor too often failed to understand is that embarking on a program of self-help also requires a belief that society can change.
The profound mistake of Reverend Wright's sermons is not that he spoke about racism in our society. It's that he spoke as if our society was static; as if no progress has been made; as if this country - a country that has made it possible for one of his own members to run for the highest office in the land and build a coalition of white and black; Latino and Asian, rich and poor, young and old -- is still irrevocably bound to a tragic past. But what we know -- what we have seen - is that America can change. That is true genius of this nation. What we have already achieved gives us hope - the audacity to hope - for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.
In the white community, the path to a more perfect union means acknowledging that what ails the African-American community does not just exist in the minds of black people; that the legacy of discrimination - and current incidents of discrimination, while less overt than in the past - are real and must be addressed. Not just with words, but with deeds - by investing in our schools and our communities; by enforcing our civil rights laws and ensuring fairness in our criminal justice system; by providing this generation with ladders of opportunity that were unavailable for previous generations. It requires all Americans to realize that your dreams do not have to come at the expense of my dreams; that investing in the health, welfare, and education of black and brown and white children will ultimately help all of America prosper.
In the end, then, what is called for is nothing more, and nothing less, than what all the world's great religions demand - that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us. Let us be our brother's keeper, Scripture tells us. Let us be our sister's keeper. Let us find that common stake we all have in one another, and let our politics reflect that spirit as well.
For we have a choice in this country. We can accept a politics that breeds division, and conflict, and cynicism. We can tackle race only as spectacle - as we did in the OJ trial - or in the wake of tragedy, as we did in the aftermath of Katrina - or as fodder for the nightly news. We can play Reverend Wright's sermons on every channel, every day and talk about them from now until the election, and make the only question in this campaign whether or not the American people think that I somehow believe or sympathize with his most offensive words. We can pounce on some gaffe by a Hillary supporter as evidence that she's playing the race card, or we can speculate on whether white men will all flock to John McCain in the general election regardless of his policies.
We can do that.
But if we do, I can tell you that in the next election, we'll be talking about some other distraction. And then another one. And then another one. And nothing will change.
That is one option. Or, at this moment, in this election, we can come together and say, "Not this time." This time we want to talk about the crumbling schools that are stealing the future of black children and white children and Asian children and Hispanic children and Native American children. This time we want to reject the cynicism that tells us that these kids can't learn; that those kids who don't look like us are somebody else's problem. The children of America are not those kids, they are our kids, and we will not let them fall behind in a 21st century economy. Not this time.
This time we want to talk about how the lines in the Emergency Room are filled with whites and blacks and Hispanics who do not have health care; who don't have the power on their own to overcome the special interests in Washington, but who can take them on if we do it together.
This time we want to talk about the shuttered mills that once provided a decent life for men and women of every race, and the homes for sale that once belonged to Americans from every religion, every region, every walk of life. This time we want to talk about the fact that the real problem is not that someone who doesn't look like you might take your job; it's that the corporation you work for will ship it overseas for nothing more than a profit.
This time we want to talk about the men and women of every color and creed who serve together, and fight together, and bleed together under the same proud flag. We want to talk about how to bring them home from a war that never should've been authorized and never should've been waged, and we want to talk about how we'll show our patriotism by caring for them, and their families, and giving them the benefits they have earned.
I would not be running for President if I didn't believe with all my heart that this is what the vast majority of Americans want for this country. This union may never be perfect, but generation after generation has shown that it can always be perfected. And today, whenever I find myself feeling doubtful or cynical about this possibility, what gives me the most hope is the next generation - the young people whose attitudes and beliefs and openness to change have already made history in this election.
There is one story in particularly that I'd like to leave you with today - a story I told when I had the great honor of speaking on Dr. King's birthday at his home church, Ebenezer Baptist, in Atlanta.
There is a young, twenty-three year old white woman named Ashley Baia who organized for our campaign in Florence, South Carolina. She had been working to organize a mostly African-American community since the beginning of this campaign, and one day she was at a roundtable discussion where everyone went around telling their story and why they were there.
And Ashley said that when she was nine years old, her mother got cancer. And because she had to miss days of work, she was let go and lost her health care. They had to file for bankruptcy, and that's when Ashley decided that she had to do something to help her mom.
She knew that food was one of their most expensive costs, and so Ashley convinced her mother that what she really liked and really wanted to eat more than anything else was mustard and relish sandwiches. Because that was the cheapest way to eat.
She did this for a year until her mom got better, and she told everyone at the roundtable that the reason she joined our campaign was so that she could help the millions of other children in the country who want and need to help their parents too.
Now Ashley might have made a different choice. Perhaps somebody told her along the way that the source of her mother's problems were blacks who were on welfare and too lazy to work, or Hispanics who were coming into the country illegally. But she didn't. She sought out allies in her fight against injustice.
Anyway, Ashley finishes her story and then goes around the room and asks everyone else why they're supporting the campaign. They all have different stories and reasons. Many bring up a specific issue. And finally they come to this elderly black man who's been sitting there quietly the entire time. And Ashley asks him why he's there. And he does not bring up a specific issue. He does not say health care or the economy. He does not say education or the war. He does not say that he was there because of Barack Obama. He simply says to everyone in the room, "I am here because of Ashley."
"I'm here because of Ashley." By itself, that single moment of recognition between that young white girl and that old black man is not enough. It is not enough to give health care to the sick, or jobs to the jobless, or education to our children.
But it is where we start. It is where our union grows stronger. And as so many generations have come to realize over the course of the two-hundred and twenty one years since a band of patriots signed that document in Philadelphia, that is where the perfection begins.
CAUTION NEGATIVE COMMENT AHEAD
Mike thanks for your humble opinion. Now here is mine. I am glad that you will no longer patronize XI. I will visiting tonight and I want to enjoy my food without suffering the stinch of you being near you. :=)
Ghetto Fabulous Neighbor
ignore the second in my comment.
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