So about a year and a half ago three Navy enlisted guys move into my neighborhood. The neighborhood is upper middle-class, and they're each getting housing allowance so they can afford the $3,000 per month rent.
These guys are all white, single, NCO's, about 25 years old. I introduce myself when they move in, bring over food as a welcome gift, explain that most of their neighbors are retired and that it is a very quiet neighborhood, offer to help watch their place if they're deployed, etc. Anyway, as soon as they move in they're noisy as hell, stereos blasting, throwing pool parties that last into the early morning.
The neighborhood asks them to please quiet down, and they do. Problem solved. Everyone gets along with everybody.
They are transferred and move out after a year. I help one of them move his stuff into storage.
Six months ago, three different Navy single enlisted guys move into the same house. All three are black, NCO's, older than the white guys. I'd say average age 28-30. Again, I introduce myself when they move in, bring over food as a welcome gift, explain that most of their neighbors are retired and that it is a very quiet neighborhood, offer to help watch their place if they're deployed, etc.
Well, just like the white guys, they start off with parties, stereos blaring, lots of noise in general. Sometimes their parties began at 3 in the morning when they get off duty.
Again, various neighbors, including myself, ask them to please keep the noise down. Very politely, too, I might add. I tell them I used to be in the military and know what it's like to have to let off steam. I tell them they can party 24/7 if they want to, just please keep the noise to an acceptable level that does not wake up the neighbors.
Well, unlike the white Navy guys, these black guys totally ignore the neighbors' requests, and keep throwing parties into the wee hours, rap music blaring, partygoers drunk and screaming and shouting with every other word being "nigga" or "muthafucka." The friends they invite to their parties fill up the street parking, and they often block neighbors driveways.
Neighbors eventually call police on a regular basis. Property management company notified. Owner of the house, living on the mainland, is notified. She did not know her house was being rented to blacks (law prohibits the owner being notified of race of renters), and she is worried because she had rented before to black military and her house had been trashed and she had to pay quite a bit of money for repairs.
Anyway, after several months of this, lease expires and they are not allowed to renew. Neighborhood breathes a sigh of relief that they are gone.
This whole experience reinforced the negative stereotype of black males to the neighborhood. That they were NCO's, probably in the Navy for at least 10 years already, and therefore in positions of authority, made their behavior that much more astounding.
Comments?
These guys are all white, single, NCO's, about 25 years old. I introduce myself when they move in, bring over food as a welcome gift, explain that most of their neighbors are retired and that it is a very quiet neighborhood, offer to help watch their place if they're deployed, etc. Anyway, as soon as they move in they're noisy as hell, stereos blasting, throwing pool parties that last into the early morning.
The neighborhood asks them to please quiet down, and they do. Problem solved. Everyone gets along with everybody.
They are transferred and move out after a year. I help one of them move his stuff into storage.
Six months ago, three different Navy single enlisted guys move into the same house. All three are black, NCO's, older than the white guys. I'd say average age 28-30. Again, I introduce myself when they move in, bring over food as a welcome gift, explain that most of their neighbors are retired and that it is a very quiet neighborhood, offer to help watch their place if they're deployed, etc.
Well, just like the white guys, they start off with parties, stereos blaring, lots of noise in general. Sometimes their parties began at 3 in the morning when they get off duty.
Again, various neighbors, including myself, ask them to please keep the noise down. Very politely, too, I might add. I tell them I used to be in the military and know what it's like to have to let off steam. I tell them they can party 24/7 if they want to, just please keep the noise to an acceptable level that does not wake up the neighbors.
Well, unlike the white Navy guys, these black guys totally ignore the neighbors' requests, and keep throwing parties into the wee hours, rap music blaring, partygoers drunk and screaming and shouting with every other word being "nigga" or "muthafucka." The friends they invite to their parties fill up the street parking, and they often block neighbors driveways.
Neighbors eventually call police on a regular basis. Property management company notified. Owner of the house, living on the mainland, is notified. She did not know her house was being rented to blacks (law prohibits the owner being notified of race of renters), and she is worried because she had rented before to black military and her house had been trashed and she had to pay quite a bit of money for repairs.
Anyway, after several months of this, lease expires and they are not allowed to renew. Neighborhood breathes a sigh of relief that they are gone.
This whole experience reinforced the negative stereotype of black males to the neighborhood. That they were NCO's, probably in the Navy for at least 10 years already, and therefore in positions of authority, made their behavior that much more astounding.
Comments?
